I was offered a ticket to see a real actual gig from an actual band. This was new for me, who, brought up in the coutnryside has seen almost no live music. I don’t think Max Boyce counts and I’m not convinced that my accidental attendance at a Status Quo gig in Sheffield in the 1990’s counts either.
There was that time when I went with Lentil Les (the hippy) to see a band at the Hackney Empire, the name of which escapes me but I remember one song called ‘Bend over, I’ll drive”. And there was that mosh pit which I accidentally ended up in.
Suffice to say that my experience of live music was and still is, restricted. So when I got the opportunity to see Franza Ferdinand, I took it.
We rolled up at the Moon Shopping Mall to find all the shops closed and headed to the third floor where we could see a huddle of people around a doorway. Surprisingly, once inside the venue, it was pretty nice. It was small and dark with a very efficient bar and a great balcony area.
I had prepared myself by listening to the band on Spotify during the day and so recognised their one big hit “Take me Out”. Although I am admittedly very inexperienced in this entertainment area, I can honestly say, every song had the same riff. So in fact it didn’t really matter if I only knew one song.
Sadly the price for access to the balcony was £10 and being tight and in any case, being taller than the Chinese, I could see the stage pretty easily anyway.
I insisted on leaving the venue near the end before the crowds had the same idea. My ears were ringing (they still are!) and I was pleased to get home. Does that make me feel old? Yeah sure, but at least Shanghai has given me a new experience – a gig in a shopping centre.