Tulips from Amsterdam - Saturday

The next morning, I was hungover. Sammy went out for a coffee and some breakfast and I got out of bed gingerly and showered. Then Sammy got back and showered herself and we hit Amsterdam. First, we went into a piercing/tattoo parlour where Sammy and I looked at belly bars and what not. I decided that I wanted to have my tragus pierced and I wanted it done there. First though we walked down to Central Station.

On our way there, we met some punks. One of them had an Anti Nowhere League t-shirt on and I complimented him on it. He returned the compliment about my Goldblade t-shirt and told me they were playing that night. I decided I would love to see Goldblade play and Sammy was fine with the idea because it was my treat after all.

First we went to the Sex Museum. I had wanted to do 2 things in Amsterdam. Smoke some dope and see a sex show. Sammy didn't fancy the sex show but she was kind enough to let me visit the museum instead. It was a strange collection of erotic, disturbing and sometime hilarious exhibits. Sammy took my photo outside it after we had been round. It had been an eye opener for me.



We then went to an Internet Cafe to look for Clog shops and I checked out exactly when Goldblade would be playing and where. I noticed that the Anti Nowhere League were playing straight after and I suggested we see both bands and then leave.

I then went back to the piercing shop to have my tragus pierced and Sammy went to look for clogs. The piercing was an interesting experience. It took about half a second and no anaesthetic was used. It didn't start to hurt straight away and when it did, I was sat in a coffee shop drinking smoothies and using a good analgesic for the pain (the analgesic also reduced my ability to text my sister with any speed but, then again, it reduced my ability to care about it.) Here's a picture of the coffee shop.


Sammy joined me some time later - at least 2 smoothies later. I finished off my drink and analgesic and while I was doing this, she went to a noodle place for her tea. I joined her there and sat down to eat my noodles.

We then started off in the direction of the Melkweg to go to see Goldblade, who were to start their set in about an hour's time. We stopped off at a bar to have a beer on the way and I watched Chelsea win the FA Cup on the television there.

After that, there was no stopping me and as we drew near, my heart was gladdened by the sight of punks and skinheads. We went and got our wristbands and went in. We went into the Old Room first and saw the last couple of songs of (I presume) Church of Confidence (I have since checked the running order – I had no idea who they were at the time).

We then went into the Max Room and I went straight to the front so I could get liberally showered with John Robb's sweat (it has magical properties, I can assure you). Their first song is arguably my favourite - "Fighting in the Dancehall, F***ing in the Street" and I screamed along at the top of my voice, pointed vigorously at the band and jumped up and down and generally danced like a loon.

Part way through the set, I turned round and saw my great friend Anna. She loves Goldblade and so do I. We gave each other a big hug and then set to the serious business of dancing to them. Various people had got up on stage and John, as he invariably does, invited some more girls onto the stage. Anna got up. I thought about it for all of 3 seconds and decided, what the hell. I may not have been a girl for about 30 years but I'm still female. I got a leg up from a couple of gentlemen just in front of the stage and there I was. On stage with one of my favourite bands. Wow!!!! At one point, the audience was lit up and I saw Sammy waving at me with a huge grin on her face. Here is a picture of my view from the back of the stage. Not very good but I'm not a particularly good photographer at the best of times...



That's John Robb's naked, sweaty back there so don't get too excited, ladies! Well, the rest of the set passed in a haze of exhilaration and complete star-struckness. After they had finished and I had had my big sweaty hug off John Robb (I'll never wash my t-shirt again!), I got down off the stage and found Sammy. We went out for a breath of fresh air and then back in to see the Anti Nowhere League.

As we were going back into the Max Room, I saw Charlie Harper. I did what any sensible woman would do and tried to persuade Sammy to have her photo taken with him (he's always there in the crowd at these dos). She was too shy though so I had to do the necessary! As you can see, the alcohol I had so far consumed plus the analgesic I had purchased at the coffee bar had had a bit of an effect on me. Charlie looks suitably embarrassed. I think I look a complete loon.



Then back in for Anti Nowhere League's set. The crowd were a little rough for my liking but I got right up against the stage and took the buffeting from drunken punks with particularly bad grace. Especially when one gave me whiplash (ouch!). There was a young Russian guy called Pavel in the crowd and he got up on stage with Animal. I took his picture and I've now e-mailed them to him. I think that really made his weekend.


When the band had finished, Pavel and I swapped e-mail addresses so I could send him the photos I had taken of him and Animal. Sammy and I then went off to the Red Light district. After walking through it and me marvelling at the girls in the shop windows, we saw a coffee shop and we went in for a drink and some more analgesic for me.

I think I finally managed to have one analgesic too many and Sammy had to get me back to the hotel after that. I can remember feeling completely dissociated from what was going on around me but finding the experience completely fascinating (although I would have preferred to have been able to shift for myself better). Sammy got me back successfully and I slept like a baby.

To be continued again...