3rd December - Why Liverpool is SO special to me tonight...
This isn't just music. Moments, memories, and a sense of euphoria that you cannot physically feel in any other setting, all make up the myriad of reasons why I do this. For this is one more special than most, on a personal level. You see, back in 2017, after hammering the 'album of the year', and potentially - in my opinion - 'greatest dance album ever made' - HOPE by Third Party, a door opened for me in the way some do in life as part of your natural course of action. I've long believed that everyone has a set reason for their own existence, and that our paths are - to an extent - mapped out in front of us via the Universe's own will and direction for us.
It was a chance meeting with the blonde bombshell himself, Alfie, a man I now speak to daily and consider a good friend, who invited me over to Third Party's apartment suite on the edge of the Thames, sweetening relations with my Journo self as I was about to write a review on their performance at London's iconic Ministry of Sound club. What very few realised was, that, just a few days before, on a gloomy Autumn afternoon I'd ventured to Hammersmith hospital to receive the results of a series of operations and ongoing health concerns which had plagued me for the 18 months or so previous. Just 6 weeks before the Ministry event, I'd gone under general anaesthetic to remove a tumour from my bladder, and I'd told my 'friends' of the big day when I'd have to go back to the hospital to receive good/bad news, post lab analysis. When that day came, the news - much to my trembling relief - was positive, but as I made my way home again, I felt hollow and empty. The only person to have checked in on me to see what the results were was my Mother, who had also then kindly deposited £20 in my account to go 'buy myself a nice dinner' to celebrate the news.
I'll always remember that little gesture. And I sat in this pub in West London, chomping down a Mixed Grill and slurping on my pint, headphones on, 'HOPE' blasting out into my ear canals, I was saddened by the fact not one single member of my friendship group had bothered to check how it went. The Groupchat was poppin' as usual, a hundred messages per hour, about meaningless tidbits. What people were having for dinner, or a new t-shirt they'd just purchased etc. And I couldn't resist throwing a bomb in. 'Nice of you all to have checked how today went, and then I put my phone on airplane mode for the next few hours. No distractions, just having this moment for myself, in the peace and solitude of my own thoughts. Over the next few days, this group of 'friends', who - luckily - I no longer associate myself with, came streaming in with the apologies. So much so, that by the time I finished work on 6pm on Friday, and got back to my flat by 7.30pm, a group of them had already arrived at my pad for pre-drinks for the Ministry event, and with them, all had gifts for me, as a way of apology. Remarkably, I presume they'd not conversed upon their purchases as they'd all ended up with similar gifts and so, I was now to recipient of 1 bottle of Gentleman Jack, 1 bottle of Jack Daniels, and 1 bottle of JD Honey.
I didn't drink any of them. Instead, I quickly pasted a slather of pate and butter on two slices of toast (a rare feat for me as I, on average, only eat toast about once every 5 years. I'm not a freak. I just don't like toast. Don't judge me), jumped in the shower, and then rocketed out again in an Uber to the apartment. There were so many tracks played that night that carried such meaning to me. I conducted an interview with Third Party, in which I mentioned my favourite track from the album to them, 'Hurt', as I felt the lyrics were so poignant. But I also never felt more alive, or grateful to be here, than I did on that night, as ice cannons and confetti blasted over me whilst singing the hook to 'We Can Live Foreverrrrr'. That relationships, and consequently friendships, I made on that night led to a natural progression. To working with 'Team Release' in Spring/Summer of 2018, before going more permanent with them 2 years later, shortly after tattooing the iconic 'three lines' logo on my forearm. In that time, I've probably seen 30+ sets from the lads, each more special than the last. So when I'm in Liverpool tonight, raving away to another mesmeric 'LIIIVE' show, I do so with an element of pride, and achievement. I do so, with a feeling of gratitude, that no matter which opportunities come my way professionally, at my core I'll always be 'Third Party 4 Lyf', especially on account of the way that music healed me, and my soul, through a troublesome period in 2017. Tonight, we make new memories...
Comments
Post a Comment