Dreams

Today I've been reminiscing my dream. Before I came to University, my life revolved around my friends and music. It still does, but unfortunately, I am restricted in the gigs I can attend these days. It's a hobby which seems to have taken a back seat but is gorged on when the opportunity presents itself.

The stereotypical angst filled teenager is a part of everyone and my outlet which served through these years was in the form of gigs. There is a certain buzz to be enjoyed on the purchase of a ticket to a show, this buzz builds slowly in the months preceding the gig. A particular show I was desperate to attend was abandoned in my fight for a Green Day ticket, I won the battle at a loss of £50. But that means nothing until summer when I will be standing in Lancashire Cricket Ground enjoying the show. However, that £50 disheartened me. It meant that my money in reserve of a You Me At Six ticket was spent.

My dream itself came in the form of music journalism. University courses in Journalism seemed to be centred on the politics of newspaper reporting. I strive to be more involved in the creative side of the spectrum, this is quelled by Creative Writing. But now, I write poetry and fiction with a vigour renewed from my younger days. My music serves to inspire me, I no longer get to read it, I get to expand on it.

I read articles in Kerrang! magazine, how the credit crunch affected music is a feature which has stuck with me even though I can't remember the issue number or even the month. That is the kind of thing I like, not poetry inspired by recession or newspapers branding the government a failure.

Last Friday, walking into the Manchester Apollo, after completing the longest queue I'd ever seen outside, I felt like a failure. I had managed to see Lostprophets here two weeks before; but I hadn't visited for a long time prior to it. Nor had I entered the Manchester Academy for too long. We had to take seats as we were late bookings. My friend Sarah had bought two You Me At Six tickets when I had failed, her brother had changed his mind and the ticket came to me. I was ecstatic to receive it and also to be at the sold out show.

The surprising opener of 'Safer To Hate Her' sparked a run of second album 'Hold Me Down' material punctuated by earlier hits such as Jealous Minds Think alike and Kiss and Tell from the re release of Take Off Your Colours; The Truth Is a Terrible Thing and Always Attract the only unreleased songs from the album to air. After a short intermission, The Consequence revealed a new dimension to the stage, revealing ramps which were mostly trampled energetically by Josh, Matt and Max.

Fireworks and Always Attract showcased Josh as the ballads demonstrate his superb writing talent and performance.

Promotion of Hold Me Down went without a glitch as fans sang back every word to the material, the biggest audience You Me At Six have ever obtained by themselves. However, their last show at the Manchester Roadhouse is the fastest sell out show the venue has ever had. Save It For The Bedroom invigorated the audience to even dizzier heights followed by the finale of Underdog. It makes me wonder, just when will they grace the stage of the MEN as the headliners??