I bumped into Emma in the newly refurbished Bulls Head. She then made me stay out till about half four in the morning, plied me with alcohol and forced me to smoke cigarettes.
I'm glad I saw her. ;)
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Beach Parties
Beach parties are fun. After two days of staying out till about nine in the morning, I think that we can be forgiven for not getting up till three. Dan and I went from our beds to the beach and stayed there till it was the next day.
Sónar takes over the beaches in Barcelona, every beach bar has it's own DJ playing, most had been playing at the festival or at parties around barcelona, some of the music was more relaxed than others. People wander up and down the sea front going from party to party but we decided to stay in one place and dance till the end (about one in the morning).
As we walked back towards our bed we came across the MTV party which was still going strong and danced there until Dan got hungry, I could have carried on and on and on again but decided to get some food.
We ended the night in a kebab (falafel) shop in the olympic port, I wished we had finished such a great day anywhere else (think Broad Street).
Sónar takes over the beaches in Barcelona, every beach bar has it's own DJ playing, most had been playing at the festival or at parties around barcelona, some of the music was more relaxed than others. People wander up and down the sea front going from party to party but we decided to stay in one place and dance till the end (about one in the morning).
As we walked back towards our bed we came across the MTV party which was still going strong and danced there until Dan got hungry, I could have carried on and on and on again but decided to get some food.
We ended the night in a kebab (falafel) shop in the olympic port, I wished we had finished such a great day anywhere else (think Broad Street).
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Sonar by Night - Saturday
One of the best things about Spanish festivals is that you can miss bands that start at midnight because they are on too early...like Hot Chip.
We got back from the MACBA, chatted to the two very sleepy girls from Tunbridge Wells, went for a chinese and then for several beers in Bar Pastis which Dan liked a lot because they were playing some accordian music that he thinks is the best!
It was about half one when we decided to catch the bus to the Sónar club site. Instead of going straight into Sónar we wandered down the road to a new age traveller site for Anti-Sónar, they had a very nice great big fire and a million bazillion speakers all playing psi trance, oddly no-one was really dancing instead they were stood around chatting to their mates and drinking cider.
After this interesting interlude we went back to Sónar in time for Miss Kittin. I forget the reason but we didn't hang around for too long I think that we may have decided that as we would be seeing her on the beach at Benicassim we should take the opportunity to see something else.
Something else turned out to be the toilet, I waited ages for Dan and was feeling quite restless and the next thing I was on the bumper cars again being chased by lots of people with gold ropes and very glamourous girlfriends.
Every act we saw was quite amazing, we missed all of the big names and danced along in smaller crowds to DJs that I've never heard of.
Time slowed down and the night seemed to go on and on and on and on.
I was mistaken for an italian. It must be becuase I am tall, dark and handsome, ha ha.
The last act was Ricardo Villalobos and Ritchie Hawtin and for me they were the highlight of the festival.
Dan had wandered off and left me to dance with some pretty italian girls who (not that I'm complaing) fiddled with me.
I danced with the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
Then the night ended.
I don't think I have described Sónar very well but for me it was very special and I will never forget how happy I felt as the sun rose, which was such a contrast to some of the feelings that I have had over recent times.
We got back from the MACBA, chatted to the two very sleepy girls from Tunbridge Wells, went for a chinese and then for several beers in Bar Pastis which Dan liked a lot because they were playing some accordian music that he thinks is the best!
It was about half one when we decided to catch the bus to the Sónar club site. Instead of going straight into Sónar we wandered down the road to a new age traveller site for Anti-Sónar, they had a very nice great big fire and a million bazillion speakers all playing psi trance, oddly no-one was really dancing instead they were stood around chatting to their mates and drinking cider.
After this interesting interlude we went back to Sónar in time for Miss Kittin. I forget the reason but we didn't hang around for too long I think that we may have decided that as we would be seeing her on the beach at Benicassim we should take the opportunity to see something else.
Something else turned out to be the toilet, I waited ages for Dan and was feeling quite restless and the next thing I was on the bumper cars again being chased by lots of people with gold ropes and very glamourous girlfriends.
