ComEnts

Mission: Oxford
Purpose: Watch Therapy? and The Wildhearts
Status: Complete
Embarassing Spinal Tap cock-ups: Many
Stranding in Oxford: Avoided

1. Dai drove all the way to Reading in great time with no problems, then got to the Oracle, a 5 min walk from my house, and got lost. No problem, there's a later train.
2. Later train was late.
3. Nearly missed next train due to it being much shorter than we were expecting and parking half way up the platform where we didn't notice it arrive.
4. Got to Oxford. Accidently went out the back way and thought it must be the only station in the world without a taxi rank (which we realised was pretty dumb when we got to the front exit in our taxi on the way back).
5. Decided to wander into town whilst finishing our beers and were passed by many taxis. We finished our beers and suddenly there are no taxis.
6. Stopped in a pub to ask directions to Oxford Brookes Union (15 mins before Therapy? are due to start). We are laughed at for the first time of the night. It wouldn't be the last! "It's the other side of town!". Great. We are then given helpful advice but decide that a taxi is very good idea.
7. Got to the union and as we were picking up tickets we were directed to "Go past that barrier" by the security guy outside. Naively we followed the bouncer's pointing finger and headed towards the totally different building he'd indicated. When we tried to enter said building we had an odd conversation with a confused security guard who wondered what the hell we were doing. He then radioed the guy who had told us where to go. "Who sent these guys down to me?" Turns out he just meant us to go to the other side of the door. Oops. Oh how they laughed at us.
8. Left a bit early (towards the end of the encore) to get the train. Couldn't find the exit to the venue. Wandered around confused for ages, asked 3 people. Eventually found out that that fire exit was actually the real exit. Oh how they laughed at us again.

The gig was great though, and they played Back in Black between the bands. Therapy? weren't quite as good as in Bristol (but we were right at the front this time) and there were a few wankers in the crowd. They were still excellent though, and played a totally different set to Bristol. Therapy?'s crowd in Bristol was just so good, I bet that was one of their best gigs on the tour. Gag of the set "This one's about a welshman in a joke shop... Die Laughing". Oh how Dai and I laughed.

The Wildhearts were absolutely on fire, better than ever. The audience was a good mix of old school Wildhearts diehards who know the words to every song including the obscure b-sides and kids who are just getting into them. Last gig of this tour, catch them next time!