London - Foo Fighters

Jun 21st - Jun 23rd 2024

Friday 21st June 2024

Home to London

Whole day booked off to travel early to try and avoid the hell of the M25 traffic on a Friday afternoon. Didn’t do much in the morning - just walked around with an ice pack on my back as it had gone really badly on the Wednesday. Gingerly packed and got the case in the car and headed off around 11:30.

Run down to Canary Wharf was pretty straightforward - just a 50mph average speed section on the dreaded M25. Had a few ‘moments’ with the Sat-Nav including shooting into a packed filter lane at the last minute - only to realise we needed to go straight on! I’d booked a space in the car park opposite the hotel on West India Quay and found that easily enough and got parked up.

We decided to leave the case in the car as we were very early for check-in so wandered across to the hotel. Happily reception was deserted so the receptionist got us checked in and said our keys would be ready around 15:00. Thoughts then turned to lunch.

We figured out that walking back the way we’d come in got us onto West India Quay where there were quite a few restaurants so we went off that way and, after a quick look up and down settled on Brown’s right next door to the hotel. As we asked for a table the chap said there’d be a long wait as they were short-staffed but as we had nowhere to be we settled in at a nice outside table. Eventually someone came and took our order. Nikki had a cold glass of rose and I had a Sprite before lunch arrived. We shared a mozzarella and tomato salad to start then Nikki had a very tasty looking veggie burger while I had a toasted cheese sandwich along with chips with an aioli dip. 

By this time it was nearly 15:00 so we headed back to the hotel to collect our keys. We were on the 8th floor which is the top floor for the hotel bit. Above that it’s Marriott Apartments and then private accommodation. We were in 811 - very comfortable room overlooking Canary Wharf, the water and the DLR station. Marvelled at the views for a while watching everyone below before I went back to the car for the case. The concierge offered to send someone for me but I declined - figuring my back could do with a walk. 

After unpacking I went on the hunt for ice for my back. A sign by the elevators said there were ice machines on all the odd floors so I started with floor 7 (out of order), then floor 5 (out of order) before hitting on one working on floor 3. I filled up the ice bucket from the room and, when I got back, sat with a bag of ice on my back watching the goings-on below on West India Quay. First thing I saw was a floating hut tub with a group of women floating around and sipping champagne!! Then floating burger boats - eventually there were 8 of them in the quay outside!!

I went down to the Exec Lounge on the floor below for a nose and came back with some Pepsi Max and then I’m afraid there may well have been an air-conditioned dose for a bit!

After another Pepsi Max trip downstairs we had a think about dinner. I found a place called Scarpetta around in Canary Wharf so figured we’d give that a go but first we’d check out the nibbles in the Exec Lounge. Pretty decent offering even if the lounge was a bit crowded. Found a sofa and a chair and stayed awhile.

Around 19.15 we decided to head off for dinner. Short walk to Canada Square and then no idea where we were. Asked one of the security chaps who helpfully pointed us in the right direction. At Scarpetta there were steps to get in so I went in and asked how we’d get the wheelchair in - he opened the side fire exit and got us a table - right next to the doors for the toilets. Service was pretty hopeless but Nikki’s food was very good - she definitely won dinner. Mine was very forgettable indeed.

We wandered back through the shopping centre and by 22:00 were ready for bed!

Saturday 22nd June 2024

London

Superb night’s sleep for me - less so for Nikki. Probably too excited by the thought of Dave Grohll! Woke up quite early but stayed in bed and had coffee and watched TV. Headed down for breakfast around 08:00. Very nice brekkie as well. Both had some fruit followed by an omelette, lovely hash brown potatoes etc etc - then some freshly baked bread. Excellent spread.

After breakfast we decided to head up to the Olympic Park to do a bit of a reccy for the gig. Managed the 30 second walk to West India Quay DLR and caught it up to Stratford. I’m sure if you use it everyday then Stratford is pretty straightforward - not for me. Totally confused but a staff member pointed us in the right direction. Recognised bits from when we’d been to the Olympics and Paralympics but it looks so different now. Walked across to the stadium and found Bridge 1 - problem was our tickets were for Bridge 3 which is on the other side of the stadium. Luckily it’s very flat so pushing the wheelchair was pretty easy.

We found Bridge 3 and worked out that Pudding Mill Lane DLR was probably closer but it was all downhill which meant that coming back for the gig later would be all uphill. Gate 4 was on a flat bit so asked if we could come in that way and use the lift. No was the answer. Oh well. 

Headed back to Pudding Mill Lane only to find the lift for the Canary Wharf bound platform was out of order so we had to go in the Stratford direction and then stay on the train. Not the end of the world. Got back to the hotel and went to the Exec Lounge for a drink and a sit down. Just the reccy was over 10,000 steps!

Recovered and it was time for lunch so we aimed for Canary Wharf hoping to find Cabot Square for some al fresco dining. No chance with my navigation so we ended up in Paul for some very rustic sandwiches. After some more wandering around it was back to the room for some downtime - and to ice my back!

We went down to the Exec Lounge for a drink around 17:30. We knew doors for the Foo Fighters were at 16:00 but we figured we’d give the support acts a swerve and try to get in closer to the Foo’s start time of 20:00. By 18:15 we were on the DLR and got off at Pudding Mill Lane. Got as far as Bridge 4 and thought we’d chance it and amazingly they let us in which saved having the push the wheelchair uphill to Bridge 3. One short lift ride later we were on the main concourse and heading around to Door A. Struggled a bit to find the lift up to the 2nd level but a friendly chap selling beer escorted us down there and we got to our seats 599 and 600.

Incredible noise - one of the support acts still had a couple of songs to go and it was SO loud. I went off to find some nibbles but the queues were immense so figured I’d try again when the Foo Fighters started. Initially we thought it was 20:00 they’d start but one of the disabled helper fellas said it was 19:30 - and he was right.

Nikki was among her people so loved the show - I found it almost too loud to the point where you couldn’t make out what Dave was saying or sometimes tell which song they were playing! Here’s the setlist:

All My Life

No Son of Mine

Rescued

The Pretender

Walk

Times Life These

White Limo

La Dee Da

Breakout

My Hero

The Sky is a Neighbourhood

Learn to Fly

Ariandria

These Days

Statues

Skin and Bones

Under You

Nothing at All

Monkey Wrench

Shame Shame

Show Me How

Aurora

Best of You

The Teacher

Everlong

About 4 songs from the end Nikki said she was flagging so suggested we headed off. Very straightforward getting out of the gig and back to Pudding Mill Lane - and we also came across lots of ABBA fans coming out of the virtual show across from the station. Took the train back up to Stratford and stayed onboard till it headed in the opposite direction and were back in the hotel by 22:45.

Both starving as we’d failed to get any food at the stadium so ordered room service veggie burgers and drinks and gobbled our way through them before hitting the hay around Midnight.

Sunday 23rd June 2024

London to Home

Both woke up reasonably early so more coffee and generally coming around. Headed for breakfast around 08:00 and lingered there awhile.

By about 09:00 we were showered and packed so decided, as it was such a sunny day, we’d head home and sit in the garden. I took the case down and then got Nikki before grabbing the car. Journey out of London early on a Sunday morning was excellent - shame it’s not like that all the time. 

Stopped in Aylesbury for some rolls for lunch and were in the garden by 11:30. Result.