So, About Friday Night...

Friday 28th February is going to be etched in my memory forever. 

All thanks to my mister, 3 good friends, and a band called Black Stone Cherry. 

OH.MY.GOD. 

It was a very very special gig, and I seriously can't wait for their UK tour in the Autumn. It was different to any usual gig - there were pauses between songs where the audience could ask questions. Which was so cool! I think my favourite was the guy who asked what he should name his daughter - whilst pointing at the very expanded womb of the woman next to him. With the first song to come out from their new album being called "Me and Mary Jane", there was only ever one answer. It was so funny- we bumped into them outside and it was a case of "oh hey Mary Jane and Mum and Dad!".  They were getting that from a lot of people I think. 

As always with Black Stone Cherry, every song they played was amazing. The setlist was chosen by the fans (which I didn't even realise was going on, what a spanner!), and it was cracking. I can't even tell you how much I love this band! The venue was Koko in Camden, and I was really surprised and pleased that once the security guard had escorted me and my wheels into place, with Uberman as my carer, she let the others stay with us, which was awesome. 

Mega highlights songwise - Ghost of Floyd Collins, In My Blood, Such A Shame, Soul Creek, and probably my favourite song to hear live ever - Things My Father Said. If you read my Download Festival review, you will know that that performance had me (and many others, including band members) in tears. It's a hugely powerful song, and to hear several hundred people singing every word is spine tingling. Goosebumps and hair raising, the works. It was just amazing. 

After it had finished, my amazing security lady/bodyguard, Sandra, refused to let us go until it had cleared down a bit. This was a bit of a blessing in disguise. I feel slightly really bad, because the Uberman had gone down to the merch stand to look for a hoodie for me, and they wouldn't let him back in. I was facing forwards in my wheels, when my friends started looking at me funny - almost like I'd grown a second head. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder, and when I looked round, John Fred Young, BSC's drummer was right there! I didn't know how to react at all, I was like a cat in headlights! He was lovely, asked us about the show, and then posed for a couple of pictures with us. Minus Uberman. Whoops. Az uploaded to Facebook, and everyone assumed he had taken the picture... I really do feel bad! 

*I may also have touched his hair. It was amazing!

We finally got to make our way down, and we still had quite a wait for our taxi home, so we waited by the tour bus. Which had a parking ticket. Haha! We were down by the front, whereas everyone else had crowded around the doors waiting for the band to come out. I get a bit freaked out being in a crowd when I'm in my wheels, so waiting by the front was the best solution. At that point, the drum tech appeared - and asked us if we wanted some signed drumsticks! We couldn't say no, so we came away with those and a drum skin for Mel. 

We stayed where we were, being thoroughly entertained by a man off his tits dancing with his reflection in the door of the Purple Turtle, when Chris Robertson, BSC's singer came by and got on the bus. He looked thoroughly exhausted, I did feel for him. He came back down off the bus, and asked us if we had enjoyed the show. We replied with a big yes, and told him he looked so tired, to which he agreed, and there was kind of an unspoken thing that we wouldn't ask for photos or autographs. He was then mobbed, and we just sat back chilling. There were two American ladies by us, and all of a sudden one of them asked us whether we'd had a picture with him, or gotten an autograph. We told her no, because he just looked shattered- and she just went and grabbed him and brought him over to us. He was lovely, posed for photos, and signed my ticket. So thank you, slightly bonkers American lady, and to John Fred, Chris and the drum tech for being bloody awesome. 

Just before our cab arrived, man off his tits decided to stand behind Chris who was posing for photos and things, and yell out some BSC lyrics. In the most drunken, drugged, London trash accent ever. It was the funniest thing! I didn't get to see the look on Chris' face, but it must have been classic, because another guy just said "Welcome to London!". Hilarious.

My body is thoroughly broken (thanks to hitting the most enormous fucking pothole in the world on the way there! GAH. On the way home, the road was closed, and there were two cars minus their front wheels. That gives you some idea of just how big it was. Grrrr. I HATE POTHOLES!!!), but it was worth it for a gig that I will always remember as one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of attending. So thank you to Uberman, Mel, Az, Carl, Black Stone Cherry, Random OffHisTitsMan, Crazy American Lady and Lunatic Taxi Driver for making it a bloody brilliant night. All I want to do is rewind and do it all again!

