- Muna, Chalk, 11th November
- Against The Current, Chalk, 31st March
- Poppy, Shepherds Bush Empire, 27th November
- Lights, Chalk, 24th September
- Carly Rae Jepsen, Somerset House, 11th July
Total number of shows?
Ten, significantly more than the last two years combined!
First show of the year?
Foxes, at Islington Assembly Hall, 2nd March.
Last show of the year?
Poppy, at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, November 27th.
Most surprising show?
Three different shows are tied for this, all of which took place at the same venue. In mid March Dana had been to see Bastille at Chalk, and while in the chippy that same night I noticed a pop-punk band were due to play there at the end of the month. I dropped £10 on the tickets, not expecting to go, and had a fantastic time watching Against The Current! Six months later I went along with Dana to a gig she’d bought a pair of tickets for, being vaguely aware of who Lights was, and had another fantastic time, so when she gently reminded me that she’d got an extra for Muna (a band I only knew from one song with Phoebe Bridgers) I didn’t hesitate to accompany her, and was rewarded!
Most disappointing?
Foxes, two years of not really going to gigs had made a lot of people forget their manners.
Farthest travelled?
Wembley arena, 56 miles or 90km from my front door.
States attended shows in?
Cheerful, grateful, euphoric, terrified, bored, knackered and achy.
Venue most visited?
Chalk in Brighton, three times.
Worst injury?
My legs were terribly achy for the Sigrid gig, after Muna the night before and a day around London.
Most expensive ticket?
I think perhaps Olivia Rodrigo? Or Carly?
Band seen the most?
No repeats, everyone was one and done.
Best new discovery?
As alluded to above, I didn't pay the greatest of attention to Against The Current, Lights or Muna before seeing them live. Witch Fever were a fun support for Poppy.
Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?
None!
Friends made at shows?
None! Just the two gigs on my own (ATC and Poppy) and I didn't feel particularly social at either.
Band members met?
None that I've seen live, but I've hung out with Billy and Camille from The Subways a couple of times in Brighton.
Best souvenir from a show?
Just the two band t-shirts this year, a £10 Against The Current one and a £30 Poppy one. I wanted to pay a fiver for a Foxes hoodie but they only had small sizes left.
Longest time in line?
The longest was before Olivia Rodrigo, which ended up queuing round the block but that didn't take long to clear.
Shows seen from the barricade [front row]?
But as a consequence, we didn't make the front row for any.
Most shows in one month?
November had three...
Most shows in one week?
... Including Muna and Sigrid in successive days.
Biggest crowd?
Probably Christina Aguilera at Pride.
Any drunk encounters?
No, surprisingly! I stayed restrained with my drinking, and nobody around me was annoyingly drunk either.
Top 5 best 2022 concert moments:
1. As Sophie Ellis-Bextor launched into her 2001 number 1 Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) at Brighton Pride, I casually remarked to Dana and her sister Sophie that it was the first song ever played on an iPod. One of the lads in front of me, apparently within earshot, turned to me and asked if it was true, then immediately said to his friend group "guys! You'll never guess what I just learned!"
2. On a similar note, talking to Ian before Carly, the conversation turned to Avril Lavigne and I brought up my planned jukebox musical (Complicated: An Avril Lavigne Musical). He thought I was joking right up until I showed him the Google Doc with the song list and rough plot outline. After reading through and conceding that, yes, I was serious and yes, that could actually work, one of the girls behind asked if she could read it as well!
3. A small one, but during the blisteringly hot Sunday at Brighton Pride, the sight of a goth chap dressed head to toe in black leather, white face paint and all, cheerfully tucking in a 99 ice cream (flake as well!)
4. Against The Current felt like the first proper gig since, well, the last time I did one of these. Chrissy commented that with the state of things, they didn't know how many shows they'd get to perform, so were committed to throwing themselves into each show 100% - and it showed!
5. Muna was amazing, everyone in stage and in the audience were fully up for it, and the crowd was genuinely the nicest crowd at a gig I've ever been in!
Top 3 worst 2022 concert moments:
1. Foxes showed that some people had forgotten how to behave at gigs in the two years without any - the most egregious being the woman listening to WhatsApp voice notes, without headphones, in the front row.
2. Sigrid was unfortunately timed directly after such a great gig the night before, and off the back of a full day in London, I was tired, achy and grumpy.
3. This should've had more gigs to choose from. We planned a trip to Germany to see a couple of Aly & AJ gigs in March which were cancelled; we ducked out of Wet Leg in April because I really didn't see the hype; Dana had to miss the Olivia Rodrigo and CRJ gigs because of real life getting in the way; Pale Waves cancelled an in store because one of the band was ill; we didn't go to Sugababes because I was ill; and finally didn't attempt six hours of travel for Tove Lo because of rail strikes.
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