This was an amazing night. The Troxy is an incredibly well-run venue: spotless toilets backstage with cleaners on duty all the way through, really nice staff, good treatment of the engineers (they stopped the sound-checks on the dot so they could have an evening meal before the gig started), nice security people, the lot.
The sound-check was quick and relatively stress-free. Jack White's tour manager was formidable but fair: seconds after asking me to get off the low bars of the lighting rig where I was sitting, she brought me a chair to sit on. And she tuned up all the guitars for Gina, Marie and Jenny before they went on. She also allowed them to go on fifteen minutes later than originally scheduled so that the venue was nice and full.
Boy was it full! Not only that, everyone was squashed up against the barriers already, in anticipation of Gina's set. Watching from the side, I could see a few fans-already, but I could also see new people gradually realise what was going on with the music and really get into it.
They started with Digging Down, and played a storming set that included Feminist Song with an intro from Gina that even had some of the lads in the audience punching the air, I Play My Bass Loud, the three of them strutting their stuff magnificently, Causing Trouble Again, and more. Half an hour isn't a lot of time to pack a punch in, but they sure as hell did that. In a flash, it was time to get on and sing I Wanna Live Forever. It's a fabulous song, so strong and powerful. I gave it lungfuls of air; there was no lack of confidence, because these women had made me feel welcome from the second we met. They are supporters not competitors, and that's the best sort of musician to be: they melted their own musicianship into Gina's music imperceptibly from the outset, completely understanding how to contribute to her songs. They stand tall beside her in their bright colours, and give it their all.
The set ended with Lola, and almost as soon as it began, the crowd joined in at full volume.
LOLA, L-O-L-A, LOLA!
Just beforehand, we'd all shaken hands with Jack White and his wife. Afterwards, there were photographs, even one with me in it, but I don't think that will ever see the light of day! I filmed Digging Down but the file's too big for Blogger so I may try to share it from Youtube eventually.
And then I went home: I'm still quarantining really and a big full Jack White crowd was simply too risky. But oh, how happy I was! Thank you so much for inviting me along Gina. It was utterly cathartic!
No comments:
Post a Comment