We’ve been in Norway since Sunday now, and a few days back we were treated to an Eric Clapton concert at the Bergenhaus. We and 20,000 other folk.

Honestly, I’m not the greatest connoisseur of Eric Clapton songs. I know the hits and that is about it. Despite that and that Eric isn’t a man of many words, it was a fantastic concert in a lovely location.  Even if it had been rubbish, the live version of Layla would have made up for it.

Just one downside to it all. I now want to come back in a couple of weeks for the Neil Young concert at Bergenhaus. And a couple of weeks after that for REM.  Don’t think it’s going to be possible.

David

It has been a hectic few days for me. Numerous radio shows to do, packing for holiday and my brothers birthday BBQ followed by Karoke session.

The highlight of it all was my brother and I performing Buffalo Stance by Nenah Cherry at karaoke while a drunken guy in the pub tried to break dance. Priceless.

At the airport now. Not the best of starts. Flight has been delayed, but worse than that, I have managed to physically break my laptop. A few hours ago it was sitting on the couch when it decided to fall off. I picked it up, everything seemed ok except for the loud rattle coming from it. On further inspection it would seem that rattle was a lose computer chip… and quite an important one at that.

Now the computers battery won’t charge, and it won’t run off the mains either. You wouldn’t believe how much of a pain that is. Thankfully the insurance I pay for the laptop will cover it, but its not the thing you need just before you go on holiday.

So I now have my rather slow, rather big, ancient laptop with me. I must point out I could last 2 weeks without the Internet but I need my laptop to charge my Ipod. I also like to look and play with all my photos on the same day I have taken them, therefore I need a laptop.

I’m writing this on my iPod. I’m going on holiday with the family. I still like going away with the parents, plus it’s free, I never hide the fact that the freebie is still one of the reasons I go. I am a sponger. Emma is with us. She obviously gets on well enough with the ‘inlaws’ to come.

An hour and a half delay and we are bored. Least it’s not as bad as the folk behind us, they were meant to leave at 9 this morning, it is now 2:45pm.

More later… Maybe.

Here are some Tweets from my Twitter profile.

• 09:44 It’s raining, it’s pouring, and I have far too much to do today and not enough time to do it. #

Here are some Tweets from my Twitter profile.

• 16:22 on the bus. Traffic is a nightmare. Its far too warm (yet overcast and grey outside). There are kids screaming and Aberdeen smells of fi … #

I love reading newspapers. If I had the money and time, I’d buy every paper every day and spend several hours reading them.

However I hate Sunday newspapers. They seem to be written in a more tacky, celebrity obsessed and slightly down market style.

At the top of the pile of hate on a Sunday is the News of the World.

Take this quote from the paper yesterday…

“How come roly-poly Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles has managed to lose half a million listeners in three months yet failed to lose even half a stone in 10 years?”

A cheap cheap dig.  While RAJAR (the method of measuring radio audiences) isn’t that scientific, as far as I’m aware there is no connection between the presenters weight and their audience size at all… at least I hope not, otherwise I’m not going to be in much luck with RAJAR.

David

Biffy Clyro played a gig in Shetland 5 years ago.  I didn’t know much about them, but when you’re 16, living in Shetland, when a band play you go see them just because it’s unusual for a mainland band to play Shetland.

Now that they are quite big, it would have been a great story to say I saw them when they were small and thought they were brilliant.  But that would be a lie. I thought they were awful.

Then about a year later they released a song called Only One Word Comes to Mind.  It was spectacular. And I started to like Biffy.

Fast forward a few years and the first single of their next album is just… stunning.

Mountains is the name of the song.  The BBC used it as the title music for their T In The Park coverage (awful presenting, but don’t let that put you off the song).

I have had it on repeat for a week and yet to grow sick of it.

Biffy Clyro - Mountains:

While we’re on the subject of Scottish artists. I listened to Amy Macdonald’s album This Is The Life for the first time in a few months the other day.  It was one of those albums that I slowly got sick of, having heard it so many times. But after a few months break, it was sounding lovely again. Pity on the tv coverage of T In The Park you could quite clearly see her expensive wedding ring.  Rubbish.

Amy Macdonald - Let’s Start a Band:

Memo to Simon Neil and the Biffy Boys:
As much as I enjoy your music, you don’t need to get naked on stage for me to enjoy it.  Thank you.

Memo to Amy Macdonald:
You don’t want to marry him. If you like your older man then I’m one, by 6 months.

Just received a call from Emma with a query about who is to headline the Pet Sounds stage on Sunday at T in the Park.  Rumours were speculating around the site that it could be someone big disguised under a fake alias. Not having the internet to hand, Emma needed me to have a look.

The band in question are “Eddie & the Robbers”.  But exactly who are they? Eddie Grant? Eddie Stobart? Eddie Jordan?  Don’t be ridiculous… no wait, it is Eddie Jordan, the famous and rather rich Formula 1 boss.

He has is own band. He plays the drums in them, and they are called V10. Eddie & the Robbers are a cut down band who are touring some festivals this summer.

So why are they headlining? Are they any good?  Probably not.  Is it part of a massive cover up for some sort of massive band? Doubtful. Is there some sort of sponsorship deal involving lots of money?  Who could possibly say.

But in other T in the Park news, the weather is looking quite good at the moment, despite what my post yesterday said.  Wish I was there now (if only to find out more about Eddie & the Robbers).

David

Further reading:
NME.com - Formula One’s Eddie Jordan to headline T In The Park
V10 The Band
Eddie & the Robbers - Festival Forums

Heavy rain expected for T in the Park this weekend.  If it’s anything like the rain I experienced today walking in to work (some 90 miles north of Balado) then I feel sorry for the festival goers (Emma included).

Actually, I don’t feel that sorry. There was a chance I may have been going. That’s not happening anymore. I don’t want to sound bitter, but I will be enjoying the festival from home on TV. (or maybe even in bed, watching on the Ipod Touch via the BBC IPlayer - greatest use of technology ever).

Might be going to see a bit of Stonehaven Folk Festival instead.  You don’t have to camp there. Instantly better!

David

As you’ll have seen from my tweets, Emma and I headed up to Shetland over the weekend.  Not been home since January (a complete change from last year when I seemed to be home every 4 weeks!)

Not much had changed. It was nice to be back but there’s still little to do for someone who has seen the island as much as I have.

I went paddling. Water still as cold as ever, global warming has not kicked in yet.

Also got the perfect chance to try out my new camera on some puffins.

And Emma got to meet some Shetland ponies. A highlight of the trip for her.

Back off the boat this morning. Feeling a little home sick but I’m definitely back in the right place, all the excitement of Tescos coming to Shetland would be too much for me.

Here are some Tweets from my Twitter profile.

• 18:18 back on the boat heading towards Aberdeen. Just over 12 and a half hours to go. Lovely. #
• 20:41 testing the mobile to the limits. At sea browsing net through bluetooth and mobile broadband while using GPS to show I’m 10 miles off Orkney #