This time, the start of my last concert hiatus was not my doing. Yup: Covid.
When it hit, and we were about to go into lockdown, I had 3 shows booked:
Fontaines D.C. (Feb 25/20)Cabbage (March 5/20)Faith No More (June 16/20) If memory serves, the news about Covid was building, and I just didn't think it was a good idea to be in a crowded audience. I went to one play in February (Taming of the Shrew at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), which was barely half full and realised that many people were already skipping public events. Even with plenty of space around us, I felt uncomfortable. We just didn't know anything about Covid yet and it was a nervous time.
I had seen Fontaines DC three times, including recently in November, so, as much as I love them, it was my first skipped event. Then Cabbage were opening for Blossoms, but again, I'd seen them once so missed it. Alas, they have since disbanded. Finally, I had seen FNM twice in 2015, and they were so good, I immediately bought tickets when they announced they were playing London again. This one was cancelled. I just did a search to see if any shows have been played or planned since, and read an article about how Mike Patton pulled out due to agoraphobia and they haven't played together since. Although Patton has played quite a few shows with Mr. Bungle in the past 3 years, including a 2024 London date I didn't even hear about. It's looking like FNM won't reform, but I hope I'm wrong.
After all the lockdowns and restrictions were officially over, I stayed more socially distanced than most, and was in no rush to resume going to events or taking holidays. We didn't travel overseas again until 2023! We moved to our new house at the end of 2010, so being homebodies has been nice for awhile. Lots of new middle-aged hobbies: bird watching, photography and gardening.
It was finally a Laura Jane Grace show in late 2024 that got me out of this hiatus. She'd only visited the UK for one festival in 2022 since covid, so I couldn't miss this one.
Fittingly, it was her band Against Me! that made me end my last music hiatus in 2014, and even more importantly how I met my great concert friend, Janey - whom I've now seen more concerts with than anyone else, including seeing LJG together nine times and counting.
But wow! Five years between shows? Oof.
