A surprise trip to Westeros: Day Two

After all the fun, excitement and extreme nerdiness of day one of Dan's 30th birthday surprise, it was time to chill out and take in a bit of Northern Ireland's gorgeous countryside on a Game of Thrones film locations tour. I'd booked us on a tour with McComb's, because I'd seen some great reviews and heard that they also transport the cast members, so I thought there might be a chance to get some inside gossip. Not that I would know what the hell they were talking about...

The map below, which was at the Game of Thrones exhibition we attended the day before, shows some of the locations around the north coast that we'd be visiting on our coach trip. You can also plan your own tour as details of the locations are on Discover Northern Ireland, although obviously you don't get the insider info.

Shortly after leaving Belfast we reached the first filming location. We really weren't allowed to stop for a gawp and it's not officially part of the tour, due to some legal restrictions, but we were able to do a drive by as it's visible from the road...

This is the exterior set of Castle Black, which has been built on the side of a quarry. Not a great photo I know, but we just had to get a quick snap as the bus went past. However, you can see where they've painted the wall white to create, y'know, The Wall. I'm not sure of its exact location, but it's on the way to Larne, which we discovered was the home town of a hero pigeon called Paddy who is commemorated with a plaque next to the harbour. We also learnt that there are no wild snakes in Ireland.

Next on the list was a stop off at Cushendun Caves, County Antrim, which played the part of the Stormlands. Apparently the locals of this village prefer to keep goats as pets, rather than dogs or cats. There's even a statue to commemorate one that had to be put down during the foot and mouth outbreak. Yeah, we could certainly tell we were out in the sticks.

Top right and bottom left are the cave where the Red Witch gives birth to the Shadow Assassin. Top left and bottom right is where she comes ashore in the boat with Davos Seaworthy.

We had thought about posing for photos as the Red Witch giving birth, because we embrace any opportunity to be silly, but the ground was really wet and muddy, so it was out of the question. Despite it being a nice day it was also freezing once we got in the cave and occasionally you'd get drips of water from the ceiling land on your head or down your neck. I really have no idea how the actress managed to do that scene naked. Our guide informed us that the drips actually caused problems during the filming of that scene, so someone had to be on hand with a towel to keep wiping the ceiling.

This was another drive by shot and is a lovely bit of greenery that appeared in the very first episode. This location was used for the scene where Ned Stark beheads a deserter of the Night's Watch.

Then it was on to the Iron Islands, home of Theon Greyjoy, which looks a lot cleaner and prettier than it appears in Game of Thrones and is really Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim. The wee building you see is a little shop and cafe in real life, but to make it look the part for the series they pulled some tiles off the roof and pulled the guttering down.

The harbour, top left, featured in the scenes where Theon arrives back in the Iron Islands and also when he leaves to attack Winterfell on his ship... Sea Bitch.

The beach, bottom left, is where Theon is christened when he returns to the Iron Islands and is located up the hill slightly from the harbour. Our guide did offer to chuck water over anyone wanting to be christened, but we all decline. Apparently only one crazy fan has ever said yes to the offer.

Here's Dan at Renly Baratheon's camp from season two, which in real life is actually a... Any guesses? A National Trust car park! I know, the glamour.

In case you're not sure what one of those looks like, here's a shot of it with some buses...



So this is actually located in Larrybane, Carrick-a-Rede, County Antrim, and serves as the car park for the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, which is one of the area's main attractions. The rope bridge, measuring 20 metres and located 30 metres above the sea, was originally constructed by fishermen so they could get from the tiny island of Carrick-a-Rede to the mainland. Thankfully, there wasn't enough time for our bus party to cross the bridge, which was lucky since I'm not good with heights and hadn't brought any spare pants with me.

Obligatory tourist snap.
This is what the view opposite the car park looks like.

This is the King's Road, which features in season one when Arya escapes from King's Landing. It looks beautiful in the day time, but I imagine it looks pretty spooky at night or when it's foggy.

These beech trees are really know as The Dark Hedges and are also in County Antrim. They were planted by the wealthy Stuart family and are about 400 years old. Our guide informed us that the lady of the family wanted to create a fairytale entrance to their estate, which would look beautiful during the day, but sinister come nightfall.

We bumped into Joffrey and Tyrion while we were there...

I thought this teeny tiny shop was cute. It's next to a lovely village pub we stopped at for lunch called the Fullerton Arms in Ballintoy. I went all Irish and had a beef and Guinness pie.

