Blog: Edinburgh

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Slightly bleary eyed, but full of EXCITEMENT, I met Mr S Hewitt outside WHSmiths at King's Cross at 10am (ON A SUNDAY), ready for our trip to the distant North where we were to undertake a RECCE of venues for doing My Exciting Life In ROCK: The SHOW. We supplied ourselves with SUPPLIES, found decent seats, and off we went.

It is a LONG LONG LONG way to Edinburgh, tho happily we were travelling on the East Coast Line (FANTASTIC Scenery, some of the most impressive Stations in the country, views of many Cathedrals, STUNNING views of Lindisfarne and Berwick, The Angel Of The North etc etc etc) as opposed to the West Coast (Crewe) so there was lots to look at, also lots to DISCUSS. We got MANY aspects of The Show sorted out - not least, I was reassured to be told, that I DIDN'T have to make it like the MJ Hibbett version of "WE WILL ROCK YOU" and have every story DIRECTLY linked into a song. We also had a GRATE idea for the Multi-Media Visualisations, also for PUBLICITY.

On arrival in Edinburgh we met Steve's friend Alex and went STRAIGH AWAY into Action, checking venues. COINCIDENTALLY the first one we went into was a REALLY nice pub, where we were joined by another pal, Keith, with whom we DILIGENTLY viewed the venue itself, before marching off without thought for personal comfort to the next venue. It too was a really nice pub.

After that there was ANOTHER really nice pub which I don't THINK was a venue, then another, then a CURRY. I believe it is VITAL to get some local colour on these visits, don't you? I also HURT myself - Edinburgh is full of HILLS, which is all a bit much for the likes of me, and whilst walking up (or down?) one of these i failed to notice that the steps leading down to houses were actually partly cut into the pavement, and fell down one. I WAS VERY BRAVE - it didn't actually hurt much until the next day. I wonder why?

When we got back to Alex and Mrs Alex's flat, where we were staying the night, we looked at their kitten (aaah) and then i SENSIBLY went to bed - Steve had allowed me the spare room and GALLANTLY taken the sofa in the living room for himself. His management style, it ROCKS.

Next morning we got up LATE, after our hosts had left, and Steve realised he didn't actually know where we were... happily a MAP was discovered and off we set on our MISSION. There seemed to be even MORE hills in Edinburgh by now (WHY do people insist on living on top of hills? It is KRAZY!) so once we reached the Royal Mile (pretty much THE TOP) we allowed ourselves some Well Deserved Breakfast.

Following this there was MORE looking round at venues, tho this time it was mostly peering through windows, before ending up outside the Teviot, KNACKERED. We popped into a cafe for a CUPPA and Steve revealed that THIS was the place we were due to visit later that afternoon. As it happened the manager had just arrived after us, so we were able to go downstairs and CHECK IT slightly early.

This had worried me at first - he'd gone and got his DIARY and I thought we were going to have to book it RIGHT AWAY. We went downstairs and it was ACE - you know when you go looking for somewhere to live and you find THE PLACE and your whole body goes all ZINGLY? It was like THAT! We were both looking around thinking "WHOO!" and totally failing to do the Calm Controlled Non-Commital Face that you're meant to, and when he quoted us a VERY reasonable price we both had to RESTRAIN ourselves from giggling. He even let us have our cups of tea for free!

When we emerged we agreed the best course of action was NOT to run straight back in and try and pay him RIGHT AWAY but to go for a PINT, and this we did. The night before we'd been all keen on doing the Free Fringe - not least because he'd been to the gig the night before, which was a VERY nice surprise - but seeing this place we pretty much knew it was THE ONE. They were set up for Acoustical Gigs ALREADY, there'd be all sorts of time for setting up and doing merchandise, it was in an INCREDIBLY location ... and basically, WE KNEW.

Full of EXCITEMENT we popped into The Fringe Shop where the guy behind the counter seemed very willing to CHAT. So we did. THEN it was off for the purchase of a fridge magnet, a quick look at the Castle (or, rather, the car park) before settling down to enjoy our last hour in this fair city feeling VERY pleased with ourselves over a PINT. Whilst there we noted some INCREDIBLY expensive whisky - twenty six quid for a NIP! That's a SINGLE! Why do I get the feeling i will be tracking this down and DRINKING it when next we go?

The trip back featured less discussion and more contented NAPPING, and we got home rather MORE excited about the whole venture than we had been when we set off, which was already Quite A Lot. This is going to be GRATE!

posted 12/2/2008 by MJ Hibbett

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