Django Unchained, or Tens Days in Balham

Friday Clint's birthday trendy roof top terrace bar in Old Street with fire pit watching the London traffic going nowhere London traffic polluting the air. Quite scenic really. Moved off the roof at 11pm (traditional chucking out time) and promised fun at a "dingy club" which is trendy East Bloc club. An eclectic mix of people from new new romantics, disco biscuit groovers, quite a few well toned bodies in tight vests and a sprinkling of those who didn't try too hard (i.e. me). Quiet when we arrive. Colin goes for a round and comes back beaming - free vodka and lemonade until midnight. Yes, you heard right. £2.50 lemonade without vodka. That's my sort of bar. Groovy house tunes getting harder as the night goes on and the club fills up. Chat to a few strange strangers and have my arse fondled a few times by passers by. Toilets all have signs saying punters will be ejected if more than one found in a cubicle. Obviously that sort of place. After a couple of hours shaking my bootie I start to flag and by 2pm flee to catch a cab back through the City and over the river marred only by seeing some guys having a rumble in the City. Sums up our beautiful city - happy happy punters in the east end, violence in the city, lazy river rolling rolling through the centre, feels good being driven through south London along my usual cycle commute route. Arrive home with a warm glow of happiness living in such a great place possibly fuelled by the free vodka.

Saturday lie in til mid afternoon as daughter had a sleep over and not back til evening. A great way to make you feel young again! Swap stories with Debbie who was out at an IVF clinic anniversary celebration last night. Think I ventured out the back door to catch some air but possibly not. Lazy day taking in carbs to bring us back up to speed and have a lazy evening dozing and watching the Porridge film in front of the log stove. Lovely.

Sunday a gorgeous day so instead of watching FA Cup action on TV all day as planned I cycle off into Kent up to Biggin Hill. To be honest disillusioned with the Cup given yesterday's performance by the (once) mighty Gunners. Damn, I wasn't going to write about that so I'd never have to read about it again. The ride gets rid of any toxins still lurking from Friday's vodka-ing and gives my legs a real work out. Snack at Darwin's Downe House which I stumbled upon. There are some bloody steep hills around this area and down one start braking at 38mph as junction ahead - and I guess if I do insist on going down them I gotta come back up. Need to sort front gear shifting mech. On way back stop to take a photo of the Victorian Streatham Pumping Station and get chatting to a local activist who tells me that she fought to get the railings listed along with the rest of the building. Get onto other local historic buildings that Lambeth are giving permission to be demolished for the sake of supermarkets, churches and housing developers. For the route see here... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/274404600

Biggin Hill Chapel

Streatham Victorian Pumping Station - with railings intact

Monday half term with the kids and then into town for a meeting in the bunker of City Hall for work. Some day off! Dozy evening watching Pride and Prejudice. A classic!

Tuesday half term with the kids and another glorious day so off to Dulwich Park and a few laps round it on the banana bikes. A couple of crashes due to kids' dangerous driving but survived unscathed. Tiring work. Evening watch Arsenal lose to Bayern Munich 1-3. If only Giroud would aim the ball away from the keeper we would've been 2-2 with momentum on our side. But not to be. Not a happy chappy and Jack is none too pleased either.

Banana Bikes

Wednesday back to work in freezing temperatures. 5-a-side in the evening and just about scrape 8 together by 6.45. Played pretty well and scored a couple (or was it 3?) which is always a bonus. Drink in the pub with Pete and meet Alex our sharp elbowed ex-winger.

Thursday working then north London line to meet Simon in the Elephants Head in Camden. After a swift pint and half wander down to the Electric Ballroom to catch the performance artists trooping off the dance floor so missed them. We get a drink and wander about the gallery then BEAK> come on. Sort of trippy boppy electronics which is pleasant enough and gets my foot tapping but not much of a stage show and Simon and I sit and chat about his cycling trip to France my Friday night, football and other musings. Then downstairs and push through the throng into the heart of the matter and soon SAVAGES come on complaining about disappearing monitor men then launch into their brilliantly punk inspired set combining hard rocky edges with Robert Smith period Banshees leaning toward psychedelic riffs overrun with that voice. Close my eyes and back in Bath Assembly Hall circa 78 falling in love with Siouxsie and her Banshees. Typical London crowd no dancing and leaving Simon's mate who he bumped into we push out for a drink and hang around toward the back where at least you can breath. Another London trait seems to be hard curfew with no encore. So they finish their set to wild applause and with a few teasing minutes of dim lights they flood the ballroom and everyone exits. Usual late night interesting tube journey with (east european?) buskers on the train which not seen for a while as presumably punishable by death. After Simon leaves me I'm accosted by drunk who asks me what I'm reading on my phone (The Iliad) and reels off the 3 classics she's read or at least the 2 she can remember. Then trys to stop some bloke getting off the tube cos she wants him to buy her a drink at Balham. Luckily tumbles off after him so I'm saved from similar at Balham. Bitterly cold cycle back from the station home.

A Savage in the distance

Friday working from home watching a few solitary snowflakes drift past the window. Is that possible? Drop daughter and sleepover friend at Arty Party for the day now listening to Spotify tunes for tomorrow's gig (NME Awards Brixton) including Django Remixed (Debbie thinks good for massage music) and Palma Violets new album stream whilst writing strategy papers. Impressive album on first listen - real old school crafted album rather than lots of shuffle ready tracks. Very The Who like - playful rock with a touch of pomp and glory. And a very vinyl trick of sneaking a bonus track in on the last song's grooves the anthemic I've Got a Brand New Song then a 10 second silence before the end of the track as your needle get to the end of the groove. Maybe it was made for vinyl? As youngest sleeping over watch Sicko with the elder young uns - frightening that the dear old NHS is slipping toward the USA model. Wise words from Mr Benn as usual...