So after soaking up a bit more scenery on the way back, and a stop off at the Giant's Causeway (more on that later), that was it for the tour and the nerdiness. I really can't praise the tour company enough for the trip, our guide really knew his stuff, to the point where he was offering season five spoilers/location details to those who wanted them, and he was good fun. At some of the locations he even got his iPad out to show us scenes where the locations appeared, which was great for me as I had no idea what we were looking at!

It was a long day though. Having left at 9am, we arrived back in Belfast about 6pm and because I was unwell for the entire trip with a stinking cold we headed back to the hotel for a Lemsip. I know, rock 'n' roll right?

A surprise trip to Westeros: Day One

Dan was adamant he didn't want to do anything to celebrate his 30th birthday, no parties, no surprises, no surprise parties... But I had other ideas. Having discovered the Game of Thrones exhibition would be hitting Belfast's Waterfront the week of his birthday, I booked tickets via a raven and spent all the gold dragons we had on securing our passage across the Narrow Sea. Things were about to get nerdy.

Our arrival in Westeros

I was lucky enough to blag tickets for the first time slot on the exhibition's opening day, which I'm still stunned about given how quickly they were all snapped up.

As soon as we got in we headed straight for the Iron Throne, which apparently weighs half a tonne and took four weeks to construct. Top right is Tyrion Lannister's costume and bottom left is a dragon's head, which is one of two items I wanted to take home. I would've quite liked to take the Iron Throne home too, but since we'd actually come by plane, rather than ship, our baggage allowance wouldn't accommodate it. Actually my living room wouldn't either since it full of records.

Clockwise from top left: wall related stuff, my reaction to ascending the wall, a model of the trenches at the top and Dan recalls how he about shat his pants at the top of the wall.

The Ascend the Wall virtual reality experience was by far the best bit of the exhibition. You put on a headset and headphones, before being shut in a cage and taking a rickety lift to the top of the wall. You can even feel the rush of wind in your hair. Once you're at the top you spin round and run through the trenches right to the edge of the wall, then look straight down. The video moves so quickly it makes you feel unsteady on your feet - it was surprising how many grown men were screaming while doing this - and at one point I even had to hang on to the sides of the cage so I didn't fall off the wall. Well, it wasn't falling off the edge of the wall that concerned me, it was more the thought of falling face first into the side of the cage and smashing my face up.

Here is a direwolf's head. This is the other item that I really wanted to take home. Although I would prefer a live direwolf if possible.

Lannister costumes

Jaime Lannister's severed hand

I hear that another character has his cock chopped off, which is then sent to his father in a box. I was hoping the cock in the box would be part of the exhibition, but sadly it was not. 

Daenerys Targaryen costumes

She is a teeny tiny lady

Jon Snow costume and sword, with Ygritte costume

Some of those swords were almost as big as me

Tribute to the dead 

The 30th birthday celebrations wouldn't be complete without a beheading.

That dude wasn't even part of the exhibition, he was just some super fan who stood outside all day chopping heads off. This was right after we were interviewed for an Irish radio station, during which I admitted that I didn't watch the show. Controversial, I know. I've since started watching it - mainly so I can go 'seen that, seen that, sat on that...' - and have just finished season one. Unfortunately, I've also seen the In Memoriam wall, so now I know who dies. Bugger.

So that was the exhibition. The rest of day one was spent wandering along the riverside, buying records and climbing to the top of the Victoria Square shopping centre. I don't recommend doing that last one in the heat, the views of Belfast are amazing, but I would advise taking the lift. I couldn't feel my legs after I'd walked to the top.

As the majority of Game of Thrones is filmed in Northern Ireland, at Titanic Studios and out in the beautiful Irish countryside, I had another surprise up my sleeve for day two. Things were going to get nerdier...

Chasing the Sun: Oasis 1993 to 1997

I've sweated, danced and sung my way through hundreds of gigs over the years, but it all started in a field in Hertfordshire, aged 13. On Saturday 10th August 1996 - a date etched on my memory - I went to my very first gig, Oasis at Knebworth.

I don't recall the lengths I went to in order to persuade my parents to buy me a ticket, but for some reason they did. And so it began, surrounded by 124,999 other people, chaperoned by my older brother and sister (my eldest brother also went, but on the Sunday), a thirst for live music that's not let up in 18 years. That day was also significant because I first saw, and fell hard for, the Manic Street Preachers.

Having had such a massive impact on my life, it was only right I shake along to Chasing the Sun: Oasis 1993 to 1997 to step back into my childhood for an hour or so. An exhibition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Oasis' first single 'Supersonic', Chasing the Sun offered an opportunity to gawp at old photos, memorabilia and more to the ultimate 90's soundtrack.

