7 November 2018

Went up to Newcastle to see my daughter at Uni.

Took in a concert while I was there.

Chose Slaves at O2 Academy because Amyl and the Sniffers were the support.

Aussie punks.

Brilliant at End of the Road.

They pulled out!

Went anyway.

Dinner with my daughter.

A pint in Brewdog, working on a poem about the colour green.

Missed the support bands.

The balcony bar was a trestle table.

Carling cans or wine.

Had some white – borderline sweet.

The music on the PA was surprising.

Included Whigfield’s “Saturday Night”.

Good Gawd!

Slaves came on.

Lights flashed, drums were bashed, vocals lashed.

In yer face, rhythms pounding.

Singer shouting, guitarist leaping.

A father and young son near me, heads nodding.

In unison, rather touching.

Below, the teenagers moshing.

Don’t know many of the songs.

But they rock!

They were brilliant at Latitude a couple of years ago.

So I knew they would be tonight.

“Feed the Mantaray” was awesome.

A great rock’n’roll band, Slaves.

With a lot to say.

Very loudly.

Afterwards the streets were busy.

With the youngsters queuing for the clubs.

I felt old.

But loved it too.

The energy, the optimism of youth.

Palpable.

Back to the Premier Inn.

A glass of Pinot Grigio.

Reading a book on the iPad.

Shall I say what it was?

Ok, “Crazy Rich Asians”.

Reading it for a book group discussion.

Not my thing, but kind of amusing.

Filigree lightness.

Across from me, a bloke asleep.

With half his beer in front of him.

Nodding occasionally.

A member of staff woke him up.

He smiled and fell asleep again.

I had another glass of Pinot Grigio and carried on reading.

A good evening.

In its own way.