Every act we saw was quite amazing, we missed all of the big names and danced along in smaller crowds to DJs that I've never heard of.
Time slowed down and the night seemed to go on and on and on and on.
I was mistaken for an italian. It must be becuase I am tall, dark and handsome, ha ha.
The last act was Ricardo Villalobos and Ritchie Hawtin and for me they were the highlight of the festival.
Dan had wandered off and left me to dance with some pretty italian girls who (not that I'm complaing) fiddled with me.
I danced with the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.
Then the night ended.
I don't think I have described Sónar very well but for me it was very special and I will never forget how happy I felt as the sun rose, which was such a contrast to some of the feelings that I have had over recent times.
Sonar by Day - June 17
Considering that I hadn't got into bed until at least eight thirty I think that it was rather an achievement to be up and out of the hostel by midday. In true rock star style Dan and I were drinking champagne less than an hour after getting out of bed.
The Saturday Sonar by Day part of the festival was probably more relaxed than the day before although definately not subdued after a couple of nights partying.
We watched Fat Freddy's Drop a (mostly) Maori band, I was a bit sceptical a first thinking that they were going to be dodgy R'n'B but they had the whole place jumping before the end of the set. Several of the band members were rather *ahem* large but pranced around like ballet dancers to me this suggests that they like their ale. They had a great synthesiser which made a very deep sound, I want one.
I had briefly considered going around the art gallery, that is, until I saw lots of pretty girls dancing to De La Soul being played by some hip hop collective and decided to join in. A girl in an orange dress had made her own VIP area out of beer cans and empty glasses, she got rather wound up when people knocked them over. I got the finger after making my own VIP area out of a single beer bottle.
The Saturday Sonar by Day part of the festival was probably more relaxed than the day before although definately not subdued after a couple of nights partying.
We watched Fat Freddy's Drop a (mostly) Maori band, I was a bit sceptical a first thinking that they were going to be dodgy R'n'B but they had the whole place jumping before the end of the set. Several of the band members were rather *ahem* large but pranced around like ballet dancers to me this suggests that they like their ale. They had a great synthesiser which made a very deep sound, I want one.
I had briefly considered going around the art gallery, that is, until I saw lots of pretty girls dancing to De La Soul being played by some hip hop collective and decided to join in. A girl in an orange dress had made her own VIP area out of beer cans and empty glasses, she got rather wound up when people knocked them over. I got the finger after making my own VIP area out of a single beer bottle.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Sónar de Noche - Junio 16
My first impression of Sonar by Night was "oooooooh this is big!" then "am I in the airport?" then "ooooooooh this is really really huge".
It turns out that Sonar by Night is held in some kind of exhibition centre in an out of town industrial estate. We arrived after messing around trying unsuccessfully to flag down a cab and waiting in an unruly queue for the bus drinking cans bought from two crusties. The Sonar site is next to a western themed bar which was full of Spanish hen and stag-dos which look no different to British ones when had seen earlier on in the evening. Dan was thinking of going there instead.
Once inside the festival site Dan and I just wandered around, there was so much going on, we grabbed a beer and discovered it was Christmas in Barcelona.
Jeff Mills came on about half two he went - boom...............boom.........booom....boom boom boom boom boom for about two hours, it was deafening, I could feel my ribs vibrating. I danced for a while, happy, smiley, Dan looked bored, I suggested seeing what else was on. We wandered around some more seeing a bit of Tiga and then outside we sat watching Herbert, who were terrible, I didn't like them at all, they seemed to be playing nine tunes at once but definitely not in a good way.
We had a go on the bumper cars which made me feel sick.
Then we caught the end of Jeff Mills who was just as loud from the back. At the end of his set he disappeared under his desk and Satoshi Tomiie appeared. I liked his music it was much more tuneful than the previous act, I boogied to him for at least an hour an half. Dan kept disappearing and reappearing, he had been looking for money on the floor and had found a twenty euro note. He then disappeared for good around half five.
I went outside for Sasha, I danced with a succession of different Spanish girls who are obviously attracted to cowboy hats.
