Tag Archives: Myles Kennedy

A Green Triangle To Paradise City – dreams do come true!

Posted on December 9, 2014 | 1 comment

I’ve sat down several times over the past few days to pen this blog. The end result has been the same every time. As soon as I start to write, a smile creeps across my lips and all coherent thoughts vanish in a cloud of twinkly stars.

For several months, Thursday 4 Dec has been marked on my calendar- Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators (aka SMK&C) at the Hydro Glasgow. When the tickets were purchased, this show was scheduled to make the dream of finally seeing Slash play live come true. That dream magically became a reality on Nov 7th as I’ve blogged previously. Last Thursday, however, turned into a completely magical “once-in-a lifetime” experience.

Through the wonders of rock music and social media interaction, I’ve become friends with a lady from Indiana, USA. Over the past few months, we’ve chatted online and the friendship has grown. To cut a very long story, that is her’s to tell, short- HINT HINT about that journal, young lady!- the final stop on her European Tour 2014 was also to be the Hydro on Dec 4th. Finally, I was going to get the opportunity to meet my FB friend face-to-face!

There had been whispers of promises of great things for the evening that I hadn’t dared to get my hopes up about. Mid-afternoon, she confirmed she had a treat in store for us.

Chaperoned by my usual teenage minders – Boy Child, Girl Child and FB Son (Boy Child’s friend) – plus one of my Rock Chick friends, this Rock Mum headed out to play.

One minor issue – how do you find someone that you’ve never met in a crowd of circa 10 000? Easily as it turns out!

As we queued to gain entry to the arena’s bowl, I spotted her coming through the main door, looking all round her. Waving and calling out her name, I caught her attention and she came rushing over to greet us. With the hugs and introductions complete, she opened an envelope and passed me five green triangular stickers – one for each of us. Clearly written across the sticker it said   “Slash Aftershow TDK”!

With arrangements made as to where to meet after the show, we all headed into the arena. It was the rock show to end all rock shows! Despite sound quality issues the first support act, Twenty Two Hundred, did a stellar job in front of quite a small crowd for such a big room. As the rock fans piled in, the second band of the evening took to the stage. This was Glenn Hughes’ new band California Breed. He may be over sixty now but boy can that guy sing! Fabulous set! With the crowd roused to the brink of ecstasy, California Breed left the stage.

Shortly before nine, the house lights dimmed and the creepy clown freak show music began to filter out signalling the imminent arrival of SMK&C. For two hours, SMK&C ruled the stage and commanded the Glasgow crowd. The set ran to some twenty one songs and was a fantastic mix of new and old SMK&C material, classic Guns N Roses and a sprinkling of Velvet Revolver. They played almost all of my personal favourites. Throughout the entire set, I drank in every note, watched every movement and, to be honest, was completely and utterly mesmerised.

The band had a treat in store for the Scottish fans. At the start of their encore, they welcomed Glenn Hughes and Andrew Watt out on stage and played a fantastic rendition of the Deep Purple classic “Burn.” An incredible sight to behold!

As the confetti rained down (guess who forgot to close over her handbag- oops!) during the show closer “Paradise City”, I could feel my nervous excitement mounting.

If watching these guys rule the stage wasn’t enough of a dream-come-true moment, part two was about to commence.

As the rest of the audience trooped happily towards the exits, with trembling hands, we applied our magical “green triangles” to our shirts. Along with a couple of dozen other lucky fans, we were ushered through a door beside the stage and along a maze of backstage corridors into a very basic room, littered with tables and chairs and instructed to wait. While we waited, we all began to chat, introducing ourselves and forming friendships. After about an hour, the door opened and The Conspirators came quietly into the room. Well, two of them did. One definitely failed to slip in unnoticed! It was bassist Todd Dammit Kerns’ birthday and his arrival was met with a loud chorus of “Happy Birthday” that he lapped up with a huge grin.

The next forty five minutes were magically surreal. Even now, five days later, I have to pinch myself and look at the photos (any excuse!) to remind myself it actually happened. The content of our conversations will remain private as these few moments are treasured memories. I became a very proud Rock Mum as Boy Child and Girl Child politely chatted with these rock stars, neither of them the least bit fazed. Much to my great surprise, it was Rock Chick friend who was a tad shy and star struck – meeting Todd Kerns left her completely tongue tied!

