I'm suffering from the first onset of birthday-planning stress which is seriously distracting me from finishing the live reviews! This year my birthday (Nov 4th) falls when I'm in London so I have to try and mobilise everyone towards some kind of central meeting point. People come and go from London all the time, so you get various friends saying things like "I can't do Saturday, but I'm free next Wednesday" and your celebrations end up being diluted. Things are easier in Belfast, when everyone just meets in Katy Daly's, buys you a pint and you end up staggering home hammered.
So far I've managed to narrow it down to a particular day - Saturday 3rd - which is something at least! Getting everyone in the same place may be more of a challenge, though I think I'll keep it central early on (say, Covent Garden or Soho) though Notting Hill Arts Club in the afternoon is also possible. Who knows where we'll end up, but the odds of getting everyone to the Bonnie Prince Billy gig in Shepherds Bush Empire would be slim to say the least!

On the subject of gigs, Mercury Rev at Shepherds Bush Empire on Nov 1 +2 is completely sold out, as is the first Air show at Brixton Academy on the 3rd. Still tickets for Air on the 4th apparently. And on a smaller scale, Kaito are playing on Nov 2 Upstairs at the Garage, as part of the Silver Rocket club. Should be £4 or £5, late bar.