So remind me, how did people ever exist without the internet?
Well, I suppose good TV and magazines help, but still.
Apologies given for not posting regularly, I’m afraid even accessing my blog is a struggle. I don’t know how I’ll be able to update because of this, so I suppose for the moment I’ll just start with the important stuff—that is, V Festival. This will take a while, but bear with me.
My day on Saturday began early in the morning. It was looking fairly okay outside and I got ready. Things always take a while on Saturday V mornings, mostly thanks to packing the bags, but we got out of the house by 10. Traffic in the way to the festival was typical—that is, fairly bad. We got in and parked , luckily, next to a lamppost. (far easier to find when leaving). We then got our things together and headed into the campsite, where we were greeted by the usual already-drunk shirtless young men and hoards of girls in short shorts and floral tops and those fake eyelashes in a bottle I keep hearing about over here. In an effort to avoid the crowds at Gate 1, which we were stuck in last year, we walked all the way around the campsites, usually against the flow of everyone else. When we got to gate three, we joined all the other people sitting on the ground, most of them waiting for friends(as one does spend the majority of their festival-going time). At this point my mom texted the friends we were waiting for. Now, here’s something about this family which is key to the events of much of the weekend: they attract chaos like a gravitational pull. Through some bizarre chain of events, they were babysitting for someone’s toddler and they were going to bring him along, and then they weren’t, and they were gonna be super late. Anyway, upon finding this, the gate opened and we easily moved into the inside of the festival. Due to my dad’s choice of circuitous route around the festival, it took a while to make our way to the grass in front of the main stage, where we sat down and waitied for the area to fill up around us. With time to spare, my mom and I headed over to the merch stand(usually packed in the middle of the fest), where I spotted my dream t-shirt: the cover of Primal Scream’s ‘Screamadelica’ album, on a t-shirt. I’d always figured people who have fashion blogs should wear them oversized and torn-up with leggings and Doc Martins. I’m probably a bit pretentious for buying this(although I do, honestly, like the album too) but it is just such fantastic cover art, I couldn’t resist. And, it’s cool because it’s super iconic, but only for people who are ‘into music’. It’s like one of the most iconic covers of the 90s, but it’s not like having the cover of Nevermind or Morning Glory across your chest because you have to be A.) a bit of a hipster and B.) a bit knowledge to get it.So, yeah. Hipster fashion fun.
It was getting closer to midday by this point, and me and my dad decided to head down to the front for the first act: Fun Lovin’ Criminals. I know almost nothing about this band, apart from Scooby Snacks, but with the smell of beer and smoke and cigarettes looming around me, I completely gelled with the Latino-American groove funk sound. Their set started out slow and simple, but welled up to a fantastic ending with their title song, with their whole small crowd singing and jumping up and down aroundthem.
Me and my dad got back to Base Camp, and then he departed to wander the festival. A few minutes later, with my mom and sister, our friends arrived, with their entire festival gear(bright blue chairs and all) with them. At this point, Ziggy Marley had started on the main stage, and my friend’s mom was getting really into it, but I found his set a bit stale and not something that was catcing my eye. We all checked our setlists with us, and I then recommend that we(myself, and my two friends who are siblings and will for simplicity’s sake now be referred to as C and G) go and check out Alex Winston on the 4th stage. So, we started for a trek across the festival and the small theme park area, and got to this small stage. The crowd was tiny, but we just got there in the middle of Sister Wife, a ‘quirky’ pop song and the only one of hers I know. Pretty good for its type. She has a good voice. Her crowd this early in the morning was tiny, but she got into it, rolling across amps and waving a hippie maxi skirt, belting along to a set of catchy, if similar-sounding, pop songs.
Her set was short and ended quickly, so we got back and Ziggy Marley was still playing, while passing through Ale Blacc’s set. We then decded, for G’s sake, to go and see Labyrinth play on the third stage, which is a long walk away. The crowd for Labyrinth, which was under a tent, was huge and we had trouble working our way far enough im, Even then, we couldn’t see anything. I know almost nothing about Labrinth, other than he works in pop and has done a colab with Tinie Tempah. He started; he was okay. Nothing more, nothing less. A bit forgettable, but I tried to get into it. While we did go for G, she couldn’t see anything, and we tried desperatly to push our way out. So, we headed all the way back to Base Camp, through the Kids in Glass Houses crowd at the second stage.
When we got back, KT Tunstall’s set was in full folky swing. By this point, however, the heavens had opened. Most of the crowd had rushed out to the shops to buy some rainproof ponchos, and these empty poncho packets littered the ground all around where we were sitting. We stayed, freezing, listening to Ms. Tunstall while we waited for my dad to come back from the car with our rainjackets. However, C and G’s mom wanted us to take shelter. G decided to stay by the Base Camp, but me and C headed off, on my recommendation, to the sheltered 4th stage for Frankmusik. It turns out, everyone else had decided to act similarly to get out of the rain, and we struggled to get into the small, crowded tent. However, going to this set was completely worth it, as it all kicked off when the show started. I knew a few of Frankmusik’s songs but even with those I’d never heard before, it was very easy to just dance along and get into the spirit of it. Frankmusik plays electrop. This is important to note, when I tell you that a full-on moshpit started in the middle of the crowd. At a pop show! Madness! The guys in the mishput were hilarious and I even found myself on the outskirts a couple of times, being unwillingly pushed into the crowd(though I desperately backed out). Inevitably security were dragged in at some point, as this tiny stage was not built for this kind of chaos, but still we had good 'vibes' through the rest of the set.
When we got back, miraculously, it had stopped raining. it was still wet under foot, though, so my friends' overly anxious mother fored me into a rainjacket and wellington books. Looking like a terrible festival cliche and with time to kill, I stuck around for the remaining 20 minutes of Bruno Mars' nauseatingly pleasaent set with no songs I recognized. Afterwards, the said insane mother of my friends decided it was totally rational to go home and get changed for the evening. One friend went along with her but the other narrowly avoided this. Now, with no one watching the camp, we sat down for a fairly good Lostprophets set. I say good, but the singer nwas pissed off, as the crowd were not getting into it at all. But he did remind me a little bit of Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro, so that alone entertained me for quite some time. I wouldn't have stayed for the whole thing but as I said, we were pretty much delogated the job of watching the camp, a task which would become the bane of everyone's existence for the course of the entire weekend.
So, Lostprophets were down screaming and playing mediocre guitar solos and such, so me and my friend C decided to wander down into the crowd for the big one of the night--Kaiser Chiefs. For 5th grade me. Also because everyone knows they were amazing live. We got a fairly good place, maybe five rows in towards one side. The weather was nice, the bear-throwing was minimal, and I wasn't being unwillingly thrown into any moshpits. For now, all was well. But they started, and as per expected, all hell broke loose. They opened with Everyday I Love You Less and Less, and continued with Ruby, the Angry Mob, I Predit A Riot(wonderful), and some stuff off the new album. Ricky ran across the stage, dragging the poor cameramen across in his wake, and ended with a stage dive. Incredible.
next up, Plan B and a whole lot of stress. Inexiplicably, someone had decided it would be a good idea for my mom and G to come and find me and C in the crowd. We were very far in, with very good places, and we knew this was nearly impossible. However, they perservered. I had to mediate between everyone, trying to find them, and had to continue via text contacting peopple even as Plan B started, inbetween songs. Ignoring this nightmare, yeah, he was good, doing almost exlusively Strickland Banks stuff. And Charmaine. I know a lot of people were worried he couldn't fit an evening slot, and it seems he really tried hard to prove otherwise. props to him. I don't think a lot of his music is amazing, but the atmosphere was awesome, and at one point he was only about five feet away from me.
And to end Saturday with, the big one. One of the musical loves of my life--Arctic Monkeys. The crowd was insane, it was dark, I still hadn't found my mom and G, then my phone died, people were cutting past, my hair was soaked in beer, people were fainting around me, and I could barely move. Believe me, the intervening time between headlining and supporting aritst at V really is quite unpleasant, and made all the more complicated me trying to find these fucking people in a crowd of thousands of people. Eventually, I have up my really freaking good place in the crowd to go back a bit, though not enough to find them, when it started. And my god, it was everything i could have hoped it would be. They open with Library Pictures, which is both unusual and brilliant and loud and perfect. While everyone is going crazy in the crowd, the tall guy in front of me moves to the side for a splitsecond so I can see Alex. And what has he done to his hair? it's all...short. Good, but short. And yeah, his hair is important, believe me, everyone has been following its changes over the past seven years or so. They continue with Brianstorm(increedible), this House is a Circus, Still Take you Home, Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair, Pretty Visitors(great), She's Thunderstorms, Teddy Picker, Crying Lightning, Brick by Brick, the Hellcat Spangled Shalala(love it), the View from the Afternoon, I Bet you Look Good On the Dancefloor(or sweet perfection), Suck it and See, if you were there beware, do me a favor, when the sun goes down. For the encore, they did Mardy Bum(AT LAST), Fluorescent Adolescent(lovelovelove), and 505, the last of which was performe dwith Miles freaking Kane. the crowd was wonderful, the band were amazing, and the show was perfect. three times I've seen this band now, and their shows never stop blowing my mind.
After all the chaos earlier in the day with finding my mom, it just so happens that five seconds after me and C start heading back to the base camp with the rest of the crowd, they show up. However, we tried our best to put it all behind us, as we trecked back to everyone else. my dad had gone to see Chase and Status, who he thought were okay. Everyone else staued for the Arctic Monkeys, though, and thought they were great too. it had been a long day, so we didn't stay long to chat, before heading back to the car and leaving after a very intense first day.
Day Two began with another very long walk from the car park to the campsite, though this time a lot more peaceful, as by then an awful lot of the drunken idiots from last nght had wound up either extremely hung over or dead. After getting into the arena, I got an ice cream, and then headed down the front of the stage for Imelda May. Her music is aceessible, easy jazz pop that's fun to dance to in a crowd. I own her album, which is quite good. She even does a great Tainted Love cover, which I recommend you go and listen to at once. It's quite something.
Afterwards, I hung out and base camp for some while, still waiting for my friends to show up, and Squeeze started. I've never listened to any of their stuff, but they seemed pretty okay. Eventually, the friends did show up, and the mother hurridly moved into the crowd. My mom stayed for a while, and then headed off to see the Noisettes on the second stage. With being responsible for the bags, we stayed there for quite some time. Afterwards, someone came back to watch the stuff, and we were free at last, so we headed down into the crowd for Ellie Goulding. We found my friend's mom, and hung around there for a while, before going as far into the crowd as possible. Ellie was good--the crowd was lame. She opened with Under the Sheets, which is my favorite, and then played This Love, Every Time You Go, Guns and Horses, a cover of Your Song, the Writer, Lights, and Salt Skin.
