Beasto Blanco, and The Gig That I Missed........duh

As probably my last gig of the year, I was very much looking forward to seeing Chuck and Calico and the gang in Edinburgh at Bannermans, a place I've heard great things about, but never been to.

We were going to drive, but somebody mentioned something about booking a flight and hotel together so I looked it up online and managed to snag us a deal - flight and one night hotel for about £100 each! Bargain!! Driving up alone is about £80-£90, so not only would this be quicker, it's actually cheaper.

The flights were even at sensible times, 4pm up and 4pm back. Perfect.What could go wrong?  Well,  read on.

After long experience of allowing 'plenty of time' and then running through the airport in a panic before they go without us,  I set off for Steve's early and we went straight off to Southampton airport. Unfortunately, I forgot all about the toiletries in-a-bag-thing, and so they insisted on searching my whole case for any stray bottles of dangerous shampoo or moisturiser. And then Steve's....as my 'accomplice', he was obviously a suspect too.
But we eventually made it in not-too-bad time, and even had the front row seats on the plane - leg room at last!

Having no idea where we were in relation to our hotel, we got a taxi from the airport - £26 later, eeek, we found ourselves at the Tune Hotel. Now, I have booked cheap hotels in the past and been horrified at where I ended up (well only once to be fair, any of my girlfriends reading this will, I'm sure, remember the toenails-in-the-bed hotel in Oxford), so it was with relief that we arrived at our hotel, oppo the Haymarket train station, and discovered it was small, but perfectly formed.

Another taxi later to the famed Bannermans took us past the Edinburgh version of the London Eye, and a scary chair plane ride a la Grona Lund and also a German Christmas Market that we planned to visit before going home.

What a great pub/venue! If only I had availed myself of some of their lovely food! But, no, in my excitement at meeting up with lots of familiar Alice friends and meeting some new ones, I gaily sank several glasses of vino with no thought to the consequences.

Two supports came and went. The fourth glass came and went. We went in. Beasto, sans Calico came on. Wow, they were brilliant! I sat on a corner of the stage, and I swear I would've been ok if I'd stayed there, but, 4 songs in, Calico's minder led her on to the stage and kicked me out of my spot. 5 mins later, I had to go out and sit in the bar, where I fought sleep for about 30 seconds, but succumbed in the end and sank senseless into the corner of one of their comfy sofas. My last thought was 'I'll never live this down'...........

I was woken up by everybody coming out after the gig. After lots of embarassing pics I expect. And no, dear friends, I don't want to see them :) Just hope I wasn't snoring my head off, lol .

Feeling much better by now, we went back into the hall and I managed to take a few pics, better late than never I guess......

Back at the hotel, I crashed into bed, and 2 secs later, it was time to get up. So after breakfast in the hotel restaurant, (uncooked bacon, euwww, it's gotta be crispy) we went out to explore. And it's sunny!! And warm!! So we went off to the German market, which was the biggest I've ever seen, and bought Christmas pressies, and thought about the mulled wine, but decided mebbe not....... And then we got the tram to the airport, a much more reasonable £5. Thought we had plenty of time (as usual) but ended up running for the gate (as usual).

This time our seats were at the back of the plane. And then, an hour and bit later we were back in Southampton, searching for the car, and paying the silly overnight fee of £33.
And it's all over. And I missed it!!!

Note to self....It might be time to give up the 4.30am start job, and then mebbe give up wine. But mostly, give up the 4.30am start job........:(
Am abso gutted I missed most of the gig, but heyho, that's life. Looking forward to next time.

And waiting for the blackmail demands......................(dear friends, you know who you are. Please delete those pics NOW........................................... :) THANKS )