Sober as the sun came up I felt happier than I have for a long time.
The night came to a close and everything looked different outside, I eventually found a bus full of people who headed for work which took me to the Plaza de España and on to a tube home to bed.
It turns out that Sonar by Night is held in some kind of exhibition centre in an out of town industrial estate. We arrived after messing around trying unsuccessfully to flag down a cab and waiting in an unruly queue for the bus drinking cans bought from two crusties. The Sonar site is next to a western themed bar which was full of Spanish hen and stag-dos which look no different to British ones when had seen earlier on in the evening. Dan was thinking of going there instead.
Once inside the festival site Dan and I just wandered around, there was so much going on, we grabbed a beer and discovered it was Christmas in Barcelona.
Jeff Mills came on about half two he went - boom...............boom.........booom....boom boom boom boom boom for about two hours, it was deafening, I could feel my ribs vibrating. I danced for a while, happy, smiley, Dan looked bored, I suggested seeing what else was on. We wandered around some more seeing a bit of Tiga and then outside we sat watching Herbert, who were terrible, I didn't like them at all, they seemed to be playing nine tunes at once but definitely not in a good way.
We had a go on the bumper cars which made me feel sick.
Then we caught the end of Jeff Mills who was just as loud from the back. At the end of his set he disappeared under his desk and Satoshi Tomiie appeared. I liked his music it was much more tuneful than the previous act, I boogied to him for at least an hour an half. Dan kept disappearing and reappearing, he had been looking for money on the floor and had found a twenty euro note. He then disappeared for good around half five.
I went outside for Sasha, I danced with a succession of different Spanish girls who are obviously attracted to cowboy hats.
Sober as the sun came up I felt happier than I have for a long time.
The night came to a close and everything looked different outside, I eventually found a bus full of people who headed for work which took me to the Plaza de España and on to a tube home to bed.
Sónar de Día - Viernes 16
After a very leisurely breakfast we got to the festival site a lot earlier than most, d.a.r.y.l. was DJing only he was playing a much more chilled out set than the previous night. We sat un the sunshine enjoying the music and watched the place fill up and drank a beer or too until Dan decided that he wanted to go and explore which we did for about ten minutes before we got separated and I decided to go back and enjoy the sunshine some more.
I was sat by the front of the stage looking at a drumkit with the The Scissor Sisters logo on it when unnanounced three blokes walked on stage looking very much like a coverband which I thought odd, especially when Ana Matronic and Jake Shears lookalikes appeared too. It took a while for me to realise that it was in fact the real thing. They were very good and all of their new songs pretty cool. During the performance I shared Dan's bottle of cava with a honeymooning couple from Japan who seemed very happy.
After they had finished I figured that I should go and look for Dan but didn't have to try too hard, its quite easy to find that haircut.
We then went to get some food and some more cava.
We came back and again sat in the sun people watching listening to cool music, waiting for Señor Coconut but his music was a bit muzak for me and instead we went to find something else to listen to.
We found Birdy Nam Nam who were just ace.
I was sat by the front of the stage looking at a drumkit with the The Scissor Sisters logo on it when unnanounced three blokes walked on stage looking very much like a coverband which I thought odd, especially when Ana Matronic and Jake Shears lookalikes appeared too. It took a while for me to realise that it was in fact the real thing. They were very good and all of their new songs pretty cool. During the performance I shared Dan's bottle of cava with a honeymooning couple from Japan who seemed very happy.
After they had finished I figured that I should go and look for Dan but didn't have to try too hard, its quite easy to find that haircut.
We then went to get some food and some more cava.
We came back and again sat in the sun people watching listening to cool music, waiting for Señor Coconut but his music was a bit muzak for me and instead we went to find something else to listen to.
We found Birdy Nam Nam who were just ace.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Sónar - Jueves 15
The only gripe I have about the festival is the queue for the tickets - over an hour.
