I adore music. My taste may not be everyone’s but I love it. I’ve annoyed many friends and family over the years, making them listen to stuff that they really don’t want to. Like playing ‘Meat is Murder’ by The Smiths during Sunday Lunch way back in the 80’s before declaring that I was going to be a vegetarian. My poor parents they were so nurturing of my tortured teenage soul.

On a lighter note, I want to share my Snow Patrol experience with you.

Last night I trundled off to the NEC with my other half to see Snow Patrol. Now, as with any arena gig they are usually massive affairs, so my arena rule (and I have a rule for most things!) is ‘If you can’t get standing tickets then don’t go!’. That way if you stand as close to the front as humanly possible it’s like being in a cosy intimate gig.

Now, my other half rarely goes to gigs, he leaves that to me, and he did look a little like a frightened bunny as we entered the arena. He finally admitted that he felt like he was somewhere he didn’t belong. Ahhh…bless. I felt quite chuffed that for once I was doing something he didn’t feel comfortable with, which I can tell you isn’t very much at all!

We were due to meet with some friends and as we walked to the front I saw my friend on her boyfriends shoulders waving furiously at me. They were slap bang in the middle of this heaving mass of people. It was my turn to be a frightened rabbit now. I looked up at other half and said ‘I can’t go in there!’. One of my other rules is ‘Go to the front of the gig but stay at the side in case you feel faint, thirsty or need a wee!!’…..which leads me onto my other rule ‘Don’t drink too much in case you need a wee!’

I hadn’t seen my friend in ages, I desperately wanted to catch up with her and meet her new man. So, I took a really deep breath and began to wade my way through the crowd. By the time we reached her I was sweating, palpitating and not looking forward to being squashed. Plus, I’d had a pint and knew I wanted the loo.

I can be quite anxious (come on I have RULES about things!!) so was starting to think…’I am NOT going to enjoy this!’. Then the lights went out and the music began….and right from the start it was BRILLIANT!!! Suddenly all the rules went out of the window, ‘It is OK to stand in the crowd, it is OK to have a drink, and I no longer need a wee!! Hurray!!’ Then off I went into singing, dancing, clapping and shouting mode for two happy hours…..

….as the last song played out and the lights went on, we all agreed that is was a cracking gig. So to honour Snow Patrol here’s some beautiful lyrics by their lead singer Gary Lightbody for you to enjoy.

The Lightning Strike
(iii) Daybreak

Slowly the day breaks apart in our hands
And soft hallelujahs flow in from the church
The one on the corner you said frightened you
It was too dark and too large to find your soul in

Something was bound to go right sometime today
All these broken pieces fit together to make a perfect picture of us
It got cold and then dark so suddenly and rained
It rained so hard the two of us were the only thing
That we could see for miles and miles

And in the middle of the flood I felt my worth
When you held onto me like I was your little life raft
Please know that you were mine as well
Drops of water hit the ground like God’s own tears
And spread out into shapes like
Salad bowls and basins and buckets for bailing out the flood

As motionless cars rust on driveways and curbs
You take off your raincoat and stretch out your arms
We both laugh out loud and surrender to it
The sheer force of sky and the cold magnet Earth

Gary Lightbody 2008

“I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.”
George Elliot

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