davidflewellen.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Dave Gahan and Paul Heaton were born on the same day - 9 May 1962. Funnily enough, while Dave Gahan has fronted the band that’s been my favourite band for over 40 years, it’s Paul Heaton (who I saw perform for the first time ever earlier this week) who I’d call a national treasure.

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What’s remarkable to me about this 2017 Barrowlands set from Depeche Mode is that none of these songs existed at the time Depeche Mode performed the show at the Rose Bowl in 1988 which was released as the double album Depeche Mode 101.

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Watching Depeche Mode on TV now, the 2017 Barrowlands show. Home is playing. The absolute ecstasy of hearing the opening notes of that song at the London O2 show last year was one of the many DM-related highlights of my life.

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Oh look, it’s that time of the year again… when I dust off my annual reminder that if the UK were to enter Depeche Mode into Eurovision, the result would be a fairly inconsequential battle for second place involving everyone else.

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A tough weekend of #4NCL #chess for me. Played two, lost two. I’ve long suspected that I’m not really a proper chess player, and my results this season are compelling evidence of that.

submitted 20 days ago • 1 comment

My record of visiting Peterborough has been two losses and a draw while supporting Bristol Rovers. I’m heading back there this weekend, to play two games of #4NCL #chess for #Epsom. Hoping my chess record is an improvement on my football-watching record.

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The Manics are in danger of playing Motown Junk here in Kingston tonight. Perfect!

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It’s 30 years ago today that Richey Edwards of the Manics vanished. At the time, it was just more bad news in the same week that my mum had died. I could never have expected that I’d observe the 30th anniversary of his disappearance by… heading off to see the Manics in Kingston this evening.

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

For Xmas I got a t-shirt which says “Eat. Sleep. Chess. Repeat.”. I’m in the middle of an eight day stretch which pretty much resembles that. As a result, I’m not going to the #BristolRovers away game at Charlton Athletic tonight, despite it being my most convenient Gas league fixture this season.

submitted 39 days ago • 1 comment

News apps can fuck off with their breaking news alerts this afternoon. We know what’s happening. Stop reminding us.

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Just got home after a tough and rather demoralising defeat playing #chess for Epsom 5 against local rivals Ashtead 2. Got completely nappy-changed by my higher rated opponent. Didn’t help that I felt washed out and borderline coming down with some sort of bug. Oh well, not the end of the world.

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Won my first ever 4NCL #chess game for Epsom today, as two wins and four draws saw us defeat Wessex B. Was given a tip to prepare to face the Nimzo-Larsen attack. By move 3 I also had a bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal. Once they were traded, things kept on getting better for me. Very pleased with that.

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I’m in Coventry to play #4NCL #chess for Epsom. Hardly anyone else here yet, but I’ve already chatted to one other #BristolRovers supporter playing for another team.

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A most enjoyable night of #chess at @richtwickchess.bsky.social this evening. Even though my Epsom 3 team lost 4.5-1.5 against a much stronger Richmond team, we all fought hard. Top 3 boards (including me) all massively outrated and lost, other 3 boards more evenly matched and all drew.

submitted 60 days ago • 1 comment

Yesterday’s trip to Cambridge United means that I’ve now visited 43 of the 92 current PL/EFL grounds. My list of grounds also has 7 other places whose teams have either since dropped out of the Football League, or in the case of AFC Wimbledon, moved to a new stadium. So, in a way, I’m up to 50.

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

A surprisingly low key pleasant away day with #BristolRovers today, and I’m rather knackered after it all. Seeing them win for the first time since 2022 was an unexpected bonus. A lot of their football is still quite rubbish, but as long as they become harder to beat, they may yet stay up.

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

A 1-0 win for #BristolRovers at Cambridge United today. I couldn’t remember when last I saw the Gas win. It appears to have been a 2-1 win at Charlton in December 2022. That’s some drought. Here’s a photo I took of the aftermath of the disallowed second Gas goal today.

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Not the prettiest goal you’ll ever see, but someone had to concede a goal in a game this poor. #BristolRovers with a shock 1-0 lead at Cambridge United.

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No shortage of lack of skill in this #BristolRovers game at Cambridge United. Two rather poor teams on display.

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Cambridge United have drummers at either end of their ground. Who do they think they are, Adam and the Ants?

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Safely arrived at Cambridge United’s ground to watch #BristolRovers. PA system playing “Another Brick In The Wall” - a bewildering choice of song. “We don’t need no education” is an odd refrain in a city famous for its university.

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A busy morning for League One football fans at Epsom station - had a brief chat with a Bolton Wanderers fan on his way to their home game vs Exeter City. I’m now on my way towards Cambridge to watch #BristolRovers.

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It’s bonkers o’clock on a nippy midwinter Saturday morning, and I’m on my way to watch #BristolRovers away at Cambridge United at lunchtime. It’s a trip that’s bound to be as pointless as you can get without adding £500 to the prize pot. Expect to hear the phrase “Why did I even bother?” later.

submitted 64 days ago • 0 comments

Despite being seeded in the bottom quarter of this evening’s Epsom Chess Club blitz tournament, I finished on a fairly respectable 4.5/9. Three wins, a one-point bye, four losses, and a draw in the final round, to finish 14th out of 27.

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

About to end my #chess year by taking part in Epsom Chess Club’s New Year blitz tournament. Nine rounds of 3+2 blitz chess. I’d happily take a score of 4/9 this evening - blitz chess is not really my thing.

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

Despite #BristolRovers continuing to stink up the lower reaches of League One with their ongoing lack of basic football competence, I am eyeing up an away trip on Saturday, when they’re due to inflict themselves upon Cambridge United. Train prices look ok, despite a rail replacement bus in play.

submitted 69 days ago • 2 comments

I’m pretty sure that when it comes to wearing jeans while playing #chess, I have a 100% record. (By which I mean I’ve worn jeans during every game I’ve played.) (* English Chess Federation rated games, individual, club, and county.)

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👖

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Chess drama - Magnus Carlsen vs the organisers of the FIDE World Rapid Championship, over a dress code violation issue. FIDE deciding to exclude Carlsen from the tournament for wearing jeans. Pretty shambolic from FIDE.

submitted 71 days ago • 1 comment

Currently trying to find out if the pelican from The Pelican Brief is still alive.

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A trip to London this afternoon - some shopping and seeing the Christmas lights. Being knocked out of #whamageddon was inevitable, but I managed to dodge the song for a good three hours before finally hearing it near Piccadilly Circus.

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Why is the #DingGukesh world #chess championship still going on? After yesterday’s post-game press conference, you’d have sworn that Gukesh had already won. Instead, the world champion looks set to bounce right back in game 12. You can’t spell “humdinger” without Ding!

submitted 90 days ago • 0 comments