Tuesday 12th July 05 - The Paddingtons Single Release at Ringside and Signing at HMV (1/7) By Joe Hakim Photos by Darren Rogers

(1/7), (2/7), (3/7), (4/7), (5/7), (6/7), (7/7).

An Evening with The Paddingtons or Wake Up Hull, There's Summat Going On Right Here.

Photograph Gallery   The Paddingtons Gallery 1,    Gallery 2 ,    Gallery 3 ,    Gallery 4,    Gallery 5,    Gallery 6 ,    Gallery 7,    Gallery 8.

I'm not quite ready for the sun when I step into it, and if I'm being honest about it I still haven't recovered from the weekend. I spent it in Bridlington, trying to devise ways to sneak into the Kings of Leon gig. At the last minute I rolled up to the door with a friend who employed some kind of Jedi mind-trick. It was a brain bending trick, and needless to say, I got fuckin' smashed in celebration.

Which leads me to right here, right now, stumbling through the town centre, off to get Mo from the office so we can get some photos of The Paddingtons, who are due to be at HMV for a signing of their new single. It's a strange walk. I pass a chav who's taken his tracksuit top off so he can display the THUG LIFE tattoo across his stomach. I see it as being a bit of missed opportunity. If the kid had had any sense of irony or observation, he would have opted for YOB LIFE; then again if he possessed either of those things he would never have had the tattoo done in the first place I suppose. Hmmmm.

Madness. The kid is an indication of one of the many tribes occupying the town centre. Like the chavs. The Goths. The smart-casual townies. The skaters. The indie kids. The indeterminate group loosely bunched together under the heading: Asylum seekers. Queen's Gardens is a goddamn cultural safari, and I navigate between the groups piled on the grass like a wary explorer trying to avoid getting his arse bitten by a snake, thinking to myself Hull smells like roadkill in the summer.

I haven't shaved for four days, so I have a full-on wino beard. I scratch it as the sweat from my face rolls down into it. Just near Raleigh's I get stuck walking behind a humongous guy on crutches. I'm looking at the back of his head, and I notice that he's so big that even his skull is flabby. It looks as though his brain is growing out through the back of his head.

Finally I get to the office. I chill out on the sofa for ten minutes, and Mo informs me that my face is bright red. It does indeed feel like a slapped arse, and when combined with the shades and wino growth, it makes me look like a Baader Meinhoff reject, not the best look to have at this moment in time. We walk down to HMV. As we reach the front of the shop, two guys unload massive fridges off a lorry and into the middle of Whitefriargate. For I second, I imagine that they are part of some elaborate set. Will The Paddingtons smash them up with guitars or something, an instant art installation?

I have this really annoying habit of pacing. Anyone that's unlucky enough to spend a significant amount of time with me will tell you that I'm always doing it, and that it's really fuckin' annoying to watch. It's while pacing that I notice the appearance of two coppers. They notice me and decide to approach.

Continued... Next page (2/7).

Check the thisisUll.com Gallery Photographs courtsey and Copyright © Darren Rogers thisisUll.com

Photograph Gallery   The Paddingtons Gallery 1,    Gallery 2 ,    Gallery 3 ,    Gallery 4,    Gallery 5,    Gallery 6 ,    Gallery 7,    Gallery 8.

Music Reviews - Friday 24th June 05 - Fifty-Nine Violets, the Applewhites, The Vels and Kohiba at The Music Man By Michelle Dee Photos by Darren Rogers
	Down the back streets of the city almost opposite an open concrete waste-ground lies a new music venue with a pioneering culture. For the last six to eight weeks The Music Man has been pulling in live music lovers for it's No Holds Bar Friday nights of fun. Proprietor, Fegs says that he wants a place with a chilled out atmosphere where people can come and party, have a great time Read more...

Music Reviews - Wednesday 6th July 05 - Farewell to the Raywells? By Joe Hakim Photo Gallery By Michelle Dee

Ah, wet Wednesday, if it's not a cliché already, then it should be. It's The Raywells' reunion gig at The Piper, so I decide to go. The fact that I'm getting in for nowt, has absolutely nothing to do with it, honest. I'm one skint motherfucker, so I have to walk to Newland Avenue from the town centre. It's a bit of a fuckin' hike, especially when it's pissing it down. The shit British summer Read more...

