Top 5 shows of the year?
- Rolo Tomassi - May 7th (Garage, London)
- Katy Perry - March 18th (Hammersmith Odeon, London)
- VersaEmerge - May 26th (King’s College, London)
- Rolo Tomassi - October 29th (Camden Barfly, London)
- Taylor Swift - March 30th (BT Cellnet Arena, London)
Total number of shows? A meagre 10 - my lowest since 2003.
First show of the year?
Rose Dougall at Hoxton Square. I was bored witless and left early to get a Chinese with Dana. Given that last year’s most disappointing gig was Rose at the Flowerpot I shouldn’t’ve been surprised.
Rose Dougall at Hoxton Square. I was bored witless and left early to get a Chinese with Dana. Given that last year’s most disappointing gig was Rose at the Flowerpot I shouldn’t’ve been surprised.
Last show of the year?
A free Rolo Tomassi gig at Camden Barfly. Great to see them somewhere so small again.
A free Rolo Tomassi gig at Camden Barfly. Great to see them somewhere so small again.
Most surprising show?
Taylor Swift. I only went to see the earlier, country stuff but I was surprised at how much fun I had and how emotional it made me.
Taylor Swift. I only went to see the earlier, country stuff but I was surprised at how much fun I had and how emotional it made me.
Most disappointing? Rose again (clearly I haven’t learnt) or the Subways for refusing to play You Got Me.
Farthest travelled? Hammersmith. 60 miles. Not quite as far as last year’s trip to Vienna.
States attended shows in? Emotional, overwhelmed, underwhelmed, cheerful, aroused.
Venue most visited? The BT Cellnet arena twice - if we count Glee.
Worst injury? Taylor Swift broke my heart.
Most expensive ticket? Glee was £50.
Band seen the most? Rolo Tomassi and The Subways, both twice.
Best new discovery? VersaEmerge and We Are The In Crowd (although I didn’t see the latter this year)
Bands seen this year that also broke up this year? None, although Rilo Kiley called it a day this year.
Friends made at shows? None. Most of the time I was with Dana so had someone to talk to, and at Taylor Swift I was too scared to approach anyone in case I got arrested/put on a register.
Band members met? Billy and Charlotte from the Subways, and Steve and Laura-Mary at Brighton station.
Best souvenir from a show? My Rolo Tomassi t-shirts and cushion are both well used.
Longest time in line? About half an hour before Katy Perry, although we were up at the O2 all day for Glee.
Shows seen from the barricade [front row]? The Subways at the Farmhouse. I did get pretty close for Rolo Tomassi in October too.
Most shows in one month? March had 2 (Katy Perry and Taylor Swift) as did May (Rolo Tomassi and VersaEmerge).
Most shows in one week? 1.
Biggest crowd? Taylor Swift selling out the O2.
Any drunk encounters? I’m fairly sure I was a bit drunk for the Subways at the Buffalo Bar. I know I wanted to be very drunk at Rose’s gig.
Top 5 best 2011 concert moments:
1. Hearing Rolo Tomassi play Cosmology at the Garage and Barfly, and realising just how awesome music can be.
2. Katy Perry’s set in general. The perfect mix of sugary pop and knowing winks to those grown up enough to get her lyrics. Like a fluffier Rammstein, if you replace fire with candy floss.
3. The general cheerful atmosphere at Darren Criss’s gig.
4. DJ Skeet playing a snatch of Friday before Katy Perry’s gig. This was the second Friday since it had really broke online, and that (and hearing someone else on the escalators at King’s Cross singing it after the gig) made me realise quite how huge it was going to be.
5. I know it’s more of a show than a gig, but the handhold during Somebody To Love at Glee.
Top 3 worst 2011 concert moments:
1. The Subways not playing You Got Me.
2. That dull Rose gig.
3. Not realising the girl behind me at Darren Criss was thingy from Harry Potter until after the show. (Gosh, no idea why I didn’t recognise her.)
