Eleanor Craik: How not knowing what you’ve missed (when your favourite band is playing) would be easier

Posted on May 1, 2013 by


Screen shot 2013-04-22 at 10.48.04I went to see the band The Script at the o2 a few weeks ago and it was amazing.

I’ve always liked The Script, even though I’ve not heard much of their latest album (well I’ve had it playing several times in my car but I can only learn the words by reading them – I can’t listen to a song once and know the lyrics instantly).

I find going to gigs a mixed ball of emotions. On one hand, I love going to them because its all about the atmosphere, tons of people crammed into a room, blasted with music from their favourite bands. On the other hand, the minute it starts, I remember just how deaf I am.

Picture the scene – you’ve spent most the day waiting and preparing for the gig, packing, travelling, finding the hotel, working your way around the tube station and finally you’re sat at THE o2 with hundreds of other fans filling the room, making excited noises. You wait with anticipation for the band to finally come on, the endless songs playing over the tannoy just can’t seem to satisfy you any longer, the lights go dark and the show begins.

You can see the pre-show introduction on the massive screen and the constant interchanging lights of the stage fill the room. The audience are suddenly silent, eager to see the first glimpse of the band, listening intensely… you prick your ears and engage your eyes ready to concentrate…

But its all muffed, mumbled and confusing.

You wait (for what seems minutes but is only seconds) for the introductions, hoping its just a minor blip and it will all become clear. Or maybe your eyes will suddenly show subtitles, interpreting every move so you don’t have to work quite so hard.

You find some consolation when the band members start to appear on stage, you remember that’s why you’re there and right infront of your very own eyes they are performing this magical combination of instruments and voices to create a masterpiece.

They begin to play your favourite song and you can just about sing all the lyrics to it. Your heart flutters, and its all worth it.

Because they’ve played your favourites, you forget the bad moments, the bits where you couldn’t even tell the noises of the guitars from the drums or the bass or even the singer. The songs you’ve not learnt the lyrics to, yet everybody else in the room is singing along – or so it seems.

You forget about the bits in between songs when the band members talk to the audience but you don’t know what they’re saying. The awkward pestering of your friend to find out what they’ve said, and being 10 seconds behind everyone else. This is the band you’ve travelled all day to see, to hear, to love. And you miss out.

The hardest part is the first few seconds when reality hits in, that life doesn’t have subtitles that you can turn on and off when you need them, that even when you’re trying your absolute hardest, you still can’t interpret what is being said.

The worst part of it all, is knowing that you’ve missed it.

Sometimes, not knowing that you’ve missed it, would be easier.

Eleanor works several different jobs caring for disabled children. She likes subtitled films and ranting about any cinema that doesn’t provide them!! You can see her rants and raves on her shared blog with her best friend Imogene: http://a-subtitled-life.blogspot.co.uk/

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