Weedpecker (and Blindead) Live at Warsaw Progresja 2nd November 2018

Had seen Weedpecker opening for Dead Meadow at Warsaw Hydrozagadka about three years ago, so I knew they were well worth catching before Blindead at Warsaw Progresja last Friday night.

Thankfully, despite having a tiring day (I'm nearly 53 now), I managed to get up to the Progresja just before Weedpecker came on stage. Really like their psychaedelic/stoner kind of thing, have had 'Reality Fades', my favourite tune by the band, ringing in my head for some time now.

At the 2017 Prog in the Park, I was blown away by Blindead, for me, they were the band of the day (this is saying something considering that the line-up included Opeth; Riverside and Solstafir). Hence, on the back of this, I decided to see Blindead at the Progresja last Friday:

My big mistake was not familiarising myself enough with the band's 'Autoscopia' album before the Progresja gig despite knowing that the band were going to play the whole of the album. In this context, I found the Blindead set interesting but a bit too heavy and loud at times (i.e. at one point, I found myself with about 20 others watching the gig from the hallway just before you go in the concert hall at the Progresja).

 

Think that the recent Blindead album 'Ascension' is one of the best albums I've heard by anybody over the past 10 years.

Warsaw: The Canoe Fisherman

Thought that this scene on the river Vistula in Warsaw was a great juxtaposition of three things: the National Football Stadium in the background; the wonderful bridge at the side; and of course, the devoted canoe fisherman.

Know quite a few people who enjoy fishing, especially for pike, on the river Vistula.

Warsaw: The Happy Toilet Lid

Encountered the smiling toilet lid above on my recent walk alongside the river Vistula in Warsaw.

The chemical toilets below were in remarkably good condition (non-vandalised):

Diamond Head Live at Warsaw Hydrozagadka 3rd November 2018

Massive hats off to Diamond Head, absolutely loved this gig. Mainly went to see them for nostalgia, as I was a teenage schoolboy in Britain in the late 1970s/early 1980s when the NWOBHM thing took off.

Thought that the Diamond Head set last night was fantastic with all the great old tunes ('Borrowed Time'; 'Call Me'; 'In the Heat of the Night'; 'It's Electric' etc.) and interesting tunes from the band's most recent album (really like 'Diamonds' off this).

Had almost forgotten what a truly good, melodic band Diamond Head were back in the day (and still are now in their present incarnation).

Was also nice to see the band get a great reception from a warm, enthusiastic crowd. Think the band really buzzed off this.

Warsaw: Trains Crossing the River

Was approaching the National Football Stadium (on the other side of the river), when I managed to get these shots of trains crossing the river Vistula:

Warsaw: Passing the Copernicus Science Centre

In Warsaw, everybody seems to rave about the Copernicus Science Centre, and during my recent riverside walk, this was my first glimpse of it.

Think I'll come down another time to take a look inside it.

Passing through Higher Bockhampton Again

A quick shot of a goat farm which I saw while passing through Higher Bockhampton (the village where Thomas Hardy was born, of course).

While in Higher Bockhampton again, I was always going to take more shots of the cottage where Hardy was born:

And to go through Snail Creep (of 'Under the Greenwood Tree' significance) on the way to Waterston Manor (the model for Bathsheba Everdene's farm in 'Far from the Madding Crowd'):