I will leave you with some pictures!

\m/ Can it be tour time yet?! \m/ 

Review: HTC One

Welcome to my review of my newest gadget. 

I am approaching this slightly differently to all of the other reviews of the HTC One that are already out there. This is a review based on the experience of a bendy user. 

Having previously used a HTC Sensation, I knew that I didn't want a phone that was too much bigger. I have very bendy hands, and I find that the bigger things are, the harder they become to grip. I knew I didn't want an iPhone - I love the Android platform, so it was really a toss up between waiting for the Nexus 5, or going ahead and getting the HTC One. 

In the end, my hand was forced, as the phone I was borrowing was well on it's way to dying. I went into the o2 shop to have a look, and ended up leaving with the HTC One, on a much better deal than the one I had previously! Bosh. 

The size of this phone is absolutely perfect for my hands. I get no hyperextension when holding it, which is a key factor for a bendy person. This holds true, even with a bulky case (I am a clumsy bugger, and terrified of dropping it, so it has a purple double 'ard case to protect it!). 

The screen is really responsive, and I have no problem with my fingers or thumbs "sticking" and getting disjointed movement. If I'm having a bad pain day, this becomes a godsend, as it only takes the lightest of touches to do what I need to. 

Considering this is quite a large phone, with a metal casing, I am really impressed with the weight. It is lighter than my previous HTC, which is a difference I really appreciate. It's not until you use something new that you recognize some minor problems with what you had previously. It may only be a small difference on paper, but when it comes to accessibility, it can really make a big difference. 

For typing, I am using the standard keyboard at the moment (there are apps for different keyboards which I may try out, but at the moment, this one is working for me). I am able to type fairly successfully with the phone in a vertical position, but on a bad day I turn it horizontally, as it makes the surface area a lot larger to type on. This is always a handy feature for people with dexterity issues. The fact that there are other apps available for keyboard input also means that if you don't get on with it, you can give something else a try. 

I am extremely fortunate that my hearing is okay, but a huge bonus from this phone is that the volume is LOUD! It has long been a joke about quiet ringtones in this house, but there is no fear of not hearing this phone ringing. It has woken me up from illness induced daytime sleep - something my doorbell couldn't manage. No more missing calls because the phone is buried in a bag - this phone was made to be heard. 

I am so so impressed with this phone. With the trend leaning towards larger phones, I was starting to worry that a new phone would end up increasing my hand problems. I needn't have worried - this phone is my Holy Grail. I don't think I've ever been this happy with a new phone- I'm yet to find a fault with it accessibility-wise (or any other area, come to think of it). I really recommend this handset for bendy folk, or people with problems affecting their hands.

Review: Fortune Cookie Soap Whipped Cream - Capitol Diamond

Until a few months ago, I had never heard of Fortune Cookie Soap. Now I have, I am completely addicted!

I am a member of a soap forum, and a lovely lady there kindly sent me some samples of products she had spare. Included in this box were two small bottles of Fortune Cookie Soap body wash, one of which was in the scent "Capitol Diamond". One sniff, and I was in love! 

Fortune Cookie Soap are an American company founded by Shannon and Justin, who began soapmaking for Christmas presents. Their soap was quickly noticed and ended up being sold in different stores in the US. Their name reflects their best-known products - their main range of soaps are in the shape of a Fortune Cookie, which is so cool! Soap is not all they do though - they do body washes, body butters, whipped cream moisturisers, solid shampoo and conditioners, bath bombs.. and so much more, right up to hand sanitisers and laundry detergent! 

As soon as I'd used some of my sample of bodywash, I knew I needed more FCS stuff. I have become incredibly disenchanted with the company I used to use for my cosmetics, so when I saw a group order slot available on the soap forum, I jumped right in. Part of my order was "Capitol Diamond" Whipped Cream. 

As you may recognise, the name is based on "The Hunger Games". Originally this scent was released as part of a limited Hunger Games collection, but it proved so popular that it was brought back and added to the general scent catalogue. I have never smelled anything like it. The official scent description from the FCS site is:

When we came up with Capitol Diamond, we wanted a scent that had some spunk to it.  A scent that you wouldn't forget and this blend of crisp vanilla, citrus, coconut, cloves and some awesome strawberry notes does it!  It's so unique, so different and it's one of those scents that we can't stop putting on!  No – seriously, we can't keep our hands out of this whipped cream!

