I've subscribed to a lot of concert notices for the KC vicinity, but somehow, Snow Patrol had been under my radar. Fortunately, Allyson was on it, and looking for a co-conspirator. I've loved the band's music ever since she loaned me their CDs, when we worked together in humor. I'd heard a few of their singles on the radio, but it wasn't until I heard the entire albums that I truly grew to appreciate their rich, moody sound.
The show was at the Beaumont Club in Westport. A surprisingly small venue for what turned out to be a REALLY impressive set. The guys were quieter and unassuming, modest about their considerable talent. The lead singer, Gary Lightbody, was quite charming and interacted with the crowd well. But when he sang… WOW. He totally blew me away. (Even with his case of laryngitis, he was a much stronger performer than most I've seen!) He humbly thanked the crowd and apologized for the wavering of his voice. There was enough to love about the show that honestly, I felt bad for his sake, but it didn't detract for me.
Hearing them live made me realize how little production is used on their recordings… they sounded just as I'd hoped. The singer reminded me of others with strikingly strong voices, like Tom Chaplin (Keane's lead singer), and Stevie Wonder.
They had a good light and video show, with their motifs of snowflakes and flying eagles. I really wanted one of their "blue snowflakes" logo t-shirts, but it only came in men's sizes, and the small was huge. Damn this tiny body! :(
The only negative about the show, which didn't affect my enjoyment because the show was THAT good, was this crazy stupid drunk b*tch next to me, who kept leaning into me & the two women around me, shoving us and elbowing us and spilling beers (2) on MY feet; and facing with her back to the stage and talking to her friends, emailing, texting, or Facebooking—completely obvious to and unappreciative of the incredible show going on. After one particularly bad elbow to my center back three-quarters of the way through the show, she made eye contact with me and I politely said, "I need you to give me a little more space."
"WHAT?" she yelled.
"I need you to back up a little." I repeated.
"WHAT??!" she repeated, holding her hand to by ear.
"GET OFF ME!!!!!" I screamed in her ear.
She was taken aback for a split second. "It's a CONCERT," she said, as if that justified unwarranted bodily harm to innocent bystanders. Then she leaned in and informed me that if I was rude to her again, she'd hit me.
I wasn't scared… there was a huge bouncer five feet in front of us, facing us, having witnessed the whole scene. And she had humiliated him earlier by insisting that her friend take photos of him, with her spindly body wrapped around him like a spider trapping its meal. I was pretty sure he'd be sympathetic to my cause, if it came to that.
I am not very sympathetic to people who act like complete idiots because they've had too much to drink, so I have to tell you, it took EVERY SINGLE OUNCE of my strength not to knock her flat on her @**. I have rarely been so angry. Really, you're going to beat me up all night under the guise of being drunk and clueless, and then have the gall to threaten me when I ask you to stop ruining the show for me? REALLY??
When Allyson and the other woman saw her leaning in to me, Allyson said to her, "You've been bumping into ALL of us."
She must have finally saw that she had pissed off the whole group of us, and that she was outnumbered, and she backed off slightly. She continued to knock into me, but more lightly. Until the last song started and she decided it was time to leave. I saw her turn toward me, and without warning she smacked her elbow into me as hard as she could. I was proud of myself for having absolutely NO reaction. I didn't look her way, I wasn't knocked off balance, I remained completely focused on the music. I sure hope that chapped her hide, as she was clearly trying to pick a fight.
In hindsight, tripping her & seeing her fall flat on her face would have been much more satisfying, but I'm glad that I'm not like her. What a sad, pathetic woman she is. I sure hope the two girls on the photo on her phone are not her children. If so, I really feel sorry for them, because their Mom is bat-sh** crazy.
It wouldn't be a concert without some drunk idiot trying to ruin it for everyone, right? ;)
Here's the setlist, which I confirmed on this site: Berlin (Remix), Hands Open, Take Back the City, Crack the Shutters, This Isn't Everything You Are, Run, In the End, New York (with Ed Sheeran), Set the Fire to the Third Bar, Make This Go On Forever, Shut Your Eyes, Chasing Cars, Chocolate, Called Out in the Dark, Fallen Empires, You're All I Have Encore: Lifening, Just Say Yes
