Berbatov deal close as Spurs splash the cash?

It looks that way to me.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/31/tottenhamhotspur.blackburn
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1060567_united_set_for_berba_swoop

Eagles finally leaves United, a shame really. I saw him in the youth team and he looked a real prospect on the right hand side. But he has never really filled out and unfortnately gets brushed off the ball far too easily. He has a decent amount of skill and vision but i 'm not too sure if he is physically up to premier league standards. Maybe if he had gone on loan again last season he would have had an offer by a bigger club than Burnley. But even though he was one of the few players to shine at times for the reserves last season, the standard of football was so poor that it tells you nothing about how good a player may be at the real professional level.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article4424962.ece

Will the truth dawn on City fans that Thaksin is not the real deal now
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/exthai-pm-thaksins-wife-guilty-of-tax-fraud-881797.html
Not a massive surprise really.

With the furore over utility prices and especially the massive gas prices announced yesterday Brian Wilson, not a politician i was particularly enamoured off writes a sensible article arguing that a tax windfall is not the answer but a fundamental rethink of how our utilities are goverened is. The free market fails again.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/31/gas.energy

Steve richards in the independent on Miliband and Brown's team's lack of political political nous.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-miliband-may-well-have-sealed-browns-fate-881262.html

Keano in for Saha

I can't belive he is going to offer £10 million for balsa wood man.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/2464607/Manchester-United-set-to-sell-Louis-Saha-to-Sunderland.html
There is interest from across the channel as well apparently
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/07/28/man-united-keen-to-sell-louis-saha-to-raise-funds-115875-20674449/

Berbatov the object of a game of bluff according to the Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/tottenham/2463795/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-in-no-hurry-for-Spurs-Dimitar-Berbatov-to-move-to-United.html
That sounds plausible, my gut feeling is he will be wearing a red shirt come the beginning of the season. The Evening news have a different slant on the story
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1060048_reds_go_cool_on_berbatov

I saw last nights game against Pompey and it was an improvement on the only other game i saw last saturday. The standout performer seems to have been Tevez, he seems to be really buzzing, it was a great goal last night as well. Johnny Evans looks to have come along nicely, i just hope he gets enough football to continue his improvement this season.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/28/manchesterunited.portsmouth

Bombs go off in Turkey
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4419037.ece

£32 million for Tevez

He is a good player, but he isn't worth that amount. I thought he was going to cost around £20 million and i wasn't sure he was really worth that, so i don't know where £32 million has suddenly appeared from.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/26/manchesterunited.premierleague

Gill bigs up his paymasters the odious Glazers
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/glazers-content-with-ronaldo-decision-877341.html

Ferguson to help choose successor according to reports. I should think so is the obvious response to this news
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article4393552.ece


Iain Macwhirter on a disastrous week for Gordon brown but more importantly for the labour party.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/25/glasgoweast.gordonbrown
This makes the lib dems decision to veer to the right very strange to me. For all the seats they miay lose to the tories in the south they must have a great chance of picking up at least an equivalent amount of seats from labour in the north. And with labour rudderless and not appearing to stand for anything at the moment. There must be some kind of long term chance to replace labour as the party of the left. Instead they have tagged to the right to save a few seats from the tories in the south, it seems unbelievably shortsighted to me. So far Nick Clegg has proved to be as bland and visionless as he looked like he was going to be in the leadership contest. As for labout they have to go back to being a social democratic party surely, the uber Blairites must be defeated and ultimately they will join the party where they belong the Tory party. And they must embrace electoral reform at last, just think if they had brought this in in time for the next election. We wouldn't be talking about Tory landslides would we.