One thing I really love is that the scent develops on your skin, before settling into a beautiful fruity scent, almost like sweeties, but with a twist! 

The formula of the whipped cream is fabulous. The pots hold 5oz of product - and a little goes a bloody long way. I have been using this virtually every day since I bought it, and I have barely made a dent. It is light and non-greasy, sinking into the skin beautifully. It leaves you feeling smooth and soft, and smelling great. I have quite dry elbows, but this stuff makes them feel like lovely human skin, not elephant hide! 

At $10.99 (£7.21 as of 17:04 02/08/13), these pots are great value - they smell magnificent, the product lasts for ages and even through this extremely sweaty British Summer, there has been no change in consistency or any loss of scent. They have another huge bonus in the fact that they are cruelty free, paraben free, and totally handmade! 

I cannot recommend this product enough. If you are looking for a beautifully scented body moisturiser, then take a look at www.fortunecookiesoap.com - you won't be disappointed! They ship internationally, but you will incur customs charges on orders over a certain value (boo customs!).

Post Download Review: Black Stone Cherry

Good Morning!

I thought that today would be a good day to bring you a more in depth review of some of the performances I saw at the mighty Download Festival this year! So without further ado...

Black Stone Cherry

I first heard about this band from the Uberman, after he went to see them with our friend Carl when a last minute ticket became available. I really liked them at the time, but when "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" came out, like blossomed into true love. I can listen to that album in full, over and over, with no track skipping.

Before this year, I had seen them once before, at Download Festival 2011, where they played the Main Stage in an early slot. They absolutely blew me away then, and the video for "Blame It On The Boom Boom" was shot from the live festival footage. I had hoped to see them last year, when they toured with Alter Bridge, but tickets sold out quicker than I could blink. 

So this year, when they were announced as part of the Download lineup, I knew I would most definitely be seeing them again. Even with the massive curveball Andy Copping threw, by clashing them with Slipknot, I wasn't going to miss them. 

I made the right decision. It seemed that a large majority of the festivalgoers were headed to the Main Stage to see Slipknot, which made me quite sad - this band deserve to be recognized! However, this was to my advantage, as the disabled viewing platform was almost empty. I was unable to get a ticket for the platforms in advance, as they had completely sold out, and sadly there were times when my view was very limited. If I wanted to see the perfomance of any band the most, this was it. So I asked the steward whether I could go up when the performance started, if the platform was still below capacity. She was absolutely my heroine that night. She said she wouldn't usually do so, but she could see I wanted to see this band, and the platform had had a mass exodus, so she would allow me up, on the condition that if the platform did get busy, I would come down. It didn't get busy, and I was sat at the front for what was one of my top 5 live sets ever. 

From the second Black Stone Cherry arrived on that stage, I was mesmerized. In their own words, they are "a band who don't have special effects or pyro, or any of that shit, they come with their instruments and play music". I can totally confirm that they do that spectacularly. From the second they opened to the second it was over, they were loud and proud. I experienced so many emotions watching this band, from pure excitement, through to bouncy happy, with ironic laughter, via tears. True story. I am not ashamed to admit that this was the first time I had ever cried during a performance. "Things My Father Said" is taken from the album "Folklore and Superstition", and has probably the most heartbreaking lyrics I have ever heard:

"Things My Father Said"

The things my father said would make me a better man
Hard work and the love of friends, a woman that understands

I hope my father knows the seeds we've sown still grow
At night I go to sleep and pray he's watching over me

Somewhere there's a star that's shining
So bright that I can see you smile
And all that I need is one last chance
Just to hear you say goodbye

Sometimes I remember, when you taught me to tie my shoes
One thing I will never forget, is the day that I lost you

I hope you always know the car that we built will always roll

Somewhere there's a star that's shining
So bright that I can see you smile
And all that I need is one last chance
Just to hear you say goodbye

And if you have a dream you better hang on for dear life
And when that cold wind blows, just let it pass you by

The things my father said

Somewhere there's a star that's shining
So bright that I can see you smile
And all that I need is one last chance
Just to hear you say goodbye

I am very close to my Dad, and the lyrics are both beautiful, and at the same time terrifying to me. 

