Improvised Vegetarian Food

Have been eating too much meat recently, so I've decided to go vegetarian for awhile. Was quite pleased with my improvised meal below: cheese and spinach pancakes covered in pumpkin soup:

My Mental Jukebox Part 16

Been to seven gigs in Warsaw this month, it's always the same in November, as bands like to play Poland before the proper, cold winter sets in.

Saw The Breeders at the Klub Niebo on 13th November which prompted their tune, 'Divine Hammer', to resurface in my mental jukebox (had somehow almost forgotten about this wonderful number until I went to the concert).

Gary Numan Live at Warsaw Progresja 25th November 2018

This was always going to be one of the concerts of the year, and so it proved to be: a nice mixture of songs from Gary Numan's recent 'Savage (Songs from a Broken World)' album and older tunes.

'Everything Comes Down to This' and 'Metal' are two brilliant opening tunes, and not that long after, we were receiving the canonical 'Down in the Park'.

Like with several concerts I've been to recently (Within Temptation; The Breeders; Public Service Broadcasting etc.), this gig was an audio-visual treat:

The highlight from 'Savage' would have to be 'My Name Is Ruin' with, as anticipated, Gary Numan's daughter, Persia, joining him on stage:

Also really liked 'Bed of Thorns' and 'Pray for the Pain You Serve' from the 'Savage' album.

But have to confess that it was tunes like 'A Prayer for the Unborn' and 'Are 'Friends' Electric' (this song always takes me way back to my old schooldays at St. Gabriel's secondary school in Bury, Lancashire) that I was waiting for most.

Yes, as expected, a most enjoyable evening, and, at the end of the show, as I was finishing off a decent pint and looking around, everybody's eyes seemed to be still transfixed and enchanted, and the place was truly buzzing.

Nightmare Air Live at Warsaw Progresja 25th November 2018

Really glad I managed to get up to the Progresja in time to catch Nightmare Air opening for Gary Numan last night. The band whipped up a good atmosphere with '18 Days' and 'Icy Daggers' being the two standout tracks for me.

Getting to see quite a few, really good opening acts these days.

A Weird Picture

A weird picture taken of my old friend, Phil, on the left, and me on the right.

Kotek's Love of Boxes

A further two shots showing Kotek's love of boxes:

Warsaw Riverside: Passing Syrenka, the City's Mermaid

Another highlight from my long walk alongside the river Vistula in Warsaw: passing a statue of Syrenka, the city's mermaid symbol.

Legend has it that at some point in the distant past, the mermaid decided to stay in Warsaw after stopping on a riverbank near the Old Town.

It is also said that a rich merchant trapped and imprisoned the mermaid, but upon hearing her cries, some local fishermen, who had already fallen in love with her, rescued her, and in return, armed with a shield and sword, the mermaid has promised to help and protect Warsaw and its residents forevermore.

Árstíðir Live at Warsaw Progresja 21st November 2018

It was an honour and massive pleasure to see Árstíðir again last night (last saw them at the previous Klub Progresja up in Stary Bemova with Pain of Salvation about eight years ago).
 

Thought that the tunes from the new album 'Nivalis' worked really well last night, while an older song like 'Ljóð í sand' was always going to be my favourite tune of the night.

Anthropologically, I found the end of the Árstíðir set interesting (perhaps a bit strange), as the band left the stage, with an appreciative crowd still in place expecting an encore. However, when the band returned shortly afterwards, they started gathering their equipment with the crowd still not retreating to the bar (I'm pretty sure the band would've done an encore if allowed to do so, of course).

At times, it looked as if the band were being (possibly uncomfortably) rushed off stage, although this may've just been my imagination.

After Árstíðír, it was the turn of Sólstafir:

This was the third and probably best time I've seen Sólstafir (saw them at the Proxima in Warsaw a few years ago and at the Prog in the Park event in Warsaw last year).

Was also glad I managed to get up to the Progresja in time to catch Louise Lemon open up the evening's entertainment:

Warsaw Riverside: Approaching the Spider's Web Bridge

In the background, you can see the bridge that I call the spider's web bridge.

Think that this bridge shows that (post-) modern buildings don't have to always be ugly.

Warsaw Riverside: Passing the Concrete Fish

Passed these concrete fish, in some kind of children's sandpit, I think, during my five or six-hour walk alongside the river Vistula the other month.

Warsaw Riverside: Passing the Drinking Spout

Wasn't sure whether to grab a drink of water here or not, the drinking spout near Warsaw University Library, not far from the river Vistula.

Public Service Broadcasting Live at Warsaw Klub Hybrydy 15th November 2018

Throughly enjoyed Public Service Broadcasting when I saw them at Warsaw Hydrozagadka last year, and it was the same case when I saw them at Warsaw Hybrydy on Thursday night.

Of course, crowd favourites like 'Spitfire' and 'Go!' went down a treat.

And, for me, the wonderful audio-visual combination was incredible during the final encore, 'Everest':

But my favourite tunes of the night were 'Korolev' and 'Gagarin' (currently find myself on the Internet finding out more information about Sergei Korolev, the mysterious, Soviet space technology designer from the 1950s and 1960s).

The Breeders Live at Warsaw Klub Niebo 13th November 2018

Finally got to see The Breeders live last night. For one reason or another, The Breeders had always eluded me over the years (did see The Pixies at Glastonbury in the late 1980s and at Manchester G-Mex in the early 1990s).

Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed The Breeders' set at the Klub Niebo last night with great old tunes ('Saints'; 'Divine Hammer'; 'Safari'; 'Cannonball' etc.) and interesting new tunes, especially 'Dawn: Making an Effort' (think this is a beautiful song):

Spent the first half of the gig just behind the mixing desk.

 

And later on, retreated to the back to have a couple of beers.

Warsaw Riverside: Passing a Mural Wall

Saw this mural wall while walking alongside the river Vistula:

Despite it not really being my kind of art, I found the mural wall's wide range of colour interesting.

Warsaw: Passing Poniatowski Bridge

Another highlight from my walk alongside the river Vistula in Warsaw, passing the Poniatowski Bridge which leads down to the National Football Stadium:

Have just read that the Poniatowski Bridge was built in the early 20th century and needed to be rebuilt after both World Wars.

Really like the small towers which are a major feature of the bridge:

Wimborne: Wooden House

Passed this interesting-looking wooden house while on the way to the Wimborne Folk Festival campsite this summer.

Warsaw: The National Football Stadium from across the River

Had always wanted to get shots of the National Football Stadium from across the river Vistula on a clear sunny day, and finally managed to do this:

Also found this underside of this bridge over the Vistula photogenic:

Really enjoyed my walk alongside the river Vistula a few weeks ago.

Anna Calvi Live at Warsaw Klub Niebo 7th November 2018

Seems to be good/interesting concerts around every corner in Warsaw at the moment. 

Really enjoyed Anna Calvi's wonderful mix of upbeat and subtle/soundscape-type tunes on Wednesday night.

Found it really relaxing listening to beautiful tunes like 'Hunter'; 'Away'; 'Swimming Pool'; and 'Desire' while having a few pints at the bar:

Had to get the shot below after the concert, it almost makes the Klub Niebo look like a church or temple:

Warsaw: The Bridge Where We Head East

When I came across this bridge during my recent riverside walk, I recognised it as the one that we usually cross on the way out of Warsaw when heading towards eastern Poland.

Really like the bendy-type shape of this bridge.
 

Below, I could see the bridge from the grounds of the Copernicus Science Centre: