17/12/14 London Roundhouse

[The Gutless Wonder]

Great photo's Hummingbird!

[sofarsideways]

Urgh, all this. Not all queuers are dickheads. Some are. Likewise, not all non-queuers are dickheads. Some are. It's almost like some PEOPLE are dickheads, and some aren't, as if it depends on them as a person as opposed to whether they stand around outside a venue before doors or not. I've had some horrible treatment from queuers and just the same from non-queuers, and I've met great friends and vile bullies in both camps too. There's no need too make a divide where the isn't one.

Anyway, I was one of those who received assistance last night along with Miss Pear (I was too shy to say hello ). I have been going to gigs for 12 years this month, and this is the first time I've ever recieved the assistance I should have had for all of those years, but for the first 8-10 never even considered asking for and for the rest was too scared and anxious. I have queued a lot in my life to try and 'fairly' get what I got last night, and all it ever did is made my illnesses worse without ever guaranteeing me what I needed to enjoy the gig - and in fact jeopardising my experience just as much as if I hadn't bothered. Queuing requires an able body, amongst other things not everyone has, which makes it in fact inherently unfair. Like Finn said - though with me not being in a wheelchair I know I am still very lucky and have a lot more choice than my wheelie brothers and sisters in disability.

It was fucking brilliant. The venue staff were great when I emailed them to arrange it, and on the night they were friendly, helpful and caused no fuss. The fact that they didn't bat an eyelid over the needs of their patrons but simply accomodated them was amazing. It shouldn't be, but it was. I didn't look at the queue as we were led in for fear of the very thing I was told happened - being glared at and talked about. Is it that goddamn hard to work out why people might be being assisted in before doors? The two ladies with me had sticks to aid them, so at least one of the reasons for them needing assistance was obvious. I benefit (and indeed am also cursed) by the fact that for the most part, I look well. But even then, why not use your brain and work out why I might be being taken in early? I'm glad they let my boyfriend come in with me for moral support because I needed it. Special shout-outs to those already mentioned - one person asked me how I 'blagged' early entry, and someone else apparently mused that she might 'give that a try' next time. This has already been addressed - Finn hit the nail on the head again - but just to add a despairing 'JESUS CHRIST', because JESUS CHRIST. For awhile I got quite anxious and nervous and felt like everyone around me was judging the hell out of me, but thankfully managed to talk myself round.

As it was, with the dark and stuff, I couldn't get my bearings very well and ended up a bit more central on the barrier than I would have liked, but thankfully with a friend to protect me I did absolutely fine and finally enjoyed the hell out of a THB gig. I've said this a lot over the years, but even I can't get my head around how big a part such a small thing plays - the barrier to hold on to makes the absolute world of difference. Pretty literally: between me being there and not, having a good night or a bad one, leaving elated at the end or early in tears. I also can't remember the last time I could see so well at a Manics gig, such a rarity and true, simple but deep pleasure. I felt little short of blessed to have been given what I needed to experience a gig in as close to the way many other people take for granted, and with the ease in which they get it (by which I mean just by turning up), as is possible for me.

Really not meaning this as an attack on anyone (not even those who said douchey things to me, they just need to stop and think), or a LOOK AT ME I'M SO POOR AND HARD DONE TO thing - I just think the fact that there ARE disabled people at gigs who are NOT being accomodated 99.99999% of the time is a giant elephant in the proverbial venue and should be talked about, and that it's come up on FD a few times this tour is good, even if those times have mostly been to vent frustration and despair. The Roundhouse were great with their accessibility, but the Albert Hall were dreadful - as I say, this is the first time I've asked, and so my success rate is 50%, and the result of the Albert Hall's failure was that I was an absolute state at the first Manchester date, had to leave early having already stuck it out longer than I thought I could - barely able to see a thing the whole time - and had to drop out of going to the second. This stuff MATTERS. It has an impact, a very real, tangible one.

Highlights, for want of a better word... actually feeling present and able to take in the full THB set in all its magnificence, Sean breaking his drum with SHEER SEAN MOORE FORCE, the fact that I could feel us all singing as much as I could feel the music (you know how it vibrates in your chest? that), how utterly buoyant the band seemed, the best version of ME I've heard in years, a bit of a moment with Nicky during PFAYM, Georgia Ruth being adorable (noticed a couple of people saying they couldn't really hear her, she was a bit quiet for the first couple of lines but okay after that from where I was, as if she'd either moved closer to the mic or someone had turned her up?), CONFETTISPLOSION turning the Roundhouse into a Manix snowglobe, and oh, just everything really. It was everything it should have been.