I don't think changing leaders will do much for their prospects but it may be on the cards
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/now-cabinet-turns-on-wounded-brown-877788.html

Steve Richards on the problems the labour party face
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-a-change-of-leader-wont-save-labour-877811.html

Nuclear power is the future according to the government, would you want to live near a nuclear plant. I wouldn't
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/25/nuclear.industry.france

Khaled Diab argues that we have to change our ways as it isn't just oil that is going to run out as the planets resources are being steadily eaten up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/25/climatechange.fossilfuels

BP are in trouble trying to deal with a corrupt Russian state.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article4393507.ece

An interview with Robert De Niro that tells us he is going to work with Scorsese again. Something to look forward to.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/robert-de-niro-you-talkin-to-me-oh-ok-then-876213.html

2 more seasons for the Scholes appreciation society

Well at United anyway, we will miss him when he finishes. As much as i like Anderson i don't really think he is a replacement for Scholes. Mind you i think when we saw Keano replace Robson we thought you would always have to have that box to box type midfielder, but the last two seasons have proved you don't i suppose. Nevertheless it would be beautiful to have another Scholes type player at old trafford. Carrick has done well over the past two seasons, but he will never quite fill the ginger princes boots.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article4386955.ece
The fact that he was a level headed normal human being not an overpaid prima donna was refreshing but it is what he does on the pitch that we will miss.

Fergie reckons Rio is the best defender in Europe at the moment
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1059608_fergie_rios_the_best_
There isn't anybody better that's for sure.

Brandy talks to the official site about his upcoming year loan at Swansea
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6614529

More bad news for the economy, as consumers slam the brakes on
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/consumer-spending-suffers-biggest-slump-875996.html

Maybe i was a bit harsh on Tsvangirai as the Zimbabwean economy starts to make German inter war inflation look moderate
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/23/zimbabwe

Music downloaders to be taxed according to the independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/music-industry-to-tax-downloaders-875757.html
This is Billy Braggs sensible take on the proposals

War of words with Levy

It's all a bit bizarre, especially as Spurs are seemingly resigned to losing Berbatov.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/spurs-put-pressure-on-ferguson-to-pay-up-872852.html

One friendly into the pre season and Rooney is already getting a bit of stick in the press.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/21/sfnroo121.xml
He wasn't great but who was, it's only a friendly to help regain some fitness, as long as he looks the business on the 17th it doesn't really matter does it. Frazier Campbell looked pretty sharp when he came on, but will he be up to it in the premiership, will he even be given a chance.

More Ronaldo transfer talk
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/ferguson-says-ronaldo-move-a-mistake-873564.html

Trevor Brooking on the problems with youth football in England
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7516334.stm

Zimbabwe is to have power sharing talks
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/21/zimbabwe
Strange timing, it would seem Tsvangirai has caved in, or maybe there is more nuance in the situation.

What is the point of the labour party?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jul/21/drugspolicy.jamespurnell

The Wire overlooked for TV awards
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/tv/2008/07/the_wire_too_black_too_strong.html
I haven't watched this but i read only good things about it, i will have watch it at some stage.

Dilip Hiro on Bush, Iran and the price of oil
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/21/iran.usa

make or break time for United's youngsters

well some of them anyway
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more/2008/07/16/share-dryer-89520-20645370/
I would like to see Johnny Evans and Frazier Campbell given a chance in the first team squad, i'm not sure that Campbell is good enough but i think he is good enough to be given a chance. Welbeck, Brandy and Cathcart could probably do with going out on loan and getting some vital experience hopefully with a decent side. I can't say that there is aybody else with a chance at United amongst the youngsters at the moment. Last season was the poorest for quite some time in the junior ranks, not because of the results but the performance levels. I saw some really poor games on MUTV i'm afraid last season.

So lets hope the new man in charge proves as big a hit with the youngsters as he did with us fans. An interview on United's official site with the legend himself.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6613875

The pursuit for Berbatov looks set to drag out
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/16/premierleague.tottenhamhotspur

Well he was never going to city was he,
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/ronaldinho-arrives-to-milan-fanfare-869498.html
To be honest i can't laugh too much at the news because i think he would have been a terrible signing for them, so they have got out of jail as far as i'm concerned.

