I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. Midweek gig at The Hi-Fi with a British geezer singing old-school blues armed with a guitar. Bloody bewdy!
Alas, it wasn’t just I who had reservations with Jake Bugg last Wednesday night. I soon learned as I walked into the venue and through its curved corridor that the rest of Brisbane had also made the same booking... well, enough of Brisbane to have this reviewer pinned up against the wall next to the merchandise desk. Good luck getting a beer I thought.
So here I was, some 40-50 rows deep at the bleeding Hi-Fi on a Wednesday night — without a beer. I should’ve arrived at 7.30 like the bugger who tried to ram pass me with four drinks lofted above his head (lucky fella) without uttering a reason why... until my hand grabbed his collar (“but my girlfriend is down there [he’s pointing somewhere towards the stage some 150 leagues away]; we’ve been here since 7.30!”). Well, next thing Jake’s onstage (maybe he was already; I was pretty fired-up about the artful dodger) and the place is going mental. You have to give it to a 20-year-old who can travel halfway around the world and have a city — notorious for shunning all level of international acts because it’s a ‘school night’ — clambering for every syllable emanating from your mouth. Well played Jake.
The hits were beginning to arrive (I would’ve scribbled them down but there was no room to write) as the young ’uns mingled with the older folks (you know, those ancient types you see at shows and wonder how they knew about such a cool gig) before yet another person decided they’d push past me and deposit yet more amber fluid on my arm and back... Sorry Jake, but I had to bail at this point. I would’ve ended up sleeping the night at the watchhouse otherwise. Though can’t wait for your return, maybe the Riverstage next time.
[For the guys who thought pushing past; saying ‘excuse me, can I get through’; or interlocking arms with 5+ people was a fair enough reason to push forward when there was no room to push forward, be careful because next time, someone might think it’s worthwhile spending a few hours in the watchhouse to school you.]
