...yeah, you can probably guess the title reference.
So, tomorrow, is New Year's Eve, meaning the day after that is New Year's Day. January 1st. 2012. As a result, I figured it would be cool to post my own personal review of the year. I wasn't too sure how to write this, but I have settled on a couple of Top Tens to get everything across. I would like to stress that neither of the lists are in any form of order, because I am thinking off the top of my head and as they come they will be written. So here we go!
Top Ten Moments of 2011
1. My wonderful relationship with Alex. Yes, there were tough times, but every relationship has them. And at the end of the day, I can look back on it and smile because it was absolutely fantastic.
2. The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. To perform up there on one of the world's biggest stages was a great experience, and to do so as the lead role in a play that sold out its allocation in two days was even better. It was brilliant to walk around and see all that was going on, and meeting a couple of famous faces along the way was an added bonus.
3. Sonisphere. Not only was it great to see everyone again that I had met the previous year, but the festival had run away with the lineup, a ridiculously strong bill that blew away anything Download and Reading/Leeds had to offer. Meeting new faces was awesome, as were some of the events that happened there. And as an added bonus, I came away with a Metallica beach ball, a very credible piece of gig memorabilia.
4. Passing my first year at university. In my four modules I attained 64, 65, 65 and 66. This rounds out at 65, a 2:1, and has given me great standing to go on and hopefully achieve a first at the end of my degree. Just a shame none of the marks count towards my final grade...
5. Visiting a centre in Bristol designed for deafblind children. One of the few perks that accomodated my summer job as a charity fundraiser, it was excellent to see what happened there and to see staff that were so passionate about helping children get as good a quality of life as possible.
6. Seeing Roger Waters, bassist from Pink Floyd, perform their eponymous album 'The Wall' in its entirity at the O2 Arena. To be given the chance to witness my favourite album of all time performed in a very similar vein to the original 1980/1 production, updated with new effects for 2011, was utterly superb. 'Comfortably Numb' reduced me to tears.
7. Our House, my ninth musical in eight years and my first with UWE's Centre for Performing Arts. Based around the hits of ska legends Madness, it was fast, fun and wonderful to be a part of. Again, I met some fantastic people whilst doing it, and I cannot wait to do Titanic next year in March. I won't miss the rasta wig though!
8. Performing 'By The Way' on stage at the UWE Drama Ball the day before I turned 19. It wasn't a huge thing, but I could finally be a proper frontman for all of 4 minutes, and the handshake from the guitarist as I walked offstage meant a lot.
9. The celebration in July for my parents silver wedding and my Dad's 50th. A really cracking day spent with family and friends, with laughs and memories galore. And again in 25 years, yes? Alright then!
10. Doing a couple of days of paid extra work on a low budget film. It was wonderful to see how it all worked and came together, and a great experience as a young actor to learn all the goings-on and what is expected of them. Although, I could have done without the early morning starts!
Top Ten Acts Seen in 2011
1. Iron Maiden
2. Slipknot
3. Volbeat
4. Slayer
5. Metallica
6. Airbourne
7. Tek One
8. Roger Waters
9. Black Spiders
10. Bill Bailey
The Biggest Loss of 2011
Rosie Kilburn. An old school friend who lost her three-and-a-half year battle with cancer in September, who had raised well into four, perhaps five figures for charity and kept everyone updated about her fight via her blog, The Knock On Effect. She taught me to keep going regardless of setbacks and to find the positives in everything, no matter how rock the road looks ahead. She was a fantastic actress and would have gone very far in life had she not been taken from us so early. The Order of Service from her funeral says 'Nineteen years live to the full'. Never has a statement been more true. She was an inspiration to everyone that knew her, and she will be missed dearly.
So, that's literally my review. I want to finish with:
Five Things to look forward to in 2012
1. The Olympics in London. As much as they've been criticised and as much as it looks like we will have overspent the predicted budget, in true British fashion we will show the world how it's done and give them the best Summer Games in history.
2. The continuing battle between Download and Sonisphere. Download have landed a massive blow with the announcement of The Prodigy, Metallica and Black Sabbath as headliners, and it's now up to Sonisphere to reply with gusto. If they announce excellent headliners as well, the battle will be well and truly on.
3. The 22nd December, if only to say I've survived three raptures, but also to sit back and smile as the predicted Mayan armageddon comes to nothing.
4. The end of my teenage life. As much as I complain and whinge, I'm actually looking forward to turning 20. Seems weird I know, but when you're younger than most of the first years, there's a part of you that really wishes you were older.
5. All the good times that will occur with all my wonderful friends. Each and every one of you means the world to me, and I can't wait to see what 2012 brings to us all.
To everyone, a Happy New Year. See you on the other side!
Laters xx
