There was a slight further complication when I made my way downstairs for dinner, and was ushered into the shoes off section adjoining the restaurant, which was set up for a catered event. Not that it was a problem, but you’d guess they’d have preferred not to have to deal with old hairy foreigners intent on pasta with clams and a glass of prosecco when they’re readying themselves for a Christmas party.
Back upstairs to brush my teeth before heading down the street to the Ex, I found Madam battling with the corkscrew I’d borrowed the previous evening. It was obvious she wasn’t familiar with the old waiter’s friend, but the bottle had plenty of time to breathe once we’d managed to extract the cork.
Predictably, having made my way into the venue twice and confident I had things under control, when I got to the concert, they'd changed the entry procedures slightly. Not that it was a problem, but the changes produced a massive queue for the compulsory drink.
Maybe the changes had something to do with the fact that the night’s show was going live to air on Japanese pay TV, which may in turn have had something to do with a great show that ran slightly longer than the others. Further details here.
In any case, I was back upstairs at Hotel S around 10:40, around half an hour later than previous two days, tapping out the setlist, sipping red, and drafting a confer review until the 375ml had been polished off.
At which point it was time for bed.