It’s sh1t getting old son. My late mum’s last words to me. She was right to a certain degree, and though she was a bit older than I am now I am living through the sentiment. I have a trapped nerve in my neck and living with the constant pain.
I have had my own brushes with death over the past few years and yet I constantly give myself a reality check. Many of my friends, family and colleagues didn’t get to live to where I am now. A message relayed to me recently by my good friend Andy Tillison of The Tangent, who informed me “we are lucky enough (as yet) not to have lived through war like our parent’s did”. A sobering thought eh?
I mention this because The Tangent recently released their album “Was”. It has been some time since I was forced to reflect on my life so powerfully by music. The imagery contained within the special edition of this album stopped me dead in my tracks and commanded that I reflect whole heartedly on my life so far. The album had me asking questions of myself and memories I had of people, places, holidays, films, books, toys and the most important thing, music. Quite some feat for an album don’t you think?
In a year that I have lost so many of my friends and battled with all of the things my fellow citizens are battling with too, i.e. the economy and the geopolitics of travel etc, I still remain positive and realise how fortunate I am in so many ways. I have grown fond of so many people over the years and I would like to think they have of me? That said, I do still have trouble coping with trolls and their vitriol. I must be getting a little more sensitive in my dotage?
The one thing that I do miss since retiring from work is being able to afford attending as many gigs. As many of you know, the cost of travelling, accommodation, booze and eating at venue’s, cafe’s and pubs all take their toll on your pension. With this in mind, I have become a little more shrewd and stay clear of repeating my attendance at events hosting a percentage of bands I have seen already throughout the year. Living in the North East, which has become a musical desert over the past few years, means that travelling fair distances to see bands has now become the norm. This is where I doth my cap to venues like The Forum in Darlington and people like Zoe Gilby Of Living In Shadows, who, to her credit, is organising The Prog On The Tyne festival scheduled for June 2027.
I can’t complain at all about the fabulous gigs I have seen this year, they have all been first class. Both the artists and fans I have loved being around, and that is the beauty of being a fan of more accessible bands. I think there is a sense of community and comradeship. Of course like all things, followers of some bands take their love and passion to extremes which I find quite alienating as they stalk their prey gig after gig on the band’s tours and have their own community. Not a massive problem as I still enjoy the music in the comfort of my own home without attending their gigs. I do find it uplifting when I attend gigs like that of Candacraig and The Emerald Dawn at The Forum in Darlington, Co Durham and watch them grow as independent musicians. I always think it’s like watching a great movie or play without A list movie stars in them and enjoying them immensely without being starstruck.
As I get older I am valuing more and more the atmosphere of great bands playing smaller venues. Getting back to the nostalgia of enjoying some of the best bands in the world before they made the leap to playing stadia has been a positive thing for me. I have given up the want to attend such massive events that take about 15 to 20 minutes out of the gig just to nip to the toilet and being positioned so far away from the stage that you end up watching it through the massive pixelated screens either side of the stage. This is of course a very personal view and I fully appreciate the fact that there are many people who enjoy seeing iconic bands in such places.
As 2026 draws to it’s end I reflect on some of the music that has resonated with me throughout the years and began compiling my list of favourite album’s. All very subjective I know, one man’s meat and all that! However, I do have to thank all of those bands and artists who reached out and sent me some great tunes to fill my shows and Podcast’s with. I am forever grateful.
What of 2027?, well, once again I will be teaming up with fellow Progzilla presenters Mike Whitfield and Roger March to bring you all the second staging of A Prog Day In May at the Key Theatre in Peterborough. So, watch this space.
