Being Discriminated Against Once Again!!!

Guess what?! I can't go to another gig because I'm disabled and use a wheelchair!

Recently, my younger sister and her friend wished to attend two different concerts at the O2 ABC in Glasgow. Due to events having specific age limits both girls were deemed as too young to attend unless accompanied by someone over the age of 18. I'm 18 now which means by rights I can take on the big sister role and attend gigs such as these ones with my younger sister. Sadly, this would be the case if I were abled-bodied and didn't use a wheelchair.

On hearing of the gigs I visited the O2 ABC's website to gather the necessary information regarding purchasing wheelchair access tickets for the events. Most venues have specific policies for people like me who have specific access needs regarding ticket purchases and I completely support the policies considering previous experiences with other venues who openly sold disabled access tickets online to everybody and anybody that could find them. As I scrolled through the website I came across a statement that stated the following message 'We're sorry to inform you that our lift is temporarily out of order. Operating over four floors, our custom-built lift currently has a mechanical fault at ground level and requires a full replacement'. The statement also asked that any customers with access requirements please contact them in advance prior to purchasing tickets. So I did and asked them if it would be likely that the lift would be back in full working order by February (the date of the first gig that I wish to attend). I later received a response stating 'unfortunately we have no definitive date on when the new lift will be made & installed. All I could say for now is buy a standard tickets for the event and if the lift is still broken you would be issued with a full refund.' I can't say I was particularly chuffed to hear that the venue did not know whether their lift would be back in working order three months later! Surely you'd have a rough idea.

I was later made aware that the lift by other wheelchair users that the lift has in fact been out order since July at least! That''s four, almost five months it's been out of order and they still can't guarantee that it'll be fixed by February (7 months later!). Yes, I could easily go purchase a ticket on the off chance that they might get their act together and have the lift up and running but may I also add that I wanted to attend the event as a guardian for my sister and her friend so why would I let them get their hopes up and have to disappoint them on the day of the show and tell them they can't go because I can't physically get inside the building!? People often forget that people like me not always attend an event for themselves we might go because a loved one wishes to attend, we are normal people after all!

I've ranted on a number of occasions in past and this for me is the final straw! I am seriously fed up of just having to accept the fact that I can't do something because my legs don't work properly. In the past 12 months I've had issues with at least six different venues in Glasgow alone due to my disability  and it's disgusting in this day in age. I've been researching a number of people whom I can contact that may be able to help me in anyway that they possibly can and am pleased to say I've had a positive response to my first email (more details to follow I hope!). However, during my research I came across an old article which you can check out by clicking here from last year about a gig held in the O2 Academy specifically for people with disabilities and it was in support of the making a change regarding the very issues I've faced. Notice, that it was held in the O2 Academy? Yes, a sister venue of the O2 ABC; the venue that don't know when their lift will be fixed meaning that disabled customers haven't and will continue to be unable to access events within the building! Can you actually believe that?!  

Anyway, I must thank you for taking the time to read yet another article filled with frustration. I seriously feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall-when will the message get through to people?! I really appreciate your support and would be ever so grateful if you could once again give this article a share and please get in contact with me (details in the contact page above) if you can help in any shape or form or know someone who will. In the meantime I'll be sure to keep you all posted with everything that happens!

The Hat Hippie Turns 2!

Wow! I can't quite believe it! My blog turns two years old today! Two years ago today I clicked publish on my first ever post! The time has flown by and in that time so much has happened!

I just wanted to take the time to write a short post to thank you all for following me on my blogging journey over the past two years and showing me as much love and support as you have. It honestly does mean the absolute world to me to log into my blog and receive such lovely comments and messages from you my wonderful readers!

It's amazing to look at my blog stats and see just how many views my blog has received and see just how vast the audience is. I've had views from all around the world which is crazy to me. It's so cool and very exciting to know that there's actually people in other countries sitting down at their computer or on their phones reading the words that i have written. That's the power of the internet for you!

