Possibilities for early afternoon pre-festival pubs were limited somewhat by the Tube strike that was affecting the capital last Friday.
But thanks to my debut trip on the Elizabeth Line I made it to Liverpool Street before midday.
Smart, speedy, and saving me from crowded buses, but I'm not forgiving the Elizabeth Line for demolishing the Astoria.
Liverpool Street before midday. That'll mean a trip to Spoons then...
I was disappointed with my picture, but it turns out I've done better than What Pub...
This is a Greene King pub in disguise - not a GK IPA in sight, with cask ales from Southwark, Hammerton and Gorgeous, plus Signature Brew very evident on the kegs.I went for the Gorgeous 'Geekhunter', a malty ale that wasn't quite as pale as I'd have expected from it's description as 'extra pale'. To be honest it was let down by being way too warm.
The pub has three sections to it - high stools and a piano by the front bar, a run of three dart boards in the back, leather cushioned booth seating in the side room.
Just gone noon is too early for the city folk to go on the lash, even on Friday apparently. Just another couple of customers whilst I was there, giving the bar staff time to sing along to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now', and discuss how if they had to listen to someone read the phone book to them, would they prefer it to be Stephen Fry or Morgan Freeman?
Leaving them to debate those important issues of the day, I made the short walk through Spitalfields market onto Commercial Road, to the Commercial Tavern...
Just gone noon is too early for the city folk to go on the lash, even on Friday apparently. Just another couple of customers whilst I was there, giving the bar staff time to sing along to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now', and discuss how if they had to listen to someone read the phone book to them, would they prefer it to be Stephen Fry or Morgan Freeman?
Leaving them to debate those important issues of the day, I made the short walk through Spitalfields market onto Commercial Road, to the Commercial Tavern...
This spectacular round-fronted pub was built in 1865 and I suspect was originally a traditional two-roomed city pub.
It's latest refurbishment has revealed period features, whilst going for quirk and shabby chic, covering surfaces with old teen pop mag covers and various funky wallpaper.
I didn't quite make it to the festival for the first band of the day - I scuppered that by nipping into Brewdog Shoreditch for a cheeky imperial stout.
A quick journey on the 388 bus to Bethnal Green, then 15-minutes walk, took me to Victoria Park and the All Points East festival site.
No drama with the hi-tech tickets on your phone malarky, no queues, a breeze past security, and I was propped on the barrier in front of the East Stage in time for Kills Birds.
A tricky band to search on the internet, as the first results you get are actually what kills birds.
Apple seeds and onions, apparently.
The band are a grungy LA four piece whose profile hasn't been harmed by being given the thumbs-up by Dave Grohl. The small crowd who'd arrived early enough to see them were rewarded with a short bombastic set which blew any cobwebs away.
If I'd have had a sneak preview ten years back of beer costing £7.00 a pint, I'd have vowed to have turned tee-total by this point.
But at least the pale ales from Brixton and other London craft breweries offered something a little more interesting than we used to be served at music festivals and gigs.
A quick journey on the 388 bus to Bethnal Green, then 15-minutes walk, took me to Victoria Park and the All Points East festival site.
No drama with the hi-tech tickets on your phone malarky, no queues, a breeze past security, and I was propped on the barrier in front of the East Stage in time for Kills Birds.
Apple seeds and onions, apparently.
The band are a grungy LA four piece whose profile hasn't been harmed by being given the thumbs-up by Dave Grohl. The small crowd who'd arrived early enough to see them were rewarded with a short bombastic set which blew any cobwebs away.
But at least the pale ales from Brixton and other London craft breweries offered something a little more interesting than we used to be served at music festivals and gigs.
I've gotta say I enjoyed all the bands I watched across the stages throughout the day, traversing genres from indie rock to rap. Femi Kuti was an early highlight, the infectious funky afrobeat ideally suited to a sunny afternoon in the park.
Yves Tumor was dressed in almost exactly the same outfit that I was going to wear to the festival myself...
But it was the double-bill of Turnstile and IDLES which really drew me to this day of All Points East.
Ensuring no let-up, IDLES cranked into the first bars of 'Colossus' on the East Stage almost as soon as Turnstile exited stage left on the West Stage. I joined a procession of dusty disheveled punters making their way between the site's two biggest stages, and into the heaving throng in front of Bristol's finest modern post-punk'ers.
With more walking across London than usual, it was 4-hours from the festival to my bed, which, as far as I'm concerned, justified not hanging around to the end.
And after negotiating London transport, early doors in the pubs, seven bands in the park, two mosh pits that I'm really far too old for...hell's bells, I really needed my bed!
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