An Ode to the Laser Light

This is in part a review of the Foals gig in Birmingham on Tuesday and in part of tribute to lighting in live music, or rather a chance at attempting to articulate the swirl of euphoric bliss I can remember from the cold Tuesday night. Ending college at 5:00pm, and trudging home in the cold and dark knowing you'll be leaving the house again in less than an hour for a gig is always a bleak thought - enough to tempt you to forget about your plans and stay in, watch celebrity come dine with me on catch up and forget about the outside world. The initial energy involved in getting yourself out of the house and into the cold, with nothing more than a denim jacket as a shield is pretty exhausting - redeemed only once you're inside the venue and surrounded by fellow denim jackets.

It is always a difficult ask when deciding what is the "best" gig you've been to, there are many determining factors for different people, getting to the barrier, not getting trampled to death, being completely trampled to death. For me, the inclusion of a good laser is always a high point of a gig. Seeing The Wombats in October 2011 (shut up) was perhaps the first gig wherein I truly experienced the gig, complete with the whole kit and caboodle of lights, lasers and coloured strobes, it was more than my excitable 15 year old self could handle (it was also the first - and so far the only - gig in which I fell victim to mortifying shoe lift from a stranger at the other end of the room, with only a sock protecting my left foot from the alcohol covered floor).

Foals were a whole different ball game, and at risk of sounding like one of those dickheads, Spanish Sahara - and the visual accompaniment - was almost enough to drive me to the highly cringey task of linking arms with the stranger next to me in a "totally, like, beautiful moment". The room went silent (and blue) with Yannis' angelic vocals, and the crowd were doused in a sheet of blue laser, smoke swimming across the air like the rainbow shine on the surface of a bubble. Spanish Sahara was an out of body experience (ignoring the decision of 2/3 of the room to sit on the floor to "totally appreciate the moment", which to my mentally 83 year old self seemed entirely impractical), and a pretty spectacular memory.

What makes lights so attractive and appealing at gigs is the overall sense of feeling like being a part of something. Being trapped in a room full of sweaty-indie-point-winning-teenagers is a daunting idea, but with the inclusion of a well crafted light display, you find yourself being consumed in the moment, "I Wanna be Yours" in November was a perfect example of this.

Although nothing does quite beat the DIY spontaneity of seeing a band in a pub or a warehouse, or some other sort of tiny venue with no apparent sound system, having on average a square inch of space and being effectively stood on by everyone around you - once in a while it is rather nice to be immersed in lasers and colours and an almost euphoric sense of togetherness (sorry), that and it does makes for a highly instagramable gig.

"It's the best selling show"

There is one question that is guaranteed to get a music fan all of a flutter - "What do you like about gigs so much?" I believe that gigs, especially those in smaller venues which present a hearty lack of health and safety regulations or age restrictions, have provided some of the most, hilarious, embarrassing and generally wonderful memories, whether shared with friends or otherwise.



My friend and I after the Peace show last week
(looking deranged)

In my opinion, the context of a gig makes you either incredibly scared or incredibly mental. I am often an oddly contrasting combination of the two; where the boy behind me who is a bit too touchy-feely is making me feel slightly uncomfortable but the ear drum-bursting pouring out bass of the amps makes me not give a damn and I'm guaranteed to end up on the floor singing my lungs... out? Live music allows you to lose control for a few hours. The metaphorical "letting go" of the stuff that makes you feel like you want to punch a wall is like the perfect tragedy: a cleansing of the emotions; where you leave feeling like you could take on the world (if you could be bothered).

Oh look a signed Drenge t shirt!

Although the music is obviously the most important part of a gig, the entire experience of the time leading up to it is often just as exciting. Planning how much eyeliner and glitter I will pack onto my poor eyelids and which shirt I will wear ("the paisley one says interesting and mysterious, while the denim one says business"), sets the night up as an event, which it most probably will be (unless the band you're seeing is terrible.... oops). Everything associated with a gig makes me feel positively thrilled - meeting friends, trying to pass for 18, queuing up for hours on end, buying a t shirt and all the associated etiquette is often just as fun as the music itself.



That time I saw MGMT and nearly burst into tears of joy

Quite often, the experience of seeing an artist in very raw and personal surroundings makes you love them just that little bit more: You're seeing them at their most vulnerable considering that the crowd could either make or break them. Moreover, hearing your favourite song in a room full of people who may also call it their favourite song creates the best atmosphere imaginable. Seeing 'them' on stage grinning at all of you as you sing along is not only magical, but makes you feel like you're part of a secret club, despite the fact that you have kept their albums to yourself in your bedroom for the past few years. In my opinion, this creates a sense that, when you have seen them live, your love has reached excessive levels because you're in the same room as them, you can see their every expression when they play and you can sing your heart out when previously only the walls have heard your wonderful voice.

Interestingly, I find that many songs from a band that you haven't held especially close to your heart sound utterly sublime when played with extravagant gusto live. Furthermore, some artists actually sound better in a live setting, because they built up their fanbase using live shows or their sound is more naturally aggressive than what you can gather from the CD, for example. This feeling is definitely aided by seeing them perform in front of you, because you can see their interactions, reactions and every little smile they give you.

To summarise: Gigs are really THE BEST SELLING SHOW (I do love a David Bowie pun...)

Paige x x x