Look what you started

Currently on the bus from Glasgow to Dundee after a fun excursion to see one of the best bands on the planet: The Gaslight Anthem. This was also the first trip I've made since getting rid of the car, which has it's good points and bad points. Good in that there was no stress of where to park, can i have a drink, or what will the traffic be like? Bad in that we had to get up super early in order to get our return coach so i can get to work, didn't have a useful car boot to leave bags in, and of course the stuffy environment of the mega bus.

We got to the gig just after the second support band, Twin Atlantic had started. I've been lucky that i've never had the chance to see them before, as they did absolutely nothing for me. The sound was generic Kerrang friendly unit shifter, had no personality at all, and then made bitchy comments to the audience. Very poor.

Didn't have to wait long for the Gaslight Anthem to come on stage. I saw them a couple years ago at the Garage and was really looking forward to this gig. This excitement was extinguished with the opening of American Slang due to the most horrific mix I have heard in a long time at a gig. The rack tom was far far to loud against the rest of the mix, there was a certain note that the bassist kept playing which lept out over absolutely everything, and there was no guitars. This continued through High Lonesom, which is one of my favourite songs from the last album.

Perhaps through a combination of moving to a more central position, or the soundman pulling back on the suck channel, things started to get better.  The band rattled through a selection of songs from the Newest album and the superior 59 sound. Only one track, Blue Jeans and White T-shirts, from pre-59 sound was played in the main set. Great Expectations was a highlight, as was Boxer which is, along with The Queen of Lower Chelsea perhaps the strongest tracks on the new one. Closing the main set with a cover of Baba O'Reilly, the band then retreated backstage for the typical gap before the now standard encore.

The encore was the best part of the show. Where other bands come out and play a popular album track and then close with their hit single, Gaslight took a curve ball and put together a six song punch of older material. For me this was like they were taking a leaf out of Springsteen's how-to-write-a-setlist book. We got Wooderson, the rarely played We're Getting a Divorce, You Keep the Diner, Here's looking at you, kid, and closing with The Backseat. This is how you raise a gig to an almighty finish.

At the end of the gig it was great to step out in to the Glasgow drizzle to cool down as we walked back to the train station.  The usual debates arose over what they should have played, or where things should have been, but the general consensus was that it was a very good gig. 

I'll be making a sign for Woody next time though.

Setlist Link: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-gaslight-anthem/2010/o2-academy-glasgow-glasgow-scotland-5bd41334.html

That was it.

The viva was even more stressful than I could ever have imagined. The day started around 9pm the night before as I couldn't sleep at all. No amount of counting sheep, hot milk or relaxation could knock me out.

Anyways, I took the train in to Glasgow and had a latte in a cafe in order to try and relax, and also to go over my opening statement again. After this I took a walk up to the university and waited to be called in.

After a wee while the covener came out and collected me and so it began. Four hours of questioning and defense later I was back in the foyer waiting on their descision. Unfortunately by this time it was lunch time, and where I was sitting meant a steady flow of old colleagues passing by. Each mentioning that they hadn't seen me in a wee while, and asking how my viva went.

The truth at this point thoughb was that I didn't have a clue. The external examiner had done a very thorough job of going through my thesis, checking equations, figures, references and general science. This meant that while I had concentrated on knowning my own contribution, I had to be on my toes when it came to other peoples as well. Unfortunately in places I fell down, and in one instance had to admit that I just did not know the answer. This was one of the times through the viva that I felt that the examiner was just going to put down his pen and say "i think we'll just stop here".

After 40 stressful minutes I was called back in and made aware of their recommendations. This is when I was told that, yes, there is still a wee bit work to be done and a few corrections to be done, my thesis is good. And that was it.

Dr. Dave.

A nice relaxing next few days I think while I get used to not having the viva hanging over my head. Yeah, I still have some stuff to do, but everything thats been suggested is stuff that I've considered in the past, but just not expanded and put in the thesis.

And at least the dinner and drinks after the ordeal were good, with much laughter had.

Tacitus

This weekend was a whole bunch of fun. Friday night was band practice where we learnt a new song called Tacitus, the idea in my head was for it to sound like Warning era Green Day, and I'm pretty sure we've nailed that. I can't wait to play it at next few shows as I think it is a face rocker.

Saturday night included a short night out with some old friends before heading home with a tight chest but I survived. Found a dirt cheap taxi company that got us from Glasgow to Paisley for only £11 which was awesome! Sunday was a day of rest, mainly tidying the house for the valuer to visit on Friday and then a trip to see my mum before driving back up to Dundee.

This coming weekend includes a gig in Cardiff that I had booked a few months ago. The idea was to tour the few days before hand in order to break up the journey. The gig itself is with a singer songwriter called Ben Marwood who is very very good (and currently being championed by Frank Turner), so I'm trying my best to not have to cancel it due to funds. A gig on Friday is currently proving to be elusive, but hopefully things will work out in the end.

Hopefully the hypothetical tour with Adam Boucher in March will be much easier to book. I think we'll be calling in quite a few favours from bands I've put on before.