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Stereophonics: Keep Calm and Carry On - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle: PHOTOS

 
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Stereophonics: Keep Calm and Carry On - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle

So, my 11th Stereophonics gig! Of course it was good, it's always good, however, in all honesty, a tad disappointing. The setlist seemed a bit odd at times. Although nothing wrong with the choice of songs particularly, it seemed a bit disjointed and random. The crowd were strangely flat as well, Kelly having to try and get them going on several occasions.

It was all just a little predictable, and lacked some of the verve of the Greatest Hits tour. No grand opening, no string accompanyment for the non-existent acoustic section of the set.

Still, this all sounds like doom and gloom. That's not really the case, it just wasn't the best of the 11 times I've seen them so far, that's all. Some of the new songs were good live - "Uppercut" was my highlight of the whole gig, and it was great to hear "Drowning" live for the first time. That's a very powerful song, and was great live. A full band version of "Maybe Tomorrow" was great too - I've only ever heard that done acoustically at live gigs.

There were som nice pyros too and, as always, Dakota was an epic ending. All in all a good night. Can't wait for Cardiff!!!

Setlist:
1. Live n Love
2. Thousand Trees
3. I've Got Your Number
4. Superman
5. Pick a Part
6. Uppercut
7. Stuck in a Rut
8. Mr Writer
9. Devil
10. Innocent
11. Maybe Tomorrow
12. Have A Nice Day
13. Drowning
14. Trouble
15. Traffic
16. Could You Be The One
17. Vegas Two Times
18. Beerbottle
19. Caravan Holiday
20. Just Looking
21. Tramps Vest
22. Local Boy
Encore:
23. She's alright
24. Bartender
25. Dakota  
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Scotland Boarding Photos

Photos from my Scotland Snowboarding trip!

 
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Stereophonics: Forever

Sun beats down on my mind on a Friday morning
Driving round on a sea ask to the sky so why
Took for granted all the things I forgot I know
Slapped in the face kneeled me down out of control

I'd like to know where I'm supposed to go
Wish I could fly away forever
Wish I could take your pain from you and release you

Dream of ways losing days
How could we hope to fight this?
Seasons change leaves fall
On the frozen ground

Like a rock standing tall only way to play
I get you through you will grow into a shooting star

I'd like to know where I'm supposed to go
Wish I could fly away forever
Wish I could take your pain from you and release you
Wish I could fly away forever
Wish I could take your pain from you and release you

We'll fall down, we'll fall down
Don't know how, don't look down
This dream of where's to
Keep on keeping on till dawn

Fly away forever
Wish I could take your pain from you and release you  
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tellmesomethingidontknow.co.uk - Coming Soon!

I have lot's of exciting ideas for a little web side-project that I am working on. I genuinely think it's quite a fresh and interesting social networking concept! Yes, that's right, I'm taking on Twitter and Facebook!

It will probably be that noone will take any notice of it, but, it gives me something else to channel some thought into :-)

Expect more news and maybe some kind of pre-alpha site at the weekend!

 
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Shaun White: Amazing!

Check this out. This is just unbelievable skills!!

http://tinyurl.com/yhxl3yq

 
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My 30th!

Okay, so it's a little way off just now, but, for your information, I have decided I am going heli-boarding for my 30th birthday!

Now, I appreciate that most of you will be unable or unwilling to join me in this, and that is just fine. I won't be expecting you too, nor will I expect you to organise me some surprise shindig. Although, if I was expecting it, then it wouldn't really be a surprise now would it :-P

For those who would like to join me, I guess you better get saving. But let me know. Because maybe we can split something.

However, were people to chip in and get me a track day for my present, then that would go down quite nicely! Haha. The cheek of it!

You see, I'm just trying to get my mid-life crisis out of the way early on, so I can get back to not growing up disgracefully as quickly as possible :-P  
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The Dark Side of Social Networking

As some of you may know, my relationship with the likes of Facebook and Twitter and the like has evolved and changed quite dramatically and suddenly recently. I thought I'd just spend a few minutes explaining this and the reasons behind that.

My use of Facebook has changed dramatically. I've gone from logging on constantly to just see what was going on, and just in case something had come my way that I hadn't been notified about already (terrible, I know), to now only logging on if I have a specific reason to. Now I must say, this isn't the first time I've been here, and, within a week or so, I'm back online and desperately trying to catch up. But not this time, this time it's different...

Why? Well, with Facebook I was getting more and more frustrated with the way I see it being used. More and more frequently, I see the following three "misuses" of the old 'book. I use that word lightly. I don't have a problem with those people using FB for these purposes, I'm sure they have very valid reasons for doing so, and good luck to them, but, well, it's not what I think these sites should be for.