I surprised myself, if I’m being honest. I joked and chatted to Todd Kerns, then with Frank Sidoris, who was particularly sweet with the kids, then Brent Fitz, who laughed when I confessed to having zero sense of rhythm. In some respects, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to be doing late on a Thursday night/early Friday morning. In others, it was the most unbelievable few minutes.

The icing on the cake was still to come.

The door opened and a fourth rock star crept quietly into the room, all bundled up in hat, scarf and jacket in readiness for the cold December night air that awaited them all.

It was Myles Kennedy.

Yes, I met Myles! Yes, I spoke to Myles and even managed a brief but sensible conversation with him. Yes, I got my photo taken with him and got a hug into the bargain. Yes, it actually happened! Dream come true!

As the guys were ushered out to the waiting tour bus, I watched them depart, already thinking – did I just dream that?

There’s photos to prove that I didn’t!

I can’t find words to describe how grateful I am for the kindness and friendship shown to us by one wonderful lady from Indiana. If ever there was someone who truly lives the “pay-it-forward” ethos, it is this larger than life rock fan. She is an inspiration!

Thanks to her, many of us around the world have memories to treasure for a lifetime.

I’ve teased her relentlessly on FB over her dedication and devotion to SMK&C, particularly Todd Kerns, calling her their “Rock Mama”.

Last Thursday night, she was everyone’s Rock Mama and, I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us who were given the gift of a magical “green triangle”, when I say a HUGE thank you to the one and only, Janette Martin.

Rock Mama, you took us all to Paradise City!

SMK&C blog collage

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The Night That Was Meant To Be

Posted on November 13, 2014 | 6 comments

Ever get the feeling that some things are just meant to be? Perhaps it’s fate. Perhaps it’s luck.

A few months back I secured tickets to a concert that I felt sure was going to be “the one” that would realise a lifelong dream for me. (Well, twenty seven years long to be exact so not quite lifelong)

I was wrong.

A little over two weeks ago, a show was announced that was to be held in a small Glasgow venue on 7th November and would be for fans only. Pre-registration via the artist’s website was required in order to qualify for a code that would then allow you to attempt to purchase a maximum of two tickets. In my excitement and haste, I screwed up my registration. I realised my error less than thirty minutes before registration closed. Too late.

The lack of an email landing with a mythical code confirmed my error.

Gutted doesn’t begin to cover it.

Tickets went on sale the next day at 10am. From reports online there were technical glitches with the codes and subsequent sales. Lacking the necessary code I could only sit back and watch my fellow fans try to secure their golden tickets.

Ok , let’s be honest here, I sat back and sulked quietly, trying to console myself that I would get to realise the dream on 4th Dec.

Tickets were duly snapped up and I genuinely thought that was an end to it.

A glimmer of hope emerged around Tuesday lunchtime when a fellow fan hooked me up with another fan who had details of an unused code. There were rumours of balcony seats still being available. However, despite my best efforts online and via phone, I failed to secure tickets.

Gutted for a second time in five days.

Still sulking (big time by now) I was watching TV on Tuesday night, idly playing around on social media on my phone. A post by the artist caught my eye. There were limited tickets left! All I had to do was email the address quoted in the post. You’ve never seen an email sent so fast in your life!

Lady Luck was smiling on me and within ten minutes, amidst much screaming for joy, I held two tickets for the 7th November show in my trembling hands.

All day Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, I silently fretted that perhaps it had been a hoax. Worried that the tickets were fake and I’d been de-frauded out of my £20 and my credit card details. (Blame the paranoia on all the years spent working in a fraud team)

Even on the Friday evening on the train, chaperoned by Boy Child, I was doubting that this was real.

As I stood in the lengthening queue outside the venue, watching Boy Child chitter with cold in his t-shirt and jeans (yes, bad rock mum let him out without a jacket), I doubted that it was really real.

It was only once we’d cleared security (Boy was it tight!), entered the hall and I was standing in front of the merchandising stall that I allowed myself to believe that it might actually be happening.

Lady Luck was still keeping an eye on me as we took our places, two rows off the barrier slightly to the left of centre stage. Almost my ideal spot in the hall.

So who was I there to see? Who had I waited all these years to see play live?

The one and only – Slash.

