I spent a very pleasant week at the family home in Devon. The first couple of days were spent relaxing, before Sarah joined me on the Friday to see
John B in Plymouth. It was a really good nite. We trowelled on our neon make-up at the Travelodge where we stayed overnight (nice, but note, they don't provide bathing products, hairdryers or biscuits). At 11, we went to the Candy Store, where we got in on our hero's guestlist. We spoke to John B only briefly, but he seemed nice. He initially thought I was Sarah, whom he knew from MySpace. One electro-ponce is very like another, I suppose he thought.
( Travelodge glamour )I was pleasantly surprised by the club. It had two rooms, a large one with balloons and lasers and a smaller, quieter one with little sofas built into the walls. The patrons were friendly and one nice girl even took our photo as she liked our look so much. John B played a brilliant two-hour set, with all my favourite tracks like Fashion and his remix of Hey Mickey. He also included some 80's hits by Phil Collins (yes, really!) and A-ha, shouting, "This is for everyone who loves the 80s as much as me!" He attempted to dance the robot several times. The crowd were very enthusiastic, especially a handful of youths who had travelled all the way from Chester to stand right at the front and make jabbing hand movements in John B's face as he played. It was strange how practically everyone on the dancefloor was a man, as I imagined he would have quite a few fangirls.
The day after, we had a delicious brunch of toasted sandwiches at a pub called The Walrus, which I had glimpsed lurking behind the Travelodge the night before. Lyle fans will know how my sister and I love walruses, so I was quite excited.
( Walrus excitement )On Sunday, Mrs Lyle took us to the picturesque seaside town of Sidmouth, where we used to go and swim a lot when I was a child. We sat on the prom and enjoyed huge Ferrero Rocher-flavoured ice creams, while being glowered and shouted at by an indignant-looking seagull, whom I placated with bits of cone.
On Monday, we visited Joy Silence in Bristol and enjoyed a cream tea, then later a DVD of Wes Craven's The People Under The Stairs. I recommend this lesser-known 80's horror movie, as an example of how human cruelty can be made as frightening as supernatural horrors, in the right director's hands.
It's always lovely to go back to see my family and cat, Savage Gordon. I'm afraid I found Devon rather too lacking in work or socialising opportunities to live there all the time, but it is nice to visit.