Holy shit. Here's my post match review of the TopShop party:

1) Got there to find we were given 2 fucking drinks tokens. What the fuck, I'm a VIP??! Surely, SURELY I deserve better than this?

2) Minor panic (and revokement of VIP status) avoided when told further tokens available at the bar. Phew.

3) 0898 Dave was onstage when we got in. He reminds me of Money Mark, even though he hasn't ever been in the Beastie Boys.

4) The queue at the bar was immense. It was far easier in the backroom. Still, free bar, though somewhat hindered by the ridiculous bar token fetching thing.

5) JD and coke is ace. Especially when it's triples served in long glasses. And then topped up from Matts Hip flask.

6) The Long Blondes were good. First 2 songs were a bit flaccid, but they perked up a fair old bit when Mick Rock appeared with a camera. Lust in the Movies is a fucking tune.

7) Mick Rock ACTUALLY TOOK HIS FUCKING SHADES OFF TO TAKE A PICTURE. I had to pinch myself to check I wasn't dreaming. He's got eyes and everything.

8) Every single scenester in Manchester was there. Seriously. Only people that were either looking after their own nights or queuing up for housing in Salford missed out.

9) No sign of Guy Garvey. It ain't a party without Garvey.

10) I'm not as pissed as I could be. I'm quite surprised.

On the upside, I'm about 6 tracks into the Longcut album. It's great. Track 4 "Holy Funk" and recent live favourite "A Tried and Tested Method" are awesome. I can't post up any tunes off it for a couple more weeks, because the CD is "unique and traceable", therefore the Deltasonic/Columbia Secret Police will come round to my flat in the middle of the night and wee all over my clean clothes if I do. Don't fret though, there'll be a cock teasing quasi-review next week so if you can hold on for a bit (and not spunk up the walls) then we'll all get along fine.

Maybe I'm more pissed than I thought. Ho hum.