Jim White's take on the signing that never was
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/16/sfnjim116.xml

The US economy is entering worrying times according to Gerard Baker
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4340443.ece

How do the allies win in Afghanistan asks Robert Fox
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/16/military.afghanistan

Belguim in a state of flux again?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/16/eu

Cricket authorities go well and truly twenty20 mad as in a couple of years time we are to have 2 twenty20 competitionas a season and the 40 over format will get the axe.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/english-twenty20-plans-announced-869372.html
I have written before that i am not mad on the 20 over form of the game, but this really takes the biscuit. Two competitions is surely overkill. It looks like cricket is going the way of football, chasing the money at the expense of the spectators. One longer twenty20 competition was justifiable but having 2 is just too much. I have said before that i think this is suited more to TV cameras than spectators. I know that it has proved very popular, but when it has done it over a number of years the current proposals may be justifiable. I don't think any serious cricket fan is really too keen on this type of cricket. So if twenty20 cricket turns out to be just a fad , a lot of serious cricket fans will have been alienated.

Music

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes: A cracking album, i wasn't sure which i preffered this or Bon Iver so i listened to them one after the other and they are both superb. Americana, folk are amongst the genres they have been bundled in with but for me they are just a very good pop group with eclectic tastes.
Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair: A disco house album, very disco. It's pretty good with a couple of stand out tracks such as blind, raise me up and athene. A real get up on the dancefloor album.
Isobel Campbell and Marl Lanegan - Sunday at dirt devil: The second album involving Marl Lanegan i have listened to recently and once again it's a top listen. If you liked the last album they made together Milk White Sheets then you will like this because it's more of the same, maybe a bit bluesier in places than the mainly folk of the first.
Jim Noir - Jim Noir: The difficult second album, not a bit of it, the man from Davyhulme has made another great slice of Psychedelic pop. I can't see too many tracks being used for adverts this time, All Right sounded pretty reminiscent of the Super Furries, no bad thing
Nick Cave and the bad seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! : Absolutely magnificent, I loved his solo effort Grinderman and this may be even better. I saw them on a BBC4 special recently and they were superb, i have definitely been missing out on them. I am aware that they haven't always played stuff as mean as dirty as this though.
Santogold - Santagold:I don't know how you would categorise this, electro rock or pop maybe but it's pretty good. Bits of it sound pretty 90's ish to me but in a good way.

Gary Neville fit and raring to go

we hope as he gets 45 imutes in during the 2-0 victory at Pittodrie
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/14/manchesterunited.aberdeen
It will be interesting to see whether he still has the pace and stamina that he possessed before his injury problems over the last couple of seasons. If Neville had been at right back for most of last season i am absolutely certain we would have got more points in the league and would have scored even more goals with him overlapping on the right. But it has got to be said it will be a big ask to expect him to be able to recapture that form at his age and with hardly any proper football over the last 18 months. You only have to look at what happened to Ole, ok his was a more serious injury, but it isn't what you need at this stage of your career. Needless to say if he does carry on where he left off that would be a massive bonus for the club. With Wes Brown's performances last season, i think we can be fairly certain Gary Neville will be used sparingly rather as Giggs has, so that will help.

United are in for Berbatov according to virtually all the papers, and most seem to think we are likely to get him for around £25 to £30 million when Spurs can find a replacement.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/agent-certain-of-uniteds-move-to-recruit-berbatov-866925.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1034857/United-agree-28m-fee-Tottenham-Berbatov--Spurs-wait-Arshavin-decision-White-Hart-Lane-switch.html
I am not sure about him to be honest, he is a very good player, there is no doubt abou that, but you have to question his commitment. There have been times when he has been absolutely top class for Tottenham but there have been too many times for my liking when he has looked like he couldn't be bothered. If we do get him i don't want to see him spitting the dummy out as we saw last season. Of course he will be playing with a lot better players so there should be less chance of his tantrums. Then again i wasn't sure about Tevez last season so here's hoping i am totally wrong again.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1034846/Moody-Berba-fit-nicely-Old-Trafford-sulking-culture--long-Fergies-patience-snaps.html

The real price of oil by Johann Hari
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-our-cry-for-cheap-oil-is-crude-and-deadly-866899.html

We are in a recession already argues Ashley Seager
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/14/economics.creditcrunch

Charlie Brooker on good form in the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/14/september11.usa
I am the type of person who is inherently suspicious of governments trying to gather ever more power to the centre as the present lot are, but i haven't got any time for these conspiracy nuts.