 Before they played this, Chris Robertson (lead singer) dedicated this to a friend who had lost their father the previous week, and also said it would mean a lot to him, as it was the first time he had been on an extended trip away from his baby son, who had been born in October. Someone has had the courtesy to upload the footage to YouTube - and hopefully I will get his permission to embed the video soon. If not, I would recommend you search for Black Stone Cherry "Things My Father Said" (Download Festival 2013). The sound quality is not ideal, but live footage rarely is. Watching it again still gets me, especially when the crowd are singing alone. I have never experienced such an emotional performance; everywhere you looked, people had arms round shoulders, lighters were in the air, there were strangers hugging and crying, members of the band were crying, and I had turned into a sobbing wreck. But it was phenomenal, and I will never forget how special it was.

A major highlight was the first ever live performance of a song that hasn't yet been recorded for the new album. "Me and Mary Jane" is instantly recognizable as Black Stone Cherry - catchy lyrics, punchy riffs... absolute rock and roll. If it is a sign of things to come, the next album is going to be a corker. Something I love about music, and how I tend to rate a song, is by how easy it is to sing along, particularly for a chorus. BSC are the perfect example of how to do this, and "Me and Mary Jane" did not disappoint. We were able to join in with the second chorus, and you could see how much the band enjoyed that - it was written all over their faces.

"Rain Wizard" delivered the most ironic and hilarious moment of the set. From the album "Black Stone Cherry", it is a firm fan favourite and opens with the line "Here Comes The Rain...". So naturally, as soon as the words were sung, the heavens chose to open. You could not have asked for more perfect timing. Did the rain put a dampener on things? Not at all. The total opposite. People were dancing, singing their hearts out, and having a damn good time. I've been to outdoor gigs where the rain has made everybody bloody miserable, so this made a refreshing change. 

I wish I could give an in depth review of every single song, but a) I don't wish to bore you, and b) I've slept a bit since then and would hate to do the songs any injustice by missing things out. So notable mentions go out to "White Trash Millionaire", "Blame It On The Boom Boom", "In My Blood" and "Soul Creek". All major singalongs, and the crowd lapped them up. 

Despite me really not wanting it to, the set had to come to an end, and did so on a major high, with "Lonely Train". During the set, Chris told the crowd how they had been asked to play due to the massive demand on social media. This  shows just how popular they are - it is very rare that a band are booked on advice of the fans (a good example is Rammstein - people have been asking for them for bloody years!). Also, their management initially said no, as they weren't touring Europe or promoting an album. But they dug their heels in, and said they'd pay for it themselves if they had to, but either way they were coming, and that was that. 

They are an incredibly likeable group of guys. There's no inflated egos, no arrogance, no bullshit. Black Stone Cherry are a group who come on stage to play amazing music and have fun doing it. And that is something more bands should take note of. It is interesting to hear them say that they are more popular in the UK than they are at home, in the USA. It makes you question whether USA rock fans prefer major SFX or theatrical extravaganzas, or us Brits prefer straight music. If I was to choose between BSC being as they are now, or performing with a show like Rammstein did (please note that I bloody loved Rammstein's show, it was phenomenal), I'd go for the first option every time. They are a band who don't need any extras- they put on a brilliant show just with what they do.

It was very satisfying to note that by the end of the set, the crowd had grown considerably. I honestly couldn't recommend a band to you more.This is a band that deserve recognition, and with each album, they are getting it more and more. Roll on 2014 for the next chapter in the Black Stone Cherry story!

Setlist:

1. Maybe Someday

2. Change

3.Blind Man

4. In My Blood

5. Me and Mary Jane

6. Like I Roll

7. Rain Wizard

8. Things My Father Said

9. White Trash Millionaire

10. Soul Creek

11. Blame It On The Boom Boom

12. Lonely Train

The Aporia Rating - 10/10

If you were at Download this year, or enjoyed this review, please leave me a comment - I love to read your opinions!

Review: Converse All Stars

This clearly isn't your usual topic for a review, but hopefully all will become clear!

*NB: Possibly Not. I am a wee bit strange. 

