Question for those who follow the Manics on whole tours

[astrababe]

Originally Posted by harrijack

The answer to the first bit is yes.

The hurting feet problem can be avoided by forsaking any appearance of class and just sitting down. Pavements aren't that bad really.

You should bring folding chairs and tents! Ha!
And do this:

[Dext37 Fielding]

Originally Posted by harrijack

The answer to the first bit is yes.

The hurting feet problem can be avoided by forsaking any appearance of class and just sitting down. Pavements aren't that bad really.

As a witness, i can testify that Harrijack (Hannah) and her great mates, queue up at 0'Christ hundred hours!

Then i turn up with 2 hours to go until doors open, pretty much behind them!

[MrsCarbohydrate]

Originally Posted by astrababe

You should bring folding chairs and tents! Ha!

I queued for James' solo gig once with folding chairs, and James mocked us. It was really great, except that we only had two chairs between three.

Originally Posted by harrijack

The answer to the first bit is yes.

The hurting feet problem can be avoided by forsaking any appearance of class and just sitting down. Pavements aren't that bad really.

Or lie down. With a sleeping bag. It's the only way to survive a winter queue.

[Dext37 Fielding]

Originally Posted by MrsCarbohydrate

I queued for James' solo gig once with folding chairs, and James mocked us. It was really great, except that we only had two chairs between three.



Or lie down. With a sleeping bag. It's the only way to survive a winter queue.

The chair bit reminds me of a T In't Park story, basically i bought a £7 chair for sitting down in the morning, my Paddy friend saobotaged it, tight sod didn't buy me another one!

[UEF]

I don't know how they find it interesting, I'd get well bored. 2 gigs (and some time seperation) in each tour, tops.

I almost always go alone though, because I do like them enough to not have/want to coax someone along.

[Abstract Unknown Girl]

Originally Posted by Littlesue

The biggest problem with me if I want to get on the barrier is toilet breaks. it means going without drinks for a whole day so I usually get seats now.

I'm usually ok for the toilet once I'm in the venue and even if I need the loo, I tend to forget about it until after the gig anyway. But depending on the venue, they may be kind and let you use their toilets throughout the day before doors open (the Roundhouse allowed this in May), or I hunt out pubs/cafes etc and sneak into their toilets before doors open I try not to drink loads in the hour before doors as well.

I'm sure you all needed to know this about my toilet habits

[Mary Chain]

Originally Posted by Dext37 Fielding

As a witness, i can testify that Harrijack (Hannah) and her great mates, queue up at 0'Christ hundred hours!

Then i turn up with 2 hours to go until doors open, pretty much behind them!

Yes but you see it's totally necessary, as otherwise the other phantom fans who we never see will arrive before us and take front row!

Originally Posted by MrsCarbohydrate

Or lie down. With a sleeping bag. It's the only way to survive a winter queue.

It's depressing how many of my great holiday photos involve me lying in a sleeping bag on a pavement classily framed by bins, roads, doors and various walls.

[Amanda]

See I love queuing, well as long as you don't have people getting stressed - panicing people ruin a good queue for everyone.

The beauty of queuing though is the routine.

You do need to think though where you are and what the queuing is likely to be like for instance whos going, have they played recently or will lots of people travel and make the effort. Some places it is just pointless, like generally festivals just after a tour - no point queuing. When they did the US tour and overseas generally your pretty safe pitching up lunchtime/early afternoon so its debateable whether thats even queuing, I think once its gone 2 or 3 in the afternoon thats just getting there early.

For a UK tour, and even this is probably dated advice, ideally you should overnight queue (though obviously this only works when there isn't a gig the previous night and is best done with an airbed and sleeping bag) as otherwise theres all the doubt over how early to get there and you get broken sleep by getting a short nights sleep in the hotel and then a street nap - if you just go sleep on the street you can just sleep right through till 9 or 10. Obviously thought should be given to whether its a safe street to sleep on, you probably shouldn't try it on your own and always wrap up well.

Then obviously its breakfast time so you go get that and have a cup of tea and a nice sit down. Best on tour breakfast for me is fried egg sandwich, tea and juice, though porridge and jam makes for a bit of variety.

If you've never seen them in that venue before you then you should always walk round the venue - its important to scope out where all the exits are as then you will have a good feel for where to go after etc.

Then theres some more sitting - maybe read the paper, write to do lists, make a plan.

Then you need to go get changed into your outfit, brush your teeth, take bulky things back to the hotel (its often a good idea to pick up lunch on the way back to avoid multiple leavings of the queue - ideally from M&S then you get the M&S desserts range).

Then of course after lunch its afternoon nap time - pretty much my favourite thing about being on tour.

The its bracelets, make up, hair, make up, afternoon snack, maybe a bit more make up - sort out what you actually need to take in (its usually a good idea to leave some make up as it can get boring waiting once you're inside as you will generally have to stand up and that can be a lot of effort), take the rest all back to the hotel.

Last toilet - thats an important one. Then next thing you know its like 45 minutes before doors - ideally you should resist standing up before about then. Now is also the time to, if you haven't already, make sure you know exactly where you are going once inside.

