It’s easy to lose track of popular culture. As I age it seems increasing like vapid white noise produced by shallow celebrity and I’m quite happy to tune it out.
However Holly is a music fan in the right way and exposed me to all sorts of real music, First Aid Kit and Billie Eilish were on in the truck long before wide appeal took them and P!ATD have been an enduring favourite whose songs I now know as well as any from my 70s metal icons after constant exposure.
So when the Glasgow show was announced I was sitting with the laptop with Tickemaster on wifi and my phone with Ticketmaster via data to make sure we got tickets one way or another. It took me fifteen minutes to finally get through by which time all that was left was the back row in the gods.
Not complaining, it was sold out by the time I got my confirmation email. Popular boy it appears.
Holly’s been to big shows, including Black Sabbath in the same hall, the Hydro. But this was her big night, her first show with her favourite band and she was stoked.
The seats were fine, great view and as it turned out, great sound and more importantly no loss of atmosphere. The whole place was in Brendan Urie’s hands, the entire show. It was quite remarkable.
The production was huge, pyro, lights, holes in the floor for pianos and drums to appear and disappear and another piano that flew through the air during Dying in L.A. A genuinely heart tugging moment in a night made from magic. Really. I couldn’t tell you how many shows I’ve been since that first night in 1981 in the Glasgow Apollo, hundreds of bands, and this is up there with the best.
I knew every song too. Ha. I liked the message, the sentiment in the banter and I liked that they young folks idolise a man with a positive persona and genuine talent, the only voice I have ever heard that matches Urie’s live performance is Glenn Hughes.
A fantastic show, emotional in it’s depth and hey, one of my favourite bands. Fight me.
Holly got her t shirt and was so proud of it. I just teared up as we walked back to the truck. I’ve been there too, it’s pure magic and tonight was perfect for everyone. Holly got a perfect memory and I got a perfect night with my every growing girl.
The definition of happy times.