Government bailout of reckless financial institutions questioned
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/14/stockmarkets.useconomy

NME's review of the Radiohead gig at lancashire
http://www.nme.com/reviews/radiohead/9799
I would go along with that, the songs of in rainbows were the standout for me as well.

Richard Herring in the new statesman on a comedy gig with a difference
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/richard-herring/2008/06/equal-rights-sign-audience
Bring back Lee and Herring's fist of fun, that was a corker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_and_Herring

2-0 in first friendly

As United beat Aberdeeen in the game to commemorate Aberdeen's 83 cup winners cup triumph
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/rooney-at-the-double-as-united-hit-stride-866433.html

Fergie in no rush to pick a succesor to replace Carlos Quieroz
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7503710.stm

Ferguson sorry to lose right hand man Quieroz, but Duncan White argues that long term it is no disaster for United fans as he has never proved that he could manage. And if he had stayed he would probably have been first choice.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/13/sfnman113.xml

Hugh Mcllvaney joins in the Blatter, Ronaldo football slavery debate
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/hugh_mcilvanney/article4322627.ece

Platini is aiming to shake the European youth system to stop the top clubs hoovering up all the best talent.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/13/sfnlaw113.xml

Economic woes in the US continue to go from bad to worse as the 2 biggest mortgage companies hover on the brink of going bust.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/13/subprimecrisis.usa
Jeremy Warner wonders how much worse things can get.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warner/jeremy-warners-outlook-calamity-as-distressed-us-mortgage-companies-head-for-the-buffers-865925.html
William Keegan says Brown has a plan, a strange choice of words for a market fundamentalist.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/13/economics.economicgrowth

John Harris wonders what is the point of new labour
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/10/labour.policy
not a lot in the current climate.

Thaksin goes on tial

Bite your nails time City fans because the Thai establishment really don't like Dr death
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7494664.stm

Daniel Taylor asks how Fergie will cope without Quieroz who most observers agree has been a whole lot more than his number 2.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/07/08/how_will_ferguson_manage_witho.html
and the independent and telegraph ponders who United will choose next
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/queiroz-in-demand-after-united-triumphs-861958.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/08/sfnman108.xml

Ronaldo has successful operation in Amsterdam
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jul/07/manchesterunited.ronaldo

Salford await the super league fanchise decision on the 22nd july to decide the 14 clubs to play in super league next season.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/rugby_league/s/1057240_salford_eye_super_league_prize?rss=yes

The independent reports on the tense sitution the country is facing as the secular establishment and the islamist opposition square up to each other.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-big-question-why-is-tension-rising-in-turkey-and-is-the-country-turning-islamist-862010.html

Recession seems to be loomimg larger as the economic news goes from bad to worse.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/another-day-another-blizzard-of-bad-economic-news-862694.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/08/marketturmoil.creditcrunch1
Meanwhile Vince Cable shows maybe the Liberal party of Lloyd George and Keynes is still alive and kicking.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/08/housingmarket.houseprices

More bad news for Brown as a £7.5 billion hole in the countries finances is reported by the NIESR, read on to find out who that is
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brown-faces-a-pound75bn-black-hole-862044.html

Ex head of MI5 slams 42 day detension
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/2269755/Eliza-Manningham-Buller%2C-former-MI5-chief%2C-savages-42-day-plan.html

Quieroz on his way

So it seems, with just haggling over compensation between United and the Portuguese FA left to complete
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/07/ufnqueiroz107.xml McClair and Martinez of Swansea are early candidates to replace him according to teports
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1057153_swans_dismiss_martinez_talk

Ronaldo has his operation and will probably miss the start of the season, wherever that is.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ronaldo-blow-for-united-861777.html

Calderon just can't stop himself, as 24 hours after saying he thought Ronaldo would be staying at United he stirs the pot again.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1057002_calderon_reds_should_let_ron_go?rss=yes

I wanted Nadal to win the tennis yesterday, but i have to admit when he let slip a 2 set lead i wondered whether he would blow it in that final set. But he was the one that seemed most likely to win it to me in what was a memorable final set from a magnificent sporting contest. His speed around the court is absolutely phenomenal, that's two great finals in two years.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/unrelenting-nadal-dethrones-federer-in-centre-court-classic-861338.html


