Emotions are funny things, and can manifest themselves in different ways to different people. Much as I love Gillingham FC I cannot realistically imagine myself breaking down in tears over a loss, or even a win, even at the highest level. Maybe if that circumstance did arise (and I'm not talking playoff finals here) that may change, but we're talking possibilities here that will probably never arise in my lifetime. Nevertheless I can fully appreciate and empathise with supporters who do break down, either in the depths of despair of watching their team get relegated, or on the other hand, achieve great success, regardless of the level of competition. Those of you who have read my previous non-directly football related posts will be aware of my love of music, and it is music that can sometimes make it hard for me not to completely break down. Not necessarily only the music, but sometimes the actual performance of it. That's my version of the players and the pitch to others. On Tuesday evening I went to watch Andrew Bird in concert. Most of you probably haven't heard of him, but he's been around for 20 or so years making music that a reviewer of his current album described as a mixture of folk and baroque pop. And that's probably got rid of the few of you who might have been interested. For those who may still be interested, the current album, Are You Serious, is actually far more approachable and, dare I say it, mainstream and even 'rocky', than many of the previous ones, but still shows his skill with words and music. I'd only had a very fleeting listen before the gig, and so much of the concert material was new to me. Live, he took the songs to another level, as all good performers should, and having played getting on for an hour and a half he came back with the band for a 3 song acoustic encore which was wonderful, showing a further colour to his musical pallette, especially as the gig was inside Manchester Cathedral. The closing song was one that I have now established as being on the new album, but which I missed on my initial pre-gig scan through the album. Love, of course, in its various stages of construction and deconstruction, can play havoc with the emotions, and without which the music industry probably would cease to exist, and it was broadly about love or the losing of it, that the particular song involves itself. Do not be misled by the subject of the song, it is actually performed to a very upbeat soukos rhythm, and as it was the closing song it was the one that stayed with me as I walked back to the tram. But there was one phrase that stuck with me. Last Saturday I watched from the stand as Burton Albion plundered a last minute winner, seemingly ending the Gills hopes of a play-off place for this season. A miserable second half of the season had apparently come to it's obvious conclusion, and I commiserated with two of my friends, who had purchased wine and dine tickets for next Saturday, that at least Gills might put on a half decent display for the last home game. You'll have realised that, at that time, we were all completely unaware of Colchester's 98th minute equaliser at Barnsley, and remained that was until messages started arriving on the way back up to Rochdale. So, until Tuesday evening I'd had a bit of time to actually start considering the possibilities. Not getting too carried away. We all know the equation. And as I sat on the tram the two events combined in the lyric: Ever since I gave up hope I've been feeling so much better Funny things, emotions. http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/andrew-bird-are-you-serious
Tim You have an evocative signature. I too can cope with the despair that Gills provide me - ( I've had plenty of it ) - but struggle with my 'hope' - especially as I am all too aware of our limitations. I doesn't help when some other 5000/1 'no hopers' defy their odds - it only goes to fuel the hope in the rest of other mere mortals. We all hope we can 'do a Leicester' - when 4999 out of 5000 times Leicester would have been relegated this season - that is reality - and hope, as far as it concerns Gillingham, is as far away from reality as you can get. If we 'fail' on Sunday you'll be able to feel the emotion of the fans all the way 'upnorth' - but we'll come back in August - in hope rather than expectation -- for more miserable despair !
itstimupnorth - excellent post combining the emotions of football and music. With me having an interest in acoustic, yes, not a lot of people know that, I took the opportunity to have a quick research of Andrew Bird the music and subsequent chords/tabs - having scanned youtube, i found a site call riffstation, looks basic chords, so will have to give it a go when I get 5 - will need to have a look through his tunes, looks like there is plenty of material online for me to look at.
