Saw X-Men: The Last Stand. Despite worries over Bryan Singer leaving for Superman Returns (never really got into DC's characters myself, apart from Sandman), I think Brett Ratner did a decent job. Critical response has been cool, but two reviewers I trust like it, so let's go along with them...

Picked up a few new CDs too (well, from the postbox where Amazon sent them): Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys by the eponymous band, Jake White of the White Stripe's side-project The Raconteurs' album Broken Boy Soldiers and the debut from ˇForward, Russia! Give Me A Wall. The latter is far and away the best, a refreshing blast of dissonance and fury in 11 numbered parts (and, if I'm not mistaken, designed to be circular with the sounds that end the CD opening it). Of the other two, nothing really stands out on the Monkey's chart-dodging EP and after the opening track of the Raconteurs' disc, Steady As She Goes, it rather goes downhill from there. Everyone loves Give Me A Wall though.

(or here if it won't play)

Sometimes I wonder about the people who position these traffic cams... are they checking there are free spots in Tesco's car park for later or something...

“Preston 0 - 2 Leeds”

ESPNsoccernet - England - Preston v Leeds

The Sisters gig in Machester was better than the one in London, but not apparently better than the one the night before in Leeds.

And, speaking of Leeds, they drew 1-1 with Preston. 2nd leg is on Monday, but I'll have to watch that from the comfort of my sofa.

Here's my phonecam video of the equaliser...

Fitting more than the usual in this week. Obviously it was the May Day bank holiday on Monday which meant it was a four day working week. Last night (Tuesday) I went to the Astoria in London to watch the Sisters of Mercy.

It was a decent gig, though I've seen better. The Astoria is a crap venue unless you're a seven foot tall mutant. The girl in front of me couldn't see a thing at all and eventually, after a few text messages to a depressed friend re: the view and going to gigs alone stalked off (I would have said something but “hey... I noticed from reading your text messages over your shoulder...” has a unedifying ring to it - plus the crippling shyness) and whilst I had a near uninterrupted view of the lead guitarist, Eldritch was largely hidden by people's heads even when he briefly emerged from the dense dry ice pea-souper. Mind you, with his shaven head it could well have been Billy Corgan or Billy Howerdel up there for all I could tell... Musically: not half bad. With some decent Music Industry™ muscle behind them, these young lads could go places...

I was going to meet an old friend at the gig, but she unfortunately forgot to book before the Astoria sold out. So, I decided to go up to the Manchester gig as well and say hi there. Which means tomorrow I drive up there to see the Sisters again, hopefully in better surroundings.

Which also means I'm very very close to Leeds, wherein, on Friday night Leeds United play Preston North End in the first leg of the Championship Play-offs. So I have a ticket for that now (well, I'm picking it up from a portakabin next to the ground anyway).

Then, it's back down south to Dorset to help the parental overunits move into their new retirement home house.