Once again, I find myself watving the posessions of other people back at base camp. After getting lunch and what have you, this continued for some time, before my mom took me away to see Good Charlotte. She felt bad that I'd been left watching the stuff numerous times at this point. We stayed there for a good twenty minutes at the second stage, then headed back to the first, where the Manic Street Preachers had started playing. I painted the face of a friend, and my mom and dad headed off to see Hard Fi, who I hear were excellent.
In the evening, I headed over to see what would turn out to be the highlight of the weekend. It is bliss in the form of amazing electropop from the wonderful Hurts. I got into this band last year, I bought their album, I loved it, but the brilliance of this band really presented itself to me for the first time here. This was at the third stage, but there was almost no one there, so we got really close to the front. Their stage set it was amazing. It was all dark and pseudo-gothy and they had dancers all in black and a full band. The sound was incredible, too. They had such stage prescence and made the whole thing so great. Plus, Theo. Oh my god, Theo. he is incredible. Everything he does and say and his voice, wow. So, they played Wonderful Life, and Stay, and Silver Lining, and Illuminated, and Sunday, and Evelyn, and Better than Love, and a Kylie cover, and oh god it was perfect I must see them again soon.
After we got back to the main stage, we noticed two things. One, that the Script had got off a few minutes early and we had missed them. two, loads of people had come to see Rihanna. it was completely packed right the way through the field. After some confusion, I got my mom, C, and G to head into the crowd. This was surprisingly difficult as it seems the entire fstival was now around the main stage. So, I was cramped but really couldn't see the stage at all. NBo matter1 tHE SUN was setting, Rihanna was basically okay, and the vibes were good. I rec ognized some of her stuff, mainly singles I suppose. to me, Rihanna never seems comfortable doing anything in the public eye ever outside of, say, music videos, so I suppose with expectations like that, she did well.
Luckily after her, the crowd for headlining Eminem did die down a bit, but still, it was insane. Like, genuinely terrify at times. I got to sit down briefly. Even though it was crowded and I found myself once again being shoved around and soaked in beer, everyone was ridiculously excited, and I couldn't help but join in. And when he got on stage, wow. It was something else. Really. I didn't expect too much out of an Eminem live show but my god, there were explosions and amazing lights and the best soundsystem I've ever heard at a festival ever, ugh, it was to die for. Even though I don't know a lot of his work, it was so easy just to go along with the crowd this time because he was so, so good. He opened with Won't Back Down, and played 3 AM, all the hits, and some stuff off the new album. Stan is one of my favorite songs ever, honestly, so that was great. He ended with Lose Yourself. However, the best bit, the bit I've been looking forward to for months, was Love the Way You Lie, with Rihanna. pretty freaking cool, no? that was amazing.
We left the arena after that amazing show briskly, briefly stopping to say goodbye on the way out. The drive out of the parking lot, however, took more than two hours. I'm not going to dwell on this.
so, an amazing weekend that I can't wait to experience next year. However, this was one hell of a long blog post, so I'll catch up with you again soon. Typos in this are rife, I apologize, but this took so long to write and I am so exhausted. I will go to sleep now.
Showing posts with label v festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label v festival. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The summer of the Office, Animal Crossing, Nabokov, Manchester Orchestra, and Blue Raspberry Coolatas.
..and the summer of lengthy titles, it seems.
Hey all.
I've finally gotten round to listening to some people at V. Eminem mostly; I'm excited. Excitement increases with every listen to Love The Way You Lie. It's less than a month now and I cannot wait. Also, I'm going to England in six days. It's gonna be great. There's so much stuff I still miss about being there, but I guess that's to be expected. I'm spending the first week with my grandparents on my mom's side, and I think that's what I'm looking forward to most. Especially board games and Tesco curries and late night TV(Shooting Stars, please?). Ooh, the NME and radio 1 and everything, too. It's kind of surreal, really, going back, as each year I'm more and more used to living in this country instead. It makes it all the more fun, though. How I still, sadly, miss my home land.
So, summer. Que sera sera. In the most great way possible. I really don't miss school at all. I can't remember being this happy through the school year or...in a while. Ha. it's fun. Today, it was about 95 degrees and tomorrow is due to be 100 degrees. Therefore, there wasn't really that much one could comfortably do. The center of town looked dead. My mom got gooseberries so I want to make a gooseberry fool(yum) or a crumble. I went for a walk by a river near here. I listened to Bon Iver's new record again. I don't care if describing it as "endearingly beautiful" is almost sloppy writing, that's the best phrase to sum the record up with. I finished Lolita and loved it. Now I'm onto the summer reading for school. It wouldn't be something I would ever read outside of school but it looks...decent. I suppose. We'll see. it was made into a film which I should see, particularly as I should just watch more films in general. The other day I got into Lord of the Rings again, one of the only film(s) I've ever really liked. I've been into it since the Fellowship of the Ring came out, and I've secretly harbored an obsession with Aragorn ever since. Anyway.
On Wednesday I had my last piano lesson until the very last day of August. A rather strange experience. I've been doing these lessons for more than a year now. I guess I've made progress, and it's been fun. I finally mastered(well, as close to 'mastered' as I am capable of) Habanera. Love that piece. The book I'm working from is more or less just a random collection of classics aimed at my level. The next piece I picked out is by Brahms. There wasn't thought into my picking this piece because, like many pieces in this book, I wasn't familiar with it. However, whoever arranged this has good taste because upon listening to it, I've discovered it's a really wonderful piece. Is it reasonable to develop a liking for a song because you find the notes--the written notes, like if you were to take a picture of the sheet music--more aesthetically pleasing? Is that, loosely, akin to someone liking a poem based on the sound and form of the individual words? That's how I chose this piece and I suppose it's something most people must think about, even those who can't read music, but I'd never thought about it until now. Why am I in such a rambling mood tonight? Gosh.
Oh yes, I think I've mentioned to you the vocal student who's next door while I take my lessons. I'm going to keep you updated with what she sings, I think, because the event's always quite something. Not because she's particularly good, mind, but because she can belt. My god, can she belt. Through sound-proofed walls and all the force my fingers can put on the piano keys, her voice still reaches me. Now for the past few weeks she's been singing this nondescript power ballad about falling apart and that's about as fine and dandy as music like that can get while I'm trying to concentrate, but now she's playing Climb Every Mountain from the Sound of Music(I do not remember this song from this film--I only knows this cause my mother told me). Anyway, she's belting this really tough song and she has a male singing teaching who's kind of aiding her along in this startling, shrill falsetto and I'm just getting this wall of sound that sounds like pseudo opera or something. Just grin and bear it, Naomi. It's a sight. I'll keep you updated, not that you'd care.
In preparation for the inevitable board game marathons that take place with my mother and aunt every summer, I played Monopoly and other games that evening. That's been for the last few nights, now.
On Tuesday I got up fairly early and went into Boston to do about a third of the Freedom Trail. I did some of it last summer. It was another really hot day, so my mom and I had to keep stopping very frequently. Also we're cheap so we only actually went into places that are free. I love the freedom trail, I love the effort that goes into that and is one of several reasons why I think Boston as a city is highly underrated. Boston Common is another of those reasons--eating lunch round there is fun, looking out at the bustling city and what have you. I can't remember exactly the various places we visited, as after a while one meeting house blurs into another, but it was really nice roaming the city. Faneuil Hall is a particularly nice place, and the Granary Burial ground is also fun, though it was slightly unsettling that they were doing renovations there. In a cemetery with loads of famous people buried there. Huh. Oh yes, the last place we went to was Paul Revere's house, a crooked soot-black little building on a cobblestone road around Near Little Italy. It's in a part of Boston I've rarely visited, and far enough along the freedom trail that by that point the number of tourists is fairly slim. I'd have liked to have spent more time there but I was dying in the heat. I got lemonade and walked through Boston Common at Dusk. One of the best days of summer so far.
Monday was a slow day. I looked at CDs but never ended up buying anything. I feel I should start getting into vinyl collecting, but I've no idea where I'd get the music I like on vinyl. Buying vinyl online seems like the best way, but it's also ironic in a way I'm not sure I want to emulate. I also bought a t-shirt. So, yeah. My life.
This summer has been the summer of the office, animal crossing, Nabokov, Manchester Orchestra, and blue raspberry coolatas. I hope it continues this way all the way through to September because it's been great fun so far. Music-wise I'm really trying to get familiar with the V people, like I mentioned, particularly Eminem (not always the easiest to listen to), and Rihanna. Since I'm seeing them on the Sunday and I'm not particularly crazed about either, I've got to try to be as familiar as possible to make it the most fun possible. My mom contacted the friends I'm going there with and they seem excited. Oh god, nighttime headliners at the main stage is bliss. While I am extremely excited for Rihanna and Eminem, my excitement for Arctic Monkeys cannot be placed in words. Parts of myself cannot even fathom the excitement. Also, my God, kaiser Chiefs, wow. And The Script on Sunday, Wombats, Hurts, Katy B, Wolf Gang, Stornoway, Frankmusik, wow. I'll be taking dozens of CDs with me to England, it seems.
The Office obsession continues with a passion. I finally got round to watching the Christmas Special. David's song? One of the funniest things I've ever seen. What happened to Gareth with that episode? And also, Dawn&Tim was absolute perfection. This is definitely, officially, my favorite show. You heard it here first, folks. It's silver for Peep Show. If I'd told my self over the past year that peep Show wasn't my favorite show, I would be speechless. But there you go.
I'm off to watch some V Fest 2010 clips. Bye.
Hey all.
I've finally gotten round to listening to some people at V. Eminem mostly; I'm excited. Excitement increases with every listen to Love The Way You Lie. It's less than a month now and I cannot wait. Also, I'm going to England in six days. It's gonna be great. There's so much stuff I still miss about being there, but I guess that's to be expected. I'm spending the first week with my grandparents on my mom's side, and I think that's what I'm looking forward to most. Especially board games and Tesco curries and late night TV(Shooting Stars, please?). Ooh, the NME and radio 1 and everything, too. It's kind of surreal, really, going back, as each year I'm more and more used to living in this country instead. It makes it all the more fun, though. How I still, sadly, miss my home land.
So, summer. Que sera sera. In the most great way possible. I really don't miss school at all. I can't remember being this happy through the school year or...in a while. Ha. it's fun. Today, it was about 95 degrees and tomorrow is due to be 100 degrees. Therefore, there wasn't really that much one could comfortably do. The center of town looked dead. My mom got gooseberries so I want to make a gooseberry fool(yum) or a crumble. I went for a walk by a river near here. I listened to Bon Iver's new record again. I don't care if describing it as "endearingly beautiful" is almost sloppy writing, that's the best phrase to sum the record up with. I finished Lolita and loved it. Now I'm onto the summer reading for school. It wouldn't be something I would ever read outside of school but it looks...decent. I suppose. We'll see. it was made into a film which I should see, particularly as I should just watch more films in general. The other day I got into Lord of the Rings again, one of the only film(s) I've ever really liked. I've been into it since the Fellowship of the Ring came out, and I've secretly harbored an obsession with Aragorn ever since. Anyway.