Ever since I bought “Appetite For Destruction” on vinyl when it was first released, I’ve wanted to see him in concert.

I guess everything does come to she who waits. And, in true recent concert going for, shows are like buses – two have come along at once!

After a fabulous ninety minute set from Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro, which literally saw me swept off my feet by the crush in the crowd, my dream was only thirty short minutes away.

Boy Child had his eyes set on the mayhem that lies in front of centre stage and, with my nervous blessing, disappeared off into the crowd in the hope of finding a mosh pit. He did.

Standing in front of me was a young man in a checked shirt, who turned round and said, “If I stand here you’re not going to be able to see, are you?”

My reply was, “No and I’ve waited twenty seven years to see this guy live.”

His face was a picture and, in the perfect act of chivalry, he gave up his spot for me. Thank you, young sir!

Now I was one row off the barrier with a perfect view of the stage.

A creepy freak show intro played, closely followed by a blaze of lights, then there he was. Dream come true – Slash was on stage in full view playing “You’re A Lie”.

And the icing on the cake was that Myles Kennedy was out on stage doing the vocal chores! The cherries on this particular “rock” cake were, of course, the Conspirators themselves – Todd Kerns, Frank Sidoris and Brent Fitz.

For ninety minutes, I was held utterly spellbound as my dream became a beautiful reality. The mother in me did start to fret a little as the crowd surfing began and, with my heart in my mouth, I watched for Boy Child appearing over the crowd. Whew!-he didn’t…this time.

Hearing “Sweet Child O’ Mine” played live for the first time was incredible. A moment that will live with me for a long time. That song is possibly my all-time favourite song). Seeing Slash coax his numerous solos out of his guitar was stunning. Watching Myles strut his stuff alongside the super talented Conspirators was breath taking.

Only as the show came to a close with the wonderful “Paradise City” and I, along with everyone and everything in the building, was showered in confetti did I truly believe that all around me was real.

The dream had come true.

And, to return to the cake analogy, this rock chick is allowed, on this one occasion, to have her cake and eat it, as I am now counting down the days until 4th December when I get to live the dream all over again.

Some nights are just meant to be.

SMKC collage

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Staycation 2014 Week One- loud music, cinnamon bagels, bees and blethering

Posted on July 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

One week down – one to go!

I have reached the mid-point of Staycation 2014 and no tempers have been lost and no blood has been spilled – yet! Not a bad achievement even if I do say so myself! 🙂

The thought of removing Boy Child and Girl Child from their respective bat caves, taking them out with WiFi range or their usual time zone didn’t bear contemplating so we are holidaying at home.

Here’s a brief rundown of Week One.

Saturday – I followed my usual shopping and coffee routine then rushed home to watch the MotoGP from Assen. The remainder of the afternoon was spent sitting in the sun reading my kindle, photographing the bees in my geraniums and dealing with the laundry schedule. My evening was music filled much to my delight and the groans of the rest of the household. I banished myself to the kitchen. By chance I found a livestream link to the Graspop Festival in Belgium in time to watch Alter Bridge take to the stage. They played a fabulous set which when it ended gave me just enough time to refill my wine glass before Metallica took to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. Awesome! I crept up to the bed just before midnight (the rest of the household had sloped off to bed hours earlier) buzzing as though I’d just come home from a gig and with a smile on my wee face.

Sunday – again the weather in the morning was kind to me and I spent it sitting out in the sun with my coffee and toasted cinnamon raisin bagel reading my kindle. (I was devouring Nicky Wells rock romance trilogy) As the clouds gathered in the afternoon, the ironing mountain beckoned so I spent a few hours tackling that before driving Boy Child to and from the cinema. Again Glastonbury provided my musical entertainment for the day. Dinner was cooked while watching Dolly Parton and the ironing was finished off while I watched The Black Keys. I had been eagerly awaiting their set all day but was left a little disappointed and mentally crossed them off my list of “need to go and see live” bands.

Monday- the day dawned gloriously hot and sunny. After a productive morning sitting out in the sun with my laptop (I wrote up one album review and the lastblog post – ok I also read more of my kindle/book)I went for a walk with Girl Child and my camera. We headed along the beach path not far from the house and enjoyed a leisurely hour meandering with fields on one side and the beach on the other. Bliss!