But once inside it is really cool. It has a similar vibe to that of the Leicester Festival. I don't remember too much of the music from the first day we watched a group with a drummer who had incorporated a turntable into his drum kit, he did a silly drum/scratching solo that neither impressed Me nor Dan but the band were quite cool in a jump up and down silly kind of way.
It started to rain and all of the Southern European types ran off to find some shelter, us Northern Europeans carried on dancing and when it started thunder started everyone cheered. I enjoyed it very much.
When it rains in Barcelona all of the street hawkers come out to sell you an umbrella. I tried to explain to one that there was no point trying with us because we were English and didn't consider this drizzle rain, he didn't understand and tried to sell me some coke instead.
After the festival had finished Dan and I went to The Loft to see 2ManyDjs, Boys Noize, James Holden and d.a.r.y.l. The Loft/Razzamatazz is huge it has a great big room the size of Rock City and three smaller rooms on three different levels and then another big room in the roof (The Loft).
I liked d.a.r.y.l. a lot, I danced with this girl playing the I'm not looking at you and I'm not looking at you either game which Dan said afterwards was stupid but I thought it was great.
Boys Noize were very very sweaty and for 2ManyDjs there were about a million people on the dance floor. Apparently Felix da Housecat was on somewhere in the club too but about half three the lack of sleep from the previous two days was starting to catch up so we decided to head off and wandered home (Not as easy as it sounds as were were turned away at the exit and told we had to go back inside).
The Loft is ace, it's everything that Godskitchen should be and isn't. We payed ten euros entry and got a drink with that. You'd pay over twenty quid to just see Soulwax/2ManyDjs in Birmingham.
But once inside it is really cool. It has a similar vibe to that of the Leicester Festival. I don't remember too much of the music from the first day we watched a group with a drummer who had incorporated a turntable into his drum kit, he did a silly drum/scratching solo that neither impressed Me nor Dan but the band were quite cool in a jump up and down silly kind of way.
It started to rain and all of the Southern European types ran off to find some shelter, us Northern Europeans carried on dancing and when it started thunder started everyone cheered. I enjoyed it very much.
When it rains in Barcelona all of the street hawkers come out to sell you an umbrella. I tried to explain to one that there was no point trying with us because we were English and didn't consider this drizzle rain, he didn't understand and tried to sell me some coke instead.
After the festival had finished Dan and I went to The Loft to see 2ManyDjs, Boys Noize, James Holden and d.a.r.y.l. The Loft/Razzamatazz is huge it has a great big room the size of Rock City and three smaller rooms on three different levels and then another big room in the roof (The Loft).
I liked d.a.r.y.l. a lot, I danced with this girl playing the I'm not looking at you and I'm not looking at you either game which Dan said afterwards was stupid but I thought it was great.
Boys Noize were very very sweaty and for 2ManyDjs there were about a million people on the dance floor. Apparently Felix da Housecat was on somewhere in the club too but about half three the lack of sleep from the previous two days was starting to catch up so we decided to head off and wandered home (Not as easy as it sounds as were were turned away at the exit and told we had to go back inside).
The Loft is ace, it's everything that Godskitchen should be and isn't. We payed ten euros entry and got a drink with that. You'd pay over twenty quid to just see Soulwax/2ManyDjs in Birmingham.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Pre Sónar
The first night, we kind of went a little mad, we were a bit too excited because we were on holiday. We did the tourist thing, comimos paella en la Placa Reial y bebimos muy carras.
After our meal we strayed about twenty yards to the Sidecar bar also in the Placa Reial, I have been to this bar several times and invariably it has been completely empty and tonight was no different. We watched people going up and down the stairs to an from the basement bar and decided to investigate. Downstairs we found a small but busy nightclub playing a strange mixture of salsa, samba and reggae music. We had to pay a nominal fee on the door but this included a free drink.
I think I must have been quite drunk by this point because the rest of the night is rather hazy. Dan kept disappearing which was no mean feat in a club that size, I don't know what he was doing?? After a couple of hours the music the music was getting a bit grating so we wandered around Barca only to discover that it was in fact about three the morning and not eight in the evening as we had imagined so we returned to club for one last but definately unecessary drink. I think we may have wandered around the city a little more before finally taking to bed.
