Nightingale, Birmingham

Following our very late night, we finally got to sleep at 0700 only to be woken by housekeeping at 0830. Whats with that? Sureley they know that we have not checked out yet?

So we had some coffee and had checked out and left the hotel by noon. Dropping Jaffa Joe off at the Station we hit the road to make the long journey of about 180 miles, North to Birmingham. Stopping twice for a bathroom break and to grab some food we made it to Brum by 4PM and checked into our city centre Holiday Inn Hotel. It was just minutes from Hurst street and a couple of minutes walk from the Nightingale.

Carl joint us in our hotel at 730PM just as we started to watch the X Factor finale. He had won a magnum of Champagne and so we tucked into that pre going out (Lucky Bitches) and made our way down to the very trendy Loft Bar for 9PM. I'm not quite sure it is called Loft Bar. I was expecting it to be upstairs somewhere but it was just a normal street level bar. So we had a couple of Ciders and then maybe it was that I had drunk a fair few the night before or that it doesnt mix well with Champagne but the acidity was getting to me so I switched to soft drinks.

We arrived at the Gale just after 11:30 and made our way to the top floor where Gary was playing. Once he started I made a tour of the place and it had changed slighty since I was last in Birmingham. It was packed. The lower floor full of the G-A-Y crowd, the middle full of people chilling or playing pool around the Piano bar and the top floor the classic dance floor.

Around 1300 I made my way to the lower floor were BeWitched were peforming a set. They were quite good considering you never hear of them anymore.

Gary's set over ran slightly till just after 230 and then the combination of a lack of sleep and a long drive had gotten to us and we made our way home to the Hotel for a fairly early night. Shattered and with some sleep deprivation we slept like babies and didnt wake till almost 11:00AM Sunday to check out and make our way home. Was a really fun weekend and the first time I have not been depressed in ages. Was also nice to spend some quality time with Gary. Don't you find it so nice to sleep in your own bed again after you have spent some time away? Nothing like your own pillows and Duvet is there?