Yes I should have started looking for a job by now. But anyways, this week has been too busy for that! After 2 trips to the Bürgeramt, I received my stamp registering me in Neukölln, Berlin. Ich bin ein Berliner!

But the fun stuff was yet to come.

Tuesday I watched the football at the Irish pub - thankfully there was a lot more people there this time. I also bumped into German guys from Dortmund, who were trying to find somewhere to watch their team playing, so I took them with me to the pub. As we walked past Rauschgold (a rather kitschy gay bar) one of them exclaimed „That is a homobar?!?!". I confirmed this, then proceeded to point out the 2 gaybars opposite as well. „Where are you taking us?!" they asked... „Maybe later" I said. It was funny to be „straight" for the night, something I haven't done in Berlin yet. But then later me and Nadi went to SilverFuture. Lots of vodka, dancing to Sweet Dreams and other songs I cannot recall, free vodka shots given by the barman, and we were the last people to leave, at 5am!

Wednesday was karaoke with Nadi, her visiting childhood friend Sabrina, and two of her friends. German karaoke isn't like the traditional English way; we got our own booth for the five of us. I took the opportunity to sing German Eurovision classics „Dschinghis Khan" and „Ein Bißchen Frieden", as well as UK song „No Dream Impossible", which was randomly there. Other highlights included Rihanna's „Take a Bow" and Beyonce's „Irreplacable" duets with Nadi, singing „The Rose" with Sabrina, and „Livin La Vida Loca" Spanish version. But shouting along with Austrian rocker Falco's „Jeanny" was possibly my favourite moment. With Berlin's (admittedly excellent) night bus service, we decided to wait for the first train of the morning (about 5am) to return home.

Thursday was EPIC. Feeling all day like my head was gonna explode from the excitement, I somehow managed to survive intact and attend the gig of Hello Saferide, my most listened to artist ever. The venue was small (I believe „intimate" is the word you're meant to use in gig reviews) but still had a good 120-150 people there. The stage was only separated from the audience by some big speakers, and we managed to force our way right to front-centre, brushing aside girls in their teens/early twenties left and right, and pretending to not speak German when some of them complained. But when they saw we were gay they seemed to get over it, they clearly thought „they've had a hard enough life as it is". I only took 2 photos as we were so close that my camera flash would have caused severe retina damage, but I recorded a video of Arjeplog (available on Facebook), one of the prettiest of her slow songs.

She kicked off with Lund - „there's a glow of spring in the hall tonight", and I could already tell this was gonna be immense! Already loving Annika's intense eyes and the whole band was so into the music. Some fab dancing going on too. The exact order is kind of confused in my head, but I can remember what she sang, so will attempt to list them. (We nearly managed to steal the tracklist but some girls got there first thanks to arm-length issues - and I decided stealing Annika's bottle of water was a little sad!).

Introducing The Quiz as a way to find someone to take home tonight made it even more special „And if I'd fall, would you pick me up?", love the lyrics of this one in particular. 2006 and 2008 both got played, as did Travelling with HS and Middleclass „You'll be saying: darling our haircuts aside, we are just like Bonnie and Clyde". But the early highlight was the amazing Overall. The way the lead vocals are shared works brilliantly, and the chemistry and harmonies on this one were fabulous. Not to mention another set of amazing lyrics. The sheer cheek of X Telling Me About The Loss Of Something Dear, At Age 16; introduced by Annika with „my friend told me about when she lost her virginity... so I wrote a song about it" raised a laugh: „Maybe this time you can do it better than this"

Anna, what I think is the lead single in Germany is a beautiful song about a daughter that never was, which is so happy yet sad at the same time. And then there was the fantastic I wonder who is like this one, which compares people to songs. „But you are the only one I've met who's God Only Knows, I liked you the first time I met you, and it grows, and grows, and grows."

Long Lost Pen Pal was another perfect duet, was rather emotional and I nearly lost it here like a big fangirl, but I composed myself in time for 25 days. During which I *think* I got told off by Annika. It gets to the 'pissed off' bit - which I love, and so was grinning - but here she changed the lyrics to „Don't you smile at me, you stupid f***". Had anyone else said it I might have been offended, but Annika can say what she wants to me. I stopped smiling immediately!

She ended with the beautiful Arjeplog, but then came out for an encore where she sang my current favourite I was definitely made for these times, which is a great one to dance to; and then she ended by warning „If you like your concerts to end with a happy song then leave now..... Oh, no-one did, good!" before bringing the night to a sweet and fragile close with Loneliness is not better when you are alone.

Though they didn't perform many of my favourites from the first album, like San Francisco, Saturday Night, My Best Friend, Highschool Stalker; it was an awesome night. Annika was amazing, and so sweet and pretty, and the rest of the band where great fun too, and their love for their music shone through all night. Annika really engaged with the audience too, and I like to think from the lovely smiles she kept flashing that she was happy to see her (two) gay fans having such a wonderful time. To paraphrase Hello Saferide's lyrics „Overall, I think they did a good job".