Desperté con una resaca poco perro después uno bocodillo bacon con queso me repuse. We walked down to the coast and walked along the sea front to the last beach were we sat in a beach bar for quite a few hours admiring the very pretty barmaids. Dan's favourite was the blonde one mine was all of the others.
The evening was very chilled we slowly bar hopped finally stopping in one in the Placa de George Orwell. We chatted to the Swedish barman who was worried that Inglaterra would knock his country out of the world cup, he also wanted to know what famous people came from Birmingham but none of the engineers we told him about he had heard of and Neville Chamberlain...well...then we thought Ozzy Osbourne.
Whilst we were in the bar I heard a shout of 'Buuuuurrrrmingum!', I thought this was a little odd when I turned to hear it again. Some kid came running up to me to tell me that he recogised my moustache from the Medicine Bar.
On the way back to bed we stopped off for a beer in the Tequilla Bar which has lost all of its ear blasting charm now that noize enforcement laws have been brought to the city. I don't think I have ever been to a METAL! bar where you can hear yourself think and have to wear earphones to listen to ROCK! as it should be heard.
I was woken up by a stupid american girl at regular intervals that night, this normally wouldn't be a problem because I am rather noisy myself or so I am led to believe. However the sun had burnt my arms quite badly and this mixed with tiredness caused me to be in rather a great deal of pain. Everytime I managed to get comfortable and start to drop off to sleep she would get up and create enough noise to take me out of my slumber. Eventually I could stand the pain no longer and had to find a chemist to buy some painkillers but these did nothing.
This will teach me a lesson, the sun is powerful and american girls make lots of noise.
After our meal we strayed about twenty yards to the Sidecar bar also in the Placa Reial, I have been to this bar several times and invariably it has been completely empty and tonight was no different. We watched people going up and down the stairs to an from the basement bar and decided to investigate. Downstairs we found a small but busy nightclub playing a strange mixture of salsa, samba and reggae music. We had to pay a nominal fee on the door but this included a free drink.
I think I must have been quite drunk by this point because the rest of the night is rather hazy. Dan kept disappearing which was no mean feat in a club that size, I don't know what he was doing?? After a couple of hours the music the music was getting a bit grating so we wandered around Barca only to discover that it was in fact about three the morning and not eight in the evening as we had imagined so we returned to club for one last but definately unecessary drink. I think we may have wandered around the city a little more before finally taking to bed.
Desperté con una resaca poco perro después uno bocodillo bacon con queso me repuse. We walked down to the coast and walked along the sea front to the last beach were we sat in a beach bar for quite a few hours admiring the very pretty barmaids. Dan's favourite was the blonde one mine was all of the others.
The evening was very chilled we slowly bar hopped finally stopping in one in the Placa de George Orwell. We chatted to the Swedish barman who was worried that Inglaterra would knock his country out of the world cup, he also wanted to know what famous people came from Birmingham but none of the engineers we told him about he had heard of and Neville Chamberlain...well...then we thought Ozzy Osbourne.
Whilst we were in the bar I heard a shout of 'Buuuuurrrrmingum!', I thought this was a little odd when I turned to hear it again. Some kid came running up to me to tell me that he recogised my moustache from the Medicine Bar.
On the way back to bed we stopped off for a beer in the Tequilla Bar which has lost all of its ear blasting charm now that noize enforcement laws have been brought to the city. I don't think I have ever been to a METAL! bar where you can hear yourself think and have to wear earphones to listen to ROCK! as it should be heard.
I was woken up by a stupid american girl at regular intervals that night, this normally wouldn't be a problem because I am rather noisy myself or so I am led to believe. However the sun had burnt my arms quite badly and this mixed with tiredness caused me to be in rather a great deal of pain. Everytime I managed to get comfortable and start to drop off to sleep she would get up and create enough noise to take me out of my slumber. Eventually I could stand the pain no longer and had to find a chemist to buy some painkillers but these did nothing.
This will teach me a lesson, the sun is powerful and american girls make lots of noise.
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