Throughout the time I've been blogging I've met and spoken to so many wonderful people and done some pretty awesome things! Not many 18 year olds can say that they've had the opportunities that I've been fortunate enough to have had. I'll never take them for granted either, I'm one lucky girl to have done what I've done. Yeah, perhaps I have my struggles with health and pain but without those struggles I wouldn't have the enthusiasm nor the confidence to go out there and achieve my dreams. Instead I'd still be sitting in a boring classroom bombarded with constant tests and pressure as I've noticed with many others of my age and younger. Although I'm still in education, I don't have to face that each and every day. I don't have to be pushed into the box of if you don't get an A and strive to go to university, you're a failure. I'd hate that and I hate seeing that being pushed upon many other young people at the present day. In fact I'd happily tell any teacher that because I for once have proof thanks to my own circumstances that there are other options and many paths to get to the final destination. 

So I want to say a huge thank-you to you all for continuing to read each of my blog posts, sharing them and of course you constant support and enthusiasm. To reach the two year milestone in my blog is simply wonderful and I'm proud of such achievements. I look forward to continuing with my journey and to see what adventures are still to come. So until next year; my third year in the world of blogging I wish you all the best and sincerely hope you'll continue to enjoy reading what I share with the world! 

Thank-you so much and a huge Happy Birthday to The Hat Hippie!!!

Love & Peace to each and every one of you! xxx

Deacon Blue Live at HMV!

If like me, you're an avid radio listener particularly of BCC Radio 2 you'll be more than aware that Deacon Blue have just realised a brand new album titled 'Believers'. Tracks from the new album have received airtime across the station as well as appearance from the band-their performance of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show was fab might I add!

They're heading out on tour next month in support of the albums and I was gutted that I was unable to get tickets-the cons of needing accessible seating eh? But we'll not go there today. However, I did manage to get one better and thanks to HMV I had the chance to see them perform live in the Argyle Street store in Glasgow as well as meet them afterwards at the CD signing. You might remember me mentioning that I'd spotted Ricky and Lorraine at Bruce Springsteen's gig back in June whilst in The E Street Lounge but it wasn't the time or place to go say hello as like me, they were there to enjoy the gig. They weren't there as Deacon Blue and I respect that. So I was rather chuffed to actually have the opportunity to attend this event.

Firstly, I want to give a big thumbs up to HMV! The staff couldn't have been more helpful and thorough regarding the wheelchair access and as result everything went so smoothly. This is a very rare occurrence at these sort of events unfortunately. However, they made sure we were escorted to the basement floor where the gig took place before the rest of the public and were able to watch the gig right up close to the stage, with no one in front of us; just the stage!

There was only one other lady in a wheelchair who I enjoyed chatting to as we waited. It's become a bit of a habit for me to find someone to blether to at gigs-it happens every time without fail now! I never used to be as sociable haha! But I do love meeting other people at events who share the same interests as me.

We didn't have a very long wait as the band were soon escorted through from the mysterious world behind some random door in the shop and got into place and immediately started to perform. Now, this was my first time hearing them perform live however my Mum, who'd seen them on a number of other occasions said that they sounded just as amazing as they did back in the day; if not even better. So there you go folks! To me, their sound was so strong and pure! I only have the records to go by but in my opinion, singing live, they still that crystal clear sound. Perfection!

It was an acoustic gig-my favourite type of gigs! They performed a set list consisting of songs, old and new. Most of the songs performed were from their newly released album which by the way is amazing! If you loved the classic 'Deacon Blue' sound, then you're bound to love their latest addition to the music world! But like I said, they performed a couple of the much loved classics such as 'Dignity' and 'Real Gone Kid' with an acoustic arrangement which I for one completely fell in love with! There are without a doubt stunning musical compositions!

Afterwards the band were escorted to the table for the signing to take place. Everyone began to queue up to have their copies of 'Believers' signed and myself and the lady who I'd been chatting to were taken by HMV staff to the front of the queue which was really good of them to do so. From experience, queues in a wheelchair are not a pleasant experience so it's greatly appreciated when staff at these sort of events go the extra mile!

It was so lovely to chat with the band as they signed my copy of the album for me, they all were extremely friendly and genuinely interested in everything that their fans had to say. I love having the chance to speak with musicians who I admire as I find them so interesting and am extremely fascinated with their craft. Definitely a highlight of 2016 for me!

If you haven't heard Deacon Blue's new album, be sure to pay a visit to your local music store to purchase a copy! If you already have a copy, be sure to leave a comment and let me know what your favourite track is from the album!