On Wednesday I had my last piano lesson until the very last day of August. A rather strange experience. I've been doing these lessons for more than a year now. I guess I've made progress, and it's been fun. I finally mastered(well, as close to 'mastered' as I am capable of) Habanera. Love that piece. The book I'm working from is more or less just a random collection of classics aimed at my level. The next piece I picked out is by Brahms. There wasn't thought into my picking this piece because, like many pieces in this book, I wasn't familiar with it. However, whoever arranged this has good taste because upon listening to it, I've discovered it's a really wonderful piece. Is it reasonable to develop a liking for a song because you find the notes--the written notes, like if you were to take a picture of the sheet music--more aesthetically pleasing? Is that, loosely, akin to someone liking a poem based on the sound and form of the individual words? That's how I chose this piece and I suppose it's something most people must think about, even those who can't read music, but I'd never thought about it until now. Why am I in such a rambling mood tonight? Gosh.
Oh yes, I think I've mentioned to you the vocal student who's next door while I take my lessons. I'm going to keep you updated with what she sings, I think, because the event's always quite something. Not because she's particularly good, mind, but because she can belt. My god, can she belt. Through sound-proofed walls and all the force my fingers can put on the piano keys, her voice still reaches me. Now for the past few weeks she's been singing this nondescript power ballad about falling apart and that's about as fine and dandy as music like that can get while I'm trying to concentrate, but now she's playing Climb Every Mountain from the Sound of Music(I do not remember this song from this film--I only knows this cause my mother told me). Anyway, she's belting this really tough song and she has a male singing teaching who's kind of aiding her along in this startling, shrill falsetto and I'm just getting this wall of sound that sounds like pseudo opera or something. Just grin and bear it, Naomi. It's a sight. I'll keep you updated, not that you'd care.
In preparation for the inevitable board game marathons that take place with my mother and aunt every summer, I played Monopoly and other games that evening. That's been for the last few nights, now.
On Tuesday I got up fairly early and went into Boston to do about a third of the Freedom Trail. I did some of it last summer. It was another really hot day, so my mom and I had to keep stopping very frequently. Also we're cheap so we only actually went into places that are free. I love the freedom trail, I love the effort that goes into that and is one of several reasons why I think Boston as a city is highly underrated. Boston Common is another of those reasons--eating lunch round there is fun, looking out at the bustling city and what have you. I can't remember exactly the various places we visited, as after a while one meeting house blurs into another, but it was really nice roaming the city. Faneuil Hall is a particularly nice place, and the Granary Burial ground is also fun, though it was slightly unsettling that they were doing renovations there. In a cemetery with loads of famous people buried there. Huh. Oh yes, the last place we went to was Paul Revere's house, a crooked soot-black little building on a cobblestone road around Near Little Italy. It's in a part of Boston I've rarely visited, and far enough along the freedom trail that by that point the number of tourists is fairly slim. I'd have liked to have spent more time there but I was dying in the heat. I got lemonade and walked through Boston Common at Dusk. One of the best days of summer so far.
Monday was a slow day. I looked at CDs but never ended up buying anything. I feel I should start getting into vinyl collecting, but I've no idea where I'd get the music I like on vinyl. Buying vinyl online seems like the best way, but it's also ironic in a way I'm not sure I want to emulate. I also bought a t-shirt. So, yeah. My life.
This summer has been the summer of the office, animal crossing, Nabokov, Manchester Orchestra, and blue raspberry coolatas. I hope it continues this way all the way through to September because it's been great fun so far. Music-wise I'm really trying to get familiar with the V people, like I mentioned, particularly Eminem (not always the easiest to listen to), and Rihanna. Since I'm seeing them on the Sunday and I'm not particularly crazed about either, I've got to try to be as familiar as possible to make it the most fun possible. My mom contacted the friends I'm going there with and they seem excited. Oh god, nighttime headliners at the main stage is bliss. While I am extremely excited for Rihanna and Eminem, my excitement for Arctic Monkeys cannot be placed in words. Parts of myself cannot even fathom the excitement. Also, my God, kaiser Chiefs, wow. And The Script on Sunday, Wombats, Hurts, Katy B, Wolf Gang, Stornoway, Frankmusik, wow. I'll be taking dozens of CDs with me to England, it seems.
The Office obsession continues with a passion. I finally got round to watching the Christmas Special. David's song? One of the funniest things I've ever seen. What happened to Gareth with that episode? And also, Dawn&Tim was absolute perfection. This is definitely, officially, my favorite show. You heard it here first, folks. It's silver for Peep Show. If I'd told my self over the past year that peep Show wasn't my favorite show, I would be speechless. But there you go.
I'm off to watch some V Fest 2010 clips. Bye.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Best Intentions Bring Joyless Droughts.
Forth day in a row of staying up until one oclock or later. Let's see how long this can continue.
In other words, welcome to finals week everyone!
Blogspot decided to fuck up for three days straight, which is why Thursday's post might not match up with, like, the date and stuff. I don't know how obvious that is. But there you go. Blogspot's being nice again. This is inconvenient, as I should stop listening to Elbow and work on a 50-question science review packet. This isn't going to happen tonight.
I have two days left of school. I am 1/3 done with finals. You know, finals are always absolutely bizarre. It's also the one way in which high school is worse than middle school, cause finals are crazy. And not just the manic studying and the sleep deprivation and what have you, I mean what the actual final days are like. All told, they're pretty relaxed. at least they are for the 2nd semester, as no one really cares as much this time round. I guess this is only my 2nd time with finals, but they're not something I ever see myself getting used to. it's just..odd. Especially the way you just...take a test and leave. In middle school, you actually get to say goodbye to everyone. This goodbye actually usually draws itself out over most of the month of June, actually. In high school, unless you have a super relaxed class, you only say goodbye to your friends, not the acquaintances. And you never really get to talk with your teacher, it's just like "have a good summer" as if you weren't even in the slightest way affected by the previous five months of the class. I hate it, it's mad. I'm the sort of person who needs closure over the slightest things. This is why I find final days unsettling.
I've just been in the weirdest moods for the past few days. Who knew something so trivial could make you feel so many stupid things at once? I didn't. Also, I'm absolutely the only one who feels this way. Guess what I'm gonna say for the first time ever in a blog post? I am going to miss school. There, I said it! See, I'm getting emotional over everything. "This is the last time I am in this lunch and laugh at the creepy pedophile-like teacher". "This is the last time I get a science handout back, and spend the following 90 minute class glaring at the unsatisfactory grade". "This is the last time the pothead in my art class mills around my table and knocks some one's portfolio folder to the ground in a fit of giggles". Stupid stuff like that. I've gotten like that about everything. I don't know why this is happening. Cause it shouldn't be. It's worse when it comes to people you like, though. Not friends, cause you can see them over summer or talk to them on Facebook, but those people who you sort of like and will miss, but don't really know very well. I have a lot of those. And what if we're never in a class together again? This is all I think about, and it's so saddening! I'm sure I'll come back in September and it'll feel like no time has gone by at all, but that doesn't stop any of this sentimental crap.
Okay, end unnecessary teen angst nonsense. Time to get back to school stuff. For...the last time this year. School ends tuesday. Like, woah. What will I talk to you about over summer? I've yet to decide. Probably random stuff. Or something. Anyway.
Art class is over. I had a lesson on Tuesday & Thursday, and the final 1st block on Friday. Sad? Yes. You've no idea. Funny thing is, I loathed this class. I was with two people at my table who I like, and that is what makes me regret stuff. I just drew my picture for the entire time, then started painting, and it looks bad, but I don't care anymore. We were gonna have a written final, but that never happened. I wasted time this morning, I was supposed to be doing shadows, but that never happened. We talked about my teacher's obsession with shadows. The class was half empty, as you didn't have to come in if you'd finished your drawing. I didn't finish, but half heartedly passed it in regardless. I hated my teacher so we didn't really say bye.
Health is over, too. I had that final right after art(while everyone else got to go downtown...sucks). We only had one lesson since my last post, where we just watched a documentary about bullying and then reviewed and got a little project back. Nothing much. The final today was extremely simple--100 multiple choice questions. As long as you show up to class, you're guaranteed at least a 95. I was finished within twenty minutes. I'm gonna miss this class.
After that final, I went with my friend in my health class to see her friends. We went to an area outside the auditorium and ate skittles. they're the sort of friends who are all fluent in Nerdfighter talk, and like to do little dances to demonstrate physics principles, and you're just standing there maybe they're too nerdy for you. or you're nerdy too, but in a very different way. Or maybe you're more nerdy. Basically, it was very nerdy. Plus even with the skittles it doesn't stop the area from being cold or gray or there being obnoxious junior guys with scooters. I didn't really wanna hang around, honestly, so I told my friend I was going. I'm not gonna see her again this year, apart from in passing. She's probably one of the people I've gotten closest to this year, soooo that was majorly sad. Luckily the cafeteria was bright and I found a whole bunch of people to talk to. An abundance of people, really. Plus I saw my English teacher and she called me over and she told me I was a really good writer and asked me if I wanted to be a writer some day or if she wanted to switch my schedule around so I could double up on English, and it sounds like I'm bragging but no one's ever really been that enthusiastic about my writing, so that moment rocked. it's ironic because my writing abilities go to the dogs on here. And oh yeah, grammar? Nonexistent. Anyway, I had 90 minutes to kill between then and my English final so I tried to plan for the essay while being with a few people, except the place was so busy and I moved between like four different groups of people because I wanted to see everyone. Got caught up in a theist-atheist debate at one point. Then was probably not the time to get involved in such matters.
English final was good enough. Grammar, literary devices, analyze a poem, compare two of the books we've read this year. (Talking about love and hate in Tale of Two Cities and Romeo and Juliet oh yeah my essay sucked but whatever I have like a 97% in that class). I'm glad that I'm done with that class, because it was stressful and the essays were also terrible, but I enjoyed reading the books and the people in my class were nice enough. We didn't do much all this week, just finishing up Romeo And Juliet. we had to draw a picture to represent a specific speech. And it's graded. This is not okay. Also I did a portfolio, which is four essays, in one night and stayed up late to do it and it sucked and I got a 98%. This is deserving of an evil laugh on my point.