Sorry for the lengthy post. Not really sure why people are being asked why they're giving their pesonal experiences - what else are you meant to give? - or why there's so much snottiness and name-calling going on. From what I can gather most people seemed to enjoy the night regardless, so that's something at least, I hope we can all hold on to that rather than the unpleasantry. Got to say, there seems to have been a real rise in the level of nastiness occuring on this tour, which is very sad.

[Commie scum]

For Divine Youth lovers, larger version:
http://i.imgur.com/nfUpfCC.jpg

[Europa Gluten Free]

^^^^^ Great post. Sounds like you had a blast!

[Bathtub]

Originally Posted by _Bloo_

Londoners do need to learn a bit of gig etiquette sometimes. Manchester crowd for the 2 gigs were happy to make space for each other. The Roundhouse crowd less so.

Generalisation much?

I would guarantee you that a fair proportion of the people you are talking about were not "Londoners" and had travelled for the gig, especially down the front.

Your sanctimony is absurd and unjust, and if you don't like London gigs, don't go; you shan't be missed.

I've never minded the queuers, if they want the barrier they're welcome to it; I want proximity to the bar and the toilet.

[MoMoney MoJunk]

I queued around 6pm for the Dublin gig and even with separate trips to the bathroom and the bar, managed 2nd / 3rd row. The best thing about the band not being very big over here

[UEF]

Originally Posted by Bathtub

Generalisation much?

I would guarantee you that a fair proportion of the people you are talking about were not "Londoners" and had travelled for the gig, especially down the front.

Your sanctimony is absurd and unjust, and if you don't like London gigs, don't go; you shan't be missed.

Oh no, we really are all twats. Here the rules for gig going are the same as those you use when getting on the tube in rush hour.

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by The Gutless Wonder

Great photo's Hummingbird!

thank ye .. they came out not bad at all

[Bathtub]

Originally Posted by UEF

Oh no, we really are all twats. Here the rules for gig going are the same as those you use when getting on the tube in rush hour.

Seen shitty behaviour at gigs all over the country.

I get the tube to work every day, rarely had an issue with anyone. It's mainly only tourists or those new to it who complain, and they're often, but not always the problem.

[Krystal]

Originally Posted by UEF

Oh no, we really are all twats. Here the rules for gig going are the same as those you use when getting on the tube in rush hour.

I agree, Londoners just don't get a queue. We're like another breed.

Blue/ bloo I can't make sense of your post at all, as the queue is exactly the same wherever you are in the UK. I don't queue anymore but I've seen them over 80 times, and the same issues over the queue always come up.

Sadly I was at the back and I'm 5 foot 2. Wish I had seated tickets!

[Finn]

Originally Posted by sofarsideways

The venue staff were great when I emailed them to arrange it, and on the night they were friendly, helpful and caused no fuss. The fact that they didn't bat an eyelid over the needs of their patrons but simply accomodated them was amazing. It shouldn't be, but it was.

Love your whole post, but especially this.<3 You quickly get a sense of which venues are actually supportive and which are just paying lip-service to accessibility. The Roundhouse were on the ball from the first enquiry; Manchester was all about the lip-service.

[Takk]

Originally Posted by cricri

Damn, Lydia, my blue hair was visible from the upper level?

I think that's amanda?

[Routine Builder]

Originally Posted by Krystal

I agree, Londoners just don't get a queue. We're like another breed.

Yeah we do. Londoners join queues as a matter of principle. It's why why we can queue two hours for restaurant for 2 hours on a Friday!

[allisvanity]

Oh good, another argument about queueing.

[pingu]

Originally Posted by Finn

Love your whole post, but especially this.<3 You quickly get a sense of which venues are actually supportive and which are just paying lip-service to accessibility. The Roundhouse were on the ball from the first enquiry; Manchester was all about the lip-service.

Yep, I don't know if they'll ever see it, but I'm really glad they came through for you, sofarsideways