Celebrating My 18th Birthday!

Thursday the 15th September 2016, I turned 18 years old! Isn't that a scary thought!? It's probably even more frightening for everyone that's known me since I was born all those years ago. I always have the pleasure of being able to say I was born in the 90s! For some reason, I find that pretty cool haha! Anyway better late than never; here's my well overdue account of my 18th Birthday!

I woke up that morning to my family submerging me in balloons with '18' written on them and streamers. I can't say that this was the most pleasant way to wake up particularly when your not a morning person-I could easily have slept for a few more hours had you let me awake with it! But Hey-Ho! My family had other ideas.

Mum had prepared a lovely birthday breakfast for me (Thanks Mum!), she's a fab cook by the way! And my Dad took it upon himself to play Stevie Wonders 'Happy Birthday' alongside 'Lisa It's Your Birthday' from the Simpsons. A quick fun fact for you all; Michael Jackson actually wrote it. Every time I hear that song I like to bring that random fact into the accompanying conversation to which my Sister rolls her eyes and says 'you told me that a million times
before'.

Following breakfast I was allowed to open my prezzies which were positioned on the living room sofa waiting to see the light of day. It became quite a joke about my birthday as my Mum spent the weeks prior constantly asking me what I'd like and she'd receive one of the following answers; 'I don't know', 'I'm not sure' or 'I'll think about it'-useful or what? I mean she was still asking me like two days before the day itself and to be honest I didn't really have anything in mind. I think from experience I've realised that I really don't care too much about possessions. For me, the best things in life are being happy and the memories/experiences-not trying to sound soppy or anything but it's true!

My lovely prezzies-thanks everyone!

Eventually, I did decided on some money to help me towards buying a MacBook which I've been saving long and hard for me. Everyone I've ever spoken to says it's an investment and I feel that I want a laptop that's reliable particularly when I use it for the various things such as my Blog, YouTube channel as well as various other things I'm involved in.

My parents did however, surprise me with some smaller bits and bobs including my favourite Yankee candle 'Witches Brew' (a patchouli scented candle that they bring out for Halloween every year), a gorgeous handmade bead from Soul Silver on Etsy, I'd been eyeing up her beads for years but never got round to buying one so it was a lovely 18th birthday gift. I also received the miniature Zoella perfume set from her new Christmas range as well as few other lovely gifts. My sister Laurel bought me a gorgeous silver necklace with a dream catcher pendant and my Grandparents, Aunt and Uncles all gave me some money which I'm also going to use towards the MacBook. I could easily go on forever but I also want to say a huge thank-you to Heather, Susan, my tutors Julianne and Martin, my Aunt Irene and Kaitlin, Donna, Jean and my Grans neighbours; Margaret, Jim, Gillian, Callum and Kieran for all the lovely presents!

Afterwards I began getting organised for the day ahead when I noticed Mum doing a mad rush around the house; hoovering and making sure that everything was generally tidy. This led me to become rather suspicious, I just knew something wasn't quite right.

As I was sitting in my room applying some makeup, Mum appeared to tell me that there was a visitor here to see me. Confused, I followed her to the door just as my old tutor Winnie was arriving! It was such a lovely surprise to see her and I completely didn't expect it! Winnie tutored me for a while during the early days of secondary school before she moved away however she pops in when she's in the area for a coffee and had contacted my Mum to ask if she could come surprise me on my birthday and my goodness she certainly did!

Following this we headed out to pick up the Birthday cake my Mum's friend had made for me. She created me the most amazing Beatles inspired cake complete with the famous Abbey Road crossing and a yellow submarine! It was so colourful and quirky and just right up my street-I was so delighted with it! The pictures that I've attached don't do it the justice it deserves but take my word for it, it was absolutely incredible! And tasted even better! So Suzanne, Thank-you so much! I loved it!

We pretty much spent the entire journey home holding our breath in hope that we wouldn't hit any major bumps in the road in fear of the cake being damaged. Fortunately we made it home with the cake intact-phew! Mum nipped into the house with it whilst Laurel and I waited in the car before heading out to get a late lunch.

Beatles birthday cake!!!

