Varsity Football at Craven Cottage

Mother's Day is always a tricky one, especially as I live so far away from my mum. I agreed with her that we'd postpone Mother's Day by a week, as she and Graham were going to visit us in London, and I planned to take her out for a nice lunch at a pub. However, looking on the Fulham FC website I soon discovered that on the Sunday I'd planned to take her for lunch, it was the Boat Race. And, even better, Fulham were letting you watch it from Craven Cottage.

It was almost too good to be true, but it got better. Preceding the Boat Race we got to watch the Varsity football match as well! All for a tenner! Get in! Sadly, Cambridge lost the Boat Race...but at least we won Goldie/Isis and beat Oxford 1-0 in the footie. So, two out of three isn't bad.

Goldie Lookin' Chain

It feels like we've seen GLC loads, but we've only actually seen the last half of their set at Glasto last year and their album-launch gig at the Scala. However, this wasn't going to stop us going along to see them at the Astoria, especially as a big group of us went along. Alice and I even donned our leisurewear for the event. To be honest, the support acts were a bit shocking until the Infadels came on, who were astounding. Buy their album. It Is Good.

GLC were good too, but I'd had a bit too much Red Stripe by this point and so just danced like an idiot.

Tintin

I've never read Tintin, but Alice is an enormous fan. It was with a feeling of slight trepidation that I went her and her family to see the Young Vic's adaptation of Tintin in Tibet at the Barbican as part of their Christmas season for children. But there was no need for any self-consciousness. The show was fantastic. While it's hard not to compare any future Christmas show with the National's knock-out production of His Dark Materials, Tintin really held its own. Superb.

Lee Evans

I've never really watched Lee Evans, other than on compilation shows. He's always fascinated me, and having seen him in The Producers playing Leo Bloom I became a firm fan. Our good friend Roz had been given a pair of tickets to see Lee Evans' new show at Wembley, and I happily joined her. I must admit that I was rather surprised. His comedy wasn't as slapstick as I first thought, and some of the subject matter just wasn't my thing...but other bits were fantastic. All in all, it was a bit hit-and-miss, but certainly a great night out with brilliant company - Roz is awesome!

OFI Sunday

I had been a big fan of TFI Friday in the 90s and so was really excited to see Chris Evans' new show. Although considerably different (both in terms of content and, to be honest, entertainment value) OFI was still good fun and worth the trip. It was even more worthwhile when a few free beers were thrown into the mix along with everyoen in the audience winning a pair of "diet boots" in "Mine or Not Mine".

Jammin' New Year's Eve Special

Jammin' is a show we tune into now-and-again during Saturday lunchtimes and have always enjoyed. Therefore - despite it being on a school night - I thought a recording of the New Year's Eve special would be brilliant fun. And it was. Rowland Rivron and his band were excellent, and were complimented by Mark King of Level 42 on bass and Ade Edmonson. The great thing with radio recordings, as well, is that they're easy to mill around at the end...hence the autographs obscuring the ticket details.  Alice also managed to get Ade Edmonson to sign her Young Ones annual :)

Just a Minute

I'd been trying to get tickets to Just a Minute for ages, and so when a last-minute show was announced on BBC website I was quick to snap up tickets for Alice and her parents. The panellists were excellent and Nicholas Parsons was, as ever, on top form.