New home, birthday celebrations and other stuff

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Firstly, hello to all the newbies I’ve added to my blog mailout - hope you don’t mind me adding you, if you want to be removed just let me know (honest, I won’t be offended …).

So its been a few weeks since my last update (sorry Tam) and not a great deal has happened. The other week I moved into a new flat - still with my flat mate Laura, long story but when I moved in with Laura the place we were in was just temporary whilst the old building was repaired for flood damage. We’ve now moved into the flat proper.

Things are going well, still got my ensuite, a good sized room and a cool little ledge which I can sit on and look out over the street and read.

Birthday the other day and I got spoilt nicely with cards and presents from back home as well as from my work mates and of course we had heaps of cakes and sweets (omg I’m in love with revels chocolates especially the coffee ones).

Friday night a bunch of us from work went to the Trafford Centre and had dinner at Nando’s (new veggie option of Portobello mushroom and haloumi cheese burger with chilie jam and mango and lime sauce -yummo!), some half price cocktails and then off to do some ten pin bowling and more drinking.

My bowling scores were atrocious - 63, 112 and 75 - but then I was pretty tanked! Regardless, I had an awesome night. Oh and I also won a spot prize for naming the TV theme, it was Beverley Hills 90210 and I got it within a millisecond, how sad am I ….

Bypassing the hangover, bused it to London Saturday and met up with Vaughan and Lucy for some yummy italian, getting wet and a little partying although we were all so buggered (Lucy has ben working crazy hours) that we didn't last long.

What else …. A few weeks ago I took a trip to Liverpool (yes for a gig!). Had a good time but the awful weather didn’t help things. Liverpool is a great party town with lots of uni kids in fancy dress partying the night away.

For 2008 Liverpool has been tagged the “European Capital of Culture” a huge stretch of the imagination but the city is definitely on the improve with lots of cool new developments popping up everywhere.

Naturally had to do one Beatles related thing so went to an exhibition of Beatles photos which was pretty cool. Also checked out a live artpiece where the artist has been commissioned to do a panoramic painting of the city. Using computer modeling, stencils and spray paint, the artist and his team are creating the large painting before the eyes of the public - pretty cool concept.

Gigs:

I Was a Club Scout - cool electro rock outfit

Thieves Like Us - Swedish electro act that kinda sound like New Order (so heaven to me)

Lightspeed Champion - cool quirky singer songwriter ending the gig with a cover of MJ’s Thriller and a song intro with the theme tune from Star Wards (geek heaven)

Los Campesinos - awesome twee rockers put on a real fun gig, the young crowd going very crazy hugging the band and stuff

Islands - interesting rock act although the white painted face of the lead singer was a tad silly

Cut Copy - aussie dance act put on a great gig in Liverpool

Band of Horses and The Cave Singers - awesome bearded rockers

Young Knives - fun pop rock from guys that look like your high school math teacher

Youthmovies - debut album performance from my favourite small band

Guillemots - awesome fun pop/indie music and the amazing voice of lead singer Fyfe

Youthmovies and Foals - yep twice I one week for Youthmovies (I am officially stalking the band), Foals are an English math/dance rock band that are moving into the big league (even getting a mention on Coronation Street the other day). The crowd were mental and it was seriously like tinned sardines wer were that packed if one person jumped we all did! lol

The Library Tapes - amazing atmospheric Swedish act supported by two other really cool local act, Jam on Bread (where do they get these names?) and Denis Jones.

Update from Cairo on its way (in transit to Cairo as I write this).

Hope all is well with everyone.

Lots of love

Pete

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