Letting the side down
I went to see Teenage Fanclub last Thursday night. It was a strange experience.
As if it needs saying any more round these parts, I love Teenage Fanclub. I have all the albums, I have loads of singles, I’ve seen them play many, many times, I’ve kept interviews they did with the NME in 1991 and I even know Raymond McGinley’s birthday (I’m not that sad, it’s just because its around the same time as mine).
The band played a fantastic show at Koko – all the hits, some choice B sides (‘Please stay’!) – all executed superbly. But somehow it just didn’t work for me.
I think the problem is that I may have reached the tipping point in my absolute intolerance for other people. It has been getting worse and worse and worse over recent years, and I have now got to the point where I allow myself to spend more time contemplating the potential for tall-people-gig-tax and the feasibility of penalties for talking and texting through quiet songs, than actually getting swept up in the music.
As a music fan this is pretty distressing. You’re meant to relish live music (and I still do sometimes if it’s in a small or seated venue) but here I am at a proper rock gig by a fantastic band, letting the side down and just not coping.
It can’t be getting older, as the Fanclub’s audience of my fellow 30/40 something Word reading brethren suggests. So what is it? Is this a phase that I will get over and I’ll gradually become more accepting and tolerant? Or should I save myself from anymore misery and just ban myself from attending gigs? If so, anyone want to buy some My Bloody Valentine tickets?