London Fog & Lost Drumsticks: A Week in the Big Smoke
okay, so london. it’s…a lot. i’m still finding bits of glitter in my kit bag, honestly. i was there for a string of gigs with this kinda-sorta-famous indie band - think moody lighting and lyrics about pigeons - and it was a whirlwind. i’m a touring session drummer, which basically means i fly in, hit things really hard for a few nights, and then fly out before anyone realizes i don’t know where the good coffee is.
this trip was different though. i had a day off, a whole day, and decided to actually explore instead of just staring at the inside of a tour van. i just checked and it’s…a damp sort of grey out there right now, hope you’re prepared for that. the air feels like a cool cloth on your face, which is nice, but also kinda makes your teeth ache. the weather report said eleven point six eight degrees, feels like ten point nine seven, which, honestly, just sounds like someone’s making up numbers. humidity’s up around seventy-nine percent, so everything’s a little sticky.
first thing i did was wander around *shoreditch. it’s all street art and vintage shops, which is my weakness. i spent way too much money on a bomber jacket that probably belonged to someone really cool in the eighties. i overheard someone in a record store saying that Brick Lane is “overrated now, all tourists and overpriced bagels,” but i thought the bagels were fine. honestly, i’m not picky when it comes to carbs. i did find this amazing little music shop though, called Rough Trade East. seriously, if you’re into vinyl, go.
“apparently, the best pubs are the ones you stumble into, not the ones on TripAdvisor.”
that’s what the sound engineer told me, anyway. he’s a bit of a grumpy old man, but he knows his stuff. i did end up at this pub in islington - The Old Red Lion, i think - that was packed with locals. it smelled like beer and old wood, which is exactly what a pub should smell like. someone warned me about the area around paddington station at night, said it gets a bit sketchy. i didn’t test that theory.
gear-wise, i always travel with:
noise-canceling headphones (essential for plane journeys and grumpy bandmates)
a portable charger (because my phone always dies at the worst possible moment)
a good pair of walking shoes (london is huge)
my lucky drum key (don’t judge)
a universal adapter (duh)
if you get bored, *brighton and cambridge are just a quick train ride away. i didn’t have time to go, but i’m adding them to the list for next time. i also heard that the national gallery is free, which is a win. Here's a link to their website.
my neighbors in the hotel were…interesting. a group of students on a field trip, i think. they were up all night playing cards and arguing about something involving a lost bet and a rubber chicken. it was surprisingly entertaining. the pressure was one thousand and fifteen, and the ground level was one thousand and ten, which doesn't really mean anything to me, but i figured i should include it.
overall, london was chaotic, loud, and surprisingly charming. i lost a drumstick somewhere between piccadilly circus and covent garden*, but i gained a killer bomber jacket and a newfound appreciation for british pubs. i’d go back. maybe. after a nap. you can find more info about London on Visit London. And if you're looking for a place to stay, check out Yelp's London hotel reviews.
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