GARY NUMAN
I had the whole day off college to sort myself out. I wore my black Bershka top with black skinny jeans, a black fur coat and my platforms and I had black stiletto nails. At about 3-ish I met my friend John and bought a chicken tikka masala thing at Camden Food Co. at New Street Station, then we got the train to Wolverhampton. From there we walked to the Wulfrun Hall, and we got there at about 4-ish, and when I went to look in my bag for my tickets I couldn't find them in there, which I'll extrapolate on later. We were all called into the venue sometime between 4.15 and 4.30, just in time for the soundcheck. I saw some of the guys from Officers there too and said hello to them!
About 5-ish or something the soundcheck ended and we were called through to where the bar usually is to meet Gary Numan. As soon as I walked through the door I looked to my right and there was Gary, leaning against the wall! We made eye contact and he said 'hello' to me and I managed to squeak out a little 'hi!' before the meet and greet actually started.
I probably looked really cool and collected at the time but on the inside I was a total mess. I was standing within mere feet of Gary Numan, for christ's sake! There was this nice Australian lady who had her Praying to the Aliens signed (she let me read a bit of it later) and then there was me. I said hello to Gary (again), which is what you do when you meet your favourite musician isn't it? Anyway, I asked Gary about his Berserker makeup - specifically what lipstick he wore and whether it was just facepaint because I've been trying to find a decent blue lipstick since forever, and he told me about how the makeup artist brought in all her own stuff, but he still wasn't sure whether it was just facepaint or an actual lipstick. Then I told him that his music has helped me so much even though I've only really been a massive fan since May, because I was diagnosed with autism when I was 2 and his music is helping me come to terms with myself as an individual, and then we hugged and it was so magical and I never wanted it to end!!! Gary Numan gives the best hugs!!!! It's official!!!! Then this photo was taken on the disposable camera:
After that, Gary mentioned how cold the weather was, and then he said "I don't live here anymore" since he's moved to LA recently, and I brought up the trip to America that John and I are thinking of going on and from there we all got talking about America, and it was such a surreal experience. And then I went out for a fag, then went back in later on and asked Gary if it was ok if I could have another photo on my iPhone until the disposables are developed, and he said that was ok, which explains the photo on my previous blog post. I miss Gary, he's so lovely. I would definitely spend the extra £100 to meet him again.
Then we went outside to line up outside the doors, when I realised that me not having the tickets was a really bad thing. After me crying on the phone to my mum I managed to get another tenner off her which I then took out in change and used to buy two new tickets and drinks for me and John. When we went inside we met my friend Dan from college and Grace (adolescentsex) from Tumblr! We all watched Officers and we all agreed that they're an ok band live but unless they vary their material a bit then they're doomed to be a support act. As soon as they came off we got as close to the front as we possibly could.
Music played on the speakers that I can remember:
- Cocteau Twins - Fifty Fifty Clown
- Deftones - Change (In The House of Flies)
- Marilyn Manson - Tourniquet
Afterwards John and I went to Subway and caught the train home, then we got a taxi and despite my mum leaving some money in the porch he offered to pay for it since I bought us both the tickets.
THE DAMNED
About a week after that I saw The Damned!
I didn't have the day off college this time, but I did leave early at about 12:30 to sort out my bags (I have to bring two heavy bags in to college every day!!!) and freaked out a bit over losing my bus pass which I later found in an old box of Sobranies. Then I left the house at about 2 or 3-ish, I'm not sure what time, and got the bus to New Street Station where I met Annie, Gabby, Katy, Elly and Florie! We all headed off towards the O2 Academy but I absolutely HAD to introduce them to Music and Video Exchange first, and while we waited outside with a lady called Sarah we got very very cold. We also met Captain Sensible several times throughout the evening!
He also signed my mum's Wot single and now it's one of my most prized possessions. At one point we all escaped to a Chinese restaurant and I had beef fried rice and REGRETTED THAT A LOT!!! I knew I should have had something with noodles. When we got back I found some cheap chocolate in the middle of the road - still in its packaging! - and it turned out to be crap so Florie kept the packaging (pictures of puppies and kittens on each thing of chocolate). It also turned out that Cappy had been looking for us while we were at the Chinese restaurant! At about 6.45 we got in to watch the support band's soundcheck, as long as we were out by 7.00 to queue up outside the venue. When we got in I bought some Guinness and then decided I didn't like it so I gave it to Gabby, then later bought a bourbon and coke which was very nice. The drinks prices were extortionate beyond belief, though! Before the Dickies (the support band) came on, Cappy came to see us at the barrier and showed us one of those holographic photos of some dogs, then told us he got it at the market for about £2.50!
The Dickies were a bit blugughh.
Before the Damned came on, Cappy came to see us at the barrier again and gave us some bourbon and coke in a spring water bottle! There was also a scary man behind us going "SOMEONE'S FUCKING YAWNING!!! THE DAMNED ARE COMING ON IN A BIT AND YOU'RE FUCKING YAWNING?!?" which led to me going "OH FUCK I YAWNED" and laughing every time I yawned.
Not long after that, the Damned came on and they were amazing and I had loads of fun there too. We got squished a lot and some random lady pushed in between me and Gabby at one point, but it was amazing.
During the last song of the encore (Smash It Up Pt. 1 and 2) the band got one of the Damned's oldest fans up onstage (he's 68 and has been to 550 Damned gigs) and then Cappy said "let's get some girls up here too!" after which Gabby, Katy and Florie + random lady got up, and I decided I might as well join in on the fun too. There was lots of ridiculous dancing involved and funtimes and at one point I sang into the microphone! It felt so amazing and I felt so powerful. I just wish there were videos of it. Before we went offstage I hugged the Damned's keyboardist, Monty Oxy Moron!
While I was waiting to get my coat back from the cloakroom I ran into a guy who used to go to my college and we both totally freaked out about how amazing that was. When I went back to look for my friends I saw Cappy talking to them again and somehow we were all invited backstage! I didn't get to stay for long though because my sister was picking me up, and for a few minutes I popped into the Damned's dressing room, got my Phantasmagoria LP signed by Dave Vanian himself, drank some own brand cola which I later spilt on my Phantasmagoria (but I think it's escaped unscathed thanks to the inner sleeve) and there was also a box of strawberries and I nicked one of them, hehehe! I said goodbye to my friends and left the venue and my sister was waiting outside to pick me up. I wish I'd stayed backstage longer but I had the best time ever, thanks to this brilliant band!
CHRISTMAS
Christmas was alright, actually. I got some really cool presents and some family members came over for Christmas dinner, but at some point in the evening I got really tired and had to go to bed. I'm so pleased with all my new clothes and I feel so fly it should be illegal. In terms of clothes got a fluffy black and white stripy jumper that looks like something Captain Sensible would wear, some leather trousers to replace the ones that ripped at Reading, a Christmas jumper that I just want to wear all the time and a pair of black creepers with spikes on them! I've also bought some trousers and a Florence + the Machine top in the Primark sale in Redditch, and at H&M I bought a black see-through button-up shirt, a mini lipstick, a black velvet bowtie and a small silvery glittery tie. I also got Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier for Christmas which I absolutely love.
Prior to Christmas I also bought a New Order t-shirt from Topshop because, believe it or not, I actually like New Order (!!!) and then I took out some money in my savings to buy a Boy London t-shirt! I've also recently gotten into Fad Gadget and Neon Genesis Evangelion and I've started playing Spyro on my Playstation 2 again.
2012 was just really great okay.
No comments:
Post a Comment