Nothing Can Stop This Creeping Fear

This week so far has been a big melting pot of debauched fun and frolics and erm...parent's evenings. Nuff said.

Actually, the proper name is consultation evening (aka. a parent's 'but you're 18 now, so we make it sound more grown-up' evening). They're always odd experiences, are parent's - sorry CONSULTATION - evenings. Mainly because, if you're clever, you're getting complimented left, right and centre, but never actually to you. It's all "Isn't your daughter lovely?", while you sit there, grinning like a buffoon.

Still, who am I to complain about being bigged up, eh? Some of my favourite praises included "already working at an undergraduate level" and "With Mary-Jo, you can have a cup of tea and take a step back...she practically teaches herself!"

Straight after that, it was off to Tom's and then to West Street Live for my inner wild child to burst forth. Who am I kidding though? OJ of Oh My Word! infamy, at 28, is more of a wild child than I (or anyone else for that matter) will ever be. This Monday night, however, he seemed a little more nervous than usual and this was quickly pinned to the presence of his ex-girlfriend. Said ex is a model from America and they recently copped off again...even though she's married! I think they're at the 'just good friends' stage now though.

Jump a few days to last night, though and it was time to round up the troops and go to see Blood Red Shoes play the Leadmill. Meeting the friends in The Howard beforehand was absolutely lovely, until, much to the horror of Jen and I, who should we see on the cover of a local music magazine but that same musician from many posts ago?! The whole table, including Tom, thought this was hilarious and instantly craned around to get a look at him. Tom and Elie merely concluded that he needed a shave.

On to the Leadmill, however and the first band on, Dark Sparks, were pretty bloody fantastic if I do say so myself. Jen was relieved, since she's booked them for her first club night at DQ and I went and had a friendly chat with the frontman after their set and nabbed a free CD.

The second band on were Lovers and though most of us were in the over 18's bar sampling the cushions as they played, I have been informed they were brilliant. More fool me, eh? Jen had a chat to Blood Red Shoes' drummer/vocalist and seemed a little bit thrilled - she wants to have his babies, I hear.

Both members of Blood Red Shoes clambered onto the tiny stage to raucous applause and cheering and I must say they were excellent. Comapring them to The White Stripes (one boy, one girl...what time did you get to bed drawing up that comparison then?) is lazy journalism at its worse, as while the American duo deliberately go after that stripped-down sound, tonight's Brighton combo make more noise than a lot of bands you're likely to hear! They have justifiably been pushed into the limelight very suddenly and it was truly heartwarming to see the glee at the reception they received.

Tonight is Millie's 18th, which means...fancy dress party! Time to throw on my gun moll outfit and dance to some cheesy pop in a working men's club. More on that later though.