Gigging in the snow

For those not following in UK we are in the grip of the big freeze. Ok in other countries it would just be a cold snap. But every winter we stare at this white stuff coming out of the sky as if it was some terrible unknown torment sent by the Gods. Actually, at what age does one stop opening the door to find a coating of snow and thinking "wow its snowing" and start thinking "oh dear that's going to cause transport problems"? Maybe that's the real sign of aging.

Really, while we can watch huge snow drifts in Scotland and the North on TV (its sort of weather porn - quite compulsive viewing and one keeps thinking - "Isn't it shocking"), down here in London its just bloody freezing with a light dusting. Couple of pictures from my garden attached - Canadian followers will no doubt snort "Call that snow?"

But downside is the shock every time you get out of the house/office and the cold hits you. And of course the best answer is to go for layers and end up looking like the Michelin man. But this has a particular detriment when going to gigs. While going you need to be dressed in almost your entire wardrobe to ward off hypothermia, on arrival you find yourself sweltering. And checking in coats at the cloakroom might be fine at at a sedate theatre, but with upwards of 15,000 people its just a recipe for disaster at a gig.

Went to two this week. The first was Arcade Fire, definitely Canada's greatest export (although lead singer is a Texan). This was at the O2, or the Greenwich dome that was. Actually not a bad venue. And you get just about every chain restaurant in the country surrounding it - but still not enough to cope with the crowds. So on arrival we looked for the least popular restaurant - clearly not  a normal method for choosing an eaterie  but the alternative is a long queue. We were given the alternatives by the waitress of 25 minute wait to sit inside or a free table at once to sit outside. And I should make clear outside was still covered over- one is inside the dome but its just not heated. Anyway, we took outside option in our coats, and settled down to a bottle of rioja. Ok not very rock 'n' roll, but more warming than a lager. And even my mate is over 30 and a lawyer. So we are middle-class. So that's alright then.

And then Friday night went to London's other cavernous venue, London Arena, to see Pendulum. What a friend described as a new genre - "stadium drum 'n' bass."  But really good experience, especially as I finally persuaded friends to let me take their 15 year old to his first gig. And gratifying that it was such a good gig as would have been major disappointment if after so much effort it had been a damp squib.

But the temperature contrast was far worse than the O2. Got pretty hot and sweaty inside, well this is hardcore dance music, while outside it was literally freezing. So inside you had kids stripped to the waist and bouncing like lunatics when only 50 meters away it was sub-zero.

Anyway, terrific energetic gig, with good support act in Haddouken and fabulous light show with Pendulum. Despite the big venue, they really were able to fill it (albeit easier for us to say as we were relatively close to the front.) As I remarked to my companion, "Nice to see so many young people enjoying themselves", but I was only half mocking. It really is just nice to see people having fun, with no inhibitions. And for a band like this, well the crowd just bounces. Its the only way I can describe it. If you have never been to something like this it is difficult to convey quite what it feels like. For some the noise and flashing lights might be their idea of hell, but I just love the vibrancy, and just the feel of it all, the bass vibrating through your sternum, your scalp almost bouncing itself (no its not my wig), the sheer oneness of the crowd, the pleasant exuberance of the kids,  the visual extravaganza of lights and smoke. Just a great place to let your hair down. And despite being a real oldie at this sort of thing, the age of the audience being much closer to my friend's age than mine, I tend to get treated as a pleasant eccentric by others rather than a gatecrasher at a young person's party. That's the way it works. Its just 15-20,000 people out for a good time. I quite like unrestrained hedonism in nicely controlled sort of way. And this was a very happy crowd, with none of the aggression you get at footie matches.
Anyway, I went off into the cold with a very happy teenager, so it was all good. And how often is an old codger like me going to get to hang out with a cool teenager? Hope to do it again before it pains him too much to be seen with a balding lawyer. That could be a rather small window. Just glad I could take him when the whole thing was a real event for him. For me really great, but then I have another two gigs to go to next week.