Writing, fatshion, me: Day Out in Leeds and a Gig

On the 16th of March Sam and I had booked to see the Mary Wallopers in Leeds. I had heard the band a bit and thought they were good so I invited her along with me. Then Jac said she was free in the afternoon so we arranged to have an afternoon out together first. I had gift vouchers from Sam for The Bookish Type, the queer bookshop in Leeds, so I wanted to go there. I haven't been since it moved to its new location so I was excited to do that. Then we had plans to go to the museum and then for tea, before Jacqui went home and Sam and I went to the Academy for the gig.

I drove into Leeds but had to park in the St John's centre, which was kind of fine but I wasn't sure about what happened later at night. So I parked and then walked through to The Light to meet Sam and Jac, who had been to the cinema beforehand. We sat for a bit and then we walked down to The Bookish Type. There were plenty of books that looked amazing but I settled on three, two of which I got with the vouchers.

Then we walked up to Leeds City Museum which I've been past a thousand times but have never actually looked round. It's Miffy's 70th birthday and there was a special exhibition of her, which I wanted to see, so we headed up to that first. It wasn't huge but it was fun and we got some cute photos. Then we headed into the ancient world part, which had cool stuff about the Romans and the Greeks and the Egyptians. They have a real Egyptian mummy! He is a priest called Nesyamun and it was SO cool to see. I tried to be respectful because he is after all a real human, a real dead human. The museum is basically his gravesite now. I appreciated seeing it.

There's also a bit about the history of Leeds and stuff but I wanted to get back to the car before the shopping centre shut. I needed to leave my books and also swap my bag for one that was better allowed into the gig with not a load of stuff in it. I walked back down through the shopping centre and asked a man about how to get back to the car after the gig and he was really helpful. Yay for helpful staff!

Then I walked back to The Light (it was a lot of walking) where Sam and Jac were already in Turtle Bay. I had vegan jerk "chicken" with rice and beans and dumplings. It tasted really nice but I would have liked a bit more gravy. Jac had to go and then Sam and I sat for a bit longer. I had some pudding and she had a drink.

By the time we walked up to the Academy it was almost 7pm. I hadn't booked access for the gig but Leeds Academy is usually pretty good at letting me get in quickly and getting the lift so that I can get a seat in the balcony. That is exactly what happened and it was absolutely fine. Sam and I were seated right at the back of the balcony by 7.10pm!

The support act was a group called Sexy Tadhg and they were REALLY bizarre but SO good. It wasn't like a band but more like an experience! It was fun. I liked them, I would see them again. Then the Mary Wallopers came on about 9pm. They were SO good. Like just a lot of fun and very politically engaged (they had a Palestine flag on stage with them) and they chatted a bunch of funny stuff. They played a lot of lovely songs and I really enjoyed it. I would see them again next time they tour, definitely.

They finished about 10.45 I guess and we walked out. Sam hotfooted it down to the station and I walked back to the car. I can't even tell you how much the nine hours of parking cost me!

But it was worth it, it was such a lovely day.