I would accept that about 80% of the time queuing is kinda pointless as I've had gigs where I had to work first so I've shown up a couple of hours before doors - and provided its a reasonably sized venue/barrier you're still good for the barrier its just you can't cherry pick that exact spot (though I don't know how many people actually have a precise spot of choice). I've always been a fan though of that feeling of having gone through a bit of boredom and suffering before a gig - makes it more of an event.

[Mary Chain]

Aw, now you've made me feel nostalgic and want another tour. Though I would devote the last half hour before doors to sheer panic. It's amazing how much faster time goes when you're panicking and imagining everything that can possibly go wrong.

Breakfast is my favourite time of queue. London Roundhouse local cafe was great for fryups.

[Dext37 Fielding]

to be fair, i get to Young Knives gigs about 45 minutes before doors open, and i am on my own from then till, well, when some one else walks in a nd watched lol.

[astrababe]

Originally Posted by Amanda

See I love queuing, well as long as you don't have people getting stressed - panicing people ruin a good queue for everyone.

The beauty of queuing though is the routine.

You do need to think though where you are and what the queuing is likely to be like for instance whos going, have they played recently or will lots of people travel and make the effort. Some places it is just pointless, like generally festivals just after a tour - no point queuing. When they did the US tour and overseas generally your pretty safe pitching up lunchtime/early afternoon so its debateable whether thats even queuing, I think once its gone 2 or 3 in the afternoon thats just getting there early.

For a UK tour, and even this is probably dated advice, ideally you should overnight queue (though obviously this only works when there isn't a gig the previous night and is best done with an airbed and sleeping bag) as otherwise theres all the doubt over how early to get there and you get broken sleep by getting a short nights sleep in the hotel and then a street nap - if you just go sleep on the street you can just sleep right through till 9 or 10. Obviously thought should be given to whether its a safe street to sleep on, you probably shouldn't try it on your own and always wrap up well.

Then obviously its breakfast time so you go get that and have a cup of tea and a nice sit down. Best on tour breakfast for me is fried egg sandwich, tea and juice, though porridge and jam makes for a bit of variety.

If you've never seen them in that venue before you then you should always walk round the venue - its important to scope out where all the exits are as then you will have a good feel for where to go after etc.

Then theres some more sitting - maybe read the paper, write to do lists, make a plan.

Then you need to go get changed into your outfit, brush your teeth, take bulky things back to the hotel (its often a good idea to pick up lunch on the way back to avoid multiple leavings of the queue - ideally from M&S then you get the M&S desserts range).

Then of course after lunch its afternoon nap time - pretty much my favourite thing about being on tour.

The its bracelets, make up, hair, make up, afternoon snack, maybe a bit more make up - sort out what you actually need to take in (its usually a good idea to leave some make up as it can get boring waiting once you're inside as you will generally have to stand up and that can be a lot of effort), take the rest all back to the hotel.

Last toilet - thats an important one. Then next thing you know its like 45 minutes before doors - ideally you should resist standing up before about then. Now is also the time to, if you haven't already, make sure you know exactly where you are going once inside.

I would accept that about 80% of the time queuing is kinda pointless as I've had gigs where I had to work first so I've shown up a couple of hours before doors - and provided its a reasonably sized venue/barrier you're still good for the barrier its just you can't cherry pick that exact spot (though I don't know how many people actually have a precise spot of choice). I've always been a fan though of that feeling of having gone through a bit of boredom and suffering before a gig - makes it more of an event.

You have clearly done this many, many times!

How the hell can you get any sleep on the street?? I would be worried about getting molested by a hobo or having my stuff stolen. I guess there are others in the queue but still....

[Amanda]

Originally Posted by astrababe

How the hell can you get any sleep on the street?? I would be worried about getting molested by a hobo or having my stuff stolen. I guess there are others in the queue but still....

I am really, really good at sleeping - I can sleep pretty much anywhere, ever. That and nagging are like my core skills base.

[astrababe]

Originally Posted by Amanda

I am really, really good at sleeping - I can sleep pretty much anywhere, ever. That and nagging are like my core skills base.

hehehehe.....sounds like me, except I would need to add laziness!

[Nicola17]

Originally Posted by astrababe

You have clearly done this many, many times!

How the hell can you get any sleep on the street?? I would be worried about getting molested by a hobo or having my stuff stolen. I guess there are others in the queue but still....

When I was young and still had some remnants of sensibleness when it came to the Manics, I did spend several hours in Brixton scared to sleep because I was terrified that pigeons would peck out my eyes (actually, ignore the bit about being sensible, I was trying to sleep on a pavement in Brixton, which is as far from sensible as you can get).

I am much better now at sleeping in odd places - trains, airports (still nowhere near as good at sleeping as Amanda though).

I have a really sensible, ordinary, dull job, so I figure I have to be a bit silly sometimes just to balance everything out.

[Dean V]

Originally Posted by Nicola17

When I was young and still had some remnants of sensibleness when it came to the Manics, I did spend several hours in Brixton scared to sleep because I was terrified that pigeons would peck out my eyes (actually, ignore the bit about being sensible, I was trying to sleep on a pavement in Brixton, which is as far from sensible as you can get).

That story actually made me awww which is I think the only time I've done that in a story relating to Manics gigs!