Dire states

Does anyone still care about the whole presidential election in America? How much longer must it go on for? Along with the seemingly repeated news flashes of how global shares are in dire states, the panic on Wall Street and how our country is suffering as a result with banks, building societies and airlines slumping or closing all we hear about is moaning and fear mongering from the press about who is running what country. If it's not about Barack Obama and John McCain over the pond, it's about Gordon Brown and what a disaster he is making of his first year in office as PM. Give us a break and give it a rest. Let these guys do their jobs and get on with it. What can we British possibly do about any American elections (Obama! Obama! Obama!) and what is the deal with everyone attacking Brown? Is he solely responsible for the state of the financial market in the UK at the moment? Of course not! I almost wish they'd go back to the latest on Amy Winehouse, where she's been, what she's been doing and what she had for dinner last night. No, in fact, maybe it's not quite that bad yet... As my Aunt Ann said to me last week, the UK has seen a lot worse financial times (thanks to the Tories mostly) and probably will again. This ain't the worst of it. We still may have another year to go, at least.

Tremendous T

T in the Park 2008 was fantastically, bristeringly brilliant. Seen loads of bands and enjoyed much music.
We left early on Friday morning to avoid any traffic queues and got to Balado Airfield in plently of time for the campsite gates to open. After straining much muscle in transporting our provisions and camping equipment we set up camp in the Indigo zone and whiled away the day with a few beers getting to know the folk camping around us who consisted of a few pleasant nutters from Balloch (funny that - nutters from Balloch;-), a bunch of late teen girls who liked to talk about men's private parts, a bunch of late teen guys who liked throwing themselves over tents, a bunch of guys who liked their lager at 8 in the morning and a couple of forty-fifty year old dudes who had dyed hair and thought they were hip. All mostly nice folk though which always makes things a bit more bearable. The Arena then opened at fiveish and Friday's music kicked off with the Wombats, followed by Kids in Glass Houses, Stereophonics, the Chemical Brothers and The Verve. The sun managed to fight the clouds off a few times throughout Friday and Saturday not emerging fully till Sunday. The highlight on Friday was most probably The Chemical Brothers 'Hey Boy' and the Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' after which we trekked back to our tent.
After a mostly sleepless night Saturday's line up for us was a bit of Eddy Grant, The Rocket Summer, The Feeling, Biffy Clyro, We Are Scientists, The Pigeon Detectives, The Fratellis, Rage Against the Machine and then The Kaiser Chiefs.
Biffy Clyro and The Pigeon Detectives were both great highlights for me, the Kaisers were also good but not as good as when I'd previously seen them in the Carling Academy. They extended two songs by about five minutes each forcing the crowds to chant the same line over and over. Gets a bit tiresome after a while...The Pigeon Detectives earlier were great. Loud, energised, fun, brash and cool and the lead singer Matt Bowman had a great time with the audience.

On Sunday, we seen The Ting Tings, British Sea Power, Vampire Weekend, Amy Winehouse, The Zutons, a few songs from REM and then the Prodigy. REM and The Prodigy's time's clashed as did more than a few of the other bands so we had to make a decision! REM sounded great but were on at the same time as The Prodigy and as I had never seen them live we dived over to the NME/Radio 1 tent for them just before they started and was not disappointed by their performance.

Two totally different kinds of music on the two different stages to finish off the festival which is probably the best but most difficult decision to make when you like both!! I'll watch REM on the TV though. Amy Winehouse was also good and to my ears much improved from when I heard her live at Glastonbury. Good to see her on the stage again. The Zutons were as always brilliant as well. God damn it - everything was brilliant! Can't complain...apart from the toilet situation. The portaloos in the campsite were just atrocious and the ones in the Arena, come 5pm, not much better! Boggin' but I suppose you have to expect that with a festival of that magnitude. It was Ka's first camping experience so I don't think she was too enthralled with the prospect of going holidaying in a tent again. I'm trying to reassure her festival camping is in no way the same. Tickets go on sale today for T in the Park 2009. Looking forward to it!....oh wait I'll be on honeymoon...I'll MAKE IT the honeymoon! Yeah, great idea, hold on I'll just go and suggest it to Ka...

Looking forward to T

The weather does not bode well for our weekend in Balado at T in the Park...it's pouring as I write. It was sunny around one this afternoon which raised my spirits a little but now it's peeing down again. It would be nice to get dry weather for the whole Festival camping experience but I doubt it's going to happen. Of course, there are some that would say rain and mud ARE PART of the whole festival experience. It's only monday I suppose and I'm sure it'll be great anyway, come rain or shine. Looking forward to seeing the Fratellis, REM, the Kaisers and Amy Winehouse to name just a few. There are literally loads of bands I've been meaning to see for ages playing at the festival and some at similar times so there may have to be a coin flipped to decide which tent to head for. On the sunday night REM are up against the Prodigy and even though REM are great I've already seen them live and will probably opt for the Prodigy. However, I'd love to see REM again... decisions, decisions. Still got three shifts to go before then though and a new tent to practise putting up!