Since my ankle operation, my foot has absolutely refused to return to normal size, instead resembling an orange shoved under my skin. It is known as the HulkFoot™. It is also unable to bear my weight without giving way. I have been unable to fit any shoes on really, or socks. I have some amazing fluffy slippers which are keeping my feet warm at home - so awesome that I have two pairs. One with stars and moons on, and one with purple leopard print. I am a big fan of leopard print! 

Anyway, back on track. A month or so ago, my dad took me to TK Maxx, and we found a pair of DC trainers with Velcro fasteners. They are black with rainbow spots and I like them very much. We bought them in a size bigger than I usually wear, and they are lovely. However, my ankle goes over the sides of them a bit. And that isn't always ideal. It's not so much a problem if I'm on wheels, but when I'm on my frame it can get a bit unpleasant. 

On Saturday, I was shopping with my Mum and Edie, and we took a look around Office, mainly to have a nose at the sale section. I spotted a pair of Converse, which I loved, but the side zip meant they wouldn't go over the HulkFoot™. I tried another pair on, in a 6 and a half, which were comfy, went over the HulkFoot™, but would have been a trip hazard if I had been using them on my frame. Total fail. 

I had been lusting over these beauties for a loooong time, and they were the only ones in a size 6 on show, and of course, not on sale.  But I tried them on, and it was my Cinderella moment. And I figured I might as well spend the extra £18 and get the pair I really wanted, rather than settle for a pair I wasn't so keen on. They are the All Star Hi Top Anchor (jeez, that's a name and a half!).

They are amazing. As is Converse Custom, they came with a set of red laces as well, which I immediately put in mine - they look awesome, and don't seem to get as dirty so quickly! 

The fact that you can have the laces set lower down, means that as the day goes on, and HulkFoot™ grows ever larger, I can loosen them off but still have support there to stop it going over completely when I'm walking with my frame. Also, the fact that they are looser means I can slip them off, rather than having to try and bend down to take them off at the end of the day when my back is really sore. I am officially in love with a pair of shoes. If HulkFoot™ is to be a long term thing, more of these will be entering my life. There are so many beautiful pairs!

I'm really chuffed to have a pair of shoes that are comfortable, supportive (to an extent, they aren't rock solid so there is still some movement), and pretty. For me, that's awesome news. Bendy Friendly Footwear can sometimes be fairly unattractive, but these are far from that. 

Tell me about your pretty Converse!

The Post Download Reviews and Blues - LOOOONG Post

I am back from the annual weekend of excellence that is known as Download Festival. 

This year was my first year with disabled access. I did not book in time to receive viewing platform access (sadly), but had use of the charging facilities and disabled access toilets. I also had a carer ticket. 

After last year's shenanigans, I ended up in a Premier Inn in Loughborough. Two good friends, Mel and Az, stayed in a Premier Inn in Hucknall, and that is where we booked to go this year. I cannot praise Premier Inn highly enough. I have stayed in several sites now, and they are faultless. The beds are outrageously big and comfy, the duvet is soft and squidgy, they have a choice of pillows and the blackout curtains are ace. The bathrooms are always spotless, the heating controls are idiot proof, and the prices are so reasonable, especially when compared with other so called 'budget brand hotels', which don't even come close to the luxury you get from a Premier Inn. I honestly wouldn't consider another hotel brand now. You know exactly what you're getting, at a very good price, and with excellent service. We checked in early, and the staff went the extra mile to make sure at least one of our rooms were ready so we could leave our luggage and not take it to the festival. I cannot recommend Hucknall highly enough. My disabled access room was bloody ENORMOUS! The bathroom echoed! And most importantly, it had a bath that I was able to use. My bath is my sanctuary, and not being able to get up the stairs to it since February has been a real low for me. I took my Fortune Cookie Soap "Unicorn Farts" toiletries with me, and I had some truly special bath time. Music ringing in my ears, body aching from cold weather and lumpy bumpy ground... just getting into the water was absolute bliss, but being able to smell bloody amazing as well was perfection. Happy Download Bathtime! 

So on to the Festival... 

