gig by Simon Aulman

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So I'm at the Barn at the Railway in Winchester the night before last in my first gig in my new land. Our last gig together was also at the Railway. Up in the Attic that time. She could only just walk. Walking back to the car that night she had to hold on to the railings between the pavement and the road. She looked pissed to fuck. It was the last outdoor laugh we ever had together. Tonight it's hardcore/punk. The Imbeciles (really brilliant) and Trials Of Early Man (really brilliant). As we all know, the noisier the music the nicer the musicians/audience. This might be okay. It's a spur of the moment thing - like all the good things I've ever done.

Didn't bother doing the drying up. Just got in the car and drove. Like I should do all the time. Going to gigs alone is probably the one thing in life I loathe the most. I loathe eating out alone - but never have any urge to do it, so don't. I like drinking coffee alone while reading a book or looking at you having fun with your lover, I like going to the cinema alone, I like driving long long distances alone. On Friday night I didn't try to break the ice with anyone.

But people come up and talk to me. Everyone was nice. Is this really England ? Everyone was on Bandcamp. Have you ever met anyone who isn't ? On the motorway up to Winchester I'd already made up my mind what I'd think about the night - cynical superior loner watches the stupid human race act like stupid cunts. But on the way away from Winchester at nearly midnight I was delighted to be wrong and the only stupid cunt that night had been me and even I had cleaned up my act by about 8-30.