Going to gigs is hard when you're over forty. As our recent trip to see Delphic in Brighton proved (they were ace by the way). Firstly, there's the ticketing conundrum. Having more money than your teenage self means that the extortionate price is not a problem, finding time to book tickets to see the latest hip band/be around for the Ticketmaster courier is. And when you do manage to drag your weary bones to the online ticket office, the tendency is to opt for bands playing venues with seats. So that's Bon Jovi at the O2, or jazz. Not so long ago, Mr & Mrs That's Not My Age went to our first jazz concert. Nice. Being part of a sophisticated, older crowd felt very grown-up, but I couldn't work out whether the rows of nodding grey heads were getting into the groove or dropping off.
Standing in a dark room with flashing strobe lights and banging tunes doesn't have the same appeal when you're stone-cold sober and have to get up for work in the morning. The key here is to drink lots of caffeine. Start with coffee and move on to a bottled beer with a Diet Coke chaser. You'll soon feel so bloated you won't want to drink anymore, or dance. Dancing is another problem the over-forties have to contend with. So, gently does it. Stick to an inoffensive sway, avoid the full-blown dad dance and do not under any circumstances raise the arms.
Then there's the whole down with the kids concept to negotiate. The brother in Manhattan is a snowboarder, a couple of years younger than me, he still likes to hit the slopes. I think this is wrong. He probably thinks his older sister should not be swanning around in broad daylight wearing a sparkly sequinned jacket. Arrested development is a funny thing.
Next find a quiet spot. Drunken youths with no spatial awareness can make the forty-something gig-goer grumpy. So try to ignore them and settle down somewhere between the mixing desk and the merchandise stand. Don't forget, if you intend to stay for the encore comfy shoes are a must and should you find yourself queuing for that garish band t-shirt, it's time to go home.
Oh and here are some lovely photos of Brighton:
Do you have any advice for a forty-something, gig-goer?
11 comments:
Sadly I don't, the last gig I went to, was to see Duran Duran in the 80's. I was a tad jealous last week when my 3 daughters went to see Florence at Hammersmith Apollo.
I went to see Kiss recently and am ashamed to admit I wore ear plugs!
I still really enjoyed the gig (seated area, back row...all the better for dancing in!)
Friends were in the standing area in front of the stage. I watched a couple of plastic pint glasses being chucked about...probably not with lager in them...and was glad to be middle-aged and at the back!
I think you looked fab in your jacket and skinny jeans - more power to you!
Ali x
Ha ha, fun post. Love the tacky Brighton pics - nothing like the Great British seaside.
Hilarious. I know what you mean about the effort. I haven't seen a band for over 3 years now due to not getting tickets in time mainly. I'm still cross with Mr MDS for not getting somerset house tickets for Florence & the Machine.
Glad Delphic were good, their album is brilliant. Will be checking them out amongst a crowd of smelly GCSE-result-celebrating 16 year olds at Reading fest!
Wish I had gone to Great Escape but I find it hard to go to a festival that is so close to where I live...hope the weekend was lovely and that you had a nice B&B to crash in.
I love Brighton. You have just confirmed that I am too old for gigs, I prefer the theatre and have to admit I have just booked the opera. Am I getting old or what?
LF - oh couldn't you go with them? Or is that a bit sad?
AC - you rock!
S - I'm from Blackpool so I love a cheesy seaside snap!
MDS - oh poor Mr MDS, it is hard getting hold of tickets before the gig sells out.
G - enjoy Reading. You're a bit young.. but feel free to follow my tips on festival chic.
FG - no, you're not too old. You can come with me!
somebody stop me if I ever buy tickets to see James Taylor again! But seeing Paul Simon with Bob Dylan was the most recent and yet ten years ago, oh how time flies.
Well I tried out Camden Crawl. I'd recommend Hop Farm and End of the Road for the summer.
My gig stamina is ridiculously short, I prefer sit down gigs and I'm not yet 30, heavens.
Tip: try Songkick, it alerts you when your fave bands are playing, I love it.
Push your way to the front, pogo up and down singing along to every word, get hopelessly drunk, cry when they play your favourite song, elbow anyone who tries to stand in front of you or is crass enough to film the event through a phone. Other than the phone bit ('cos they weren't invented when we were teens) my gig going hasn't changed one bit. x
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