 Chasing the Sun

I think this is from when they played Maine Road, Manchester

Oasis at Knebworth, 10th August 1996

Well lookie what we have here, an aerial photo of the crowd at Knebworth on the day I was there. I'm pointing to where I stood for the gig, I couldn't believe how close I was at the time. I was a pretty lucky bastard when you think about how many people at the back were basically just watching TV in a field.

Oasis played to 250,000 people that weekend. Apparently those gigs smashed box office records when one in every 20 people in Britain applied for tickets for one of the two gigs. Madness.

This photo does help to explain why we didn't get home until 5am the following morning. I remember falling asleep on the coach and waking up a few hours later to find we were still in the Knebworth car park. I still have my t-shirt from the gig, my green Pit 2 wristband and my ticket stub - £22.50! Bargain!

Ticket stubs, wristbands and VIP passes

I had my nose pressed up against this display for ages. I loved gawping at all the old ticket stubs and seeing all the old places they'd played before they were a household name. Some of the tickets were just £4 and plenty of those old venues have now gone. Such as the one below...

I was probably still going to Granby Halls to roller skate back in '95
I've also never heard anyone call it Granby Hall, it's always been plural

 Brit Awards, Brat Awards, the gramophone from the 

'Be Here Now' cover and other memorabilia

  Handwritten 'Don't Look Back in Anger' lyrics

 Noel Gallagher's iconic Union Jack guitar

And me, slightly weeing myself with excitement

 Single and album posters

Toniiiiigggghhhhht, I'm a rock 'n' roll staaaaarrr...

Of course, the best bit of the exhibition was stepping into a recreation of the 'Definitely Maybe' set, complete with cig packet and wine glasses. Since we were a duo, rather than a five-piece, we went for the Gallagher positions, with me being Noel and Dan being Liam.


A few nerdy facts on the Definitely Maybe cover for you: 

• The glass to the right of Liam actually contains Ribena, not red wine
• The still on the TV is from 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'
• It was shot in the house Bonehead lived in at the time

Record Store Day 2014

I can hardly believe it's been a year since the last Record Store Day, but here I am again hauling my arse out of bed at 4am. To buy some records. To buy some special records. To celebrate music. To help keep indie record shops alive. To do what I love doing the most! HEY HO! LET'S GO!

5.20am at Rough Trade East

The queue is already about 50 deep

Start worrying that we won't get in with the first lot of people

On the plus side I came prepared this year with four layers of clothing, a hot water bottle and a pot of porridge. I was getting quite cold towards the end though and could hardly feel my feet, but on the plus side the time went so quickly. It was just the last five minutes that felt like forever. 

The time may have gone quickly because I was busy planning in my head what to do when I finally got in there and everything that could go wrong. At one point I'd stood still for too long so my legs and feet had started seizing up, I then became convinced that I'd just fall flat on my face as soon as I tried to walk in the door. I'm one of life's worriers, by the way. I could be worse though, last year I overheard a guy saying he'd had really bad dreams that he'd missed out on all the records he wanted. Now that's just going too far...

Brits doing what Brits do best

It's now 7am - just one hour to go - and the queue goes right around the corner

I'm in this pic stuffing my face with a croissant

At least 30% of it flaked off and got stuck in my scarf

Some of it may still be there

 The Rough Trade East scrum

Obviously this was taken after the shopping had been completed

When we eventually got in - yes, on the first round! - it was pretty hectic, but an incredibly polite shopping scrum. Being a little lady kinda went against me, as it was difficult to nudge my way in, but luckily I had my Danny Boy who I'd occasionally hear shouting out band names - PIXIES! SPRINGSTEEN! RAMONES! - to confirm he had located the precious. Meanwhile I went of to the 7" table, shopping list in hand, to grab what I could. 

We were very lucky to get everything we wanted, except one... Ghostbusters. IT GLOWS IN THE DARK! IT'S ON GREEN ECTOPLASM VINYL! It is possibly the coolest piece of vinyl I've ever seen. But it just wasn't meant to be. By the time we figured out it was filed under 'P' for Parker, they were all gone. 

Other than that, I was very happy with my new toys. A few days before Record Store Day I'd added up the cost of everything I wanted and after a rather loud gasp, thought to myself 'fuck off, I'm not spending that much'. Of course, that all went to shit the minute the records were in my hand, looking all seductive, whispering my name. But hey, it's all in a good cause and I'm giving them a warm and loving home, which is what every record needs.

