Friday night was balmy, I went to the garden of a bar called ‘Abbey Road’ where a website was holding an intimate soiree for about 200 people. The music was all cover versions of Beatles songs; a heavy metal “Eleanor Rigby”, a reggae “Drive My Car”, a Miami bass “Octopus’ Garden”, it was top notch, I’m surprised I’ve never heard of these ‘Beatle’ chaps before.

Craig told the waitress that we should get free drinks because we’d come dressed as John, Paul and George (no-one really fancies being Ringo do they? Probaly Ringo himself isn’t keen) and despite the fact we were just wearing jeans / polo shirts and my hair is somewhat shorter than a mop-top, she dutifully brought us some shots. It makes you wonder what else you can get away with - “Hi, I’m the one armed drummer from Def Leppard, can I have a 15% discount on this bacon please?” etc. They can only say no.

Anyway we supped up there and moved across the road to the Eager Beaver, Shanghai’s friendliest pub- they’ve got the type of Table Football table in there that Jesus himself probably uses when playing against Saint Peter. Unfortunately Liam and I were humiliated, 10-3 by a Canadian guy playing on his own.
“You guys are pretty good bar players” he says afterwards.
“However I am the coach of the Chinese national team. Now bow down and kiss the ring.”

And lo, it was true- there is apparently an international ‘foosball’ scene, with professional players and the whole deal, this guy is the president of the Shanghai Foosball association, he even had a little bottle of oil that he used to grease the poles of the table. I had no idea this other world existed, it was like that bit in “The Matrix” when the final credits come up and you go outside to realise there’s so much more to life than watching Keanu Reeves try to act.

Around the corner to The Hut where Craig noticed a guitar in the corner and goaded me into playing something. I picked it up and literally the next thing you know they’ve turned the music off, there’s a mic in front of my face, and I’m butchering “Just” by Radiohead to a crowd of maybe 5 people. Which again was fun until some guy turned up who could play the strings off the thing and I was left banging on the bongoes like a Chimpanzee.

You’d think I’d have pictures of all of this stuff wouldn’t you? No dice.
Here’s a photo of a dog instead

gay wolf