jonjarrold.co.uk

…is a magic number! The Magic Numbers are also magic numbers, and they’re who I saw last night playing live at the UEA in Norwich. I’ve not been to a gig for ages. In fact, it’s really only the second gig I’ve been to ever. I mean, I’ve been to Reading, but that’s one big gig of gigs. I’ve even played my own gigs (TAOB), but other than seeing Thin Lizzy back in the year 2000, I don’t think I’ve actually ever been to another gig.

This one came about after my good friend Woody decided to buy two tickets. Annoyingly, neither ticket had my name on it. It appears that my brother, David, is more popular than I had anticipated and therefore got the second ticket by default. Or, could it be the fact that Woody may have needed to use a bit of floor space in David’s Norwich based house? I think so! Anyway, when I found out they were going, I double-u, double-u, double-u’d my way to ebay and got bidding on a ticket. I had set my upper limit at about ¬£15 or ¬£16, as face value of tickets was only ten squirmy sea-monsters (squids). However, as the auction neared its end, breaking all IT policies at work I logged on and increased my bid to win the ticket. ¬£21 was the final result. More than double. Having purchased the ticket, I was then commited to buying a train ticket and booking time off work to get to the gig. Was it worth it? Hell yeah!

I’m not a dancer. Many will argue with this statement. They may call me a liar and proclaim to have seen me dance better than Patrick Swazey (spelling to be confirmed when a I give two hoots) himself! They may be tellig the truth. Anyway, I’m more of a toe tapper, a foot stomper, an occasional clapper. And this is what I did. I even sang a little. Crowd participation was not compulsory, but politely requested by Romeo (I think that’s what the lead singer is called…as that’s what people called him!). It went a bit like this…ahem….Wheels on fire….etc, etc. Rock on!

We arrived a bit later than planned and missed the majority of the first ’special guest’, Absentee. What I saw and heard of them, I liked. Next up, The Web Brothers. These dudes rocked too. I prefered their first couple of songs and their last one to the middles ones, but without specifying what they were (because I don’t know), this information will be of 0% use to anyone….accept those that were there and remember. Outrageously, some knob about 4 or 5 rows back into the crowd lobbed a full pint of beer at the keyboard/guitarist/vocalist during one of the songs. What was the f*cking point in that? There was absolutely no call for it. It was a plastic cup, but this made it no more ‘ok’. The plastic pint glass flew level through the air before hitting the back edge of the keyboard, causing the contents to distribute in its entirety over the keyboard, the guitar, the set list and the poor long-haired dude who was playing the tools of his trade. Understandably, he was pissed off and shocked. The rest of the band played on, as did long-haired dude as soon as he’d regained his focus. That’s dedication. My heart had sunk at this point. I was ready for finding the loser who’d done it and…you know….telling him not to have done it (i’m not a violent person). After the song, the injured party called out to find out who’d done the dirty deed. Kindly, the crowd pointed out the idiot. He looked smug, but soon disappeared. I only hope he had a good telling off by the big lads.

Yada yada yada (I’ve taken a few days break from writing this entry)…The Magic Numbers performance was brilliant. They did loads of current stuff as well as a couple of oldies, a newbie, and a cover of Beyonce Knowles ‘Crazy’. A good night had by all, even the dude who got covered in beer!

I’d definitely go see them again if the opportunity presents itself.

That’s all I can be bothered to write. Sometimes you’re in the mood. Othertimes, your carrots have been grated!