TMN HEADQUARTERS AND THE SUMMER AHEAD

Had a couple of errands to do in Belfast, so took my camera with me to see what, if any, additions had been made to the wallspace of Belfast.

Spotted some new art on Garfield Street.

For those unfamiliar with Belfast, it’s a wee sidestreet off Royal Avenue, leading towards the Cathedral Quarter. The first thing you see when you walk down it is the offices of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Consortium.

The street had previously hosted work by ANCO, which has since painted over.

Not exactly sure what it is, but it looks nice.

Meanwhile, walking home, I saw that an abandoned office at the junction between Shaftesbury Square and Dublin Road has appeared to be rebranded as an unofficial headquarters for ‘TMN’.

Those who have noticed graffiti in Belfast will have noticed that he is one of the main culprits.

Like ‘ANCO’, ‘Sick’ and ‘4Fun’, they probably suffer a form of reverse discrimination from myself when it comes to photographs, that I don’t want to have albums where it’s dominated by the same 4 people.

Meanwhile, there’s some update on the STLFTEM front, because I know that’s what you want to hear.

July will be the Base Festival in the middle of the month, though I have applied for tickets to a free show (being filmed for TV) by Australian comedian Adam Hills, who you may recognise from doing the rounds on various TV panel shows.

If I don’t get lucky with that, i’ll try and get to see him at the Edinburgh Festival, which will be my STLFTEM for August.

I’m going on the first week of the festival this year, as opposed to the last week of it last year.

I had an excellent time when I was there, but going over for the final weekend, it had a ‘Last day of school feel’ about it, whereas this year, I hope to be at the heart of the festival.

Already booked tickets to see Doves on my first day there. Fucking win.

Meanwhile, September’s STLFTEM promises to be special. When the Premier League fixture list gets published, there is one game which immediately gets circled in red. When the Irish League fixture list gets published, there is one game which gets circled in red. And they’re both happening in the same week.

I’m hopefuly (almost certain) of getting to go to the United-Liverpool game in September. If so, it will be my first United-Liverpool game i’ve attended in person since 1994, having turned down an inivtation to see a meeting in 2004 to watch Linfield beat Glentoran to win the league instead.

The week after hopefully seeing United beat Liverpool, i’ll be at The Oval for the first meeting of the season of Linfield and Glentoran. It’s a game I hate and love in equal measure.

Three of the four league games last season (like in 2008/2009) were evening kick-offs, which weren’t good for my nerves. At least with a Saturday 3pm game, i’ll have four and a half hours less of nerves, tension and excitement.

Meanwhile, Four Four Two Photo Awards are now accpeting entries, and I have submitted most of the photos I want to.

Of the ones that were nominated on my shortlist blog, only ‘Portadown’, ‘Dungannon’ and ‘Coleraine’ haven’t been submitted.

The reason for this is that they require that you submit the original, rather than a scaled down saved photo, and I am currently struggling to find these photos. Feel free to wish me luck.

Base, Adam Hills (Hopefully), Edinburgh Festival and United v Liverpool is going to be my summer. Can’t wait.