Radiohead Concert

While in Dublin this past weekend, we went to the much anticipated (at least by me) Radiohead concert.

Here's the group I went with walking through the streets of Dublin trying to find the train station.



Here's us just outside the venue chilling out before the concert.



In case some of you forgot what I look like.




We finally made it to the stage area.



Radiohead's new album is called In Rainbows. Thought the double rainbow was fitting.



Waiting in line for a burger.



We got rained on a bit, but hey, it's Ireland. Gotta have a good attitude about these sorts of things.



Overall, the concert was fantastic. It really felt like a slice of the ACL (the Austin City Limits Music festival for those of you who I haven't bored with the detail of that event). It seemed like it took a lot of effort to see one band (albeit a really really great band). We traveled a few hours and walked a fair bit to an open field to see music, just like ACL, except only one band. Dunno, just felt like something was missing. Or someone was missing.



Photo credit: Thanks to Anthony M. for the pics. I, again, left my camera in the car.

I'm going to take it easy this weekend before I do another charity cycle a week from Saturday.

Dublin

Spent this Friday and Saturday in Dublin for the Radiohead concert. The concert pics will be posted when I get them in.

Here are some pics from Dublin.

Trinity College in Dublin, opened in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. For a long time, only non-Catholics could go there. Not sure how I feel about that.








The Dublin Spire, officially called the Monument of Light. On this spot, there stood a Nelson's Column (much like the one in London), but it was destroyed by an IRA bomb in the 60's.



The River Liffey, separating the more working class Northside (Ronan's people) from the more posh Southsiders.

London (Part 2)

Here are some pics from my London trip last weekend.

When I got to London, I made my way over to my hostel.



I made it a point to travel light and fast. That packable maroon jacket, those shoes and my backpack are all I brought with me.



The hostel room didn't exactly have a view, but I left with all my organs, so I guess we'll call it even.



As big as London is, it's really easy to get around using the Underground.



My first day there was all about the Black Keys concert. Those pics are in the previous post.

The next day I made my way over to the British Museum. Probably the greatest collection of archaeological artifacts and antiquities in the world. I spent the entire day there.





As you enter the Museum, you find yourself in the Great Court. It is the center of the museum and all the galleries cirlcle it.







Here's some pics from the Egyptian wing.

An ancient sphinx.



They had loads of my mummies. Creepy.







The famous Rosetta stone. This tablet helped scholars to finally translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.



An ancient bust of Ptolemy I, a Macedonian general (buddies with Alexander the Great), who became ruler of Egypt.



An ancient water font.



They also had artifacts from the Americas.



This is a piece from Zimbabwe (if I recall correctly). When their civil war finished, they had loads of guns laying around. The new leader of that country suggested that they find other uses for them. This chair is made completely of gun parts.



Here are some pieces of Chinese porcelain from the Ming dynasty (Ming vases!)



At the end of that first day, I went over to the Royal Albert Hall for the Mark Knopfler concert (formerly of the Dire Straits). Unfortunately cameras were not allowed inside, but here are some shots from outside.



The Royal College of Music. This is where I would have gone if I had gone to school in London (if I had any talent).



The Royal Albert Hall from Hyde Park.



Spent the next day with Sean Hogan. Here he is holding up Big Ben.



Houses of Parliament.





Westminster Abbey.



Tasting some of the food at the Borough Market.



The Tower of London.



We took the Tower of London tour. Henry the VIII's suit of armor. He wasn't a small man.



Me and a guard at the Tower of London.



The Tower Bridge.





Trafalgar Square.



Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.



Admiralty Arch.



Admiralty Arch leads to the Mall, a grand street to Buckingham Palace (didn't make it there till later).

The National Portrait Gallery.



The next day I visited the Natural Science Museum. I wasn't as impressed with this museum as I was with the British Museum, but they had some cool stuff.

Dinosaur fossils.



A saber tooth cat.



Piccadilly Circus.





That Monday morning before I flew out, I went back to the Mall and followed it towards the palace.



I stopped by the Horse Guards.



Buckingham Palace.



A royal carriage. No one was inside.



I got to view the changing of the guard. The guys in white are guards from Malaysia. They were there as special guest guards for a few weeks.



Overall a great trip. I returned to Galway more tired than when I left. Thanks to Sean Hogan for letting me stay a couple of days at his apt.

Coming up next: Dublin and the Radiohead concert.