I was in Edinburgh once and I have to say it is my favorite city in the world. The city is dripping with gothic history in a way I’ve never experienced before. There were amazing Cathedrals and seedy bars. It really was everything I could ever want in a city. I was there in high school with a group of people including my first real girlfriend who had just broken up with me. I was destroyed. This city lent itself perfectly to my dismal mood and I would spend nights in a local bar sipping beers and smoking unbelievably strong cigarettes. I distanced myself from the group and found myself dining alone more often than not. One morning I got out early and found a small restaurant serving blood pudding. One of the best meals I’ve ever had. I spent the rest of the day exploring old monuments and crumbling castles. I stopped in a pub and ordered haggis and a Rum and Coke. The bartender asked if I wanted light or dark rum. (that alone should make this the best city in the world) It was such a melancholy place and it suited me perfectly. I hope I get back there one day.
So why am I thinking about Edinburgh this morning?
Well I was listening to the new Frightened Rabbit record and realized that a record this good and depressing could only come from Scotland. Than I thought about Mogwai and The Twilight Sad and realized that these bands can bring me back to Edinburgh with great ease.
It made me smile.
Anyway, enough with the hooplah. On with the Friday theme. I believe we are on my seventh greatest show of all time………
7. Massive Attack (Electric Factory) 9/11/1998
I had just got to school and I had absolutely no friends so I spent a lot of time taking trains to the city to check out shows. I saw Less Than Jake, Jurassic 5, Pearl Jam, Mustard Plug, Digger and MU330 during this crazy time. I flew solo to pretty much all of these shows but it is Masssive Attack that sticks out. I fell in love with Mezzanine during the summer of ’97 and was dying to see them live. I took the train down from West Chester and got to the Electric Factory roughly 4 hours before the show started. I wondered around the city ingesting questionable things and eating even more questionable things. Finally 7 o’clock arrived and I got in. ( I should note that I hate the Elecric Factory. It is the worst venue in the city and should be avoided at all costs) The place looked amazing . There where curtains draped everywhere and the back half was roped off. I would say that only about 100 people showed up but that didn’t stop the rock. I was blown away with the opener (Angel) and it just picked up momentum from there. I remember feeling like I was on hard drugs (or at least harder ones than I currently was on). It was the first and only show that made me feel that good.
After the show I crashed at my friends apartment in South Philly and they all made fun of me for being so moved by a trip-hop show. Fun for all!
So why am I thinking about Edinburgh this morning?
Well I was listening to the new Frightened Rabbit record and realized that a record this good and depressing could only come from Scotland. Than I thought about Mogwai and The Twilight Sad and realized that these bands can bring me back to Edinburgh with great ease.
It made me smile.
Anyway, enough with the hooplah. On with the Friday theme. I believe we are on my seventh greatest show of all time………
7. Massive Attack (Electric Factory) 9/11/1998
I had just got to school and I had absolutely no friends so I spent a lot of time taking trains to the city to check out shows. I saw Less Than Jake, Jurassic 5, Pearl Jam, Mustard Plug, Digger and MU330 during this crazy time. I flew solo to pretty much all of these shows but it is Masssive Attack that sticks out. I fell in love with Mezzanine during the summer of ’97 and was dying to see them live. I took the train down from West Chester and got to the Electric Factory roughly 4 hours before the show started. I wondered around the city ingesting questionable things and eating even more questionable things. Finally 7 o’clock arrived and I got in. ( I should note that I hate the Elecric Factory. It is the worst venue in the city and should be avoided at all costs) The place looked amazing . There where curtains draped everywhere and the back half was roped off. I would say that only about 100 people showed up but that didn’t stop the rock. I was blown away with the opener (Angel) and it just picked up momentum from there. I remember feeling like I was on hard drugs (or at least harder ones than I currently was on). It was the first and only show that made me feel that good.
After the show I crashed at my friends apartment in South Philly and they all made fun of me for being so moved by a trip-hop show. Fun for all!
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