Loch Me Up
Scotland - Sep 2008
For a whirlwind, somewhat last-minute 4-day trip, my first exposure to and exploration of Scotland was a veritable feast of eye and stomach-filling experiences. 'Twas an easy drive from Glasgow to Milton of Buchanan via Drymen beside Loch Lomond. Stayed the night with family of friends back in NZ, that I hadn't seen for quite a few haircuts indeed. About 20 years worth!
Spent some time beside the Loch, learnign some of the history and drinking in the view before heading back to the homestead to eat the haggis and chicken, spuds and cabbage. Yum indeed.
2nd day was spent driving out west to Oban on the coast, and spending a relaxing evening drinking in the view as well as the Tennents, staying in a harbourside B&B. The next day was an easy drive to the town of Drumnadrochit, half way up the shore of Loch Ness, where I took in a cruise onboard the Deepscan with Captain John - who features in an upcoming Discovery Channel documentary with Jacques Cousteau's grandson - and a few Swedes'n'Poms for fun.
No monsters, but a lovely rainbow over the Loch during a lull in precipitation by Urquhart Castle. Enjoyed more Haggis'n'Whiskey in town with the friendly folk. Not a shabby country...

The Day the World Turned Day-Glo!
X-Ray Spex, Camden, Sep 6 2008
"...some people think little girls should be seen and not heard - but I think: Oh Bondage Up Yours! 1,2,3,4..."
The sax kicked in, and for the following hour those present were treated to virtually all of the X-Ray Spex canon of material, from the 1st single through most of their classic "Germfree Adolescents" album from 1978. Although only Poly and Paul are extant from the original line-up, the band delivered a solid, spirited performance that echoed the sounds of old, possibly more.
With barely an hours worth of material, the set was over all too soon, but the capacity crowd at Camden's Roundhouse left sated from what many thought would surely never transpire - Poly Styrene once more singing socially-aware lyrics as relevant today as then:
"Identity, is the crisis can't you see? Identity, Identity!"