We decided to try 'Costley's' in Prestwick town as we'd only ever visited the ice shop and had heard the cafe/restaurant next door was equally just as nice. I've recently taken a bit of a notion for egg mayonnaise sandwiches for whatever reason so that's what I decided to order and it was absolutely delicious! At this very second, I cannot remember what Mum and Laurel ordered but they both said theirs was equally as good! So if you're ever in the town of Prestwick be sure to pop into 'Costley's' for a spot of lunch or perhaps even one of their scrumptious cakes-mmmm!

Back home we began to get organised because as soon as Dad got home from work were going to head out to the cinema. Why might you ask? Well, as you all know I'm a bit of a Beatles geek and the new Beatles film titled 'Eight Days A Week-The Touring Years' was due to be released exclusively for one evening only in the UK on my Birthday so of course I wasn't going to miss out?! In fact, I couldn't think of a better way to spend my Birthday!

The film included the red carpet footage live from Leicester Square in London which reminded me of the antics of the evening we went to see The Rolling Stones 'Crossfire Hurricane' premiere back in 2012-that however is a story for a later date! I love how much technology has moved on even since 2012 when I'd never heard of a cinema showing a live streaming of an event such as this whereas in the past year I've seen a Take That concert streamed live in the cinema and now watched the premiere of a Beatles filmed live-it's so weird when you think about it! Anyway, the premiere saw a whole host of well known names arrive including Madonna, Stella McCartney, Yoko Ono, Liam Gallagher and Sir Bob Geldof. However, the highlight is undoubtably the arrival of Sir Paul McCartney and Mr Ringo Starr!

This was of course followed by the main attraction; the film itself and at the very end the moviegoers were treated to around 30 minutes of unseen Shea Stadium concert footage of The Beatles back in the 60s. I must say I was slightly taken aback by many of the other people in the cinema who I'm afraid to say can only be described as a bunch of bores-no offence! Some left before the concert footage even began, some talked through it and others sat in silence as if it was a serious matter. Not I! Don't play Beatles gig footage and expect me to sit without the song lyrics to escape my lips as well as the odd cheer and clap! Needless to say my Sister shot me the odd death glare which of course was ignored. She hadn't seen anything yet; she never went to see Paul McCartney with me last year! I left with no voice, death ears but my philosophy was that 'I'd never seen any of these people again'. Haha! How wrong was I? As soon as we got back to the hotel and queued up for the lift, the two ladies in front of us turned out and started laughing as they'd been seated along from us at the gig and had enjoyed watching me throughout the show! I'll still never learn my lesson though!

Unattractive photo of me blowing out my Birthday cake!

Anyway, back home we lit my Birthday cake and enjoyed a slice each which was just amazing! Such a good cake-I'm hungry just thinking about it!

The following day we went out for a family dinner to my favourite restaurant which of course was great! My family even surprised me with two large 18th Balloons on the table. So that was good!

Anyway, I'm rambling on a bit so I better bring this post to a close. I just want to say a huge thank-you to everyone who took the time to send me a birthday message-I received so many and really enjoyed reading them all! Also a huge thank-you to everyone for the lovely presents and cards, it really does mean a lot! I had a lovely 18th birthday and can't quite get over the fact I'm already that age. It's the start of a new chapter which I hope will be a continuation of all the mad things I've got up to over the years! Who knows what it might bring?

Love & Peace,

The Hat Hippie xx

Introducing Beccs: Debut EP 'Unfound Beauty'

Photo Credit: Jena Cumbo

I was recently contacted and asked if I'd be interested in writing about an EP due to be released by a new up and coming artist known as Beccs. As you all know I'm currently putting a major emphasis on supporting the music industry and introducing you to new artists so when I received this email, of course I had to say 'yes!' I must add that I'm still learning a lot about reviewing however I'm just going to go purely by my own opinion and hope for the best!

Before I go any further I must say that Beccs' debut EP 'Unfound Beauty' is a force to be reckoned with and Beccs is certainly an artist to keep a close eye on. I know for a fact that she's going to go far! Her debut EP which was released just days ago on the 21st September comes after the success of the release of 'Therapy' accompanied by her first ever music video which I'll embed below for you to check out as well as 'Scared Of Me' the award winning debut single.

