Jack Johnson
I just realised that I haven’t actually updated this with a bit of a review about the Jack Johnson gig I went to see on the 24/2/2006 at the MEN Arena Manchester. We arrived at the venue slightly later than planned because of problems parking and the first support band were already playing. The band turned out to be ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra). These guys where amazing and I am planning on buying their album. They were really into their music and looked like they were enjoying themselves. At one point they were even joined on stage by the man himself Jack Johnson.
After ALO had left there was a slight gap whilst stage crew set up for Matt Costa. He was not playing with his band and was just doing an accoustic set with some other bloke. His music was ok but I was not a massive fan but I am again tempted to buy his album just to investigate more as I may end up liking him a lot.
Jack Johnson finally came on and blew me and my friends away. It was a great atmosphere and the music was excellent. Jack had his band plus the lead singer from ALO playing with him (Zach Gill). Now Zach Gill probably made the concert for me as he is a really good pianist and was also dancing all the way through the set.
I managed to take quite a number of photos which can be seen at http://photobucket.com/albums/a216/tommckee/Jack%20Johnson/. Jack Johnson played a 2 hour set which was quite a nice surprise. The set consisted of the following songs.
1. Never Know
2. Taylor
3. Gone
4. Posters
5. Banana Pancakes
6. Do You Remember
7. Flake.
8. Sitting Waiting Wishing
9. Symbol In My Driveway
10.Staple It Together
11.Constellations
12.Breakdown - With Dan Lebowitz
13.Rodeo Clowns - With Dan Lebowitz
14.Tommorow Morning
15.Bubble Toes
16.Wasting Time
17.Belle
18.Mudfootball
19.The Horizon Has Been Defeated - which he merged into…
20.My Doorbell - then back to the horizon has been defeated…
21.Badfish and Boss DJ
22.Inaudible Melodies
23.Good People
Went away and came back by himself for solo accoustic performance
24.No Other Way
25.Times Like These
26.The News
27.Fall Line and Sunshine - With Matt Costa
28.Better Together
I have to say that this was one of the best concerts I have ever been to and really enjoyed myself and would love to see him live again. It was also aided by the fact there was 7 of us who went and we all had a really good time together.
I managed to make to video all of “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” and also “Mudfootball” but these videos are to big to be uploaded at the moment but I do have a snippet of Jack Johnsons performance of “Breakdown” which can be seen below. I hope you all enjoy it.
Free Running to Extreme
Now some of you may know that I take part in an extreme sport known as Extreme Ironing, or EI. Well this weekend I got to watch my friend do something called “free running”. This basically involves jumping off stuff and doing flips- things like that. To say the least he was not very good. He had a bit to drink and had decided he was going to have a go at it. I therefore decided to film him because I knew it would come in handy later.
Anyway I filmed it and got bored one night and put several of the videos together and coupled them with the backing song Guerilla Radio by Rage Against the Machine. I would like to point out the videos where made on a camera phone so the quality is not good and i put this thing together in about 10 minutes so don’t complain.
On another note we are trying to put a bit of a free running team together to try and have a bit more fun with this sport. Now find locations to do this hobby will be expensive so any money that could be spaired would be great 
Also if you want to give me a digital video camera (to keep) then feel free to contact me about that.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
I am a very happy person. Broke up from school today but I hardly spent anytime there today. Red Hot Chili Pepper tickets went on sale today and I am proud to say that I have bought 3 tickets (standing naturally) to see them in Sheffield. I wanted to see them at the MEN in Manchester but for some reason there were no standing tickets available from the start which was a bit strange I thought but oh well.
I have been ill for the past few days so this was a great thing to happen to me and I am very happy indeed. Last time they toured the UK I saw them live which was an amazing experience but I was standing on a far back tier and was quite young at the time as well.
In other news I will be seeing Jack Johnson live in Manchester in 7 days- it’s going to be emotional.
The sixth form ball
It was a good night to say the least. It was starting between 7 and 7:30 at the bar but I got to the hotel at 5 to start with the drinking a bit early. I was trying to keep costs down so bought a 24 pack of beer and got pissed in several people’s rooms. At some point I was chased by a receptionist for bringing my own beer but I managed to out-run her and hide.
So by the time the ball actually started I was pretty drunk but it was ok because Elliot (officially legend of the year) was waisted as well. I did some mingling and ate a bit. Watched the awards and shouted out classic comments such as “Get your tits out for the lads” for the award of Best Breasts of the West and “He fucks his mum” for most likely to be successful.
Awards
Best Looking Male: Tom Baker
Best Looking Female: Jessica Haslam
Best Dressed Male: Ashley Coward
Best Dressed Female: Sophie Hinchcliff
Worst Gangstar: Charles Mostin
Most Likely to go to Jail: Liam Blatchford
Alcoholic of the Year: Damaris Treasure
Most Likely to be Famous: Amy Wilson
Most Successful: Hayen Taylor
Chav of the Year: Scott Dixon
Chavette of the Year: Jenny Singh
Mummy’s Boy: Ollie Midgley
Daddy’s Girl: Emma Humphreys
Rear of the Year: Jill Harrison
Best Breasts of the West: Emily Lighthowler
Most Like to Wake up Next to (Male): Freddy Straud
Most Like to Wake up Next to (Female): Laura Guillion
Legend of the Year: Elliot Aboudi
So most of the night I did some awesome dancing (yes I am a good dancer) but alas all the photos of me make me look really really drunk. Got asked to go into Ilkley with Becki but my taxi turned up to late and by then she had gone home which sucked a bit.
All in all a very good night. Photos at photobucket
Sixth form ball tonight
I have our sixth form ball tonight. I guess to all your Americans it probably is a bit like a prom but not really. This ball is organised by the sixth form and this year it is the “WGS Reunion” so that they presume everyone is over 18. Of course this does not bother me because I am in fact 18. Should be a good night, starting off at about 5 drinking in my friends room to try and cut down on costs in terms of buying drinks at the bar.
Can’t wait- should be a really good laugh and lots of drinking and dancing should be done by all. Only problem is getting home since I was supposed to get a taxi with these two girls and they told me yesterday that there was no room for me so after the ball should be a bit of a laugh.
Near death experience
I probably should of posted about this yesterday but I was to busy “recovering”. Anyway driving along this road (private road but it is pretty busy) and it has just been raining. Now you might not be aware of this but if it has not rained for a while and then it rains roads can become quite oily/slippy. Now I was driving along (only about 40mph) and start to turn. Next thing I know I am starting to slide sideways across the road into on coming traffic.
You get the strangest feeling- you don’t panic or anything, just really calm. I was literally just thinking “oh bollocks”. Anyway some how I managed to control and get out of the skid and straighten up. Thats my little near death experience.
The Kinks
Awesome band and never really got to be as big as they should be. You may be wondering why I am bringing this up now but to be honest it is fairly simple- I now have The Ultimate Collection by The Kinks and I can safely say it is very good.
Most people may only know You Really Got Me and All Day and All of the Night but they have had many a hit that I was not aware of and I have spent all night listening to this double album. It is one of the greatest albums I have listened to.
That’s all I have to say on the matter.