My science final is on Monday. I'm scared senseless. I have like a 92% in that class and an A is 92.5% I will be so upset if I'm an A-. We have a full study guide for it, so hopefully things will turn out okay. As long as studying is my life this weekend. Just one more weekend, and then I'm done with studying for three months! I desperately want an A in this class, I have tried so hard. All we've talked about this week is weather. I paid too little attention. She announced class was over, and it was the most strange thing you could imagine. The class is hell and it's almost over. Never has anything in my life caused as much stress as this class. But, I'm gonna miss some people.
All we did in World Civ this week was work on our final project. It was kinda good, as I was done within two days and basically got to read and study all of Wednesday and Thursday. It's funny how no one cares anymore. Like, in the social studies computer lab the teacher has a computer and on that he can see what everyone else is doing on their computers, and in January this scared us, but now all people do is play Qwop and write messages to our teacher via this computer system, and no one thinks twice about it. It's pretty fun, too. Our final is the last one I'm gonna take, on Tuesday, though all we're gonna do is present our projects. We'll probably get done early. Definitely a good way to end this year. Have I mentioned I'm gonna miss this class like crazy? So many decent people in it. Tuesday doesn't even bear thinking about, how weird it's gonna be when I leave the place. Bizarre. After that I'm gonna (hopefully) hang out with some friends, and then we're gonna make a birthday cake for Brandon Flowers. Y'know, reliving 7th grade.
I really don't know why I'm missing everything, and everyone else is missing nothing. I don't understand.
It's good that it feels like summer for the moment now. It's Saturday now(I started writing Friday night, but took a break). I'm outside and listening to Elbow. They have a song called With Love, and it is so so so beautiful and bright, it is absolute bliss. Elbow are playing round here in September, but it's 18+. Guess that's okay. I'm hoping for them again for V in 2012. That is, if V happens in 2012. The Olympics are fucking around with a lot of the music festivals next year.
Speaking of V! They organized their lineup yesterday, so now I know who is playing on what days. They added a few more people, too. It's looking good! The only issue is that Saturday is pretty clashtastic. People really are too rude about V, though; a few good bands are better than sitting around in your house all day, right? Right! So, anyway, on Saturday, the main stage is Fun Lovin Criminals first(this could not be a more perfect way to start a fest), and then Ziggy Marley, then KT Tunstall, then Bruno Mars, then Lostprophets, then Kaiser Chiefs, then Plan B, then Arctic Monkeys. I'll stay for KT Tunstall, Lostprophets for fun, but then Kaiser Chiefs!! oh my god, Kaiser Chiefs have the main stage sunset spot--this is the best spot of the day! And I'm looking forward to them most! This is just perfect. I'm gonna go in the KC moshpit for I Predict A Riot. I'm not as interested in the 2nd stage that day,though Jessie J will be fun. It's problematic cause I wanna see Razorlight on that stage only they will clash with Plan B and I need to see him if I wanna get a good place for the Arctic Monkeys. And, trust me, AM are amazing live in small venues, so at a festival they will be phenomenal. This also clashes with Glasvegas on the 3rd stage! But I'll probably get see Katy B there earlier in the day. 4th stage'll be good with an early afternoon Alex Winston set, Frankmusik later in the day, and some Airborne Toxic Event and Gomez in the evening if I can catch them. As for Sunday, main stage is Imelda May, Squeeze, Ellie Goulding, Scouting For Girls, Manic Street Preachers, The Script, Rihanna, and Eminem. The first two are always fun, probably gonna wander for the afternoon and maybe get back for the Manics or the Script, Rihanna sucks live but whatever, and then I simply have to stay for Eminem, if only for the Love The Way You Lie duet. There's some good early afternoon stuff on the 2nd stage, then I'm gonna ignore my music elitism for some pop punk there later in the day, simply must see the Wombats, and then if I'm lucky I'll see the wonderful psychedelic 90s Trip Hop Gods that are Primal Scream doing all of Screamadelica. 3rd stage I'm definitely seeing Hurts, and would love to ironically see Duran Duran if they weren't headlining. 4th stage is good stuff throughout the day, including I Am Kloot and Stornoway. To be honest, there are clashes everyfuckingwhere but I'll live through it. Also I'm going with my usual group of people, that is my mother, my sister, my dad, my three friends, their mom, and whatever friends they bring along. It's tricky because, while everyone's up for AM on saturday, we'll be all split up over Sunday. I reckon I'll stay for Eminem, as will my mom and my other friend, my dad'll be at Primal Scream or Pendulum, and my other friends for Duran Duran. What a mess! But regardless, I'm excited. And if you actually read all of this paragraph, you are to be commended, my friend.
I reckon I'll blog here on Wednesday, to catch you up on all the various emotions and what have you after the end of my freshman year. Until then, bye.
In other words, welcome to finals week everyone!
Blogspot decided to fuck up for three days straight, which is why Thursday's post might not match up with, like, the date and stuff. I don't know how obvious that is. But there you go. Blogspot's being nice again. This is inconvenient, as I should stop listening to Elbow and work on a 50-question science review packet. This isn't going to happen tonight.
I have two days left of school. I am 1/3 done with finals. You know, finals are always absolutely bizarre. It's also the one way in which high school is worse than middle school, cause finals are crazy. And not just the manic studying and the sleep deprivation and what have you, I mean what the actual final days are like. All told, they're pretty relaxed. at least they are for the 2nd semester, as no one really cares as much this time round. I guess this is only my 2nd time with finals, but they're not something I ever see myself getting used to. it's just..odd. Especially the way you just...take a test and leave. In middle school, you actually get to say goodbye to everyone. This goodbye actually usually draws itself out over most of the month of June, actually. In high school, unless you have a super relaxed class, you only say goodbye to your friends, not the acquaintances. And you never really get to talk with your teacher, it's just like "have a good summer" as if you weren't even in the slightest way affected by the previous five months of the class. I hate it, it's mad. I'm the sort of person who needs closure over the slightest things. This is why I find final days unsettling.
I've just been in the weirdest moods for the past few days. Who knew something so trivial could make you feel so many stupid things at once? I didn't. Also, I'm absolutely the only one who feels this way. Guess what I'm gonna say for the first time ever in a blog post? I am going to miss school. There, I said it! See, I'm getting emotional over everything. "This is the last time I am in this lunch and laugh at the creepy pedophile-like teacher". "This is the last time I get a science handout back, and spend the following 90 minute class glaring at the unsatisfactory grade". "This is the last time the pothead in my art class mills around my table and knocks some one's portfolio folder to the ground in a fit of giggles". Stupid stuff like that. I've gotten like that about everything. I don't know why this is happening. Cause it shouldn't be. It's worse when it comes to people you like, though. Not friends, cause you can see them over summer or talk to them on Facebook, but those people who you sort of like and will miss, but don't really know very well. I have a lot of those. And what if we're never in a class together again? This is all I think about, and it's so saddening! I'm sure I'll come back in September and it'll feel like no time has gone by at all, but that doesn't stop any of this sentimental crap.
Okay, end unnecessary teen angst nonsense. Time to get back to school stuff. For...the last time this year. School ends tuesday. Like, woah. What will I talk to you about over summer? I've yet to decide. Probably random stuff. Or something. Anyway.
Art class is over. I had a lesson on Tuesday & Thursday, and the final 1st block on Friday. Sad? Yes. You've no idea. Funny thing is, I loathed this class. I was with two people at my table who I like, and that is what makes me regret stuff. I just drew my picture for the entire time, then started painting, and it looks bad, but I don't care anymore. We were gonna have a written final, but that never happened. I wasted time this morning, I was supposed to be doing shadows, but that never happened. We talked about my teacher's obsession with shadows. The class was half empty, as you didn't have to come in if you'd finished your drawing. I didn't finish, but half heartedly passed it in regardless. I hated my teacher so we didn't really say bye.
Health is over, too. I had that final right after art(while everyone else got to go downtown...sucks). We only had one lesson since my last post, where we just watched a documentary about bullying and then reviewed and got a little project back. Nothing much. The final today was extremely simple--100 multiple choice questions. As long as you show up to class, you're guaranteed at least a 95. I was finished within twenty minutes. I'm gonna miss this class.
After that final, I went with my friend in my health class to see her friends. We went to an area outside the auditorium and ate skittles. they're the sort of friends who are all fluent in Nerdfighter talk, and like to do little dances to demonstrate physics principles, and you're just standing there maybe they're too nerdy for you. or you're nerdy too, but in a very different way. Or maybe you're more nerdy. Basically, it was very nerdy. Plus even with the skittles it doesn't stop the area from being cold or gray or there being obnoxious junior guys with scooters. I didn't really wanna hang around, honestly, so I told my friend I was going. I'm not gonna see her again this year, apart from in passing. She's probably one of the people I've gotten closest to this year, soooo that was majorly sad. Luckily the cafeteria was bright and I found a whole bunch of people to talk to. An abundance of people, really. Plus I saw my English teacher and she called me over and she told me I was a really good writer and asked me if I wanted to be a writer some day or if she wanted to switch my schedule around so I could double up on English, and it sounds like I'm bragging but no one's ever really been that enthusiastic about my writing, so that moment rocked. it's ironic because my writing abilities go to the dogs on here. And oh yeah, grammar? Nonexistent. Anyway, I had 90 minutes to kill between then and my English final so I tried to plan for the essay while being with a few people, except the place was so busy and I moved between like four different groups of people because I wanted to see everyone. Got caught up in a theist-atheist debate at one point. Then was probably not the time to get involved in such matters.
English final was good enough. Grammar, literary devices, analyze a poem, compare two of the books we've read this year. (Talking about love and hate in Tale of Two Cities and Romeo and Juliet oh yeah my essay sucked but whatever I have like a 97% in that class). I'm glad that I'm done with that class, because it was stressful and the essays were also terrible, but I enjoyed reading the books and the people in my class were nice enough. We didn't do much all this week, just finishing up Romeo And Juliet. we had to draw a picture to represent a specific speech. And it's graded. This is not okay. Also I did a portfolio, which is four essays, in one night and stayed up late to do it and it sucked and I got a 98%. This is deserving of an evil laugh on my point.
My science final is on Monday. I'm scared senseless. I have like a 92% in that class and an A is 92.5% I will be so upset if I'm an A-. We have a full study guide for it, so hopefully things will turn out okay. As long as studying is my life this weekend. Just one more weekend, and then I'm done with studying for three months! I desperately want an A in this class, I have tried so hard. All we've talked about this week is weather. I paid too little attention. She announced class was over, and it was the most strange thing you could imagine. The class is hell and it's almost over. Never has anything in my life caused as much stress as this class. But, I'm gonna miss some people.