Music Reviews - Tuesday 5th July 05 - REM at Hull KC Stadium By Steve Rudd photos by Matt Rudd & SMC
	The quality of weather couldn't really have been any worse for what is essentially deemed as being the height of summer, but the relentless rain failed to dumb down most people's spirits. Unfortunately, myself and (some of) my family arrived late at the venue. One of my brothers, Martyn (who has long been the biggest REM fan in the family, and who is almost Read more...

Music Reviews - REM / The Zutons / Idlewild - KC Stadium, Hull, 05/07/05 by Nicholas Boldock photos by Matt Rudd & SMC
	As is the way with these things, it's chucking it down when Idlewild arrive on stage. Presumably the rain doesn't bother them - they are from Scotland after all, and therefore no strangers to Biblically-proportioned downpours. Which is just as well, as the heavens have well and truly opened. It's a shame that so many people Read more...

Music Gig Gallery - 10th May 05 - The Paddingtons at Yo-Yo 10th Birthday By Darren Rogers
	Sometimes we get photographs of a Gig in without a review. Check out some great shots in a 3 page Photo Gallery of The Paddingtons Yo-Yo 10th Birthday By Darren Rogers. Read more...

Music Reviews - 6th June 05 - Brian McFadden at Hull City Hall By Matt Rudd
	Brian Mcfadden is obviously very well known in the music world with his success within the boy band Westlife. But unfortunately for girls everywhere, Westlife split up. However, this wasn't the end for Brian; he went on to become, well, a rock star. And on June 6th he came to the Hull City Hall and I was there as Steve (my brother) had won some tickets Read more...

Music Reviews - 18th/19th June 05 - Under The Influence Big Weekender at Adelphi and Welly By Michelle Dee
	On a weekend that saw John Hassal's new band Yeti headline at Silhouette, local promoter Dean Shakespeare of U.T.I. but together an equally good mix of home grown and out of town musical talent. Saturday saw new local talent The Black Outs supporting Blue Sand and The Landaus. Hogboy had to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances so the Landaus got bumped up the billing. The Black Outs Read more...

Music Reviews - Friday 20th May - The Music with Youth Group at Asylum By Andy Dykes
	It's hard to believe that Asylum at Hull University Union could be full of students, all suited, booted and blind drunk celebrating at the end of year ball. Now that the summer break has hit and the university is all but devoid of students, it's great to see that there is still a huge crowd at the venue tonight to welcome The Music. Read more...

Music Reviews - Thursday 2nd June 05 - Baggott and Baz's Jam Night at Staks Bar Beverley Rd By Chu Nin Photo Gallery By Meso Orney
	The night kicks of in fine form, with Baz lead guitar with the Dirty Dreamers and lead singer Paul Baggot from Turismo covering a few Kinks, Stones and Oasis numbers. As more people arrive, Matt Addison and Danny Tonkin from The Johnsons take the floor and play acoustic versions of the popular Oh No, the crowd pleaser Misfortunate Love and other Read more...

Music Reviews - Monday 2nd May 05 - Sweet n Sour All Day Indie Fest Featuring Top Local Bands By Michelle Dee and a Massive 30 Page Photo Gallery by Darren Rogers
	On Bank Holiday Monday Silhouette hosted a twelve-band extravaganza organized by James Applewhite featuring one of the best local line-ups since some small scale gathering of Hulls finest in January. There were also various festival stalls, with clothes and accessories from NSO and politically motivated campaign stalls from the Green Party and the Legalize Cannabis Campaign. Read more...

Music Reviews - Pozition Night Club Rock Night - Wednesday 18th May 05 By Michelle Dee
	After witnessing another fantastic performance by Ernest at the Adelphi last Wednesday I decided to accept an invitation to the Pozition night club on George Street. I paid the three pounds entry fee and received in return a little ticket informing me that I was female; so far so good. I walked into a large industrial style arena Read more...

Music Reviews - Saturday 28th May - The Rakes at Yo-Yo - Jumping For Victory By Andrew Coe 6 Page Photo Gallery By Darren Rogers
	NME favourites The Rakes came to Hull and conquered with their choppy, wire-like guitar riffs and a front man who can't keep still. If The Rakes frontman Alan Donohoe were still at school, he'd be told off repeatedly for fidgeting in class. For the duration of the band's 12-song set at Yo-Yo at The Welly, Hull on Saturday night Read more...