random acts of senseless beauty

I love the new digital channel More 4 for a few things… for the fact they show some pretty great movies. For the fact they’re going to be showing that Supersize Me fella’s documentary series. For many other things. But to be honest with one thing and one thing only they totally [...]

My stormtrooper photo is one of my favourite ever…

and now I’ve met their boss!

Yes, I had to grab 2 seconds with him as he was leaving (hence the reason we’re stood outside the toilets) but COOOOOOL! I met Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious/The Emperor! Wow oh wow oh wow. What a way [...]

For the first time in 10 years I filled in a form at the back of a church for New Members.
I was on the phone to mum on the way there, having treated myself to a sprite from Nandos (mmmm Nandos…) to accompany my time-filling window shopping, and it was only when I [...]

I’m not one to be funny about Halloween. I don’t think that it’s inherantly evil, and out to get us. I don’t think it’s un-christian to fancy a bit of apple-bobbing, or to have a some sweets ready incase the local kids come trick-or-treating (as long as they’re actually dressed up… otherwaise it’s [...]

Last night was the first BBC 6 Music and Club Fandango Presents… night at The Water Rats in Kings Cross.
Boy Kill Boy headlined, with support from Rolling Dog and Inner City Pirates. I didn’t get there in time for the first band (seen them before) due to metting Matty for a rather tasty [...]

I’ve been following the adventures of a guy I’ve never met. Alastair Humphreys is the friend of my friend Rob, and since 2001 he’s been cycling round the world. On his own*. And he’s nearly home.
Every month or so he sends out a beautifully written email detailing the latest leg of his [...]

After yesterday’s anxieties, today turned into a good day. It was frantic at first, and the show had started with me still writing half of it, but I don’t think we’ve ever had so many emails and texts, and the energy carried us through. Steve was also weraing a really nice jumper – [...]

Eating cheese & pickle on oatcakes and drinking tea in front of the telly with my sister. Other than the wheat-free substitution this could be any given Sunday for the past 25 years. The programmes would change (The Onedin Line, The Forsythe Saga, Howards Way…) but the warmth and the comfort remained the [...]

… another after-show.

That sounds really smug, but tonight’s was a beautiful thing. Hard-Fi at the Electric Ballroom. It’s now 1.47am and my ears are ringing. I bailed out ‘early’ as I haven’t been 100% this week (meaning I missed last night’s gig) and I’ve got a Fire Safety course at 9.30am.
Opening act [...]

Sufjan Stephens writes wry, fragile and beautiful songs. Even though I’d been given a hint of what to expect tonight I didn’t expect the whole band to come on doing cartwheels and cheers.
Seven of them, all with their ‘I’ letterman shirts on – Sufjan Stephens And The Illinoise-makers.

For the first half of the set [...]

… don’t blog drunk.
Is it Sunday night already? There’s been a lot of chilling, a lot of watching One Tree Hill on DVD, quite a lot of wine, not enough food, lots of laughter and a nervewracking morning that I felt carried through to the Nth degree.
Back to work then. For those of [...]

Apologies for anything I say right now. I’m a bit tipsy and my feet hurt. fashion is rubbish. I’m going to wear trainers for ever.
Anyway, as Squeezyboy commented a few posts ago I forgot to review the gig at La Scala on Tuesday night.
Got there early and was pleased to have Mark [...]

Radio 1 marks the first anniversary of John Peel’s final broadcast with an evening of retrospective programmes, and nearly 300 gigs across the country featuring mainly new bands, Peel’s lifeblood.
The galleries on the R1 site are incredible and well worth a look. Not just pictures of last night, but from his entire career.

this is Venetian [...]

At the QEH for Peel Night tonight. A room full of wonderful people (and a few unfortunately hammerd Fall/New Order fans/w******s) and an uterly stunning line up that was as eclectic as the best of Peel shows.
The Fall, Laura Cantrell, Jawbone, Misty In Roots, a mad techno fella who’s name escapes me, Super Furry’s and [...]

There are people who live right on the beach in Colombo… these are some of the local boys:

The commute home

Josh was taking his first steps when I arrived… by the end of the fortnight he was practically running!

holding a one day-old turtle at a sanctuary

a Dagoba (unfortunately not pronounced the same as the system in [...]

It’s been a bit busy and a bit laggy for the last couple of days. That, and there’s no pictures as my sister’s camera is too posh and they’re all MASSIVE files so I can’t upload them. I’ll re-size a few and bore you later.
if you’re in London Tuesday night, there’s a great [...]

Home. This all feels so familiar.
Home. Are we really getting older?
Home. I wish I could remember everything cool.
… I’d like to sleep for one more hour or two…
A beautiful London welcomed me home – full of mist and the beginnings of autumn. Jenna & Trevor were also here to open the [...]

It’s Sunday morning and I’m sitting in the Business Centre at our hotel (2 computers and a photocopier) with my first internet access of the trip.
Sri Lanka is beautiful. There’s so much that’s so new to me that there’s no way I can even scratch the surface in the small moments that I have [...]