SELF MADE MAN

This is a blog with a difference. A very big difference in that most of it isn’t written by me. That probably means it will be a major improvement on my regular musings.

Today’s blog is given over to my youngest son, 13-year-old Michael, who went along to his first major gig during the week with his mum and me.

And there’s nothing like starting at the top with even seasoned concert-goers professing The Who’s storming set at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena was one of the best shows they’ve seen in years.

To paraphrase a famous saying, give me a boy at 13 and I’ll turn him into a rock fan although his initial verdict as we headed back to our car was quite philosophical.

“I suppose every concert I ever go to after this, will be downhill,” he said. “Because it’s IMPOSSIBLE to beat this.”

He may be right. I hope he’s not.

Like his older brothers, Michael is a rock fan for life even though he’s spent the last 48 hours chanting “We are the Mods.”

But that’s his mother’s bad influence!

Over to you Michael……….

 

Author’s Note-Please note that I am only 13 so do not take any mistakes to heart as this is the 1^st piece of professional writing I have ever done.

On the 20th of June, in the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, the gates of Heaven were opened to reveal the mastery of the art of music.

Opening with an amazing support band, Vintage Trouble, The Who blew the roof off the giant arena with the sounds of Quadrophenia, Pinball Wizard and We Won’t Get Fooled Again. To start with, the beautiful sound of crashing waves and into The Real Me.

As this was my 1^st concert I was already blown away by the sheer volume of, my ears ringing, my eyes stinging, because of the flash of lights, and my entire body vibrating from the beautiful bass of it, I myself am a bass player so I greatly respect the amazing instrument. My initial reaction of it all was to shield my eyes, place my feet firmly on the ground and plug my ears, but I came to realise that this three pronged attack en masse on my senses was actually the closest thing I could get to being in pure awe.

Before this concert, I had practically never heard any of the Quadrophenia songs, apart from Love Reign O’er Me. I only started listening to them about two days before the concert and I was already impressed with them, how could they get better than this? I’ll tell you, by seeing them LIVE!!!

In truth, although I was excited for the Quadrophenia part, it was the classics that attracted me so greatly to the concert, wanting to sing along to Pinball Wizard, Who Are You and We Won’t Get Fooled Again and chant ‘We Are the Mods!’ with a crowd of rowdy fans.

All in all it was a fantastic concert, one which I think the North-East will never see the likes of again, and at the Great Newcastle’s Arena, how fitting.

Michael Murtagh