h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So it begins, 2 gigs in a week to kick off my year, and hopefully they'll be the first of many with Doves, Dogs Die..., Ian Brown, Oasis, The Longcut and the Kaiser Chiefs all touring this year.

Wednesday - The Manic Street Preachers, Glasgow SECC.
After the mind numbing Sheffield to Edinburgh train journey to meet up with Kat, it was straight off to Glasgow for my first gig of the year (and the first proper gig I've seen outside of Manchester). Support was provided by the average/mediocre/uninspiring The Departure, which I wasn't very impressed by (although Kat seemed to enjoy it). The Manics did what seemed to be a very short set, with no encore, although 'Masses Against The Classes' and 'Design For Life' were the only reasons I went other than to see Kat. This fact provoked a little debate that I only go to gigs because I like a few of the songs the band do, and to keep her happy (case in point Manics, OCS). This of course is marginally true. I go because I like a few songs, like going to gigs and to keep her company. Oh, and because most of the few bands that exist where I like their entire back catologue have either split up (Blur, Stone Roses, The Smiths), died (Joy Division) or aren't touring till summer (Oasis). Besides, who's sad enough to go to a Manics gig to hear 'The Love of Richard Nixon' or some B-Side from 1995? Nobody.

Friday - Resistance 77 and The Meteors, Sheffield Boardwalk.
Ok, let me get this straight. Glen and I only went to see this because we couldn't find a way to sneak into the Leadmill to see Athlete. And there's a bit of a difference between Athlete and where we ended up.
Resistance 77 were a punk band, and I enjoyed them quite a bit, but the Meteors were the musical equivalent of a beating in the face with a stick, and most of the set seemed to be background music for the mosh pit (speaking of which, my right hand's severely bruised. Wonder if I can get a doctors note to have my exams differed...).

Anyway, tomorrow and Tuesday are my exams, for which I need to cram as I missed most of the work for them with my back problems, and then I've got nearly a fortnight off. Brilliant.

Keep on Trukkin'
Psyc