I went with an old friend of mine from university days - a fellow grumpy old man - and I questioned my sense of choosing the first time to have a drink for a year as the same weekend that I would have to drive from the South back home before then having to drive to London. I was weary from the previous day's hangover. The day conspired to make me as miserable as sin and unexpected bills in the form of an urgent need to replace two tyres added to my pissed off state.
I whinged at having to hang around waiting to go into the auditorium, before feeling cold when installed in my seat, so I was really going to town on the miserable old bastard image.
This all changed however, after the first few bars of Todd's "Johnson" session which cured me of my middle age and reminded me of what I felt like as a kid when I ate, slept and drunk to a backdrop of Todd Music. My mate was really impressed with the "Johnson" set and I wondered how he would take to the "AWATS" set to follow. I needn't have worried. Even a cynical old bastard like him was carried along by its collection of energy and talent. Todd's voice was great and I still don't know how someone can blast out some quite challenging and raunchy tunes so well and then switch to something as gentle and controlled as his singing of never never land.
I enjoyed the almost self deprecating humour of some of the more outrageous costumes and marvelled at the band's performance, but the king shone at the front of the stage and really delivered the goods to point when a miserable old sod like me nearly shed a tear at "Le Feel Internacionale", as years of nostalgia and the pleasure derived from his music over the years hit home.
I could ramble on for ages about how good it and every member of the band was.
Damned fine event and I bloody hope that the music press appreciated it as much as my mate and I did, as so many of today's "artists" just can't compare in terms of talent and originality and let's face it being able to actually do it live!
Thanks again Todd. It was a blast.
