diaTribe » london http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp The diaTribe blog is our occasional take on life, the universe and everything. Observations on current affairs, the environment, politics, humour and music/gig reviews. Travel diary and extreme sports stories, along with the usual rants/raves are also chucked in for good measure. Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:21:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Olympics British Style http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2012/07/15/olympics_british_style/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2012/07/15/olympics_british_style/#comments Sun, 15 Jul 2012 03:17:10 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2012/07/olympics_british_style/ ... more »

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In view of the ongoing heavy rains in the UK, representatives of the British government and the London Mayor’s office have met with the emergency committee of the IOC to propose a number of 11th-hour changes to the upcoming London Olympic programme.

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson has announced that all Olympic staff will be undergoing SCUBA lessons this week and his office are currently in the process of buying up wetsuits, fins, masks and snorkels from every dive shop in and around the Red Sea. Supplies of diving equipment in the UK have already been appropriated and set aside for use by visiting dignitaries, due to their virtually-unused and near-new state.More ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2012/07/15/olympics_british_style/feed/ 0 Songs of Faith for the Devoted http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2010/02/27/songs_of_faith_for_the_devoted/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2010/02/27/songs_of_faith_for_the_devoted/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:01:00 +0000 Tosh http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2010/02/songs_of_faith_for_the_devoted/ ... more »

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The Depeche Mode gig at the O2 stadium in London on Saturday 20th February 2010 has been a long time coming.

Having bought the tickets over a year ago, the planned 30th May ’09 gig offered the usual agonizing wait, but then to find it was postponed for another 9 months was excruciating! However, the day finally arrived and not without a little anticipation – not only to see Depeche Mode again, which I have only seen live twice before, but also for the venue; the London O2 Arena I had been told is an amazing stadium and with great acoustics.

More ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2010/02/27/songs_of_faith_for_the_devoted/feed/ 1 Back in the NPIA http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/07/06/back_in_the_npia/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/07/06/back_in_the_npia/#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:39:11 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/07/back_in_the_npia/ ... more »

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Well – it’s offical. I’m back at the NPIA again…and it look’s like I’ll be with them for a little while…

As always, I had to hit the ground running and already I’m looking at some tight deadlines for a couple of key website launches. Still, it’s nice to be back at the old familiar places and see the old familiar faces.

More ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/07/06/back_in_the_npia/feed/ 2 Hyde Park 2009 http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/06/27/hyde_park_2009/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/06/27/hyde_park_2009/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:44:03 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/06/hyde_park_2009/ ... more »

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The annual Hard Rock Callin’ gig in Hyde Park is always a good one and this year featured two classic headliners; Neil Young on the Saturday and Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band on the Sunday.

Unfortunately, this year tickets were snapped up at an unbelievable rate; so fast in fact that all I could manage to get hold of was a one-day pass for the Saturday. Disappointing, but certainly better than no ticket at all.

More ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/06/27/hyde_park_2009/feed/ 0 Snow and Chaos http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/02/02/snow_and_chaos/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/02/02/snow_and_chaos/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:00:41 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/02/snow_and_chaos/ ... more »

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Last night’s heavy snowfall (at least by British standards) has predictably caused the usual commuter chaos today.

Large sections of the rail network have shutdown completely, London buses, trains and even the tube have largely ground to a halt and the roads are, by all accounts jam-packed.

And all for less than 6 inches of snow.

Why is that?

More ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2009/02/02/snow_and_chaos/feed/ 0 Hyde Park 2008 http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/07/06/hyde_park_2008/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/07/06/hyde_park_2008/#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:15:18 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/07/hyde_park_2008/ ... more »

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What can I say? A good gig (especially Sunday). Beautiful weather, excellent music from both classic and more contemporary acts. A little more commercial now that the Hard Rock cafe have taken over but not unbearably so.

All in all, a great weekend, spent with good friends in a pretty cool place.

Thanks folks!

Photos now available – Check em out!

Go to Post ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/07/06/hyde_park_2008/feed/ 0 So Long GLA http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/02/15/so_long_gla/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/02/15/so_long_gla/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:31:00 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/02/so_long_gla/ ... more »

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It’s been interesting, but my time back in the smoke is over (at least for now).

I’ll shortly be starting work in Slough (nowhere near as nice but a lot closer and cheaper to get to) and I just hope the traffic wont drive me too mad.

Farewell web team – it was nice working with you.

Go to Post ... »]]> http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2008/02/15/so_long_gla/feed/ 0 Rant: 2012 Olympics Carnival Goes Critical http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2007/12/11/rant_2012_olympics_carnival_goes_critical/ http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2007/12/11/rant_2012_olympics_carnival_goes_critical/#comments Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:45:00 +0000 Phil http://bandannaclub.com/blogwp/2007/12/rant_2012_olympics_carnival_goes_critical/ ... more »

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Insane!

That’s the only adjective to describe today’s news in the Evening Standard (and briefly on the Beeb before it seemed to mysteriously vanish!) that “The organisation in charge of keeping the costs of the 2012 Olympics down is to receive a £10 million bonus in recognition of its success”.

OK…let’s just rewind slightly…

Did I imagine it or isn’t the Olympic budget currently under scrutiny – largely because the estimated cost has exploded to a gobsmacking £9.3 billion – more than 4 times the original estimate (with 5 years still to run)?

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