View from the Shard sets scene for 24-hour London adventure

IT was an unlikely trip to Aberdeen to catch a band I’ve loved since my late teens that led to agonising over the best use of 24 hours in London.

Funny how things work out sometimes…

When an old friend invited me to the Granite City to catch an Icicle Works gig at an intimate venue late last year, I couldn’t resist.

I’ve long regarded main man Ian McNabb as one of the most underrated artists of his generation and was curious to know what an Icicle Works crowd might look like these days.

If you’re of a certain age, you might just remember their 1983 hit, Love is A Wonderful Colour. For me, that was a mere gateway to dozens of songs that have formed part of the soundtrack of my life.

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The take home from Aberdeen was that I still love going to see live music (especially when it’s that good) and so, it would seem, do plenty of others my age (and above). I was buzzing on the very late night drive back to the Highlands and already contemplating the next gig.

And so, after signing up for a few online band alerts, it wasn’t long before I was being enticed to the capital city to catch McNabb and co at an intriguing little venue called Pizza Express Live Holborn. I was intrigued.

Whether it was the prospect of pizza or the fact he’s absorbed a lot of McNabb magic down the years through a process of musical osmosis, my teenage son, Michael, was keen to tag along.

After commiting to gig tickets and bagging cheap easyJet flights from Inverness to Gatwick, all that remained was booking digs and figuring how to make the best use of some quality time with my son.

I love Premier Inn’s consistency (and we both love their unlimited breakfasts) and it so happened that its Farringdon branch looked to be within easy walking distance of the gig. Much as I have come round to quirky Airbnbs on our family travels (my wife is very skilled at finding interesting ones), on this occasion I couldn’t be doing with the faff and the London prices seemed a tad steep. (Shocking, I know).

The ‘what to do’ dilemma was solved by opting for a couple of Go City London Explorer passes. These digital passes offer up to 50 per cent off the price of individual tickets and allow you to choose a set number of attractions over a timeframe that suits you.

There’s also an all-inclusive version which lets you visit as many attractions as you like/can within one day.

Knowing that we’d be making the most of that Premier Inn brekkie, had rock and roll on the agenda later and were going to be getting everywhere on foot (bold move!), we opted to choose three attractions. One is an iconic piece of architecture offering an amazing overview of the capital (The Shard), another showcases two turtles we were about to fall in love with (Sea Life aquarium on the South Bank) and the last combes my love of music and appreciation of a good burger (the Hard Rock Cafe. Feel free to judge - it was a strategic decision).

Booking entrance times via the app for all three attractions gave some structure to the day and good old Google Maps meant there was a fighting chance we could navigate between them and hit our deadlines.

Central London on foot is great for people watching and the unexpected little things you see along the way. And, of course, there’s no shortage of terrific free museums and art galleries. We went for Tate Modern which was thought-provoking though not entirely free as some of the side exhibitions come with hefty price tags. Nice coffee in the up-top cafe though and a fun gift shop with sofas that Michael actually managed to fall asleep on.

Continuing the music theme, my head was turned in central London by a gallery showing high-end photography featuring everyone from Jimi Hendrix to the Rolling Stones. The price tags were silly but it didn’t cost anything to have a look.

The Sea Life aquarium (Michael’s choice), nestling in the shadow of The London Eye, was an unexpected delight for me. Despite some impressive sharks and mind-boggling creatures of the deep, it was the graceful aquabatics of rescued green sea turtles Boris and Dougie that stole our hearts. Knowledgeable staff happy to answer questions made this an informative and thought-provoking visit showcasing the wonders of Mother Nature.

The step count was mounting and that breakfast now seemed a while ago so I asked Michael to navigate us towards some eats. His choice was excellent - Biang Biang Xi’an Noodles at London Bridge, very reasonable given our location and the generous servings.

The Shard is London’s highest viewing platform (1016ft/309metres), a window cleaner’s dream (or nightmare) with its 11,000 glass panels and the perfect place to take in Central London (and up to 40 miles beyond).

By sheer happenstance, we caught iconic Tower Bridge opening during our visit. It was truly fascinating to clock the railways and waterways, the arteries at the heart of a bustling city the hekp make the capital tick. Incidentally, a guide named Howard, with a passion for history and an apparently encylopaedic knowledge of the city, was well worth earwigging.

The fact that I could see everything from Dee Dee Ramone’s bass guitar, Jimi Hendrix’s one-of-a-kind Gibson Flying V and outfits worn by artists like The Who, David Bowie and Madonna - while also taking care of the pre-gig eats - made the Hard Rock Cafe a logical option.

So ironically we didn’t need to have pizza at Pizza Express Live Holborn but instead focussed on the starter and main course in the basement cabaret-style venue - a life-affirming solo set by Ian McNabb and a nostalgia-laden trip down memory lane courtesy of the Icicle Works. Both were every bit as invigorating as the Aberdeen gig and - better still - my son was also well impressed. A passing of the musical torch to the next generation.

Wandering Piccadilly Circus I couldn’t help but notice a Glenmorangie whisky ad featuring the celebrated Harrison Ford campaign I had recently been writing about back home.

London in 24 hours was an absolute blast and I’m already pondering a return jaunt with a completely different itinerary. And checking that McNabb/Icicle Works’ tour guide, that may be sooner rather than later. McNabb’s eagerly anticipated new album already strikes a chord with me. It’s called If It Wasn’t For the Music.

Did you know…?

Go City claims to be the world's leading sightseeing and attraction pass brand. London attractions range from Tower Bridge, London Eye, Hop-on, Hop-Off bus tours; Wembley, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham stadium tours to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. For more information, visit www.gocity.com or download the Go City app from the App Store or Google Play.

Premier Inn is the UK’s largest hotel chain and in terms of bed comfort is as close as I’ve come to my beloved Highland BlindCraft mattresses. The chain are so confident about their beds that you can actually buy them.

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