If you are sick of reading this then here’s your opportunity to blow it up.
Alternatively you could just read what I’ve been up to, vote in the shiny new poll over there on the right (Where? Over there and up a bit. Got it?), look at some pictures I took for you and enjoy the little animated gif over there on the right (Where? Over there and over the poll. Got it? That’s sitting in a car in Chicago that is). God I spoil you.
So a big drive to Chicago for the second time in my life. Talking of big things that drive to Chicago, here’s some… ever seen Duel?
So what was I doing in Chicago? Seeing Bloc Party at the Metro is what. The pictures aren’t great cos they were taken with a phone camera but hey, I never said I was John McMurtrie did I?
People stick things on their car roofs in Chicago. Honestly everyone does it…
First a nice hotel surprise. All clean and spacious and like there was no one else staying there. The last one I stayed at in Chicago was kinda sucky in that “make the reception area look really nice and once you’ve got the person in, show them to their dirty rabbit hutch of a room” way. Fortunately I managed to get stunningly drunk that time and not really experience the room but I hate it when people are just trying to get your money.
Second, a bad restaurant experience, “Take a seat at the bar and someone will seat you in a few minutes”, “Oh you mean that bar where there are no seats so I have to stand in the way of all those waiters trying to get past me with food?” then upstairs to the table and then the waiter brings something that was definitely not what I asked for, then sulked, and then took ages to bring something else. C’mon guy, I got a show to go to here… No tip for you then. God I hate it when people are just trying to get your money.
Then on to the Metro to see Bloc Party.
First on were The Ponys who were good in a mod/ new wave kinda way. Actually maybe they weren’t as mod as I was remembering and it was just the singers suit and the way he moved a bit like Paul Weller in his Jam days that was mod. And now I come to think of it they weren’t the first band on either but I didn’t see the first band cos of the waiter in the restaurant. Maybe they weren’t called The Ponys either? And maybe Ponys looks like a Welsh word if you look at it too many times? Anyway they were pretty good.
Bloc Party were ace. Guitarist Russell throwing guitar boy poses not seen since Richey Edwards jumped off the bridge. Singer Kele doing his little side to side dance while singing alarmingly well. Drummer unassumingly adjusting his glasses between songs and then playing that clipped, sharp beat that he does and the bassist, well, playing bass. What would you expect him to do? Shit, I’m not a reviewer, I’m an elephant. Why don’t you go and see them? They’re very, very good.
What else? Oh yeah, this.
