13 Sep 2009

karohemd: by LJ user gothindulgence (AFP)
After sleeping in and getting ready, I managed to get the train I wanted and met up with [livejournal.com profile] ginasketch at Charing Cross station. We took the train to Lewisham and wandered up to the nice flat she's sharing with [livejournal.com profile] colonel_maxim. After dropping my bags and chatting a bit, we headed back into London, completely forgetting to check if there was any chaos on the Underground, which there was as we found out when we arrived at Victoria (neither Victoria nor Circle line were running). So several changes and the last bit by bus later, we arrived at the Union Chapel where there was already a huge queue so we decided to skip dinner.
We jumped the queue half way through as we spotted [livejournal.com profile] queenortart and [livejournal.com profile] fractalgeek. There was some random entertainment by a pianomobile (a real piano on a bicycle contraption that actually moved, AFP later said "I met this guy in Edinburgh where his piano was parked outside a bike shop) and the queue started moving soon.

The Union Chapel really is a beautiful venue (and an actual, working church). The floor with the pews is sloping downwards so even when sitting further back you have a good view of the stage. I'd wanted to buy a DVD but they didn't have any [left] (should have bought one during the webcast...), just a few t-shirts (No #LOFNOTC ones, either) and a poster (the crowd surfing one).

Support came from Polly Scattergood who wasn't bad at all but her voice was a bit flimsy for my taste. I kept thinking Lady Gaga, which Polly doesn't deserve.

After a very short break, someone (I forgot the name, but most likely Patrick Wolf) played a few rather marvellous sections on the chapel's organ which was great.

Then AFP took the stage, just stood there and then, without amplification and a capella, sang The Wind That Shakes the Barley. All I can say is Wow...
Then she took off her marvellous Kambriel coat to reveal a black/white striped dress, sat down on her Kurtweil piano and launched right into Astronaut. There was the usual mix of songs from WKAP, from the DD back catalogue and some awesome covers, interspersed with the usual rambling, Neil Freaking Gaiman appearing on stage to do a "hymn" (apparently, Derek and Clive's, Jump, it's on youtube already, this might get pulled soon because of NSFW language), two lots of "Ask Amanda" (questions from the audience you could drop in a box at the merch stall) and auctioning a painting that was being created live on stage during the show (started last night).
My favourite cover was a Tiger Lillies song from "Shockheaded Peter". I'm hoping they'll end up doing something together because I think it would work well. That said, the Tori Amos cover (Me and a Gun) was impressive as well.

It was a really really good gig, at an awesome venue with a fantastic audience. I don't think I've been to a gig where everybody was quiet and just listened during the songs, nobody was talking (which always annoys me immensly) and (at least around me or that I could hear) nobody was singing along, not even during the fun songs. That was a huge bonus.
On our way out I had to go back in because I'd left my camera pouch behind and when I returned [livejournal.com profile] bethofalltrades was randomly chatting to the others. Too bad she had to run off or I'd have asked her about her Diana...

I had originally planned on staying for getting my book signed but [livejournal.com profile] ginasketch and I were really hungry so stopped over at a South American place for much needed calories on our walk back to Angel. We made the tube to London Bridge and the train to Lewisham and decided to end the night with some crap TV and boy was it crap. Until Death with JC vanDamme was on FX, a film that didn't even match its synopsis on the TV Guide. I'll spare you the details.

First I slept really well on my air mattress but from about 7:30, I was constantly disturbed by the sound of the nearby trains so eventually decided to get up when [livejournal.com profile] ginasketch got up. We watched a few episodes of Attenborough's Life of Birds on Eden and then I made my way back with perfect timing this time (got a train just as I arrived at Lewisham station, made it onto the 12:15 from King's Cross and when I got out of Cambs station, the Citi 1 bus was there, too).

(edited for typos)
karohemd: by LJ user gothindulgence (old photo)
Only had the G10 with its rubbish high ISO noise (most of these were taken at ISO 400, though) and was quite far away without being able to move so there isn't much variety. Still, I think there are a few that capture the atmosphere. More on flickr.

 
 

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karohemd: (Devil)
First up, a crop from the Expandmenu of the restaurant ) and two ExpandAfghani pirated DVDs ) [livejournal.com profile] colonel_maxim had brought from his stay there.

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