All we did in World Civ this week was work on our final project. It was kinda good, as I was done within two days and basically got to read and study all of Wednesday and Thursday. It's funny how no one cares anymore. Like, in the social studies computer lab the teacher has a computer and on that he can see what everyone else is doing on their computers, and in January this scared us, but now all people do is play Qwop and write messages to our teacher via this computer system, and no one thinks twice about it. It's pretty fun, too. Our final is the last one I'm gonna take, on Tuesday, though all we're gonna do is present our projects. We'll probably get done early. Definitely a good way to end this year. Have I mentioned I'm gonna miss this class like crazy? So many decent people in it. Tuesday doesn't even bear thinking about, how weird it's gonna be when I leave the place. Bizarre. After that I'm gonna (hopefully) hang out with some friends, and then we're gonna make a birthday cake for Brandon Flowers. Y'know, reliving 7th grade.
I really don't know why I'm missing everything, and everyone else is missing nothing. I don't understand.
It's good that it feels like summer for the moment now. It's Saturday now(I started writing Friday night, but took a break). I'm outside and listening to Elbow. They have a song called With Love, and it is so so so beautiful and bright, it is absolute bliss. Elbow are playing round here in September, but it's 18+. Guess that's okay. I'm hoping for them again for V in 2012. That is, if V happens in 2012. The Olympics are fucking around with a lot of the music festivals next year.
Speaking of V! They organized their lineup yesterday, so now I know who is playing on what days. They added a few more people, too. It's looking good! The only issue is that Saturday is pretty clashtastic. People really are too rude about V, though; a few good bands are better than sitting around in your house all day, right? Right! So, anyway, on Saturday, the main stage is Fun Lovin Criminals first(this could not be a more perfect way to start a fest), and then Ziggy Marley, then KT Tunstall, then Bruno Mars, then Lostprophets, then Kaiser Chiefs, then Plan B, then Arctic Monkeys. I'll stay for KT Tunstall, Lostprophets for fun, but then Kaiser Chiefs!! oh my god, Kaiser Chiefs have the main stage sunset spot--this is the best spot of the day! And I'm looking forward to them most! This is just perfect. I'm gonna go in the KC moshpit for I Predict A Riot. I'm not as interested in the 2nd stage that day,though Jessie J will be fun. It's problematic cause I wanna see Razorlight on that stage only they will clash with Plan B and I need to see him if I wanna get a good place for the Arctic Monkeys. And, trust me, AM are amazing live in small venues, so at a festival they will be phenomenal. This also clashes with Glasvegas on the 3rd stage! But I'll probably get see Katy B there earlier in the day. 4th stage'll be good with an early afternoon Alex Winston set, Frankmusik later in the day, and some Airborne Toxic Event and Gomez in the evening if I can catch them. As for Sunday, main stage is Imelda May, Squeeze, Ellie Goulding, Scouting For Girls, Manic Street Preachers, The Script, Rihanna, and Eminem. The first two are always fun, probably gonna wander for the afternoon and maybe get back for the Manics or the Script, Rihanna sucks live but whatever, and then I simply have to stay for Eminem, if only for the Love The Way You Lie duet. There's some good early afternoon stuff on the 2nd stage, then I'm gonna ignore my music elitism for some pop punk there later in the day, simply must see the Wombats, and then if I'm lucky I'll see the wonderful psychedelic 90s Trip Hop Gods that are Primal Scream doing all of Screamadelica. 3rd stage I'm definitely seeing Hurts, and would love to ironically see Duran Duran if they weren't headlining. 4th stage is good stuff throughout the day, including I Am Kloot and Stornoway. To be honest, there are clashes everyfuckingwhere but I'll live through it. Also I'm going with my usual group of people, that is my mother, my sister, my dad, my three friends, their mom, and whatever friends they bring along. It's tricky because, while everyone's up for AM on saturday, we'll be all split up over Sunday. I reckon I'll stay for Eminem, as will my mom and my other friend, my dad'll be at Primal Scream or Pendulum, and my other friends for Duran Duran. What a mess! But regardless, I'm excited. And if you actually read all of this paragraph, you are to be commended, my friend.
I reckon I'll blog here on Wednesday, to catch you up on all the various emotions and what have you after the end of my freshman year. Until then, bye.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
the car we never had, the house we never owned
This song has been permenantly on my mind for the past 48 hours.
This goes under the category of "Awesome Cheesy Pop Songs" in my head--a place where Patrick Wolf is no newcomer. I totally loved his darker stuff, everything from Tristan to the Magic Position, and now there's this catchy, adorable pop-y wonderful song. Just...delighftful. But also evil--a quintescential summer song released in the dead of winter? Why? Now I just want summer about a thousand times more. Thanks, Mr. Wolf.
Though at least the snow is melting here and it's almost pleasent being outside, that's something. I always considered February the worse month, but March is far from nice, too. My random urge for summer to hurry up has manifested itself in my listening to nothing but pure pop music for the past week. Tinie Tempah, La Roux, Rihanna, Jessie J, Hurts, Eliza Doolittle, and the like. I can say I think all of these are talented to some degree(Rihanna maybe not? hard to say. she has good producers.) but I hope actual warmth arrives so I can listen to stuff with some credibility. I think the same applies for the rest of my family--moody trip-hop Groove Armada songs have been replaced with the Divine Comedy's Best Of. Not that the Divine Comedy aren't cool or anything--Neil Hannon is adorable in a very odd way, no?
I only have 164 days to wait and the anticipation is killing me. I'm so happy I got super-early bird pre-sale tickets in August, since V sold in record time this year. 80 minutes! Although this doesn't even seem to be the truth somehow, from the tales I've heard. Some people were on straight away and couldn't get tickets! It sucks for people who actually wanted to go and couldn't get tickets...and makes all the V-Hating especially tiesome and frustrating. It is not a lineup for chavs. (British to American translation; chav = trashy teenage delinquaint). Last night I was under the impression I was gonna be able to watch Biffy Clyro on some crappy late night TV show, before I realized the channel doesn't show for my TV. I didn't wanna go to bed till I physically couldn't saty awake, so I stayed up for another hour watching Eminem videos on Fuse. He's good! Indie Elitsts are so silly, it's so extroardinarily close-minded to say a whole genre of music(rap) doesn't belong at a music festival! What is a music festival if not a celebration of live music? Wow oh wow, some people.
But I understand you're probably not going to V, so this is of no interest to you...
For all I've complained of Arctic Monkeys' new song, they're playing here in May and obviously, I'm going, as it will be amazing. Last time I saw them--December '09--was a brutal concert. Fun, but brutal. therefore I'm staying out of the main crowd this time. This will unquestionably not be the case in August. In August, I'm fighting to the front, getting squahsed in the crowd, and just generally revelling in the chaos. Can't do that with my parents, obviously, so May'll just be a ...warmup, until the real bedlam begins. Plus, like, a crowd ten times the size of May's? Um, yeah, August'll be great.
Yesterday was the big day for Elbow fans, like myself--new album! Aaaaah! With three English tests this week it seems unmlikely I'll be able to actually get out of the house to buy it and I don't wanna ruin the experience with YouTube. But, my god, is it tempting. Every single review has been positive, averaging about an 7/10 or 8/10 or so, and everyone's talking about this one song, called Lippy Kids, which is basically about everyone not recognising adolescence as the highly important time it is("Don't they know these days are golden?"). Guy Garvey usually finds the perfect balance between reality and romance, so I'm hoping for an interesting song. And an interesting album in general! This day did NOT come fast enough. Friday can't come faster too. US TOUR NOW PLEASE.
New Wombats album released on my birthday? And I listened to Tokyo at every possibly oppurtunity today. Can honestly say I'm very excited. I loved their 1st album, it was so adorable and perfect and I could listen to it all day, ugh, you too, April you come faster now.
On another note, I was impressed/shocked by the American CD stores getting Beady Eye in right off the bat. I'm sick of Beady Eye, yeah, I'm not a fan and I don't understand the hype--BUT I was amazed that they had them here, is all.
Well, as for school, we finally pushed through our 1st art project after 5 weeks and I really don't wanna go to class because the next one is hell. I have eight days to do a health project. Science is alright, though I DO NOT want to do our next project or indeed read about plate tectonics. Or listen to the know-it-alls behind me--who really do diserve nicknanames at this point, for all they aggravate me. BUT, I do enjoy how the girl next to me has gone on a mission to label the guy who sits next to her a peodphile, and tomorrow is bringing in a pedobear(sigh.) printout tomorrow.
World Civ is cool because it's all ancient history in China and Asia in general, and I reaaaaally don't wanna go into the European Middle Ages because a lot of people are closeminded enough to think that I'm word perfect on the subject. it takes the slightest bit of brain power, that many seem to lack, to realize that that's just silly. Ugh! What is wrong with everyone at school? Even the smart people come off as two-dimensional and silly, y'know? And there's just so much crap---superfical friendships, discrimination, slut shaming, ignorance, arrogance, and bullshit to say the least. This is not news, I know, but it's been getting to me a lot lately. Some people live under rocks, really, it's unbelievable. I keep hearing the M word--that is, one used to describe a Little Person--EVERY SINGLE FUCKING DAY and I'm like, really, guys? What year are we living in? Are we really so fundamentally vapid that we neglect all notions of progression? And fake friendships just to look good? And act horrible to others because they dress the slightest bit differently? And act the same as others, because that's all you've ever known? And act better than everyone else to feel better? And laugh at people who are quiet for many reasons, but one of them being they(I) don't want to talk to the overwhelming majority of people they are forced to comunicate with everyday, because they're so vacuous and boring and cruel? High school, high school, high school....
Um, yeah, that's that rant gone. Happy pancake day, Brits, I've probably gained weight after all that sugar and pancake and lemons, though it's my favorite meal of the year, so I can't complain. Can't really gush about it either, sadly--too much studying to be done.
Bye.
This goes under the category of "Awesome Cheesy Pop Songs" in my head--a place where Patrick Wolf is no newcomer. I totally loved his darker stuff, everything from Tristan to the Magic Position, and now there's this catchy, adorable pop-y wonderful song. Just...delighftful. But also evil--a quintescential summer song released in the dead of winter? Why? Now I just want summer about a thousand times more. Thanks, Mr. Wolf.
Though at least the snow is melting here and it's almost pleasent being outside, that's something. I always considered February the worse month, but March is far from nice, too. My random urge for summer to hurry up has manifested itself in my listening to nothing but pure pop music for the past week. Tinie Tempah, La Roux, Rihanna, Jessie J, Hurts, Eliza Doolittle, and the like. I can say I think all of these are talented to some degree(Rihanna maybe not? hard to say. she has good producers.) but I hope actual warmth arrives so I can listen to stuff with some credibility. I think the same applies for the rest of my family--moody trip-hop Groove Armada songs have been replaced with the Divine Comedy's Best Of. Not that the Divine Comedy aren't cool or anything--Neil Hannon is adorable in a very odd way, no?
