I should be watching Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park tonight.
As I may have mentioned previously, I tried to buy a pair of tickets on the morning they went on sale but – quelle sur-bloody-prise - it was too late. It had sold out within a fraction of a picosecond. Since then, an inordinate amount of time has been spent entering every damn chance-in-a-million competition for Springsteen tickets I could find, but to no avail. I even thought of buying tickets from an online tout but – after seeing the hideously inflated prices on offer – that option was swiftly ruled out. Possibly within a fraction of a picosecond, too.
Clare couldn’t go on account of our 9 week-old baby Edie, so the plan was for me to take my 5 year-old stepdaughter, Lily, who’d never been to a concert before. Lily is a fan of Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, High School Musical and The Sound of Music. I’m probably responsible for 50% of her favourite artists, but I’ll let you guess as to which ones they are.
In any case, Lily and I were understandably grumpy today. To make matters worse, my little brother Rob went to Glastonbury this weekend so he saw Bruce and the E-Street Band perform a storming set at the Pyramid Stage last night. He phoned me this morning. He wasn’t intentionally gloating; it just felt that way.
“I’m jealous of Rob,” said Lily.
I winced. Jealousy is a negative emotion I’d never heard Lily express before. I wanted to be responsible adult and encourage Lily to redirect this negativity in a more positive and constructive way. Then again, she was talking about a Bruce Springsteen concert.
“Me too,” I said.
Watching the Glastonbury coverage, I was filled with pangs of jealousy too… until I heard Radcliffe saying how it was the biggest crowd he’d ever seen before the main stage, and then I thought – nah, I’m better off watching it at home.
Besides, I saw him last summer. Though that’s not to say I wouldn’t have gone again this year, had he played somewhere convenient.
heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelo tooooooooooooooooooooooooom
goooooooooooooooooooooooood morrrrrrrrrrrrrrrning tommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm helooooooooooooooo
Rol: I know what you mean. I’ve only been to Glastonbury once, and I’m not sure I could still hack it. We’re going to Latitude next month, which is a somewhat more relaxed affair. They have a Radio 4 tent, fer Chrissakes…
Lily: what are you doing posting comments on my blog?!?