Living it large Beckham Style. 1st half.

In the full knowledge that this post may end up on another page (thanks Colm for the exposure) I would like to state that at first it felt a bit funny to be going to see David Beckham play a game over the weekend.
Beckham has arrived in the states with some small amount of hoopla and he alone has raised the profile of the smaller game in the greater scheme of sports in this part of the world. People have said that he could have come over in two years time for the same salary and whilst some will argue it was something of a mercenary decision to come for 1/2 million a week, I believe that he has come to promote the game to higher levels here in America. The level of the game here is no where near the level of a premiership game but given time and increased exposure to the game perhaps Beckhams mission will be sucessful in the end. It is a massive market in this country and if by his participation in the MLS (Major League Soccer) he can bring some greater attendances then the whole sport will benefit. When I previously stated that Beckham could inject 40,000 more people to the games, all the facts were not yet to hand. For the game over the weekend (Beckhams first full game for his new club) there was an attendance of 66,000 and I have since heard that usual attendance at a Red Bulls game is of the order of 10-12,000. This is an amazing figure, Beckham has drawn in reality 50,000 plus more people. Having attended the game over the weekend it is now believeable, everywhere I looked there were white Beckham number 23 shirts, everywhere!!!.
My first idea that the standard of football was a little lower was in eveidence that there were three goals in the first 8 minutes, Juan Pablo Angel scoring first for Rde Bull New York and Beckham powering back to assist for 2 more goals for the L.A. Galaxy, first from a corner and then from a free kick. Beckham's ability on the dead ball plain for all to see, this was a good game with 3 goals in the first ten minutes and the gae ebbed and flowed from end to end until near the half time whistle when a move on the left hand side of the area was building, a red bull player had the ball and Beckham alongside his defender went to close him down. An attempted cross hit Beckhams face and rebounded perfectly for the red bulls player, his cross cut out four defenders just marking space and came to Clint Mathis who volleyed a rocket of a shot into the corner and the teams settled for a 2-2 share of the game at half time.
Halftime and it was time to hit the little boys room and just walking through the back structure of the stand every club and country colour was represented, this was not truly a partisan attendance this was a celebration of the great game where everyone had come to see a good game and watch Beckham (myself included- an Arsenal supporter). Later that night we would see some guys topless with black on thier chests and he was saying something like "we all want to see this great game come back again" in a clear nod to the halcyen days in the 1970's. The evening had been a real electric atmosphere where knowledgeable soccer people came to congregate at the chapel of the sport. Coming in I was wearing my Ireland jersey (I had to represent!) and a steward said to me at the gate "Ireland". It felt good to be amongst my own people, people who love the game.

Never thought I would say this.

We are going to see David Beckham play on Saturday. As many of you may know Beckham is a big name soccer (football) player who has now moved to L.A. Galaxy, and on Saturday thay will play Red Bulls New York. We are going to the game at Giants Stadium. A game that is expected to draw over 60,000 to the game. For this game and with Beckham expected to play the attendance will have risen by 40,000. Such is the draw of Beckham that he is doubling attendances wherever he is playing. Beckham seems to be regaining his fitness and he scored from his first free kick not only of the night but the first of his career with his new club. Landon Donovan the present team captain has handed the captaincy to Beckham and also in the last game Donovan scored off an assist from Beckham.
So today we will go to the pool for a couple of hours and then come back and get prepared to go to the game leaving around 4pm. The game starts at 7.30 here and it would be good to get there early. Its a 90 minute journey to the stadium but its guaranteed to be busy....more news later.

Musikfest sneakpeak.

I bring you the sound of Cast In Bronze.

What a day, oh what a day.

After all of the debate about the terrorist threat we decided to leave for New York around 4pm. It was actually 3.45pm and it was a very pleasant drive into the city with Jills co-pilot skills at her highest. We had mapquest directions and it was plain sailing all the way to the Holland Tunnel. This is one of two major artery routes into New York and it actually goes under the water a 3 mile stretch of water. Jill has a fear of bridges and these tunnels and the recent tragic event regarding a bridge has heightened her fears. She was brave and we continued into Manhattan. The Fillmore Irving plaza was very close by, in factonly a matter of a few miles and we followed our directions and came across a street market, so we had to deviate from said directions. Eventually after some driving through pedestrian filled streets and asking directions we found our parking area which was promised on the Fillmore website to be discounted. In the end it turned out to be $8 dollars for around six hours, very reasonable. In the ideal un-terrorised world we would have come into New York and spent the whole day, but events in the previous post explained this was not possible.