On the downside, I do agree that some records were ridiculously priced and that it is in danger of becoming a cashing in exercise for major labels. There are some interesting features on that here and here. On the other hand, if you're a big fan of a band - whether they're still going or split up long ago - you'll always want to add to your collection, even if it's with something that isn't technically new. I would've loved the Soundgarden, Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys box sets, but at £100, £80 and £60 respectively, I think they were really in the spirit of the day. Ultimately, I do think Record Store Day is a good thing, because it celebrates physical music and record shops, and encourages people to do their bit to keep them alive.

A little over excited perhaps...

After splashing the cash and posing for photos, it was time for a quick coffee and cupcake. We also shared our commiserations with another couple who'd missed out on the Ghostbusters record, before catching a live set from The Rails. Then it was time to give some other people a chance to do some shopping...

10am and the queue is still going strong 

Yes, that is two bags of goodies I'm holding there

Yes, I did go slightly over budget

Yes, it is lucky my hair has blown over my face so you can't see how tired and horrendous I look

Two coffees and a can of Red Bull later, it was off to Berwick Street to soak up the party atmosphere and enjoy some more live music...

The incredible Edwyn Collins performing at Berwick Street

What a privilege it was to catch Edwyn Collins' set. Having survived two brain hemorrhages, plus MRSA, it's amazing the guy is still alive, never mind still making music. Due to weakness in his right-hand side he's no longer able to play guitar and has had to learn to speak, read and write again, but he' still managed to write and record a new album. 

The most incredible thing about his latest work is how positive and uplifting it feels. One of the songs he performed, with help from two guitarists, featured lyrics about how lucky and happy he is to be alive, despite having more reason than anyone to be bitter and feel cheated. His experience has now been made into a documentary called The Possibilities.

And yes, he did finish the set with THAT song.

My bag of swag...

Top: Botch, Pixies, Joy Division

Middle: Heavens to Betsy, Ramones, Oasis, Shonen Knife

Bottom: Mastodon, Bruce Springsteen

Top: Clutch/Lionize split, OFF!, Nirvana

Middle: Terminator 2, Carcass/Cerebral Bore

Bottom: The Julie Ruin, The Sonics/Mudhoney split 

My favourite purchase of the day and the main reason I dragged my arse about of bed at 4am

First album from the Pixies since 1991

I didn't even realise it came with a special 7" as well as until I opened it

Let's all just bask in the beauty of the Ramones 10" for a second...

So, that was my Record Store Day 2014. I had a lovely day, I bought some great records and now I'm going to spend the rest of my Bank Holiday weekend with the record player cranked to 11.

Happy Record Store Day 2014!

Rubble n Shit #4 (part one)

Issue #4 of Rubble n Shit was cut n pasted in the summer of 2001, which was a hot and sunny one if I remember correctly. This issue is probably my favourite as it features my first ever band interview, with King Adora, which was at the time the most terrifying and exciting thing that had ever happened to me. I was obsessed with that band and still have my signed album, singles and t-shirt from the signings covered in this issue. It also includes an awesome in-store performance and signing at Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street - later HMV and now closed down, I think - as featured in this video. I might even be in it somewhere, with terrible hair and too much eyeliner on.

I've had to remove a few pages though, cos some stuff was just a little too personal and embarrassing to share. There's also funny photo of chubby-faced teenage me in part two, so do come back for the second half if you want a good laugh.  

The King Adora signing was held at Left Legged Pineapple in Loughborough, a new and second hand record shop, which sadly closed a few years back. This was the first time I visited Left Legged, but a couple of years later I would pop in every Friday after college en route to the pub. I always scoured the second hand section first to try and save money, and it was rare I left empty handed.

I think York was the furthest we ever travelled for a gig, but we probably would have gone anywhere to see the Pachinos. It was a bloody long way. I made mixtapes to keep us entertained, which I still have stashed away in my shoe box of old cassettes. I rarely throw anything away.

Ooh, here it is, the big interview with Maxi from King Adora. And I got a kiss on the cheek, that was all 18-year-old me really wanted from life...

'So we went in, sat down and announced we were 'absolutely shitting ourselves''

I think honesty is always the best policy.

We were so baby faced we always got away with 

buying child train tickets whenever we went to gigs.

 This was the first time we met Crackout. 

We went to the dressing room to meet 

Steven and Jack after the gig. They were being filmed 

for the video for 'You Dumb Fuck' at the time. 

I think some of the live shots in the video are from that gig.

Wish I could remember more about this gig, sounds like it was awesome. 

Didn't have the guts to interview Therapy? at 18, but I did many years later.

Also met Andy Cairns in a pub in late 2001.

I was so terrified and awe-struck I think I only managed a 'hello'.

King Adora signing at Virgin Megastore.