Tuesday – cue more glorious sunshine! I spent the morning doing a little emergency food shopping in town and enjoyed a strong black coffee and a fruit scone in the company of Boy Child and my parents. (Girl child had refused to crawl out from under the duvet and was duly left at home) As I drove home I was full of good intentions to sit in the sun and work on my “bigger creative writing project”. I managed to partially achieve the objective – I did sit in the sun but that rock romance trilogy was calling on me again! I sat out in the sun until I had finished it. 🙂

Wednesday – no sun! This was probably not a bad thing as by now I was a tad pink and burnt around the edges after four days of Vitamin D overdosing. The morning was spent in a mad frenzy of “Oor Wullie” cleaning (where everything gets flung away out of sight under the metaphoric “bucket”) and vacuuming before a friend ( yet another of my friends’ who is allergic to cats) came over for lunch. Lunch was a simple laid back three hour affair involving coffee and empire biscuits among other simple pleasures. After waving goodbye to my lunch guest mid -afternoon I finally settled down to do a few hour’s work on my “bigger creative writing project”.

I also purchased some concert tickets for a friend and I. Watch out Blackberry Smoke, we’re coming to see you in Glasgow in October. 😉

Thursday – a bit of a mixed day weather wise. First on the agenda was coffee and a fruit scone with one of my fellow rock chick friends (the same friend who gave me the Slash photo for my birthday). This time it was my turn to give her a birthday gift albeit a day early. With the world suitably put to rights we went our separate ways. The sun came out during the afternoon and I headed off to the garden centre, armed with my camera, on a mission to purchase a butterfly bush (otherwise known as a buddleja). I got some strange looks from the elderly clientele as I took photos of the beautiful blooms on display, especially the ones occupied by busy buzzy bees. It took me a while to decide on what colour of butterfly bush I wanted but eventually I selected a dark fuschia pink one. Here’s hoping it attracts some butterflies who are willing to pose for photos.

My evening’s online chat was rudely interrupted by more Mum’s taxi runs (Sorry, girls. We will get that three way blether yet!)

Friday- plans had already been made to meet fellow rock chick writer friend, Karen Soutar, in Glasgow for lunch. I had planned to head into the city early with my camera. When I opened the curtains first thing, I was met with a grey dreich morning. Not to be thwarted, I set off as planned and managed to get a few photographs of some of the beautiful architecture in the city centre and the Commonwealth Games preparations. After a short while the rain sent me scurrying in search of a hand drier in a ladies room to dry the raindrops off my camera lens! Cue more odd looks from a couple of elderly patrons. I had arranged to meet Karen at noon at the Hard Rock Café. Lunch was filled with girlie chat as we caught up with each other’s news, compared notes on a certain Mr Kennedy and generally put the world to rights over a burger washed down with a Corona complete with lime. Due to a lack of Corona (yes – they ran out and we only had one each I promise!) we moved on and wandered through a few shops. The rain quickly drove us to seek sanctuary- we just happened to retreat to another pub where we continued our catch up armed with another beer. (Yeah- Waxy O’Connor’s had Corona). We ended our afternoon in a rather more civilised coffee shop in Frasers department store. Cue more blethering over coffee and shortbread then we went our separate ways to catch our trains home. The rain chose this moment to pour its heaviest drenching both of us.

Despite the soggy end to a lovely chilled week I now feel ready to tackle Week 2 of Staycation 2014. Wish me luck!

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The Feel Good Factor of Two Little Words- Happy Birthday

Posted on June 30, 2014 | 2 comments

Last Friday was my birthday. Not a particularly special number but it was still my birthday. I’ve never been one to make a fuss about birthdays. I never felt the need to have fancy parties for 18th, 21st or 30th celebrations. I did concede when I turned 40 and had family and friends over for tea and cake……oh and some wine! 😉

I suspect this disinterest in celebrating harks back to my childhood. True, I had a few birthday parties as a child but, as my birthday falls around the date that the schools stop for the summer and people in this area traditionally head off on their summer holidays, my birthday had a tendency to get lost in transit. My 14th birthday was spent driving through England to catch an early morning ferry to St Malo, France. The highlight of that occasion was a plate of chips and beans in a trucker’s rest stop on the motorway about 11pm and catching the highlights from Wimbledon of a Jimmy Connor’s match on a tiny TV on the wall above the counter. A couple of years later, we had just arrived in the Algarve the day before, and it was lunchtime before my mum even remembered it was my birthday! I rest my case… or should that be suitcase!