Beccs is an artist currently based in Brooklyn (originating from Boston) with an incredibly powerful voice. Various articles have compared her to the likes of legendary British artist Amy Winehouse as well as Fiona Apple and after listening to the EP myself, I completely agree! Adding to the list, her voice and musical style also reminds me of singers such as Adele and even Paloma Faith; unique and extremely powerful!

'Unfound Beauty' kicks off with the EP's second single 'Therapy' which explores the challenges of living with an eating disorder. A haunting yet entrancing opening number which instantly grabbed my attention. During 'Therapy' the listener instantly becomes aware of a powerful voice; the voice of a woman with a story to tell. Therapy's accompanying music video was released just a few weeks ago and illustrates the darkness of the haunting tale before our very eyes. If you enjoyed Sia's music videos then, you're bound to love this! 

'Therapy' is immediately followed by the already successful 'Scared Of Me' which was released as Beccs' debut single and ultimately the world's first peek at the future EP release. At this early stage of listening to the EP, I am already won over by Beccs' distinctive voice and the stunning musical arrangements which accompany it. From the beginning of the track I can't help but notice the pungent bass hook which appears periodically throughout the track creating an atmospheric ambience.

This is followed by 'Waiting' a beautiful piano ballad with a slight eeriness. I love the simplicity of the track which allows the natural beauty of Beccs' voice to shine through. 'Waiting' could easily appear in the soundtrack to one of the Chronicles of Narnia films sharing a similar vibe to the numerous tracks featured within the film trilogy had they been made in the present day.

Next is a song titled 'It's For You', a very powerful and dramatic piano based track. I can't help love this song; it's quirky and unique-everything that I'm attracted to in music! There's a certain theatrical element within the music that somehow makes me think of the classic Lewis Carrol tale of 'Alice In Wonderland'. Be sure to pay attention to the final few moments of the track where Beccs' brings the song to a spectacular finish with a breath-taking high note.

Photo Credit: Tira Khan

And last but certainly not least is the EP's title track 'Unfound Beauty' which can only be described as an absolutely stunning piece of art. An acoustic guitar based number with a slight Spanish influence; Beccs' voice is pure and calming and will instantly have you fixated in a deep trance. There are moments within the song that remind me of Amy Winehouse numbers such as 'Valerie' and 'Half Time' which I'm personally a huge fan of so inevitably I fell absolutely head over heels for this song. I could easily lie down and close my eyes with a big smile upon my face as thinking about the beauty of warm Summer days as I listen. What a tranquil thought! But sadly all the good things must come to an end as did this track and ultimately the EP.

As I reach the end of 'Unfound Beauty' what are my thoughts? Well, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the EP and am extremely excited to hear all of Beccs' future releases and see where the music takes her. I can honestly say that there isn't a single track in the EP that I don't love! Beccs' has the most wonderful and enchanting voice and unfortunately talent like hers is a rare occurrence in the music today. But when a rare gem does show up in artists such as Beccs, we should hold on to it and support their music in every way possible. So on that note, I urge you to take a few minutes out of your day to purchase a copy of 'Unfound Beauty' and support a career which is bound to go far!

To find out more about Beccs and keep up to date with all of her news and future music, click on one of the links below:

Website: www.beccsmusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/beccsmusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/beccsmusic
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/beccsmusic
Bandcamp: www.beccsmusic.bandcamp.com

Chronic Pain Awareness

Hi Guys!

Wow! I can't quite believe this is my 100th post; a very short one at that but I just wanted to stop by to share this video. I'm so sorry for being so quiet of late, my pain has been playing up big time. As a result I haven't been feeling very inspired to blog. I will however, hopefully have some new posts coming up in the not so distant future so please bear with me.
In the meantime I want to share with you all my most recent YouTube video where I talk about what it's like to live with Chronic Pain. My aim is to raise as much awareness as possible so I'd be extremely grateful if you could help me out and give this video a share and ask others to do the same. The more people that see it, the more chance there is that it'll reach someone out there in a similar situation.

Anyway, on that note I shall love you and leave you to watch the video. If you have any questions please feel free to get in contact.

Thank-you all so much for your love and support!

Love & Peace,

The Hat Hippie xx

Discrimantion Against Disabeld People at Gigs & Live Events

It's been a while since I've discussed disabled access related issues here on my blog however I feel the need to write a little more on this subject today. You all know I enjoy the odd live event and love a good old concert. However, in relation to one of my favourite pastimes I've unfortunately had many troublesome experiences due to my disability. I've written about it before so you all know how it goes but sadly these issues continually arise and it's frustrating to say the least.

