For reasons I still don’t really know (Maybe it was more the whole "Let’s go to London and meet up!" which came from Jordan’s and Timi’s faces the other day) I went to a gig hosted by the Internet’s Tom, Edd and Alex (who if you go on YouTube ever, you’ve probably seen them floating around here).
But woah woah woah. Let’s slow down.
Jordan and Timi, only being an hour and a bit away from London, got there at about 11am. They had various fun times going around a rather typical rainy London without me. Thanks to someone’s smart idea of closing the Southampton area of the track starting the day I wanted to go, a normally two hour journey took more like three and a half. Hooray for rail replacement services! I left at something like 1:20 and got there at around half 4. Exciting stuff.
When I got there, I waited around for the other two to find me in Waterloo station. They apparently got lost on the way here, but well, that doesn’t surprise me with Jordan, but Timi has a map.
Anyway, here’s what I deciphered from their pictures of their time before that:
They went to the beach, dressed as nerds. They then found two planks of wood washed up on the beach, crossed them over, and saw people thinking they were part of their protests, so took the wood. The Holy Ghost came along and embodied the cross the protesters stole and Bill Clinton – who was part of the rally – found that now he needed to declare what he’d done just in case he went to hell.
…or something like that.
But back in the real world, we were heading to Trafalgar Square to see more people campaigning for socialism or something. I don’t know. They had tents, megaphones and bright lights. They know how to attract me.
Then we headed to Leicester Square to find someplace Jordan could eat. After looking or a Pizza Hut, then any restaurant, he decided to go for a McDonalds. Not the best of choices as a veggie, but hey.
On the way to The George, where this gig was being played we past – among countless Pret a Mangers – about five pizza places. You should’ve heard the annoyed sounds coming from Jordan. They were odd, as you’d expect.
We got to The George a bit early, so we went in with the intention of getting drinks but never… did. We were too busy being soaked through, as in typical London style, it rained constantly. I have learned that this hair stuff I got from Sainsbury’s makes your hair incredibly… what’s the word… saturated when it gets slightly wet. It makes it look like you’ve just had a bath if your hair is merely damp. So London showers = Contestant on Hole In The Wall.
We waited around this door which we assumed was the entrance near a couple of people who look like they’re just glad to be away from their computer screen. It was comforting that we’d hopefully found the right place. Soon as the Tom Milsom poster went on the door, however, nothing could really prepare us for what happened.
I’m sure the likes of Internet celebrities have far gotten used to this now, but hoards of fan girls came through the side-door (obviously not being allowed in the bar area having only just started their GCSEs by the sounds of it). They couldn’t get in fast enough to talk and touch their favourite person on the Internet. As much as they try, their screen doesn’t feel the same as actually touching their body.
It was about this time that me and Jordan (well, Timi doesn’t really know anything about the YouTube community – he’s more into educational, useful things) realised there is a barrier we will never cross in terms of our digital lives. Thankfully, we can never be 12-year old girls and we will never learn the songs of someone who’s somewhat famous to the people who’ve heard of him.
Essentially me and Jordan were there to see Alex Day perform, which was as expected (If only I knew more of his songs…). But we were quite happy to see some of the people we’ve seen on the InterTubes actually existing. Him, he’s quite happy seeing lightscameraashlee and me knowing that BarryAldridge is not just a figment of my imagination (along with Alex Day, obviously). We’d both hardly heard of Tom Milsom before this gig and to be brutally honest… we wish it stayed that way.
Okay, okay. You might be thinking it’s a silly thing going to a album launch party for someone you’ve never heard of, and you’re right. Just… we didn’t know it was an album launch party until then. To be frank, too, if it was that Ed guy doing an album launch, we would’ve enjoyed it more. At least he can sing.
Anyhoozle, here’s a summary of that gig as done by Mr Aldridge himself:
We messed around in London until my train got there. Bus replacement from Eastleigh to Poole with guys who really don’t care how loud or how smelly their farts are. Hooray.
But in summary, we had a good time in London. It’s safe to say we’re not fans of Tom, all bar one song, and as such will never be screaming 12-year-old girls. But it was a good gig for all those who do and was tight knit enough for his fans to talk to him a bit. Woo for them!
(Oh, and sorry to the guy I may have insulted when I was Tweeting rather loudly about last night. That should teach you for eavesdropping. =])
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