Blog: Hey There Emo Boy

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On Thursday night I headed out to END my year of gigs exactly as I had started, by playing at The Fox & Firkin in Lewisham. That night me and Steve were making our triumphant return with 'Dinosaur Planet', this time it was just me, although I did have some copies of the album to sell.

There weren't many people there when I arrived, and there weren't by the time I went on either - I did think to myself "Hasn't this happened before? Aren't ALL my End Of Year gigs a bit MUTED?" It took me a long while to realise that MAYBE this is to do with the fact that it's CHRISTMAS and people tend to have other things that they have to be doing rather than sloping off to gigs!

One of the nice things about it being a bit quiet was that I ended up sitting chatting to Carl TwoBob for most of the night - Carl organises gigs at the Fox & Firkin and although I've known him for YEARS one or both of us has tended to be dashing around sorting stuff out. Turns out he is ACE!

Anyway, it soon came to SHOWTIME, and this is the SHOW what i did:

The Peterborough All-Saints Wide Game Team (group B)

My Boss Was In An Indie Band Once

Theme From Dinosaur Planet

A Little Bit

Please Don't Eat Us

It Only Works Because You're here

Being Happy Doesn't Make You Stupid

The Lesson Of The Smiths

I'd thought about slipping in some Christmas Songs, but it didn't really feel right - people were there just for a chat and a beer, so I thought I'd stick to a fairly normal set. When I began there was a table right next to the stage who were talking LOUDLY - I dreaded a repeat of the last time me and Steve were there, when things descended into an ARGUMENT with people who would not shut up, but this lot very sensibly decided to go and sit somewhere else where they could hear themselves. Well done them!

At the beginning people weren't really that bothered, but I plugged on and gradually the group who'd been crowded round a laptop with their back to me turned round, the people playing pool stopped to watch, and gently, oh so gently, they were gathered in. It Only Works Because You're here seemed to get everyone INTRIGUED, which worked out rather nicely for what was to come.

For LO! Just at the EXACT MOMENT that I launched into the "Hey there Emo Boy" section of Being Happy Doesn't Make You Stupid, four ACTUAL EMO BOYS walked past the stage on the way to the smoking garden. I realised what was happening as they did, and bless them but they WAVED in recognition as I chuckled through the words. The whole audience was AGHAST - someone actually asked later on whether I'd orchestrated it!

It was a BEAUTIFUL MOMENT which, yet again, shows that even a slow night where nobody's there on purpose can provide gigantic moments of JOY. I finished the song, finished the set, finished my beer and strode out into the night.

It was my 79th gig, and to be honest I would quite like to get to EIGHTY if at all possible, but if I don't at least I'll have that memory of SERENDIPITY to round the year out!

posted 19/12/2011 by MJ Hibbett

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