1. People seeking social acception
These are the people that seek validation that the things they are doing are accepted by the people in their immediate (and not so immediate) social network. The people that get a kick out of people telling them they've done good. Facebook has probably at least tripled this form of "misuse" with the recent addition of the "like" feature.

2. People seeking therapy and life advice
These are the people that think they will find the answers to all life's problems by posting their woes into the book. Newsflash. You won't. What you will get is a bunch of confusing answers from people who don't really know you, looking to make themselves feel better. Or even worse, those with the "cheer up, it could be worse" style messages, who haven't actually even bothered to read what you wrote, they just saw the :( at the end of it.

3. Last but certainly not least: Speaking in the third person
Phil marsay is finding this one of the most annoying things in the history of the whole world, EVER. Oh my god, please, I mean really, there is no need. Facebook fix this PLEASE by taking the names off the start of the status posts. Put them on a separate line, please, please stop this abomination! If some one phoned you up and said
"hey Phil, what you up to?"
Once you got over the confusion of why they are calling you Phil. What would you say?
Would you say
"Phil is just out having a few drinks with his mates?"
No, of course you wouldn't. Now stop doing it in your status updates you bunch of humpty numptys!!

It sounds like I'm having a rant at Facebook and 99% of it's users. I'm not really, I'm just expressing my opinion. I can't help thinking too many people almost end up treating Facebook itself as a friend. Instead of talking to a good friend who cares, people broadcast to a website and wait for a response for someone who can only be bothered to keep in touch with them because there's this website where they can go and do it so easily, along with all of their other hundreds of friends that they keep their nosey beady eyes on.
Facebook is the bar that waters down your beer. Except it waters down your friendships instead. How sad is that?
Here's an idea when you need to talk to someone about something - pick up a phone and call them. Or text. Email. Even send them a message on, dare I say it Facebook, but do it one on one. It's so much more special.
And sure, use facebook to tell people what you are up to and keep in touch with your "friends". Genuinely, I'd like to know that you've lost 3lb on your new diet - well done you - or that you have just had a great day at the seaside - was it sunny?

But please, don't think that you will find your self esteem and social acceptance rocket because 5 people "like" your status, and when you're sat with a gun against your head, don't think Facebook will tell you not to pull that trigger, when you're lost and confused, don't expect it to show you the way.
Because, quite the contrary, it will probably make things worse. And no, I'm not just saying that. I've been there, seen it for myself. I also see it all the time all over the bloody site. A recent survey also said that people who spend a lot of time on the internet are more likely to be depressed than those that don't. I guess you could argue these people are depressed because they don't have the time/money/motivation to do anything other than sit in front of a computer screen, but, I wonder, just how much of their internet time is spent on social networking sites, trying to enhance their life experience through the online world?
And that, my friends, is why I'm out, and boy am I glad about it.

As for Twitter, well, that's much simpler and more innocent. I just found myself wasting my life away reading reams upon reams of pointless updates. And then making a bunch myself. It just introduced yet more chaos in my already relentless life. Constantly having all this informatino thrust at me all the time, all the days. So I've taken a step back from this, and now my twitter is intrinsicly linked with my blog. It's a way for me to tell you what I'm up to, and, occasionally, share some of my more random thoughts. It gives it a focus and a purpose.

So, if you're following my blog - firstly, I thank you, I'm very pleased that your interested. And secondly, please don't be offended or upset when I don't follow you back. It's not that I'm not interested in what you are doing, or, that I don't care. It's just that, actually, I do care, and believe me, I will take the time to come and find out what you are doing for myself when I can dedicate the time and energy that you deserve to our interaction. Because you are my friend, and that is so important to me.

My friends are the ones that keep me going, and they deserve better than someone who is only keeping up with what they are doing as some cursory, thoughtless and menial task. So, Phil is asking you to think about doing the same....  
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Glenshee, Scotland

A really excellent resort! This place just seems vast. Just when you think you've seen it all, you'll arrive at the bottom of yet another lift. They really do just bomburst off all over the mountain. On top of that you are free to explore what is, in terms of pure acreage, probably the biggest of the Scottish resorts.

Theres some steep stuff off the Cairnwell Chair, and beware of the Glas Maol Poma. It feeds an excellent and long run, but it will literally obliterate your private areas!!

 
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The Nevis Range, Scotland

The Nevis range was an excellent and varied resort. The couple of chair lifts provide a welcome break from all the buttons and t-bars, although, as is the norm for Scottish resorts, you're going to have to ride a few tows to see the best bits of the mountain.

On a saturday with excellent conditions, it was surprisingly quiet.

The runs from the top of the "Goose" t-bar are reccommended for the more advanced rider.


 
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