We emerged from the parking out into the bustle of the city. I had a slight Ferris Bueller feeling after I left the car keys with the attendant, a man of asian decent. Anyway we walked around the block and found the Fillmore our venue where the Saw Doctors will be playing later that night. It seems a less than glamorous venue with scaffolding as a part of it complexion, however I know that most every act that is famous have played there at one point or another, in fact the Saw Doctors on their website tell an amazing story about leaving a message for U2 in the dressing room. Its time to grab something to eat and we walk around for a bit and find a vegan restaurant with an asian influence. Zen Palate is a casual-smart dining experience and without much fuss about where we are seated are taken to the edge of the restaurant nearby to the street and the bustle of the city in the weekend. The sun is strong on us but not oppressive. Jill orders Mango Halo, Tofu/Rice and Mango with decorative sring rolls, Marc has the veggie burger and fried Yams (a type of sweet potato fries). I have to have the Yams also and along with that I order the Dumpling Soup, oh my god!!!!...its massive a large large bowl of soup with various vegetables and many dumplings within. Full with food we can't order desert and Marc has to help me with my dumpling soup.
We walk the short distance to the venue where, while it is still early there is a large contingent of familiar Irish looking jerseys and shirts. Offaly/Galway and Mayo football jerseys are prominent and security are screening people in a casual manner. We get our parking validated for later and we are inside the front of the theatre, it has nice red decorative carpet and wooden stairs, not unlike the Olympia in which the Saw Doctors played in Dublin back in March. It is quiet now and not too many people are here, we decide to go upstairs as the area in front of the stage will likey be packed with people. We find a nice spot and get situated. Unfortunately no seats to be had. The big screen has very trippy designed graphics over cartoons of Fantasia and other disney stuff along with generic ordinary images. While the excitement builds this big screen seems to go on for a long while. Finally after a while and with the theatre filling with people we have our opening act "Emmet Scanlon" a Limerick lad and was just barely rnough to keep everyone interested until the main event arrived after another lenghty interval of trippy visions on the screen.

Anticipation builds and builds and finally to the sounds of "Tales of the Unexpected" that 80's show and with lights a flashing the lads come on stage.

Its great to have the gig start, however it starts out a little slow with for me some unfamiliar songs some slow ones and some covers and then we get to the familiar songs and have a rollicking good time. It always seemd like the gigs last for 4 hours when in fact they are more like 2 hours. Theres the usual banter with the crowd and even a guitar going on auction for a friend of the bands who needs an operation. There is guitar solos and the usual cameo from the keyboard player and there is harmonica solos and saxophone solos. The guys are at ease with the crowd and the gig is all the better for it. They finish the gig and leave, its then that the usual encore implorings come and the shrill sound of (ole ole ole)soccer chanting and banging on the floor boards and balcony boards in perfect harmony. After a steady and constant sound of noise and ole's the band come back for more. They announce that "ye didn't think we were finished did ya?" and they start into more tradmark Saw Doctors songs. Each song now is treasured more than the last one and each song is hoped not to be the last and indeed it is a steady stream of songs seeming to be 45 minutes long until the end does come and the Saw Doctors have had a good reception at the Fillmore Irving Plaza in the fabulous New York City. The band have found their feet again after only being in the states for a few days. The crowd depart and in a sea of "Docs" fans there is a real energy, the energy of a group of people who have had a great night eager to talk about it for the next three hours. A real buzz of excitement for what they had just witnessed, a communal and peaceful aura. The Saw Doctors had performed their magic once again. For us the self proclaimed "Freedom High School 4" we had seen the lads this summer and we had been at the TLA in Philly around March time. I myself had scheduled my trip back home to coincide with the Olympia gig in Dublin in March also. So were are dedicated fans and we will see the band again sooner we hope rather than later. Like junkies we have gotten our fix for a while. Thank you lads.

Unsubstantiated Terror Alert casts doubt over our trip to see the Saw Doctors in New York.

I purchased 3 tickets for the Saw Doctors way way back on May 11th, and here we are now on August 11th with breaking unconfirmed news that there had been some internet chatter in relation to New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles and a large truck containing radioactive material. This is always really bad news and quite worrying for everyone involved, those who live there, those who vacation there and those who hope to go see the Saw Doctors in the Filmore Irving Plaza, New York city. I mean come on!!!...of all times, the one day that we had planned to go into New York. It had been perfect a 16+ age limit gig. Marc could come with us as he really enjoys the music of the Saw Doctors and we could have a full day of just hanging out in New York. We had planned to leave at midday and right now it is 1.20pm and we are waiting on some kind of news which will encourage us to go without any kind of worry of being involved in anything dangerous.

We just dont seem to have much luck when it comes to seeing the Saw Doctors, as some of you may remember last year we were due to see them at Freedom High School, a location 10 minutes away from us. In the middle of October there was a freak snow storm in upstate New York near Buffalo and the band were not able to leave the area for the gig here in Bethlehem PA. Right now we are waiting a bit to see what we may do...

Crazy loud storm keeps us awake at 3am. August 7th.

Musikfest Time Again August 3rd-12th.

July 28th, Saturday Idlewild Park.

July 27th, Idlewild Friday Road Trip.