So What’s Been Happening Recently? #18

26/09/2019 Brixton Academy Volbeat.
Date night for myself and the missus. Without the help from the father-in-law due to his annual driving holiday abroad. We had to use London transport to make our way to the venue. This for me isn’t really a problem but the wife it can be a bit daunting if there any escalators involved, She has a phobia about them. But luckily we were able to navigate around this due to lifts being available.
I do sort of miss London transport in a weird sort of way as this use to be my main access to the world when I was younger and would enjoy just disappearing when the occasion or need arised. Mostly to Oxford street and Tottenham court road to visit the local comic shops and such.
We made it to Brixton station and turned right. The venue is on the left at the end of the street. Our first port of call was a toilet for the wife and to get something to eat. We ended up at McDonalds at the other end of the street and we ordered and sat down. During our meal we had the entertainment of a couple of drunk locals singing and talking like they were from the land of reggae. Which was nice!
Finally waiting outside the venue and standing, waiting to go in, you find that nothing really changes. The man with the leaflets, advertising a local rock club. The ticket touts trying to screw you over with buying and selling spare tickets. I did notice that there wasn’t that many young people there. And then noticing that mostly we were the young people there. A bit depressing but who cares. But then finding out a bloke in front we talked to had his first gig in 1979, I was one by the way. And to find out he seemed to be in better shape than I was.
I was keeping an eye out for a mate from work who was supposed to be coming and found out later he never turned up. I did notice something different. You know the cliche TV and Movie older rock couple the ones that have been around the block, been to all the rock gigs, mixed with the legends, been to all the parties and did all the drugs. The stories they could tell. They were there. The aging model blonde. Wearing a younger mature persons fake leather and somehow sorter getting away with it. The man with the shoulder length greying hair, obviously lightly dyed with the lines under the eyes, five o’clock shadow. Rough looking. Showing the wars he had been through his rock filled years.
Anyway we finally got in and headed for the Merchandise stand, we bought some t-shirts and headed for our seats. We were interrupted by security who made me purchase a cloak room ticket for my bag. She probably a nice lady but there and then a jobs-worth.

Finding our seats we took in the scenery.

Danko Jones. The first act of the night. Quite a nice surprise. Was expecting as with all back up bands. Generally they’re all rubbish but Danko wasn’t bad, even the wife was enjoying them. I don’t know much about them but have a listen see what you think.

We were enjoying them but in the end there sound man ruined our night. I already suffer from tinnitus. And during the show the sound slowly got louder and louder until it started to distort.This really started hurt myself and my wife. Raging my tinnitus until my head like it was going to explode. I never really recovered from that until the we left the building.

Baroness. Oh dear, oh dear! What the hell was that? The instrumental was okay but the rest was, WHY?! The lead singer sings with pretty much one note. The female guitarist, acting overly aggressive for some reason. Fair enough my head was still clouded from Danko but I still didn’t enjoy it.
Have a listen for yourself.

We had drinks during the evening and as you well know, ridiculous. Three quid for a bottle of water. But I was surprised to hear the words to come out of her mouth. ‘I want a beer’. So I bought her the best beer available. A can of Carlsberg Export. She didn’t finish it but seemed to like it.

Volbeat. The main act. My head is still throbbing at this point and trying to relax during the interim. They finally came on and I try to enjoy Volbeat as best as I can.

The second guitar is when they do their Johnny Cash moment. Ring of Fire and Sad Man’s Tongue.

Danko Jones popped out to do a song with Volbeat. Black Rose.

No, I don’t know what that is either.

A little while after my head felt like it was swelling up too much and I couldn’t take any more. So we left about fifteen minutes before the end of the gig. Stepping outside, getting some fresh air helped a bit. It’s wasn’t until the next day that I felt completely myself again. The wife took a couple more days to get her hearing almost back to normal.
To finish off a couple of vids of Volbeat.