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Fan Diary by Dippa
Madness in the
Metropolis...
Preparations for my return to FM live worship began as
soon as the ticket launch details were announced. That
was way back sometime last year, old age precludes me
remembering exactly when, but the first thing to do was
check the work rota. Good, February 7, a day off. I'm
down to work at Chelsea v Arsenal on the
Saturday...quality. A plan was hatched. As my missus
has had to put up with FM blaring out of the car
speakers, the sound system at home, and from the digital
radio by the bed for some years, I thought it was about
time she experienced the boys in the flesh, so to
speak...steady Juppy. So, all seemed set, but then an
afterthought, what about taking the 15-year-old, now a
dedicated Iron Maiden fan though. He, remarkably, said
yes. However, as soon as the tickets went on sale, the
problems began piling up in typical Dippa fashion. 'If
it can go wrong it will do' is one of my life sayings.
Initially, things were not too bad. I, like the rest of
the world it seemed, was sitting by my computer staring
blankly at the FM page, fingers poised like bayonets,
waiting for the seven o'clock deadline when the tickets
went on sale. 'Wack' went the refresh
button...nothing...'wack again'...still nothing. Then a
refresh page moment, and another and another, until
finally Juppy gets word through that we've all crashed
the website in our rush for tickets. Answer, take the
fingers off the keyboard, open a tinnie, and wait.
Fifteen minutes later, I had purchased two tickets.
Yippee, we were going to the launch party. After
discussing it further with the Maiden lover, I opted to
get him a ticket and so went back a couple of weeks
later and got a third. We were all going, it was
destined to be our first 'family' gig... well that was
the plan.
The first
spanner in the works came, not from the boy changing his
mind, not from my missus getting cold feet but from Sky
TV.... the buggers had switched the date of the Chelsea
v Arsenal game to a live match...on Sunday, February 7.
Shit! There was no way I could ask for time off from
such a crucial top of the table clash and so the only
thing left was to take the medicine and work around it.
The next blow to the plans came from the FM boys when
they eventually put up a notice that pointed out the
gig's venue, the Roadhouse, had a strict over-18
policy!!!! No...double shit. I looked at Sam. I looked
again. Could he pass for 18? Naaah. No chance.
Thought about writing to Juppy via email to see if he
could be made a special case, but thought against it in
the end. But we couldn't take the risk of him going
along and being
turned away at the door. If he was, then, like
responsible parents, we would have had to miss out too.
That was unthinkable. So, the only option remaining was
to look at hotels and get a baby-sitter. In the end, we
opted for the latter.
I went off to cover
the match as normal. The only problem was, I would be
turning up at the Roadhouse after the game with a bag
including a laptop, tape recorder, and all manner of
electronic gizmos. All looked promising as I got to
Stamford Bridge early on Sunday afternoon until I
switched on my laptop to find none of the keys
responding. Hence, I couldn't type in my password to
get into the system. Crumbs. This would have
repercussions for later as phoning my copy over would
have meant me being even later at the Roadhouse.
Eventually though, after the letter 'N' pinged off the
keyboard, it eventually sprang into life. Phew!
Chelsea won 2-0 and with the manager's press conference
out of the way, I filed my last piece and went off to
meet Chris at Covent Garden. |
There we walked to the
Roadhouse and despite being searched on entry and having
three tickets but only two bodies, we went into the
venue, grabbed a well-earned beer and waited for the
boys. I was, to put it mildly, knackered. However,
while I drank another beer, I was immensely impressed by
the Metropolis soundtrack being belted out over the PA.
It sounded rocky but with the FM twist of the 80s,
harmonies, choruses to die for, and great guitar and
drum work. I said to she who must be obeyed that it was
fantastic. My tiredness soon lifted completely when the
boyz arrived on stage. Having first seen them at
Peterborough in the 80s, and loads of times since, it
was great to see them again.
Wildside got us in the
mood straight away but I was left gobsmacked by the
airing of Over You. This will become a firm favourite I
reckon and how long will it be before we are all singing
the chorus? Not long I bet. I couldn't get the song out
of my head for days afterwards - release it as a single
boys. We clapped our way through the set, my missus
rocking along beside me, and it was fantastic. Flamingo
Road was a cracker from the new album and while I liked
Andy Barnett's guitar style, I love Jim's much better.
He fits in perfectly with what FM are all about.
The end came all too
soon but as a Slade fan with a soft spot for all things
70s, it's an age thing, it was great to see Mick Ralphs
on stage with the boys. The end came all too quickly
but all the planning, the upsets and the wait had been
well worthwhile. We had a few more drinks, grabbed a
t-shirt that fitted and ordered the album, but then had
to rush to catch the last fast train back home. But
then if it can go wrong it will do. The planned last
train should have been 11.30pm but no, in true Dippa
style, the last fast one had left at 22.10. It was
the slow train home for us in FM dreamland. Well, that
was dreamland in
between my unsuccessful attempts to put the letter 'N'
back on my keyboard, much to my wife's constant
amusement.
Great night. Thanks
chaps. We must do it again some time...only after the
footie season would be good. Here's to renewed success
for you all!
Dippa |