I only have 164 days to wait and the anticipation is killing me. I'm so happy I got super-early bird pre-sale tickets in August, since V sold in record time this year. 80 minutes! Although this doesn't even seem to be the truth somehow, from the tales I've heard. Some people were on straight away and couldn't get tickets! It sucks for people who actually wanted to go and couldn't get tickets...and makes all the V-Hating especially tiesome and frustrating. It is not a lineup for chavs. (British to American translation; chav = trashy teenage delinquaint). Last night I was under the impression I was gonna be able to watch Biffy Clyro on some crappy late night TV show, before I realized the channel doesn't show for my TV. I didn't wanna go to bed till I physically couldn't saty awake, so I stayed up for another hour watching Eminem videos on Fuse. He's good! Indie Elitsts are so silly, it's so extroardinarily close-minded to say a whole genre of music(rap) doesn't belong at a music festival! What is a music festival if not a celebration of live music? Wow oh wow, some people.
But I understand you're probably not going to V, so this is of no interest to you...
For all I've complained of Arctic Monkeys' new song, they're playing here in May and obviously, I'm going, as it will be amazing. Last time I saw them--December '09--was a brutal concert. Fun, but brutal. therefore I'm staying out of the main crowd this time. This will unquestionably not be the case in August. In August, I'm fighting to the front, getting squahsed in the crowd, and just generally revelling in the chaos. Can't do that with my parents, obviously, so May'll just be a ...warmup, until the real bedlam begins. Plus, like, a crowd ten times the size of May's? Um, yeah, August'll be great.
Yesterday was the big day for Elbow fans, like myself--new album! Aaaaah! With three English tests this week it seems unmlikely I'll be able to actually get out of the house to buy it and I don't wanna ruin the experience with YouTube. But, my god, is it tempting. Every single review has been positive, averaging about an 7/10 or 8/10 or so, and everyone's talking about this one song, called Lippy Kids, which is basically about everyone not recognising adolescence as the highly important time it is("Don't they know these days are golden?"). Guy Garvey usually finds the perfect balance between reality and romance, so I'm hoping for an interesting song. And an interesting album in general! This day did NOT come fast enough. Friday can't come faster too. US TOUR NOW PLEASE.
New Wombats album released on my birthday? And I listened to Tokyo at every possibly oppurtunity today. Can honestly say I'm very excited. I loved their 1st album, it was so adorable and perfect and I could listen to it all day, ugh, you too, April you come faster now.
On another note, I was impressed/shocked by the American CD stores getting Beady Eye in right off the bat. I'm sick of Beady Eye, yeah, I'm not a fan and I don't understand the hype--BUT I was amazed that they had them here, is all.
Well, as for school, we finally pushed through our 1st art project after 5 weeks and I really don't wanna go to class because the next one is hell. I have eight days to do a health project. Science is alright, though I DO NOT want to do our next project or indeed read about plate tectonics. Or listen to the know-it-alls behind me--who really do diserve nicknanames at this point, for all they aggravate me. BUT, I do enjoy how the girl next to me has gone on a mission to label the guy who sits next to her a peodphile, and tomorrow is bringing in a pedobear(sigh.) printout tomorrow.
World Civ is cool because it's all ancient history in China and Asia in general, and I reaaaaally don't wanna go into the European Middle Ages because a lot of people are closeminded enough to think that I'm word perfect on the subject. it takes the slightest bit of brain power, that many seem to lack, to realize that that's just silly. Ugh! What is wrong with everyone at school? Even the smart people come off as two-dimensional and silly, y'know? And there's just so much crap---superfical friendships, discrimination, slut shaming, ignorance, arrogance, and bullshit to say the least. This is not news, I know, but it's been getting to me a lot lately. Some people live under rocks, really, it's unbelievable. I keep hearing the M word--that is, one used to describe a Little Person--EVERY SINGLE FUCKING DAY and I'm like, really, guys? What year are we living in? Are we really so fundamentally vapid that we neglect all notions of progression? And fake friendships just to look good? And act horrible to others because they dress the slightest bit differently? And act the same as others, because that's all you've ever known? And act better than everyone else to feel better? And laugh at people who are quiet for many reasons, but one of them being they(I) don't want to talk to the overwhelming majority of people they are forced to comunicate with everyday, because they're so vacuous and boring and cruel? High school, high school, high school....
Um, yeah, that's that rant gone. Happy pancake day, Brits, I've probably gained weight after all that sugar and pancake and lemons, though it's my favorite meal of the year, so I can't complain. Can't really gush about it either, sadly--too much studying to be done.
Bye.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Um, Arctic Monkeys.
They released a song earlier today and was amazed by how much I didn't like it. I mean, it was alright, but just not to the caliber of their old stuff. I was never part of the crowd that said they were going downhill with Humbug, because personally I think it's a good album with a more unique sound than their first two records, though perhaps lacking in the good lyrics department. In the first ten seconds of the song, all I was channeling was mid-oo's "I wish I was Jack White" blues rock silliness that is pleasing but decidedly overdone at this point in time. Then it got more poppy, yet somehow slower(this band seem to do that a lot), but...there was no big chorus. there were no witty anecdotes about day-to-day life in northern England. not even some insane, frantic drum beat. No, all I see is flowery dresses and palm trees and dissapointment. what gives?
I'm sure it'll grow on me. They do that a lot. But I do think it's their weakest single to date. Also, no, I do not want Whatever People Say I Am Part II, not at all. I subscribe to the beleif that bands need to change and every record needs a different sound. I'd rather they did this than did something samey. It's just my personal beleif that this is less creative than their other work. no big deal.
Still uber excited for August though. Rihanna got added to the V lineup. Needless to say, If I see Eminem I'm guaranteed a live Love the Way You Lie duet, a privalage few have had. I'm up for that. I honerstly don't understand the blatant anti-Vness this year. They sold out in 80 minutes! So what if it's pop? It's about having fun. When did the festival scene become about faking acts of lunicy and conitnuing festival-going cliches, ie drugs, indie music, and mud. it's so silly, people, geez. As for my V-going, I might be up for someone on the 2nd or 3rd stage Sunday night, depending. I've never been to the 3rd stage, oddly--it's a tent, but the entrance is a bottleneck so getting in and out is hell. Dunno about everyone else, but I'm excited. my dad took a look at the lineup yesterday(he was in Switzerland on a business thing for most of the week) and he said it was 'not amazing' which was upsetting...
People so saw last year's V through rose-tinted glasses. V always have pop. And it will always have bad bands and bad live peformances(for example, KoL were shockingly bad live. Everything except Sex On Fire was completely underwhelming). That's what's cool about it, though, cause it appeals to loads of different people. As for me, I'll take my Wombats, Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, Manics, and Hurts and leave all these miserable people be.
I just listened to Katy B's "Katy On A Mission" last night. I used to hear this on Radio 1 loads over the summer, and I was never completely sold. I'm not a Dubstep fan. But going back to it now, I just suddenly become aware of this gritty, clubby vibe and I realized how good it is. Also, I fell in love with Primal Scream on the very first listen to Some Velvet Morning. All I was aware of was this great wannabe-late-90s trip-hop psychadelic rock thing with a touch of sixties flower power thrown in for good measure. So, so fantastic. Primal Scream I think are gonna be 2nd to stage headliners, and my God, they'd better clash with Eminem rather than AM. I'm high on Primal Scream songs. Cannot wait until my birthday, I'm so asking for Screamadelica.
Enough of V.
My iPod might be broken though it might just be the headphones, but it's acting weird. It's lived a good, long life.
It'd be nice if I could keep my eyes open lately. I was bored last night so I tried to watch Return of the Jedi but I could not pay attention. I was up till midnight the day before last doing a science paper that was twice as long as it needs to be, too much shock and ridicule from some friends. However, we got progress reports a couple days ago and she ranked the whole class based on grades and mine was at number one so like hell am I backing down now. (I admit the ranking business is cruel, but please let me bask in this brief period of narcissism). I got a 99% on a quiz. I wonder why I'm so fixated on grades this year? It wasn't really much of the case last year. Odd.
Shame science was awful for the other parts of the week. we're doing projects outside at the moment, testing water for O2 and Co2 and temperature and such. We have to walk outside, in freezing weather, over an icy hill, to a field where the snow isn't properly compacted so I feel in to my knees, through the forest. We're in three groups and each examining one section. Of course, being three groups, which we are allowed to choose, there is only one way 14-year-olds divide themselves up--girls, guys, and the grumbly leftovers. I'm the third category! I'm with these two know-it-all girls, one guy everyone hates, a bossy leader, and a bunch of guys whose names I cannot be bothered to learn. Plus, the three groups are as follows; wetland, stream, pond. Here's the thing with the first two--THEY HAVE RUNNING WATER. Us pond-goers were outside in negative godknowswhat at 9:30 digging a hole through ice that was at least eight inches thick. It took forty minutes, much swearing, and an array of bleeding hands. With help from our teacher, we got through with five or ten minutes to rush through our testing, run for fifteen minutes back to class, and wait for another two hours to be about to feel our thighs, let alone our noses and ears and such. sigh sigh sigh. The upshot is, our place is gonna be gorgeous in the spring.
Plus, I have another project on glaciers, with three other people. Our whole group is infested with arrogance and over-inflated senses of our self worth, so it'll be a mess. A horrible, competitive, passive aggressive mess.
Today I got asked if I was a sophomore in art, then later asked if I was junior. Haven't a clue why this should be, but there we go. I don't physically look older so I guess I'm just standoffish or something.
Getting especially tired of my world civ class, to be honest. We spent four days researching for a class timeline project. my group had no idea what we were doing and ours came out a total mess. Plus, I doubt there's a single person on the planet who has an actual interest in the Byzantine Empire. I certainly don't.
English is literally beyond boring right now--short stories and essays and vocab, blah, I almost want to cry. It's no fun having it last block. Other classes are at least onto reading books, whereas we're still reading these crappy short stories and looking for dualities. I wanna get going on a book, that's something I might actually enjoy.
I'm giving Philosophy Club at school a go. It's basically sitting in a room with six other students(almost all of them being nerdy Asian junior girls) and talking. And there's a Spanish teacher and I believe a math teacher. It's fun, actually, I intend to go again.
Let's do countdowns--V in 168 days, Pancake Day in three days, NEW ELBOW ALBUM OH MY GOD ADSLFjsdfl in two, new Kills album in a month, birthday in 51 days, new AM album in four-ish months, the Killers getting back together in two months, the Script + Tim Minchin in three months, new Kasabian album at the end of the year, new Florence album at the end of the year, etc.
