A lot to fit into the day before we go to the gig though... First work in the morning, did some great work on my New Relic As Code service level thing, so my proof of concept is now done and ready to show. Then finished at lunchtime, and straight down to T2's leavers picnic at the school. Then after saying goodbye to the lovely teachers for the last time (eleven years we've been with that school) to the beach where they would carry on partying with their friends. T2 said he only wanted to go for twenty minutes but we must have stayed an hour and a half. He did go in the sea, I did not.
Then home, and a quick rush out for a hair cut for me. No queue, so all done on schedule. Then back for a shower and change and drive round to pick friends up. One from Seabrook, two more from Hythe and then we're driving off to Margate. Roads quite busy but no problem. Easy parking at the venue too.
First to a bar nearby. We walked past the Two Halves micropub to a bigger microbrewery based bar next door, so no real ale, but I was not drinking anyway. This one probably better for me, got an alcohol free IPA, and for Clare and two of the friends who like that fizzy IPA sort of beer, less so for Alwyn the real ale fan. We tried to sit outside for a bit but just way too hot. Margate was nice though, busy, and these places overlooked the beach too.
Next into the gig, and pleased to find the gig is actually in Dreamland. I had a vision of it being in carpark next door or something. The venue is awesome, the theme park is closed, but it's in the amphitheatre type bit in the middle. There are food vans and bars running round the outside but there was a good view from all locations.
We got some good food, a vegan burger from Rad Burger for me, with skin on rosemary fries. Very good, not just burger van fare.
Manics played first, starting a little later than expected, but it was hit after hit from them. I went in a bit jaded, thought I was well bored of them, but they were great.
Setlist according to setlist.fom (which sounds about right to me) was
There was a snippet of Smashing Pumpkins "Tonight" in there too at one point and "Whiskey In The Jar".
We saw someone filming some of the Manics set with a camcorder, thought that's odd, things like that were being confiscated. But it was Simon Gilbert from The Suedes, so we said hi and got a picture.
Suede were on second this night, though they had been alternating. They had less of the "greatest hits" element, it was their show and they'd do some new things if they wanted, but it was also awesome. They had changed their opening song! They always start with "Introducing The Band", but Michelle who came with us said they'd started using something off the latest album. Then they went with a different one altogether. First time of doing it apparently for this, the last night of this tour.
Actually nearly all the big hitters there, but why no "By The Sea"?
Getting out of the gig good, and drive home fine too. Bit tired by the end though.
⬅️ Parkrun 161 :: Exercise stats 21/7/24 ➡️
Paul Clarkeʼs weblog - I live in Hythe in Kent. Married to Clare + dad to two, I'm a full-stack web engineer, + I do js / nodejs, some ruby, python, php ect ect. I like pubbing, parkrun, eating, home-automation and other diy jiggery-pokery, history, tree stuff, TV, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.
Yep, deliberately unstyled.