So, there's a fair few of us in the UK; we should probably meet up in real life at least once to prove we're not all scary internet psychos.
When?
Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th October, 2009.
Where?
Birmingham.
Where all the trains come to die.
('A' = etap hotel)
Who's Coming?Yes
BobCesca
japan
Mojo_jojo
Bogart
Mrs. Bogart
Kalkino
Forx(?)
Coldred
No
Jokerman (!)
Vulpine
Joh
Maybe
Willeh Dee
What will we do?
Pub with proper beer
eat food - table booked for 7.30pm.
museums and galleries
don't walk too much due to the cripple
Where to stay?
Try the etap (
http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/hotel-5678-etap-hotel-etap-hotel-birmingham-centre/index.shtml), probably the cheapest central hotel.
How do I get to Birmingham?
You get the train. Try LondonMidland or the Trainline to book your tickets.
Where do we all meet?
From around 11am on the 24th, japan and I will be sat in Starbucks awaiting the arrival of folk.
To get to the coffee, get off your train and go up the stairs. Go through the ticket barrier. Straight ahead of you is some stairs and 3 escalators leading to something called "The Pallisades". Go up the escalator. When you get to the top on your right is a Starbucks. We will be sat there. Some kind of recognition system will be sorted out.
Original OP:
Welcome to Birmingham
Famous for its roads,
a Bull,
and the strange dalek-bumps which Selfridges thought was a really good idea
And if you need to know more, there's a
website!
So, who is interested in a day and a night of sight-seeing and drinking in Birmingham in October? A weekend is probably best given that most people work, but I didn't want to fix a date as yet.
I'm choosing it mainly 'cos I live here and I'm lazy. However, it is also possible to get here from nearly anywhere due to the joy that is New Street, and it is considerably cheaper than London.
Posts
UKPAX<APAX
And put me in the no catagory...
After the success of meeting Bob and not only not being killed and raped, but being gifted a fine gentleman's bag and enjoying a pint and what passes for a coffee in the wasteland that is the university campus, I'm down with this.
Kojak loves Birmingham.
In.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
So far as location goes, I've not been to Birmingham so it would be neat to see it. Yes, I am a tourist and I like that kind of thing. I also want to visit Blackpool and Skegness
When I returned home I was visibly shell shocked and on the verge of scurvy.
Poor sod. I have a couple of British friends resident in NZ who tried to impress upon me the importance of not visiting Blackpool. I've also watched Roy Chubby Brown's movie. I have to see this for myself
The Birmingham Comedy Festival will be running between Friday 2 October and Sunday 11 October 2009.
I'd love to be there and be all English/Irish, but I live way too far away.
Great idea, though, Bob.
Rob Brydon - The least funny man in all of the British Isles? How he makes money doing nothing but a bad Alan Partridge impression I don't know.
Pam Ayres - I've not heard of her.
David O'Doherty - One of the growing number of musical comedians. I've not seen a great deal of his stuff, but it seemed okay.
Michael McIntyre - A little smug, but not bad.
Rich Hall - I've not seen anything from him outside of his playing the "confused American" on QI
Andy Parsons - I've a problem with his voice following the same pattern for every sentence. He's not bad, but he's far from the highlight of Mock The Week.
So the "big names" are a little slim, but I imagine there are lots to be unveiled. Hopefully John Richardson, Russell Howard or that Canadian who was either called Greg or Craig I saw once, will be playing.
Comedy is a good idea for an outing.
I was hoping it would be like the Glasgow one where the best idea is to avoid the big names and look for the small gigs of "unknowns" as, while there is usally a bit of crap, there are usually some absolute gems.
Are you besmirching my home town?
Actually, that's the best description of it I've heard in a while.
Here is his alter-ego, Otis L Crenshaw.
Otis L Crenshaw.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Pam Ayers used to be huge in the 80's. She was much loved even as far away as New Zealand. I still have a horrible memory about having to recite one of her poems for a speech exam. I was like about 6 or 7 so I don't recall my mother giving me much choice in the matter
Twitter
It's late enough that people can get organised, and we should be able to find plenty to do in Birmingham for an afternoon and evening and next morning.
http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/hotel-5678-etap-hotel-etap-hotel-birmingham-centre/index.shtml
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
If anyone knows B'ham very well (or, at least, better than me), please make suggestions!
Why? That sounds awesome. Add video games to that and we're probably hitting the sweet spots of most of the attendees.
I will probably investigate Birmingham's galleries while I'm there, as I am a big snooty art-lover.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Stuff like the SeaLife centre and Cadbury World are pretty expensive (~£10 per person for the SeaLife centre, £13 for Cadbury World).
There's also a pub just outside the city centre called the Anchor which is apparently good for real ales and such like.
As long as people aren't expecting things like carpets or any decent standard of decorating, it'll all be fine...hopefully...
More importantly, NATURE CENTRE! :P
Also, don't let us impose, Bob&japan.
EDIT: there will not be any demonstrations of Martial epigrams from my PhD in public. by me and japan. Ever. What the rest of you do is your own business :winky:
Damm. So much for my plan to make Birmingham the European Capital of Culture 2009