Thursday 30 September 2010

Frankie & The Heartstrings at Fibbers, York

Last night, Frankie & the Heartstrings came along to our fair city of York and played at the newly swished up Fibbers. What an odd place Fibbers is now; I felt like I'd stepped into the neon underworld. It is much better for gigs though, because you can actually see the band on stage now, which helps a lot, I find.

The gig itself was smashing - the best that I have seen them play yet. It is really heartwarming to see a band that you enjoy and love go from being the opening support act to the headliners with people dancing and singing along. I'm so happy for them! And I can't imagine a nicer bunch of lads for it to happen to.

If Carlsberg made pals...

Who are you, stranger?! The lad who took the following two photos, also took this one. I have no idea who this is.

I am saying something ridiculous here, thus the odd look on my face.

This one is better.

LOVELY NIGHT.

Wednesday 29 September 2010

These are the things that I do like to talk about...

Puppies, dogs, tigers, glitter, Andy Warhol, music, gigs I've been to and bands I've seen, films (especially if they involve Robert Downey Jnr, James McAvoy, Sam Worthington, Ben Barnes etc), the time that I met Bret Easton Ellis, the times that I met Chris Batten, Supernatural, literature, architecture, David Beckham, clothes, shoes, the time I got stung by a sting ray, travel, cities, dreams, daydreams, boys, boys who wear glasses, Yorkshire Yorkshire Yorkshire, Henry DeTamble, gigs I'm going to, anything I'm excited about, happy endings, unpretentious art, scars, great nights out, great days out, the time I met Jack White, the many cool and surreal things that have happened to me and Hayley, space, how epic my life is going to be when I know how to play my ukulele, cameras and photography, anything bitchy, holidays, accents, drag queens, anything even vaguely funny, fashion, Frankie & the Heartstrings, history (especially the Romans, the Egyptians and all aspects of World War 2 - I find it fascinating), Florence Welch's hair, what I'm reading, what I'm listening to, cake, the genius of Lady Gaga, holidays, the countryside, the seaside, anything childish and immature, Family Guy, Hollyoaks, summertime, the weather, Alexa Chung's wardrobe, 1980's rockstars, my flat stomach, Matthew Chan, anything awesome, anything that will make me say 'WHAAAAT!' in a high-pitched voice, the Lion Man, anything Ruth says that begins with the word 'So...', Enter Shikari, my parents' youth, what a fabulous person I am, Topshop, ridiculous people, Oscar Wilde, Guy Mcknight, Frank Iero, my family, my pals, anything cool...


I'm feeling rather positive today, so I thought I would post a little plus side to the
Things I Do Not Like To Talk About post I did a couple of weeks back. However, this one makes me sound quite dull. I do actually talk about other stuff - I just like these topics the most.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Ungrateful

Yesterday, my favourite Heartstrings released the video for their new single 'Ungrateful' (out October 4th, buy it!), and while I am not one to go on and on about something (haa), I am a firm believer that you can never have too much of a good thing, so I am once again going to post about Frankie & the Heartstrings.

Personally I don't think that this video as quite as good as their last one, but you know, you can't always have girls in striped shirts and blue dresses dancing around in front you. What a shame (for me). Still, it's a lovely video, featuring lots of walking, some running, a fabulous selection of delicious haircuts, some pretty sharp spectacles and a new guitarist in a swish jacket. WATCH IT HERE.

And if you're in York on Wednesday night, or Leeds on Saturday night, do come along and see them live. Frankie's dancing will change your perceptions of how a frontman should be forever.

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 500 Days of Summer is the cutest thing.
"Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end with no lasting memory made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life."

Sunday 26 September 2010

Weekly Review: 20th-26th September 2010

The big news this week - at least for me - was the result of the new Labour Party leader, which was announced yesterday. I was backing, and voted for, David Miliband, but it was his brother Ed who won and is now the leader of the Labour Party.
It was a very narrow victory, and he only won through support from the unions; in fact, it was David who had a large majority in the MP and individual member votes:

MPs and MEPs
David Miliband: 17.812%
Ed Miliband: 15.522%

Individual members (THAT'S ME!)
David Miliband: 18.135%
Ed Miliband: 15.198%

Members of unions and affiliated organisations
David Miliband: 13.4%
Ed Miliband: 19.934%

Personally I don't know if I trust Ed Miliband one bit. This is a guy who ran for Labour leader against his own brother, and didn't even tell him that he was doing it. If he can stab a member of his family in the back like that, what can he actually do for our country, if (when) Labour get back into power? We'll see how he does, but it doesn't seem likely right now that I will be renewing my Labour membership next year.