Larry Elliot on Brown's ongoing enthusiasm for the free market
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/07/g8.economics

Changing times for Surburbia, especially in the States and Australia
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/06/travelandtransport.usa
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/07/motoring.transport

As Obama flip flops to the centre, McCain veers to the right argues Michael Tomasky in the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/07/johnmccain.uselections2008

Ronaldo to miss start of season

as United's medical staff decide his ankle needs operating on.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/05/sfnman105.xml

Ronaldo is up to his old tricks, getting another member of his family to speak to the press this time saying he wants to stay at United. Trying to keep his options open as it looks like his dream move is doomed to failiure. Not very edifying really.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/05/sfnman105.xml

Real Madrid's allies in the media still playing games
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/05/ufnmanutd105.xml

Abramovitch admits to shady financial dealings in amassing his fortune according to Berezovsky court case papers.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4272509.ece
The murky world of post communist Russia revealed

The obituary of Charles Wheeler in the Independent, i saw the documentary that followed his life a couple of years ago, and it was excellent. He came across as a decent man with a nose for bullshit.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/sir-charles-wheeler-distinguished-foreign-correspondent-who-exemplified-the-best-in-bbc-reporting-for-more-than-60-years-860524.html

Tristram Hunt on new liberalism, sweden and the lack of social democracy in this country.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/05/9

Polly Toynbee argues that higher education levels don't affect social mobility overall.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/05/education.communities

Fergie happy with squad and expects improvement

Fergie puts his faith in last years squad and expects Ronaldo to stay and to get even better.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/01/sfnman101.xml
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1056110_fergie_backs_reds_old_guard
I hope i am wrong but i can't have the same faith in Gary Neville recapturing the form of old after his injury nightmare of the last couple of seasons. It will be interesting to see who we buy, if anybody at all that is, as all the players we have been linked with don't seem to fit in with the attributes hinted at in the interview.

Henry Winter on why Enland were not missed at the 2008 European championships
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/01/sfnwin101.xml
I am glad we missed out on the endless hype and bullshit myself.

Amsterdam seems to want to get rid of it's coffee shops, every year they bring a new law out that makes it harder and harder for them to operate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/01/eu.smoking

Dominic Lawson on Obama frantically veering towards the centre ground now the nomination is wrapped up. The only problem with this interpretation is he was hardly that much of a radical. Anybody that is bitterly dissapointed by any of his recent manoueverings must have been living in cloud cuckoo land anyway.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-meet-the-new-obama-master-of-the-uturn-857672.html

Jeremy Warner on the problems in the housing market and the lack of thinking out of the box.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warner/jeremy-warners-outlook-dealing-with-britains-beleaguered-housing-market-may-call-for-some-radical-solutions-857745.html

A review of Radiohead's sunday gig at Lancy cricket ground.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/live_reviews/s/1055990_radiohead__lccc
I had read a review of one of the London gigs, the reviewer had thought they were great but that the absence of the the OK computer and The Bends favourites had not gone down that well with the crowd. Whilst i love those two albums, i also love Kid A, Amesiac and hail to the thief as well as the last in rainbows. It's a fantastic set of albums really, a bit like Led Zeppelin to Oasis's Status Quo, so i suppose i couldn't lose. They are an absolutely blinding live goup, tunes that you think wouldn't make the transition from studio to live as well as the more obvious ones often end up as being amongst the most memorable. The review and the comments makes a good point though, there were a fair few just stood around not really listening and not really looking into it at all. That completely loses me, it baffles me how you can think they aren't absolutely brilliant if you like rock music. But you must have listened to an album or two surely if you are going to lay out £50 to watch a gig. I didn't see too much of the stage for the first third of the show, but it didn't matter that much as the music was so immense.
MGMT were pretty good, but i thought Bats for lashes was really excellent although the lack of crowd response was a shame. £50 is too much for a gig, but Radiohead are one of the groups who i would willingly pay it to see, thats when i have got £50.