IceBlah

Back from the trip

I'm just back in London after a week and a bit in New York, and then Philadelphia. New York was cold, so cold, but it was fun to have a good stroll around and eat too much for breakfast every day. One highlight was seeing London band Bloc Party (photo 'borrowed' from review here) play at the new, and very cool, venue called Terminal Five.

They were, as ever, a very very fine live band - the New York crowd certainly enjoyed them, although how much they really "get" those Hackney & Bethnal Green lyrics, I'm not sure. Another highlight was catching up over coffee with Stuart Rogers, he's one of those oh so common New-York-based-Australian-friends-of-Icelandic-music types, you'll know him - he runs this website. Top man, we talked a lot about the forthcoming gogoyoko site and all that it promises (seriously it's going to be fabulous, possibly revolutionary), Stuart has been working with them, getting some really fantastic video footage - initially of Sin Fang Bous - posted up for our pleasure.

Philadelphia is a much calmer, and in my view, more pleasant and fun city. The trip there was about visiting people and getting my now annual fix of NHL Ice Hockey. It's so much fun, despite the fact that I've now made four trips to see the 'mighty' Philadelphia Flyers and have seen them lose four times. Sigh. On a musical note, one thing I am always reminded of at the Flyers is just what a seriously marvellous tune AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" is. My word. Oh, and the other oe they always play is that Rocky tune - not "Eye Of The Tiger", I think it's called "Gonna Fly Now" - top motivational stuff!

The flight home is something I never enjoy but this time I used it not for sleep (unfortunately) but to listen to four wonderful albums. The first two are predictable if you've been concentrating, "Silent Alarm" by Bloc Party and AC/DC's "Back In Black" and then I went a little more Icelandic with two contrasting records - "The Blood" by Reykjavik! and then finally "All Is Well" by the not-actually-Icelandic Sam Amidon. Happy days, now back to work.

So Anyway...

Just back from a quick break in Venice - my first time, what an amazing, beautiful city. Luckily it was the first day of their famous 10 day carnivale which leads up to Lent. In Venice, this involves everyone (locals, tourists, dogs...) dressing up. Mostly they dress up in traditional Venetian attire - gowns, capes, 3 pointed hats, long curly grey wigs and most importantly masks. Everyone has a mask on. It's a lot of fun.

Hang on though, this is a music blog isn't it? So I was expecting Venice to be very classical, very old-fashioned with its music. I thought opera, and I thought Verdi. I got none of that at all. Instead the romantic meals were accompanied by what appeared to be the world's largest collection of 80s compilations. One evening, a lovely Italian meal, red wine, candles and all that was punctuated by,

Cameo - Word Up
Kylie & Jason - Especially For You
Colonel Abrahams - Trapped
A (steaming) pile of Abba
Prince - I Wanna Be Your Lover

 I don't hate all of those songs (specifically the first and last) but it was a surprise to hear that selection, and there was a lot more like it. But the musical highlight came on the last night, last Saturday. We found a local bar, a great place which I wish I could name and recommend here. It was on a corner, by a canal (naturally) and it was a joyful outdoor party to the sound of an Italian Elvis covers band and a raucous crowd of people (about 100) in fancy dress. The sight of a large two legged tiger enjoying it right in the singer's face is a splendid memory. They sounded exactly as you would imagine an Italian Elvis covers band would, which is fun. They were called All Inside, and if you ever get the chance... possibly even better though was the band due to play this week by the name of "Johnny Selfish & The Worried Men Band" - I can only imigine.

Lastly, one of the best things about this bar was the warning sign on the toilet door, which you may enjoy below. Ciao!

In The Departure Lounge

That's not a clever title, that's just where I am. Waiting at Knock Airport after an all too brief weekend in the far west of Ireland with Mrs iceblah and her enormous (as in numerous) family. Beautiful weather, and the sort of scenery that is very similar to Iceland in its splendour under sunshine and its epic anger under dark skies. A lovely weekend, other than gtting stung by a wasp - first time in at least 20 years. Good lord, they hurt.

Nothing to report on Icelandic music, although on Friday night in a local bar a few more Guinesses than prudent nearly (but not quite) got me involved in dancing the quickstep or waltz to that brand of country and western 'lite' that seems to work in this sort of place.

I do have a couple of stories (both true) that need to be shared though. The first was from a great old local man, who recalled years ago being a car passenger with a friend who had just recently learned to drive late on in life. This was around the time electricity was arriving in the very far west tip of County Mayo (mid 70s). It was dark and the car headlights were on. The driver spotted some more lights coming in the distance and at the same time he spotted a lay-by. Being nervous he pulled off the narrow road into the lay-by to wait for the other car to pass. It was dark and late and the other car seemed to be taking forever. They waited, admiring this other driver for his cautious approach. It was only after an hour or so of this waiting that the light disappeared and they decided to continue forwards. There was no other car to be seen out there, the only thing they came across for miles was a solitary house which as they passed was in complete darkness. It was then they realised they had been sat waiting for the householders to turn off their lights and go to bed.

The other (shorter) story is actually a conversation between two ladies I overheard at good old Stansted airport. They were discussing those blindfolds you get on planes to help you sleep. One woman was saying how very useful they are but how she wished they would open (with flaps?!) when you awoke to save the bother of taking it off. I couldn't help but think, isn't that just how faces, and specifically eyelids work? Nice one, now come on ryanair...

Update: "on time" is the only good thing I can say about the flight and the airline, but the hour did give me the chance to remember how good Jimmy by MIA and So Long Marianne by Leonard Cohen are.