Music at the moment that hasn't been mentioned--The Mariner's Children, Tinie Tempah, Hurts, Editors, Imelda May, Neil Hannon's beautiful cover of Yann Tiersen's "Les Jours Tristes". Love music. Neil's voice works so well with the flutes.
I have to have lunch and do science homework(sniffle), good day.
I'm sure it'll grow on me. They do that a lot. But I do think it's their weakest single to date. Also, no, I do not want Whatever People Say I Am Part II, not at all. I subscribe to the beleif that bands need to change and every record needs a different sound. I'd rather they did this than did something samey. It's just my personal beleif that this is less creative than their other work. no big deal.
Still uber excited for August though. Rihanna got added to the V lineup. Needless to say, If I see Eminem I'm guaranteed a live Love the Way You Lie duet, a privalage few have had. I'm up for that. I honerstly don't understand the blatant anti-Vness this year. They sold out in 80 minutes! So what if it's pop? It's about having fun. When did the festival scene become about faking acts of lunicy and conitnuing festival-going cliches, ie drugs, indie music, and mud. it's so silly, people, geez. As for my V-going, I might be up for someone on the 2nd or 3rd stage Sunday night, depending. I've never been to the 3rd stage, oddly--it's a tent, but the entrance is a bottleneck so getting in and out is hell. Dunno about everyone else, but I'm excited. my dad took a look at the lineup yesterday(he was in Switzerland on a business thing for most of the week) and he said it was 'not amazing' which was upsetting...
People so saw last year's V through rose-tinted glasses. V always have pop. And it will always have bad bands and bad live peformances(for example, KoL were shockingly bad live. Everything except Sex On Fire was completely underwhelming). That's what's cool about it, though, cause it appeals to loads of different people. As for me, I'll take my Wombats, Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, Manics, and Hurts and leave all these miserable people be.
I just listened to Katy B's "Katy On A Mission" last night. I used to hear this on Radio 1 loads over the summer, and I was never completely sold. I'm not a Dubstep fan. But going back to it now, I just suddenly become aware of this gritty, clubby vibe and I realized how good it is. Also, I fell in love with Primal Scream on the very first listen to Some Velvet Morning. All I was aware of was this great wannabe-late-90s trip-hop psychadelic rock thing with a touch of sixties flower power thrown in for good measure. So, so fantastic. Primal Scream I think are gonna be 2nd to stage headliners, and my God, they'd better clash with Eminem rather than AM. I'm high on Primal Scream songs. Cannot wait until my birthday, I'm so asking for Screamadelica.
Enough of V.
My iPod might be broken though it might just be the headphones, but it's acting weird. It's lived a good, long life.
It'd be nice if I could keep my eyes open lately. I was bored last night so I tried to watch Return of the Jedi but I could not pay attention. I was up till midnight the day before last doing a science paper that was twice as long as it needs to be, too much shock and ridicule from some friends. However, we got progress reports a couple days ago and she ranked the whole class based on grades and mine was at number one so like hell am I backing down now. (I admit the ranking business is cruel, but please let me bask in this brief period of narcissism). I got a 99% on a quiz. I wonder why I'm so fixated on grades this year? It wasn't really much of the case last year. Odd.
Shame science was awful for the other parts of the week. we're doing projects outside at the moment, testing water for O2 and Co2 and temperature and such. We have to walk outside, in freezing weather, over an icy hill, to a field where the snow isn't properly compacted so I feel in to my knees, through the forest. We're in three groups and each examining one section. Of course, being three groups, which we are allowed to choose, there is only one way 14-year-olds divide themselves up--girls, guys, and the grumbly leftovers. I'm the third category! I'm with these two know-it-all girls, one guy everyone hates, a bossy leader, and a bunch of guys whose names I cannot be bothered to learn. Plus, the three groups are as follows; wetland, stream, pond. Here's the thing with the first two--THEY HAVE RUNNING WATER. Us pond-goers were outside in negative godknowswhat at 9:30 digging a hole through ice that was at least eight inches thick. It took forty minutes, much swearing, and an array of bleeding hands. With help from our teacher, we got through with five or ten minutes to rush through our testing, run for fifteen minutes back to class, and wait for another two hours to be about to feel our thighs, let alone our noses and ears and such. sigh sigh sigh. The upshot is, our place is gonna be gorgeous in the spring.
Plus, I have another project on glaciers, with three other people. Our whole group is infested with arrogance and over-inflated senses of our self worth, so it'll be a mess. A horrible, competitive, passive aggressive mess.
Today I got asked if I was a sophomore in art, then later asked if I was junior. Haven't a clue why this should be, but there we go. I don't physically look older so I guess I'm just standoffish or something.
Getting especially tired of my world civ class, to be honest. We spent four days researching for a class timeline project. my group had no idea what we were doing and ours came out a total mess. Plus, I doubt there's a single person on the planet who has an actual interest in the Byzantine Empire. I certainly don't.
English is literally beyond boring right now--short stories and essays and vocab, blah, I almost want to cry. It's no fun having it last block. Other classes are at least onto reading books, whereas we're still reading these crappy short stories and looking for dualities. I wanna get going on a book, that's something I might actually enjoy.
I'm giving Philosophy Club at school a go. It's basically sitting in a room with six other students(almost all of them being nerdy Asian junior girls) and talking. And there's a Spanish teacher and I believe a math teacher. It's fun, actually, I intend to go again.
Let's do countdowns--V in 168 days, Pancake Day in three days, NEW ELBOW ALBUM OH MY GOD ADSLFjsdfl in two, new Kills album in a month, birthday in 51 days, new AM album in four-ish months, the Killers getting back together in two months, the Script + Tim Minchin in three months, new Kasabian album at the end of the year, new Florence album at the end of the year, etc.
Music at the moment that hasn't been mentioned--The Mariner's Children, Tinie Tempah, Hurts, Editors, Imelda May, Neil Hannon's beautiful cover of Yann Tiersen's "Les Jours Tristes". Love music. Neil's voice works so well with the flutes.
I have to have lunch and do science homework(sniffle), good day.
Monday, February 28, 2011
V Festival 2011
As things currently stand
Eminem
'Special Guest'(what? everyone's saying Rihanna but no confirmation. ooh, REM please)
Arctic Monkeys
Plan B
The Script
Dizzee Rascal
Pendulum
Kaiser Chiefs
Duran Duran(ha.)
Manic Street Preachers
Primal Scream
Razorlight
Chase and Status
Tinie Tempah
Courteeners
Scouting for Girls
Ellie Goulding
Bruno Mars
Jessie J
the Wombats
Mark Ronson
N-Dubz
Big Audio Dynamite
Glasvegas
Hurts
Katie B
KT Tunstell
Squeeze
the Saturdays
Example
Wiz Khalifa
Olly Murs
Cast
Kele
Ocean Colour Scene
You Me At Six
Eliza Doolittle
Fun Lovin' Criminals
Imelda May
Bellowhead
Claire Maguire
After six months of waiting, rumors, eFestivals updates, and festival forums, today marked the day that the beginning of the V lineup was announced.
I don't care what you say. I like it. But first a few things have to be said.
V posted their lineup a few hours ago, along with an accompanying video, and ever since then the Internet, in particular the most pompous of music blogs, have been awash with ridicule. Most of it boiling down to little more than 'it's shit. READING AND LEEDS FUCK YES'.
Okay, we need a talk, so-called V-ers. This is a big festival. These are big acts, whether you like them or not. Getting these tickets is no walk in the park. In fact, plenty of people miss out on these every year. V has always been a mainstream festival, y'know? It's light-weight, fun, free from the abundant music snobbery that litters the other festivals. it's august, it's summer, you're with friends, the vast majority of people are drunk out of their minds. It's about rain and wellies and having beer in your hair and looking disgusting for two days on end. It is not, nor should it be, about walking around announcing how you'd rather be watching Cancer Bats at Reading a week later. No! Jesus.
I mean, I will concede, R&L have been almost unfathomably lucky with their last few lineups. and this one looks to be going in the same direction. I would kill to go to Reading(Elbow? Muse? Pulp? My god, yes), but it's just not viable for me right now, and to say V is awful in comparison isn't fair. And, oh my God, have you seen Glasto's rumors? Genuinely, not very appealing to me. Glasto's just strength in numbers--most festivals with 45 stages can probably pull something half-decent together, you know?
All of the big festivals are good in their own right, though some of the others are just a tad overwhelming. you know, if you wanna take magic mushrooms while watching Crystal Castles before going off to get a back massage at whatever mad tent these places are throwing together, then that's fine. Sounds almost appealing. But please, just because you're doing that, doesn't make V's totally adequate lineup sucky. it isn't! It's fun, it's well put together, it's entertaining. Go ahead and be snippy about these bands now--it's February, all we wanna do is listen to PJ Harvey and drink hot chocolate and be overly critical about Claire Maguire, yeah, I'm there, I know that. But you know when the shorts and the bleach blonde hair and the Summer Choons come out, you don't care whatever the hell you're listening to. God knows I listened to so much crap last summer. It's just all about being entertained and not caring. that's the whole point of summer...the whole point of music festivals. if you don't like it, then okay, sell your ticket. It's not that hard. Leave us be!
So now that that failure of an almost rant is done, let's discuss my opinions on these yes? In an incredibly, incredibly long winded fashion, because you know that's just me.
So, Eminem. I'm not a huge fan but I know a few things and I agree he's hugely talented. I think this is genuinely an interesting choice for V. T in the Park had him last year and he seemed to go down alright, if not more than that. I must buy a record. My only slight issue is the almost anti-climax that this will be. He doesn't have the flashy lights and the guitars and the screaming you expect from a headliner. Nevertheless, Love the Way You Lie I'm sure will be awesome in the dark. Depending on who the 2nd stage headliner is, I might jump in between. who knows.
Arctic Monkeys will be, to put it lightly, phenomenal. I love the Arctic Monkeys, genuinely think they're amazing, and they are quite something live. I've seen them once before--in an small-average club, in December of 09. absolute. bedlam. I got fully knocked to the ground at least three times(as you can imagine, my memory of that night is rather vague...). However, this, compared to a field of tens of thousands of super fans, will be nothing. It'll be honest to God, on Prodigy level(best. night. of. my life.). I'm hugely excited for Saturday night, one for my personal history books. as long as my hair is soaked with beer, my brain is buzzing with fake northern accents, and I spend more time on my hands and knees than standing up, I will be a very happy girl.
I like Plan B but my slight concern is him not being able to fill a 2nd-to-headlining spot, or my paying attention for an hour straight. but no matter, I've made it through a fucking Stereophonics 2nd-to-headlining set, so this is no problem.
