NYC to Philly to see The Kasim Sulton Band
Even though I didn't get to bed until about midnight NYC time, I still woke at 4am and just couldn't get back to sleep so I got up and did some things online.
I left at 7.45am and, for the first time in the 50 or so times that I've been to the US, I had to negotiate my way from JFK Airport to Newark Airport on public transport! A website that I looked at said that it was possible to do it within an hour and yet it took me about 2.5 hours! I caught the hotel shuttle bus to JFK and got the AirTrain from there to Jamaica Station. When I was there I bought a Metro card for $8 which was supposed to take me all over New York City for the whole day. It got me out of the AirTain area okay but as soon as I tried to get on the subway (underground), it wouldn't let me in! I had to queue at the ticket booth and he let me in through a gate.
The subway to Penn Station took over half an hour as I'd obviously got on a stopping train. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded although I did have to stand all the way. I then obviously got out at the wrong part of Penn Station but thankfully someone showed me the correct part overground. I then had to wait 20 minutes for the next train (cost $15) which took me to Newark Airport. Next was another AirTrain to the hire car part of the airport.
I was lucky again with my hire car as I paid for the cheapest model but I have one with cruise control again! As I had plenty of time, I took the 1 South down to Philadelphia rather than the New Jersey Turnpike which was a more interesting journey.
I reached Horsham (where I'm staying that is just outside Philadelphia) by about 1pm so as it was probably too early to check in, I found a TGI Fridays and had some lunch. I had a slight problem with the first order as it arrived with spinach but thankfully they replaced it.
I got to my hotel by 3pm. It's a Candlewood Suite so I have a nice big room with a kitchenette in it. It's a shame I'm not staying longer than one night! I spent the afternoon doing a few things online including promoting my book some more.
I left again at about 6.45pm as I'd arranged to meet a friend for dinner before Kasim's gig at the Hard Rock Cafe. I opted to drive the route avoiding the New Jersey Turnpike so there were loads of traffic lights and quite a bit of traffic going into the city but I found the HRC okay. I couldn't easily find anywhere to park so I opted for the Hilton car park which was very near but I dread to think how much it'll cost!
We met at the Hard Rock Cafe okay and there was a half hour wait for a table. The first table that became available for us was right in front of the stage so, as we were both uncomfortable with that, we opted to wait for another one which eventually turned out to be a good decision as the opening act were very loud and the people who did sit that table soon evacuated their position once they started playing!
I left at 7.45am and, for the first time in the 50 or so times that I've been to the US, I had to negotiate my way from JFK Airport to Newark Airport on public transport! A website that I looked at said that it was possible to do it within an hour and yet it took me about 2.5 hours! I caught the hotel shuttle bus to JFK and got the AirTrain from there to Jamaica Station. When I was there I bought a Metro card for $8 which was supposed to take me all over New York City for the whole day. It got me out of the AirTain area okay but as soon as I tried to get on the subway (underground), it wouldn't let me in! I had to queue at the ticket booth and he let me in through a gate.
The subway to Penn Station took over half an hour as I'd obviously got on a stopping train. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded although I did have to stand all the way. I then obviously got out at the wrong part of Penn Station but thankfully someone showed me the correct part overground. I then had to wait 20 minutes for the next train (cost $15) which took me to Newark Airport. Next was another AirTrain to the hire car part of the airport.
I was lucky again with my hire car as I paid for the cheapest model but I have one with cruise control again! As I had plenty of time, I took the 1 South down to Philadelphia rather than the New Jersey Turnpike which was a more interesting journey.
I reached Horsham (where I'm staying that is just outside Philadelphia) by about 1pm so as it was probably too early to check in, I found a TGI Fridays and had some lunch. I had a slight problem with the first order as it arrived with spinach but thankfully they replaced it.
I got to my hotel by 3pm. It's a Candlewood Suite so I have a nice big room with a kitchenette in it. It's a shame I'm not staying longer than one night! I spent the afternoon doing a few things online including promoting my book some more.
I left again at about 6.45pm as I'd arranged to meet a friend for dinner before Kasim's gig at the Hard Rock Cafe. I opted to drive the route avoiding the New Jersey Turnpike so there were loads of traffic lights and quite a bit of traffic going into the city but I found the HRC okay. I couldn't easily find anywhere to park so I opted for the Hilton car park which was very near but I dread to think how much it'll cost!
We met at the Hard Rock Cafe okay and there was a half hour wait for a table. The first table that became available for us was right in front of the stage so, as we were both uncomfortable with that, we opted to wait for another one which eventually turned out to be a good decision as the opening act were very loud and the people who did sit that table soon evacuated their position once they started playing!
This gig was in aid of Philabundance although that wasn’t very evident at the venue. There was a box for food donations and I was told that it was filled by the end of the gig but there wasn’t an organised collection of any description.
The opening act, Parachuting Apostles, started at about 10pm and I thought were Kasim’s worst opening act to date as they substituted volume for talent. It was far too loud for the size of the venue and, even when they played a Beatles song that I knew, I couldn’t make out a word that the lead singer sung as he was so drowned out by the music.
The Kasim Sulton Band’s set started at about 11.25pm and they played until 1am which made me grateful that I’d decided to fly in the previous day. Unfortunately this was my least favourite of the five gigs that I've seen The Kasim Sulton Band play so far as Kasim waffled a lot during it. The sound wasn't great either - afterwards someone told me that Kasim was asking me during the gig if I was enjoying it but I didn't hear him! (Plus the woman in front of me was answering him anyway so I thought he was asking her.) My review of the gig (and photos) is at http://www.kasiminfo.co.uk/2009/11/20.html
The gig finished just before 1am and we left quite soon afterwards. I'd said hello to Kasim before the gig so I didn't bother staying to talk to him afterwards although I was amazed that there were some children still there at that time.
The parking cost me $25 which was a bit of a shock! As there was hardly any traffic and I court the NJT ($1.25) I got back to my hotel by 2am and was asleep by 2.30am.
posted by SueW | 11:57 PM
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