The weather for the Friday and Saturday were, to say the least, unpleasant. Friday had sunny spells followed by heavy showers, which cycled on throughout the day. We got utterly soaked through within a very short time of arriving on Friday. By evening, it was so very cold. The best thing I took with me was my woolly hat. It's my favourite hat ever, and I only took it at my Mum's suggestion, so she gets the kudos points for that. Saturday almost broke me. I had left my scooter in the car over night, and the cold weather had discharged my battery without me realising. I just about got the scooter onto the site, with a lot of help from Az. We got to the disabled platform at the Main Stage, and the stewards allowed Nikki to ask the customers there if they had a spare charger. A very lovely man (who had an EPIC braid in his beard!) kindly let me borrow it, so we trundled up onto the platform and plugged in. It gave us a brilliant view of the stage... but being up higher meant the wind cut through me like a knife. We then experienced the most unpleasant rainstorm I have ever had the misfortune to be caught in. The wind and the rain were lashing through me, and I felt like my body was on fire. Nikki went to ask a steward if she could go and get me a poncho, and the lovely lady gave me hers, and also gave me a roll of clear plastic bin bags. She tore one off and wrapped it over my knees, and I instantly felt warmer. The wind couldn't get to me anymore (other than my face, which is spectacularly windburned!). The storm stopped, and it was like we were in the eye - the wind totally stopped, the rain ceased... but the clouds were heading closer towards us. I took the opportunity to actually climb inside the plastic bag, which was the best thing I did that day. I completely insulated myself, and I feel that if I hadn't done so, I would have had to go back to the hotel. The storm then lashed us once again, but after that, we had very little rain. Sunday was far far better. No rain. Still fairly breezy, but the sun shone for a while, and made it far more pleasant. 

My big fail of the weekend, was that my phone managed to absorb the water from my poncho into the screen, and my insurance does not cover water damage. RIP HTC. I will miss you. I went on Sunday morning to find a cheap replacement until my contract is up in Oct/Nov. It isn't too bad, and will be good for future festivals. 

I have to give a special mention to the access steward at the viewing platform for the second stage. Being down so low meant that in terms of view from my scooter, I was very limited. I was absolutely desperate to see Black Stone Cherry (which meant missing Slipknot - DAMN YOU ANDY COPPING!), and I noticed the platform was practically empty. I asked if the platform hadn't filled by the time they started, could I go up? She said that she wouldn't usually be able to do so, but the fact that it was so empty and that I was so desperate to see the band meant that she would bend the rules slightly - on the grounds that if the platform did get busy, I would have to move down. I thought this was amazing of her, and the platform stayed empty. I was over the moon. I had the perfect view, and loved every second I was up there. 

So now... Bands I saw, and reviews of the best!

Black Stone Cherry

Dir En Grey

Hang The Bastard

Rammstein

Europe

Iron Maiden

Black Star Riders

Mastodon

Alice In Chains

Young Guns

Korn

Papa Roach (Part Of Set)

Gogol Bordello

Queens Of The Stone Age

Thirty Seconds To Mars

The Gaslight Anthem

Slipknot (Part Of Set)

Motorhead (Part Of Set)

Stone Sour

Five Finger Death Punch (Part Of Set)

Black Stone Cherry are the first band to ever make me cry during a performance. I actually sobbed. They performed a song called "Things My Father Said", and dedicated to a friend who recently lost his father, and also sang it because it was the first time the lead singer had been away from his son since his birth. The crowd sang it alone, and it was utterly beautiful. The band were crying, the crowd were crying, I was crying... phenomenal. They played a bloody amazing set, and also a song from the album they are working on at the moment. If it's anything to go by, the new album is going to be a corker. 

Queens Of The Stone Age were well worth the wait - I've wanted to see them for a long time. I sometimes get disappointed with how different bands sound live than they do on a recording, but QOTSA didn't let me down at all. A very good performance. 

Stone Sour are just brilliant. Corey Taylor knows exactly how to get a crowd going, and he has them in the palm of his hand everytime he performs, with SS or Slipknot. They played some of my favourites - 30/30-150, Made of Scars, Through Glass and Bother. Bother was another spine tingling moment, similar to BSC's Things My Father Said - the crowd were singing the lyrics to him, and it sounded beautiful. He then jumped down from the stage and ran along the barriers singing to people during the finale, which was awesome to see. A girl at the front had a badge saying "It's My Birthday", and he wished her happy birthday - the poor thing had utter hysterics. Such a great gesture. 