Away from the politics now. This week has been a good one for TV, with new seasons of both Supernatural and Gossip Girl starting. I'm totally on the vibe with the new Supernatural, but I have to admit that it wasn't quite as good as previous episodes have been. Maybe it's because it's the first in a new series, or something. But what am I talking about? It's not like I watch it for the plot.
Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean Dean.

Gossip Girl also delivered the goods. There was a distinct lack of Chuck in this first episode, but I can tell that him and Clemence Poesy are going to be pretty much the coolest couple ever, if we judge by what little there was of them:
Beautiful. And even without Chuck, there was enough New York/Paris skylines, cute french guys, Chace Crawford, fantastic shoes and Blair bitching to keep me happy.


I have actually ended this week all alone in my house. My parents set off this morning on a two-week holiday in France, while yesterday my brother moved out to university in Hull.
Getting the Yorkshire flag out - obviously the first and most important thing to do.

Because I have no desire whatsoever to live with a bunch of people who I neither know nor want to know, and because I dislike almost all people anyway, I decided to stay at home for university. In fact, it wasn't until the last couple of weeks of term that I actually spoke to anyone, apart from Kristine, an amazing American exchange student who moved away at the end of the year anyway. Thus, this moving into halls was a new experience for the whole family - and not one that I envy. It looked far too much like socialising and spending time with other students for my liking, but my brother is into that kind of shit, so good luck to him. I'll miss you Rees! Lol, JK. But seriously.

NEXT WEEK: I get to see Frankie & the Heartstrings TWICE (if you're in York or Leeds, be there), and tomorrow my grant hopefully comes through, so I am going shopping. Finally, new clothes after TWO MONTHS with not a penny to my name.

Friday 24 September 2010

Inspire #9 - Hats Off to the Buskers

Carl Barat's autobiography comes out this week, so in celebration let us all sling our guitars on our backs and head out on to the streets. We are Libertines, after all.

If I hadn't only been 13 when The Libs and The Strokes were making guerilla gigs cool again, I would have been down in London, sleeping under bridges and trying to sneak into Pete's house parties.

Thursday 23 September 2010

Autumn Treasure

Today, myself, Ruth, Hayley and Steph had a lovely day out in York. It was the first time that the four of us have been together since we broke up for summer at the end of May, and it was grand to have everyone back (even though I love mine and Ruth's film nights and incessant Notting Hill quoting - she stayed in York over summer). We had a look at our new student union (it's been all snazzed up), we went for lunch and we had a walk around York. This may not sound incredibly exciting, but there's one thing that I haven't told you yet, and that is that WE WENT CONKER HUNTING.

Oh. Yeaah. There is a park exactly half way between Hayley-Steph-Ruth's house, and my place of work, and as we were walking through there, we noticed that the first conkers are here! So, being the mature, civilised 20-year olds that we are, we immediately found a long stcik and started bashing this autumn treasure out of the trees, then smashing the shells open with our shoes. We are not usually such barbarians, but there is something about conkers that drives me into a childlike frenzy; I must have them, and as many as possible. It matters not how many trees I have to batter to get to them.

I found this jacket in a charity shop for £12. Favourite buy ever.

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Front Row and Backstage

Okay okay okay, I promise that this is the last time that I will post about Burberry. Well, for today, at least. All I've done today is scour the internet for photos from last night's show, particularly of the front row because WAHOO! Alexa Chung was there! Looking very beautiful, of course. Another of my faves, George Craig, was also on the front row, as well as Cat Deeley (where did she reappear from? I like her anyway; she's funny), Sarah Jessica Parker and...Andy Murray? What the monkey socks was he doing there? Very odd. Somehow, even dressed in Burberry, he managed to look scruffy.
Backstage:
LOVE
All photos from wwd.com