Saturday still bitter and a few flakes falling. Debbie and Maya gone to meet youngest and then on to trendy new restaurant in Covent Garden with our friend Johnny as Master Baker. Jack and I make our way to Finsbury Park pop into Happening Bagel Company hike past Highbury then over the tracks to the old Islington refuse and recycling plant that's now Ashburton Grove stadium. For the commercially minded that's the Emirates Stadium (for how long though?) and for the uninitiated the home of The Arsenal. Crucial confidence game against a struggling Aston Villa having been dumped out of 2 cups in the last week, well barring a miracle in Munich and I am ridiculously optimistic when it comes to football. Odds on 4-0 to the Arsenal in Germany? (just looked it up - 450/1 hmmm worth a flutter!) Freezing cold here but the crowd is optimistic and the atmosphere warms right up after 5 minutes when the brilliantly cheeky Ohhh Santi Cazorlaaaa powers home a rebound. Great start. Jack's prediction of 3-1 and mine of 4-1 right on track! The crowd expect a goal fest a la West Ham but Villa are dogged in defence and we wasteful in attack. Half time same score quaff an overpriced beer and then soon into the second half they break and our woeful defence allows a long range shot for which Sir Chesney fluffs his lines. If ever the phrase butter fingers... slipped right thru. Villa fans up for it although their team aren't as they waste time disgracefully and us Gooners getting more frustrated with every tippy tappy attack. Five minutes to go and Villa get their just desserts with Wilshire's perfect flighted ball to our "big winter signing" Monreal (whooooo?) is cut across goal and the little wonder signing Santi is on hand to get his 2nd and our 3 points. Man they test your patience this side! Journey home with packs of happy Gooners is one of relief. One point behind the team at the wrong end of Seven Sisters Road and sets up a game to relish next Sunday!

Another Arsenal corner comes to nowt

Get home in time for a sandwich then drive into Brixton with Debs picking up Jules and son George on the way for the NME Awards Tour final night at the Academy. Arrive to see the last few songs of PEACE who are psychedelically impressive and seem to go down well for the first band of the night. Quick change over and the Damned's New Rose crashes over the PA raising the neck hairs of us old punks and the young pretenders take the stage... ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, punks and urchins, give it up for the PALMA VIOLETS. We're taken through a short sharp set of brilliant post punk rock with crashing guitars, heavy drums, throaty bass and in amongst all that sometimes making out swirly keyboards. They are great and fill the venue with noise as well as when I saw them recently at the much smaller Boston Arms. As Debs put it: Clashy Ramones. A little less Pete D and Carl B than last time but guess a bigger place and less time for chat and nonsense. Needed to rattle through those numbers and altho a few greats I missed was a wonder to behold. The kids jumped a bit as well. Around this point we lose George who, having had his beer bought, is obviously bored hanging around with 3 of the oldest in the place and finds fellow sub 40 year olds. Oddly a much younger crowd than I've been in for a while. A big banner descends and the Bradley Wiggin looky likely MILES KANE takes the stage. Guess I saw him at Glasto in the Last Shadow Puppets and although he's very enthusiastic and the band tight and competent it's not awe inspiring and I fight my way back for relief and more drinks. Not allowed to have shorts in pint glasses (needed to negotiate the crowds) so have to filch 3 whilst barman's back is turned. Dicks. And at a price a damn sight more than last Friday's club! Bump into ex Amnesty colleague and chat about bands and festivals then manage to get back to the girls with drinks intact for the last few numbers. To be honest he's grown on me and who couldn't be with his enthusiasm. Fair dues to you Miles and the steady rock seems to have morphed into a dirtier sound. The PA goes all clubby and smoothly takes us into the headliners DJANGO DJANGO who deliver an astounding set combining dance Celtic folkishness psychedelia and good ole 50s style jumpin' rock and roll all backed with some great visuals. Whilst delivering a tight orderly set the boys seem to have moved on from the two other times I've seen them adding to the great rock n roll grooves with a broader sound whilst keeping the driving energy at high tempo, reminding me of the rockier side of British Sea Power live. Maybe the confidence of headlining the NME Tour has allowed them to cast off poppy chains and unleash a new sound on us appreciative punters. Having danced our socks off tho resisted the mosh pit the too short set comes to an end and the teenybopper pops up from the pit. No encores all night of course. Hitting the cold air we say farewell to Jules and son retrieve fake furry jackets from car tube to Balham and extravagantly taxi home tired happy and enthusing about the night which was one of the best.

Peace start building us up...

Palma Violets reminding us of what it's all about...

... including old fashioned exhortations to get yer hands in the air and flutter yer fingers

Miles adds a bit of mod chic and tight tunes...

... before Django Django give us a consummate lesson in how to entertain mixing all sorts of styles into their set musically and visually including a fetching 70s style venetian blind effects

Sunday get up slowly before cycling to collect car and daughter from another Brixton sleepover. Lazy day looking forward to watching Bradford beat Swansea in a League Cup upset but thwarted because it was only on Sky and Swansea embarrassed the competition with a predictable win. Ah well, Chelski lose so we're only 2 points behind them now. End the ten days of excitement with a nostalgic blast of Open All Hours with 2 of Britain's best comedy actors, and an appearance by Trigger.