Thirty Seconds To Mars were my real surprise of the weekend. We weren't originally going to see them, but we had a good spot for Rammstein later on, so Nikki and I stayed there whilst Az and Mel went to see Airbourne and A Day To Remember. I wasn't expecting anything special, and this only increased when Andy Copping announced their set - no other band had this, and it just seemed like total and utter arrogance. However, Jared Leto is an actor, and he played rockstar to the max. He sang well, he made jokes, they sent balloons everywhere, giant inflatable fish appeared... and then for the last song, he randomly asked people to join him on stage. There were about 50 people up there when he said they had enough. He asked a girl her name and where she was from, and she was in total meltdown. She stammered out her name, which was either Holly or Pauline, it wasn't very clear haha - then tried to tell him she was from Scunthorpe. He then turned to another guy and asked him the same, "but in English". The guy was from Sunderland (or Sunland according to Jared), and was booed very loudly. When asked why he was being booed, the guy said because he was a total legend, which cracked me up, and impressed Jared a bit. They finished their set and announced a tour... and I would actually consider going to it if I had the money. They were very good and I fell a little bit in love with them.  Wasn't prepared for that at all! 

Hang The Bastard were a band I was really looking forward to. My friend Simon is their drummer, and I couldn't wait to see him up on that stage! They did not disappoint at all. They were bloody brilliant! The tent they played in was rammed and rocking so hard. I was incredibly proud to see them being watched by so many people, and with the news that they have been signed for a worldwide record deal, I think they are headed for very very big things. I couldn't be more pleased for them. Check them out!

And finally... Rammstein. 

They are a band that have divided the Download fans for years. You love them or you hate them. I saw them live at the o2 last year, and they put on a fantastic show. Very theatrical, lots of pyro, and very loud. 

The sound quality at the main stage had been a bit iffy at times, but they got it spot on for Rammstein. The show that followed a very loud soundcheck was IMMENSE. It was the loudest set of the weekend. In the 5 years I have attended Download, I had never heard the crowd sing so loudly that they drowned out the music. I have now. Du Hast came on, and at that point, a festival which had probably belonged entirely to Corey Taylor had a new set of Gods. Download was Rammstein's bitch. They utterly blew every other performance I've seen at Donington out of the water. As the show went on, the crowd got bigger and bigger. More and more people were being captured by Rammstein. People who didn't like them before did now. Totally mindblowing, and the perfect way to end the festival. I really don't know how the organisers will ever top that performance. It was totally off the hook, and was the third spine-tingling moment of the weekend for me. To all those fans who had called for Rammstein to headline for several years - THANK YOU. Your faith was spot on, and produced the greatest show I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. 

Finally, some random funnies from the weekend:

"Are you sure? I thought it was a Prius..."

"You were right, it IS a Civic!"

"I went blind for two days once..."

The long wait in the carpark on Saturday, where we ended up in hysterics

The Minions we got from McDonalds with our first breakfast

Driving past the service station we were due to meet at, calling Az and Mel, and whilst on the phone to them, they did the same

"THERE'S A BAAAAAATH"

Being shaken half to death on the gravel

Running the man over who cut in front of me before I could stop

People getting stuck on the zipwire

The guy in the dress with the massive rack made of who knows what

Pikachus EVERYWHEEEEERE

The granny trannies with the rape alarms and handbags

It was a brilliant weekend, and I am very sad it is over. It has left me very broken, battered and worn out, but I bloody loved it, and it was worth every ache and pain. I refuse to not do things because it will hurt later on. If I did that, I'd never leave the house. And that's just not who I am. I take as many precautions as I can to minimise the effects, but I cannot stop them completely. I will continue to do things until I physically cannot.

The Download Blues are well known, and there are many of us feeling deflated and bleh right now. It's such a strange feeling. You end up listening to the slower songs by the bands you've seen, looking at everyone's pics, checking the early reviews and wishing you could rewind time. The wristband doesn't come off for a while (although mine is loose enough to be slipped off for showers and then be put back on again). The discussions have already begun on who will be playing next year. You're already planning for it, even though there are 360 days to go. It feels like forever away. But you know that by the time you get to less than a week away, you're going to be as hyper as a kid that's eaten all the blue smarties. And that makes it a little bit better. 

And tonight, I get to see my Uberman again. And that makes all the blues go away.

If you went to Download 2013, leave me a comment and tell me what you enjoyed!