Hard-Fi (x2) and Pool

Now you might think that going to see the same band play twice in the same week smacks of obsession. But I do have a good excuse.

I had booked up with a mate to see Hard-Fi on the tour to promote their new album in the way I normally do. So that explains Friday.

But later, because I am on Hard-Fi’s mailing list, I got the opportunity to apply for a maximum of two tickets to see them on the Tuesday opening a new venue in Brixton. For free (well with a £5 charity donation). And that was just too much of a bargain to turn down.

I don’t regret either. I love Hard-Fi (and indeed you can see that from my entry for V festival where I saw them only last month.) The first date was I guess a bit of a dress rehearsal for their tour. 

Now when I say they were opening a new venue, I really mean it. You know all those DIY programmes where everyone dashes around and by some miracle just manage to complete the place in time? Well the Electric was just like that. It’s actually an old and well known club, the Fridge, which has had a makeover. And they were still putting on the finishing touches when we arrived. So we got in about 45 minutes after doors were supposed to open, and then to start with we were only allowed into the bar area, allowing us to watch the floor where they were still trying to get a small forklift truck out. So very last minute.

But it’s a great venue for such a big act as Hard-Fi just because it’s so small. To give you a feel, I would say standing at the back at the Electric you are as close to the band as you would be standing at the front at something like V festival or Glastonbury. Like many venues (such as its larger and more illustrious neighbour, the Brixton Academy) it’s basically a Victorian theatre where the downstairs has been gutted to leave a bar all across the back and an empty floor at the front. Anyway, brilliant set mixing new stuff with the standards from their first two albums. And a nice intimate atmosphere as I guess the capacity would be around a thousand.

Then more of the same on Friday at the Forum in Kentish Town. This is a larger venue, again an ex-theatre, or maybe cinema as its more art deco in design. (Ok I may be one of the few fans who look out for the design details rather than just the bar and the loos at venues.) But still very much the same sort of atmosphere. They played an expanded version of Tuesday’s set, so as far as I can recall everything in the same order but with extras inserted, such as a cover of the Clash’s I fought the law and the encore had the title track from Stars on CCTV added. But really indie rock doesn’t get any better than this. So no regrets about two trips in a week at all. So maybe I am obsessive.

But no, because there was a major difference between the two, apart from period features. Namely I went with two different mates, both actually ex-trainees of mine, one now my boss, the other a young man now with a rival firm, but about 10 years apart in age. I have often thought I have had two strokes of luck in my chosen profession (and indeed chosen employer given I have worked for the same Firm all 25 years of my working life). One is the obvious, that it has given me a reasonably comfortable living and I don’t exactly want for creature comforts. But the other is just what great friends I have made, and especially how lucky I have been with trainees. Many of whom are now amongst my best friends . And because of the nature of the job, having trainees means I get to know a stream of young people who I would never come across in a social context. (Although the oldest of these young people are now getting into middle-age themselves of course. That’s what the passing of time does to you. Except on Dr Who)

So Tuesday’s gig gave me the chance of an evening out with someone whom I may see every day at work, but don’t normally get to spend a few hours with socially with no extraneous competition (other than a couple of raucous support bands and a thousand bouncing music fans). M was the first of my trainees to make partner, and he is someone who disproves the rule that you can’t have it all. He really does. Effortlessly charming, great brain, hard-working but relaxed, good-looking, gets out and has a life outside the office, now (justifiably) very wealthy, lovely wife and kids (and if he hadn’t come to the gig with me I would probably have taken his eldest son who is 15 (I think) and also great company). So all in all a great evening out on that account if no other.

And then Friday with G, 10 years younger and engaged to be married next year. Again a joy to spend an evening out with. I always feel somewhat flattered that he still does make the effort to come out to the odd comedy or music gig, or indeed just to the pub, even with work commitments, wedding commitments and of course mates his own age. (Annoying thing with nice people, other people like them too. Wonder why that happens?) Anyway, a great chap and of course I like hearing about the slightly different world he inhabits– like him just having come back from a stag weekend in the West of Ireland where they went surfing. Friends my age are long past having a stag do and would probably spend one in a pub comparing back strains. Only a slightly different world of course, since we both do the same job and one of his colleagues is the partner of one of my best friends at my firm. Indeed I was jealous that his colleague had sent photos of their new born to him, whereas my mate had limited himself to weight and name in his e-mail to me.

So all in all I do rather count my lucky stars. And couldn’t think of a better way to spend two evenings than at those two gigs with those two friends. Even if it was the same band and two pension lawyers. (Although hopefully I will have even better times with different friends next week – I am ever the optimist and why not? Similarly, I have every hope after nearly 30 years of gigging that the best one is still to come. Next shot is next Saturday – I will let you know how it goes!)

Oh and maybe a testament to Hard-Fi. In two months, I, nearly 50 have seen them with someone just over 40, just over 30 and 15. And they have gone down well with all of us. And contrary to their perceived fan base, none of us are chavs.

And interspersed between those two event was our departmental social, a chance to spend a whole afternoon and evening with my colleagues. And yes loved that too. The afternoon was spent playing a pool tournament. A point at which I regret not having mis-spent some more of my youth. I think it’s fair to say that we were a mixed ability group, from those with a passing resemblance to Paul Newman hustling pool to those who struggled to hit the cue ball. But it was great laugh – well I thought so. And then onto a City bar/restaurant for dinner and more drinks. And I found myself at the end of a table with one of my colleagues who is a 30 something (albeit a very young and glamorous one I should stress) and one of our new trainees who is only 24 and therefore wasn’t even born when I started work. It’s difficult in those situations not to end up playing the old sage (or boring old fart – I guess there is a narrow line or maybe it just depends on whether you are giving or receiving), but it’s an interesting comparison between the three of us, one just starting a career, one engaged to be married and me more in contemplation of retirement mode than anything else. Beginning, middle and end, not precisely in time-lines but in attitudes, one for whom everything is hopefully up and ahead, one for whom finding the right plateau balancing home and work is now the decision, and one just coasting. Anyway nice thing is that the lad seems to be enjoying his time with us. Or at least it exceeds his expectations. Which given any outsider’s perceptions of pensions law isn’t setting the bar too high. But I am confident he will never find a nicer bunch of people to work with.