However Facebook has added a new dimension to this annual event. By the time I woke on Friday morning (my usual 5:50am) and checked my newsfeed there were a dozen birthday wishes from all over the globe waiting there for me. A beautiful start to my day. As the day progressed I was welcomed into work with a card and a gift (yes, it was wine before any of you ask!) and a few hugs and kisses too. When I next checked Facebook around lunchtime, the number of birthday wishes had swelled to over fifty. Some of my Facebook friends know me so well and there were a couple of “hot” photos appearing along with the kind words.  😉

Birthday Tea was a low key affair. The Big Green Gummi Bear did forego his daily trip to the gym so we could eat as a family at a reasonable hour. The four of us sat down to a simple meal of lasagne and garlic flatbread (thank you Tesco Finest). I had bought a tiny birthday cake and Girl Child attempted a rendition of “Happy Birthday” with her usual tuneless aplomb. Thanks, honey. I was treated to lovely gifts- tickets to see Miss Saigon in London’s West End from the Big Green Gummi Bear, silver jewellery from Parents One and Two, silver rings from Boy Child and Girl Child. I received a beautiful journal from a friend who knows me so well. (Thank you again)

At the last minute I had arranged for another friend to pop over for a celebratory glass of vino or two. My fellow rock chick arrived armed with wine and a present wrapped in red tartan gift wrap. She too knows me so well –I’m now the proud owner of an autographed Slash print! (Thank you- I’m still negotiating about where to put it on display) Cue a wonderful evening of loud music, mainly on vinyl, wine and laughter. One of those evening’s that’s good for the soul.

By bedtime, when I checked Facebook one final time for the day, the birthday wishes had swelled to over a hundred and there was another topless male adorning my Facebook wall (Thank you Myles Kennedy and Charlie Hunnam for providing those bodies!!) It’s a good job that the Big Green Gummi Bear has long since unfriended me on Facebook!

I went to bed with a smile, feeling very humble that so many people from all around the world had taken a few seconds out of their day to type two small words that mean so much- Happy Birthday. Thank you one and all.

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The dangers of letting my inner teenager out of the box

Posted on May 27, 2014 | Leave a comment

In the last thirty six hours I’ve discovered just how easy it is to unleash the inner teenager in me. Apparently it only takes three simple things –

The first was the release yesterday of a new live album I had pre-ordered. It was an online release so it was a long impatient wait with multiple email check-ins. Finally, around seven o’clock last night, my patience was rewarded and the link to download the new Todd Kerns Live in Vegas album came through from Pledge Music. It was promptly downloaded, synced to my iPod and blasted round the kitchen, accompanied by grumblings about the noise from the Big Green Gummi Bear.

The second thing was a UK tour announcement. Breakfast time this morning was flung into more chaos than normal by the news that Slash is touring later this year. Finally, all things going to plan, I’ll get to see the great man play live with the added bonus that Messrs Kennedy and Kerns will share the same stage.

The third and final thing was news of the release date of the new Slash album. I discovered this via social media at lunchtime. Perfect timing as the silly grin that had been on my face all morning following the tour news was starting to fade. Realising I could also pre-order this long awaited musical treasure ensured the silly grin remained in place all afternoon. (Apologies to my colleagues who had to put up with me all day.)

Who says women are hard to please!

I appreciate that these are silly trivial things in the grand scheme of life. With the doom and gloom that fills the news on a daily basis it’s refreshing to find simple things that add an element of fun to the day. Life without a bit of fun would be very boring indeed.

So what next?

Well the inner teenager has been squeezed back into her box (the lid may still be open a fraction) and it’s time to re-connect with the semi-sensible adult self and patiently wait on three things.

The first of these is the relatively short wait for the concert tickets to go on sale at the end of the week. (OK – confession – yes, I have already scoured the internet for pre-sale options and double checked my passwords for the various ticket sites. Can’t do the adult thing for too long)

The second is to watch for the postman arriving with the album that has now been pre-ordered. It’s only a few short months……checks the number of weeks on calendar….

And assuming that the first one falls into place, the third thing is the concert itself.

Wonder how early we’d need to arrive to get a space on the barrier……… CRASH goes the box lid!

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