Last year, I faced a couple of issues when purchasing tickets for gigs due to the disabled access requirements. Somehow, I eventually managed to resolve them which was great. Later in the year, just like any normal big Sister, I wanted to take my younger Sister to see two of her favourite YouTubers at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall as part of their live tour. Needless to say things didn't go smoothly. We attended both live shows in Glasgow and on both days experienced disabled access issues. And to be quite honest with you, the venue staff took full advantage of the fact that we were both young and there without a parent. Sitting in the disabled area, we could only see half of the stage due to staging; had I been able-bodied and able to sit in a normal seat, I would of had a great view. But yet again disabled people are treated differently!

On the second evening, the venue overbooked the disabled area and sold tickets to able-bodied people who helped themselves to the companion's seat and moved them into the disabled bay meaning that wheelchairs were not able to sit in the designated area. This also meant that there was no seat for my Sister so we spoke to the steward about this issues and let's face it; they really couldn't care less. The stewards reaction was 'well I'll have to wait until the show begins to see if there any spare seats to move those people but if not you'll just have to stand'. My Sister and I had noticed rows of chairs outside in the lobby and asked if my Sister could have one to sit in the carer's row behind the wheelchairs and again, was met by a hostile answer of 'no' and that she'd just have to stand. Eventually, the show began and the steward decided she'd move the other people to another seat.

Most venue's policies are that you must call the box office to book accessible tickets however disabled tickets at the concert hall can be booked online without any identification requirement. So basically, just as we discovered anybody can purchase these tickets making it all the more difficult for people like me to get them in the first place. I mean, eight disabled spaces for an entire venue isn't exactly very generous is it? We later contacted the venue about these issues alongside a few others and were met by an unsatisfactory response. Almost an entire year later, nothing has changed and disabled tickets are still available online.

Since then there has been various events at the same venue which I was keen to attend and soon discovered that they were selling disabled tickets at the same price patrons would pay for seats in the stalls. Yet, the accessible seats are on the second level with a limited view and other patrons sitting on the same level are paying a lot less-there's something very wrong there!

Moving on to a new angle, there has been two events this year in Glasgow that I've thought about attending and after researching the venues, discovered that they're not accessible. This is against the law might I add! One of the venues in question has a restaurant/bar which has a lift for wheelchair users however the gig venue itself can only be accessed via a flight of steps. The venue are however more than happy for people with mobility issues to attempt their own methods of accessing the venue. That in my opinion is a big no, no due to the safety of people like myself.

The other event I was keen to attend was an artist from a VERY famous rock band whom I am a very big fan of. I am desperate to see a member of one of the bands that I love so much live however I began looking into the venue access and guess what?! There's a huge flight of steps! Again, they get round this by saying that wheelchair users can be lifted in their chair up the flight of stairs which A) isn't particularly safe and B) isn't particularly discrete either. But again, that's just my opinion.

I decided to write a follow up on this subject after reading a post by someone in a similar situation on a Facebook group for an artist whom I'm a huge fan of. The gentleman who wrote the status recently tried to purchase VIP tickets for a gig in the US; the VIP seats were situated in the first few rows yet he was told that people with disabilities can only be seated in the designated accessible area on the second tier! Disgustingly, someone had the audacity to reply with the response 'you should be thankful you can even afford tickets'. That's all very well but why should someone just sit back and say nothing?! It's makes me angry that people who have disabilities are not allowed to experience what able-bodied people take for granted. Surely, it's possible to create a VIP seating area for people with mobility issues near the stage? Surely, it should be standard procedure in this day and age?

Sadly, due to health we can't be spontaneous, we have to plan every detail and sometimes have to accept second best. I've said this before and I'll say it again but no one knows what the future holds and any one of you could be in this situation one day and have to put up with crap when ideally these events and experiences should be pleasurable and stress-free. For a while last year there seemed to be a push for disabled people at concerts and live events however, things seemed to have settles once again and have been forgotten about. It should be standard practice and people with disabilities should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve just like every other person and until that day comes I will not rest!