Bristol gig visit

I found myself with a free Thursday evening in a busy week, and I thought, why not fill it? Bones Ate Arfa, who I had seen in London last week, had the next date on their tour in Bristol, So I asked young Luka at Bristol University if he would like another visit from me, and to see a band. So having had a positives response I got on the train Thursday lunchtime and headed over.

This was a bit of a mad trip as the next day I had to be in Oxford to see friends there and to go to dinner at my old college, and then I needed to get back to London by Saturday afternoon to receive visitors and go to watch West Ham v Man City with them. But I like life being full on.

So to start with a walk across Bristol to my hotel. Taking in the expansive Queens Square

George III

Alms Houses. Nice inscription on them below

Above is St George's, a music venue created out of a 200 year old Georgian church

Below is the Georgian House Museum which I fancied visiting. Unfortunately doesn't reopen until April.

As Luka and Anna were working on essays, I still had some time to kill so went into the ceramics section of Bristol Museum. Liked this modern porcelain collection, with modern vessel shapes decorated in antique style 

And then to meet the students at the Hatchett Inn, as rumour had it once frequented by Blackbeard the pirate. Now more by bikers

Then dinner at a very decent Sri Lankan restaurant before crossing the road to the gig venue, the Croft.

Luka feigning astonishment at the size of the dosa he and Anna had ordered.

 But to be fair, it was enormous, far too long to actually put on a plate!

 We arrived at the Croft to find the openers were already on stage. Icehouse. Who were really quite good. Which is more than could be said for the Pit Feeders who were next on. After a couple of songs we repaired to the front of the pub to chat

But I led them back in for Bones Ate Arfa, and introduced then to the lads. I have bemoaned the lighting at venues before, and this place was no exception in liking the idea of bathing the acts in infra red. So I didn't take many shots. On the plus side the Croft has a big stage.

And the big stage allowed Herbie and his drums to take centre stage

Unfortunately, Luka and Anna did not take to the band at all. "Did you really like that?" asks Luka, clearly incredulous that anyone would. However, the night got worse. While we were inside, the heavens had opened, and we found ourselves cast out into a monsoon. Honestly, most of the side streets had turned into fast flowing rivers. The trainers that I was wearing and which I was convinced were waterproof were clearly nothing of the kind. I was very grateful to Luka for taking me most of the way back to the hotel. At least I was wearing a showerproof coat - they were wearing nothing remotely water resistant and looked highly bedraggled . An especially galling outcome if one hadn't enjoyed the band either.

But they didn't have my early start. I had arranged to meet up for breakfast with my ex-trainee Anna (yes another Anna) and her husband who were now based in Bristol. Which was absolutely lovely to do. I so enjoy catching up with folk. Although again I didn't do well on the weather. It poured  after I set out from the hotel, cleared up while were having breakfast into being lovely and sunny, only to chuck it down again as I returned to the station.😠