it was 40 years ago today...

24 November 1979 is a date and a day that I will never forget.

It was a Saturday, and after watching “Tiswas” (my staple Saturday morning viewing - UK readers may remember it) I got into my sister’s little red Mazda and we drove to Birmingham.  More precisely, we drove to the brand new National Exhibition Centre just outside the huge city for me to attend my first ever rock concert.

Queen (yes, Queen!!*) were playing the first night of their UK wide “Crazy Tour” and I had managed to buy some tickets from a schoolfriend who was unable to go to the show.  I didn’t know if I could go even when I bought them, but Corinne came to the rescue and off we trotted to be blinded and deafened.

(* Seeing Queen for your first live music experience is right up there as firsts go.  It must be like your first kiss being with a supermodel, your first car being a Porsche or...you get my drift.)

Anyway, after queueing for what seemed like hours we were finally allowed into the huge unseated hall.  We ran hard, and managed to get almost to the front of the stage - probably about 10 yards or so away.  So close that when the show started we could feel the heat from the stage lights - nicknamed "the pizza oven" by the band.  And the sound...

I had no idea how loud a rock concert would be.  I soon found out that very was the answer.  I felt like the bass would shatter my ribcage and I honestly could not hear properly for about 48 hours after the show.

Anyway, my damaged hearing isn’t my only souvenir from that night.  In the tour programme was an announcement that Queen were delivering a signed “Live Killers” album to every HMV ( a record shop) store in the UK and that they would be available from the following Saturday.  

I hoped that no one else from Swansea was at the concert and had bought a programme,  and I made sure I was at the store in time for opening.  I was fortunate enough to secure the prized, autographed album.  

It’s a treasure I will never part with.


post script: it's also 28 years to the day that Freddie Mercury died.  I was so sad when this happened and I don't mind admitting I cried - a lot.  But his music lives on and I just count myself lucky to have seen him perform live on this and numerous other occasions.  

R.I.P. Freddie