In London for another gig

In London for another gig

So, in november last year i went to Nottingham to watch my fav boys playing live, Sigur Ros, who were supported by a relatively unknown band by the name of I Break Horses.

IBH were so good i just had to see them live again properly, in Nottingham the band were hidden behind a curtain on stage, so we couldnt really see them, just ghostly backlit outlines. I found out IBH were to play in London, Shoreditch, this month, well, that night happened last thursday evening.

The plan was to go to london, go to the gig, then do some shopping and sightseeing.

I made the gig, i went shopping but i barely saw any sights.

The week prior to the event, i was beginning to come down with an attack of the sniffles, which led to a sore throat and aching limbs again, just like last year in March when i saw Sigur Ros for the first time, properly bunged up with a nasty cold. Necking Lemsip cold and flu tabs helped but i still felt a bit off come thursday night, but that didnt really stop me, i awoke at 1pm (i work nights remember, not completely lazy lol) and was out of my house by 3pm, and checked into my room at Enfield Lock by 6pm, giving me a little bit of prep time for the gig.



My twitter selfie, we all do one of these before a night out now you know

Nothing OTT, just basic rock chick look again, my fav faux leather trousers and ankle boots, black shirt, smokey eyes and faux leather biker jacket to complete the look.

I headed to enfield lock station and got on a train to liverpool street, only it didnt, it stopped at stratford and stayed there. I sat on the train waiting for it to move for at least 7 seconds before i got up and left the empty carriages.

There was a chap further down the platform checking the carriages, i asked if this train would go to liverpool street, no, it was now in for service. So off i went, then i realized id lift my credit card on that train, so i ran back, found that lovely man again and finally found my card sat on an empty seat, phew, that was close.




What i have failed to mention about that short train journey is being chatted up by someone who proclaimed to be an adult performer. Not only him, but when i got on the train to carry on to liverpool street, i got hit on again in the train, and then three more times on liverpool street station itself. One man even offered me cash for sex! The cheek of it! Although i found all this attention extremely funny, and flattering, in a funny sort of way.

Its been years since i went on any train whatsoever, and certianly never in my new gender role, so i was unprepared for the amount of attention i would get, genuinely, i get looked at a lot, appreciatively most of the time, but rarely chatted up, yet get me on a train and suddenly i am little miss popular! Do females get this amount of attention on the train every time they get on one? On Liverpool Street station one gets the impression that single men frequent the area in the hope of pulling some wide eyed traveller or something? Am i right or wrong? I am genuinely baffled, maybe i gave out the wrong signals, i doubt it, not with my swagger

Now the venue was only a short walk away, but i didnt know left from right, north from south, i was very disorientated when i got out of the station, and i hailed some poor cabby who had never heard of the club, and who failed to turn on the meter as i got in, i tipped him well after we finally made it.

Ticket in hand, camera in handbag, in i went with no problems, no your not bringing that thing in here to my leica bonus, i'd hate not to be let in because of a camera, i'd have dumped it somewhere otherwise lol

The venue, the Village Underground, looked superb, and i got there as the support act were playing.

The bar didnt do much in the way of fancy drinks, i was given a can of Tiger lager for £4, which was necked in one almost, time for another...

Before i knew it i was a bit tipsy and really in the mood for a boogie. I stand in the main room jiggling my shoulders to the music and suddenly im being grabbed again round my waist, and this cheeky mancunian said something which i didnt get, he was a bit tipsy too i guess, he then came in to kiss me, i backed off fast thank you very much! He wasn't offended much, i stuck my tongue out at him and smiled, and he kinda made a gesture with his body which said oh well, it was worth a try wasn't it, which really made me laugh, and i nearly fell backwards at that point, nearly but not quite.

The support act finished and i got another warm can to devour. I soon got chatting to 2 girls who came from glamorous Hull to see the band, and who were staying in a hotel on the south of the city, me being in the very north at enfield lock.

Soon the lights went out and the band came on, and the opener Medicine Brush, a dark, brooding, song which is scary but beautiful in equal measure. Backlit by bright lights, we could barely see the group on stage, Marie, the lead singer standing there with arms outstretched, like a dark angel calling us to worship, her long brunette hair swaying with her every move, her voice, never once failing.

Between each song she placed her hands together as in prayer, and thanked the crowd. By the second song the lights came on and we could clearly see her and the band, who played a lot from their new album Chiaroscuro, including the hauntingly gorgeous Heart To Know.

The crowd were not as rowdy as you would imagine. Me?

I was dancing of course i was dancing, even when taking the photos, which incidentally came out really rubbish, though i didnt take many, i left it on auto ISO, shoulda just left it on ISO1000 or something, never mind, heres a few images anyways.










Anyway, i wasnt the only person enjoying it, Marie was smiling throughout, clearly enjoying her time in London and at this venue. The crowd were entranced by the band all the way from start to end, the end of which came in the form of Winter Beats, a crowd favourite.

There were a few sound issues during the gig, but nothing to detract from a properly good night out, with amazingly performed music by a band who have their sound down to a T!

Marie invited the audience back to their nearby hotel, the name of which i didnt get, with others asking where it is, i didnt have a clue where it was or i'd have gone there for a party. Instead i headed for a cab back to liverpool street station.

It wsa only after 11pm, and i was heading back already, much to the amusement of a female who sat opposite me on the train, who originates from norfolk, who I began chatting up, yes, me! I never do that, i chat to females yes, never chat up, anyway she actually asked for my number, she even text me the day after, which was sweet.

Buzzing so much, i eventually fall asleep by 5am, waking at 1pm feeling a bit bunged up, more Lemsip tablets, off i go shopping, big baggy jumper, ugg boots, nothing glam, little makeup, nice, barely got noticed

I didnt take my camera, which was lucky really cos i never saw any real sights, and i didnt stay in town long as i was feeling cold and a bit rough to be honest, i made my way back to the hotel for a meal, it was friday evening, my last meal was wednesday evening, i needed food!

I got off the train at the station to be greeted by big rain, lots of big rain, i managed to flag a cab down to take me to the hotel round the corner, got in, ate a lovely veggie lasagne with a baileys latte, and went to bed more or less right after.

I woke up the next morning at 7am, gentle rain, nowt much, but by 10 when i was ready to go out it began tipping it down, and the wind, oh my, no way!

I waited but then decided to cut my losses and check out, head home, so i did.

Despite not seeing much of london, i really enjoyed my time there, the people of london are anything but rude, i found them chatty, friendly, amusing, polite, mischievous, hysterical, and all round goodies, i cannot wait to return soon, which will be when the weather is warmer, days longer, and i am lemsip tablet free!

Tags: London Shoreditch Lexi I break horses gig