Exit Calm Live The Castle Oldham [Manchester] Sept 08 [The Day]

Saturday morning I woke up in Aubergine Towers, me mates Cath&Nick place in Manchester city center.

Cath in Manchester city center

Near Picadilly Manchester

Despite I had quiet a few pints and Corona beers the night before I was not hang over at all. It was rare sunny Manc day and I wanted to make the most of it, so about noon after a nice breakfast in Night&Day [One of my fav places] in the norhtern quarter and a top walk around city center [God, how much Manchester has changed on the last 10 years!] me and Nick went to the nearest newsagent to get two more 6 packs of the mexican delight with lime and chill out a bit playing Grand Theft Auto 3 on the PS3.

Oldham street near the Afflecks Palace

Later on the afternoon we gathered with Alex [Big Clive] and some other friends and we watched Arsenal getting thrashed by Hull on the pub. I found funny how much all the crowd was cheering and supporting Hull. I guess the londoners get the same sympathy that Madrid or Valencia teams can get in Barcelona.

This is fuckin Manchester!

Night & Day Manchester

I used to hang around a lot in Night&Day on the late 90s

After a few more beers, it was time to call a Taxi and go to Oldham. Its been a long time since I went there the last time on the late 90s, but hasnt changed much unlike Manchester city center although The Castle was a venue I have never been before.

Breakfast beer

Our friends Ness and Gaz from Lincoln were driving all the way to meet us, and also Pretty Sharon and Ian 'The Dirty Voyeur' with another friend. We were a bunch!

Meeting point was the pub nearby the Castle. Where we had a few more and even witnessed Big Clive doing a Karaoke performance of a Sparks old song!
Big Clive Rocks!
Pub atmosphere was funny, it was like taken from TV series 'Shameless' chapter. You could not get more mancunian than that.

I missed the supporters 'No Tokyo', but we all had a great time sitting on the Castle terrace with all the mates over a nice drink. Also Rob Marshall came and gave me a T-shirt of the band. Thanks a lot mate. I havent wear a band t shirt since the old 'Metallica Justice for All' or 'Janes Addiction' Nothing Shocking days, but be sure Im gonna wear this one until it fades away and until everybody asks me 1000 times 'Who they are?' [Which people has done here in Spain already].

Exit Calm was due on stage soon, so I went to the Backstage and wished the lads the best of the shows.

End of part 1

All photos by Pedro Vila