Liddy Pool

Blimey, what a weekend! City of Culture indeed!

The train up was so packed that we had to nick someone else's reservations - fortunately they never turned up to claim their seats, so we were OK. It wasn't until we got to Liverpool that I realised we'd nabbed seats 21 and 22. Fate!

Took an insanely cheap taxi to the Cavern, with a typically chatty cabbie who told us all about abseilling off the big radio tower in the centre of town, then arrived hours early at The Cavern, shaking with nerves and pacing backstage. Fortunately some of Anna's and Eoin's mates turned up for support. Hurrah!

My god, it was scary. I suppose we learned the lesson that we *can* actually pull off a set with half the band, though neither of us ever want to do it again. I thought the sound was better at the earlier show, which made me more comfortable, though Anna said she enjoyed the second show a great deal more. (Could have had something to do with the great deal more booze she had down her throat by that point.)

The second show was actually hillarious, if I hadn't been too freaked out about all my equipment concurrently failing - including the brand new connector cable shorting out. Though it did mean that the lovely blond soundman was very attentive. (What is it with cute soundmen?) Loads of ILX0rs turned out for FAP action, and The Kissing Time came down and made faces at us so we felt at home.

Anna turned into Morrissey, dancing about with a blood red lilly that she stole from Pizza Express. Random Dancing Dude did hippie dancing to OPC. And the crowd actually shouted for The Lost Rivers of Clerkenwell!

The rest of Liverpool is a bit of a blur. Amazing bitter at the White Star, and getting offered an impromptu gig in their back room. A birthday party with the most amazing cheese board ever at La Casa, this very cool socialist collective venue/cafe/pub. Veggie fry-ups for breakfast (A huge thank you to Greg and Cath!). The frankly astonishing Summer Of Love exhibit at the Tate Liverpool. (We spent hours floating around LaMonte Young's totemistic humming and glowing black box.) Killer sets from Koala and The Kissing Time and the lovely, lovely Luxembourg. (Including the very best stage strop ever from David - just hope Anna doesn't get ideas!)