If I see the Script again, I'll have seen them four times. that's sad. I don't know why I even wanna see them again? Still, the Man Who Can't be Moved is quite nice live, that's something.
I'm not saying Pendulum are technically great or anything, but their live shows are absolutely immense. Again, Prodigy-level goodness. Like, I wouldn't go out of my way to see them but if I was there, then hell yes I would. That'd be amazing.
OKAY OKAY OKAY. Two years ago, I remember blogging about V '09's lineup and I definitely, definitely finished with 'still hoping for Kaiser Chiefs'. Now, 24 months on and after, yes, growing out of KC a bit, my wish has finally come true. Dear 11 year old self; I'm seeing kaiser Chiefs and there's nothing that can stop me. IN. YOUR. FACE. All I can think about, sitting here, is an evening time slot, in amongst the packed crowd, shouting the lyrics to Ruby until I loose my voice. It's my pre-pubescent dream. And I will be living it. I will be living it. There is not a single being on this planet that can stop me--I will even sacrifice Alex Turner's awesomeness live for this. This. Is. Incredible.
Lawl, Duran Duran. It's really sad that I actually want to see this with absolutely no shred of irony attached. But I will. Hungry like the Wolf late afternoon...yes, please.
I've seen Razorlight once already. I don't hate them. America is a nice one live, can really sing a long. yeah, I'd do that.
Shame I missed the Courteeners last year, they'd be another good one. Pfft, I'm so gonna get my indie fix this year. what on earth are people talking about?
I pride myself on knowing Ellie Goulding ever since she first appeared in the NME. And yet I've never seen her. Hmm, that'd be alright.
I'd see Jessie J just for Do it Like A Dude. I love Do it Like A Dude.
THE WOMBATS. OH MY GOD, LOVE IT. The Wombats are freakin' amazing and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. my friend's seen them twice and was absolutely blown away. I remember being addicted to Let's Dance to Joy Division. oddly, I still adore that song with all my being. Despite all the floppy hair and cutesy guitars, this band have the unusual ability of throwing together a moshpit every show. not even kidding. sounds fun.
Mark Ronson, hmmm? I dunno about talent, but fun, maybe. vintage suits and pretentiousness, too.
Okay, you hear this, cynics? Glas. Vegas. 'Not enough bands', 'not enough indie', what the hell do you call this? Seriously, they're Scottish, wear sunglasses in daylight, and play guitars, what more do you want? sounds like a whale of a time. Oh yeah a lot of people just wanna hear Mumford for ten hours straight. no. thank. you.
Hurts are cool, yeah, they're cool, I'm there.
Kele would be nice too. and ocean colour scene! Elize Doolittle would be nice again, on a bigger stage perhaps, and when it's not pouring rain.
Needless to say my mom's gonna be all over the oldies(they're good oldies this year, though!) and my dad's gonna be down at the indie stage. They've added a comedy stage this year. I'm hoping...Tim Minchin? Bill Bailey? Simon Amstell? Bo Burnahm, on an off chance? sounds like a blast.
Dear internet; V is awesome. I don't understand you at all sometimes.
At long last, that is all.
Eminem
'Special Guest'(what? everyone's saying Rihanna but no confirmation. ooh, REM please)
Arctic Monkeys
Plan B
The Script
Dizzee Rascal
Pendulum
Kaiser Chiefs
Duran Duran(ha.)
Manic Street Preachers
Primal Scream
Razorlight
Chase and Status
Tinie Tempah
Courteeners
Scouting for Girls
Ellie Goulding
Bruno Mars
Jessie J
the Wombats
Mark Ronson
N-Dubz
Big Audio Dynamite
Glasvegas
Hurts
Katie B
KT Tunstell
Squeeze
the Saturdays
Example
Wiz Khalifa
Olly Murs
Cast
Kele
Ocean Colour Scene
You Me At Six
Eliza Doolittle
Fun Lovin' Criminals
Imelda May
Bellowhead
Claire Maguire
After six months of waiting, rumors, eFestivals updates, and festival forums, today marked the day that the beginning of the V lineup was announced.
I don't care what you say. I like it. But first a few things have to be said.
V posted their lineup a few hours ago, along with an accompanying video, and ever since then the Internet, in particular the most pompous of music blogs, have been awash with ridicule. Most of it boiling down to little more than 'it's shit. READING AND LEEDS FUCK YES'.
Okay, we need a talk, so-called V-ers. This is a big festival. These are big acts, whether you like them or not. Getting these tickets is no walk in the park. In fact, plenty of people miss out on these every year. V has always been a mainstream festival, y'know? It's light-weight, fun, free from the abundant music snobbery that litters the other festivals. it's august, it's summer, you're with friends, the vast majority of people are drunk out of their minds. It's about rain and wellies and having beer in your hair and looking disgusting for two days on end. It is not, nor should it be, about walking around announcing how you'd rather be watching Cancer Bats at Reading a week later. No! Jesus.
I mean, I will concede, R&L have been almost unfathomably lucky with their last few lineups. and this one looks to be going in the same direction. I would kill to go to Reading(Elbow? Muse? Pulp? My god, yes), but it's just not viable for me right now, and to say V is awful in comparison isn't fair. And, oh my God, have you seen Glasto's rumors? Genuinely, not very appealing to me. Glasto's just strength in numbers--most festivals with 45 stages can probably pull something half-decent together, you know?
All of the big festivals are good in their own right, though some of the others are just a tad overwhelming. you know, if you wanna take magic mushrooms while watching Crystal Castles before going off to get a back massage at whatever mad tent these places are throwing together, then that's fine. Sounds almost appealing. But please, just because you're doing that, doesn't make V's totally adequate lineup sucky. it isn't! It's fun, it's well put together, it's entertaining. Go ahead and be snippy about these bands now--it's February, all we wanna do is listen to PJ Harvey and drink hot chocolate and be overly critical about Claire Maguire, yeah, I'm there, I know that. But you know when the shorts and the bleach blonde hair and the Summer Choons come out, you don't care whatever the hell you're listening to. God knows I listened to so much crap last summer. It's just all about being entertained and not caring. that's the whole point of summer...the whole point of music festivals. if you don't like it, then okay, sell your ticket. It's not that hard. Leave us be!
So now that that failure of an almost rant is done, let's discuss my opinions on these yes? In an incredibly, incredibly long winded fashion, because you know that's just me.
So, Eminem. I'm not a huge fan but I know a few things and I agree he's hugely talented. I think this is genuinely an interesting choice for V. T in the Park had him last year and he seemed to go down alright, if not more than that. I must buy a record. My only slight issue is the almost anti-climax that this will be. He doesn't have the flashy lights and the guitars and the screaming you expect from a headliner. Nevertheless, Love the Way You Lie I'm sure will be awesome in the dark. Depending on who the 2nd stage headliner is, I might jump in between. who knows.
Arctic Monkeys will be, to put it lightly, phenomenal. I love the Arctic Monkeys, genuinely think they're amazing, and they are quite something live. I've seen them once before--in an small-average club, in December of 09. absolute. bedlam. I got fully knocked to the ground at least three times(as you can imagine, my memory of that night is rather vague...). However, this, compared to a field of tens of thousands of super fans, will be nothing. It'll be honest to God, on Prodigy level(best. night. of. my life.). I'm hugely excited for Saturday night, one for my personal history books. as long as my hair is soaked with beer, my brain is buzzing with fake northern accents, and I spend more time on my hands and knees than standing up, I will be a very happy girl.
I like Plan B but my slight concern is him not being able to fill a 2nd-to-headlining spot, or my paying attention for an hour straight. but no matter, I've made it through a fucking Stereophonics 2nd-to-headlining set, so this is no problem.
If I see the Script again, I'll have seen them four times. that's sad. I don't know why I even wanna see them again? Still, the Man Who Can't be Moved is quite nice live, that's something.
I'm not saying Pendulum are technically great or anything, but their live shows are absolutely immense. Again, Prodigy-level goodness. Like, I wouldn't go out of my way to see them but if I was there, then hell yes I would. That'd be amazing.
OKAY OKAY OKAY. Two years ago, I remember blogging about V '09's lineup and I definitely, definitely finished with 'still hoping for Kaiser Chiefs'. Now, 24 months on and after, yes, growing out of KC a bit, my wish has finally come true. Dear 11 year old self; I'm seeing kaiser Chiefs and there's nothing that can stop me. IN. YOUR. FACE. All I can think about, sitting here, is an evening time slot, in amongst the packed crowd, shouting the lyrics to Ruby until I loose my voice. It's my pre-pubescent dream. And I will be living it. I will be living it. There is not a single being on this planet that can stop me--I will even sacrifice Alex Turner's awesomeness live for this. This. Is. Incredible.
Lawl, Duran Duran. It's really sad that I actually want to see this with absolutely no shred of irony attached. But I will. Hungry like the Wolf late afternoon...yes, please.
I've seen Razorlight once already. I don't hate them. America is a nice one live, can really sing a long. yeah, I'd do that.
Shame I missed the Courteeners last year, they'd be another good one. Pfft, I'm so gonna get my indie fix this year. what on earth are people talking about?
I pride myself on knowing Ellie Goulding ever since she first appeared in the NME. And yet I've never seen her. Hmm, that'd be alright.
I'd see Jessie J just for Do it Like A Dude. I love Do it Like A Dude.
THE WOMBATS. OH MY GOD, LOVE IT. The Wombats are freakin' amazing and don't let anyone convince you otherwise. my friend's seen them twice and was absolutely blown away. I remember being addicted to Let's Dance to Joy Division. oddly, I still adore that song with all my being. Despite all the floppy hair and cutesy guitars, this band have the unusual ability of throwing together a moshpit every show. not even kidding. sounds fun.
Mark Ronson, hmmm? I dunno about talent, but fun, maybe. vintage suits and pretentiousness, too.
Okay, you hear this, cynics? Glas. Vegas. 'Not enough bands', 'not enough indie', what the hell do you call this? Seriously, they're Scottish, wear sunglasses in daylight, and play guitars, what more do you want? sounds like a whale of a time. Oh yeah a lot of people just wanna hear Mumford for ten hours straight. no. thank. you.
Hurts are cool, yeah, they're cool, I'm there.
Kele would be nice too. and ocean colour scene! Elize Doolittle would be nice again, on a bigger stage perhaps, and when it's not pouring rain.
Needless to say my mom's gonna be all over the oldies(they're good oldies this year, though!) and my dad's gonna be down at the indie stage. They've added a comedy stage this year. I'm hoping...Tim Minchin? Bill Bailey? Simon Amstell? Bo Burnahm, on an off chance? sounds like a blast.
Dear internet; V is awesome. I don't understand you at all sometimes.
At long last, that is all.
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