Metal babysitter

At this moment, while I’m writing this entry (monday evening, but I’ll see when I can post it), I’m babysitting. It’s the first time but I hope it’s very easy. Today is one of my best friend’s here birthday and he’s gone out for diner with his girlfriend, who has a very cute little girl that is about 3 years old, blonde and mischievous. By the time I arrived, the girl was already sleeping so if everything goes as it’s supposed to go, she’ll keep sleeping until tomorrow morning. I’m here just in case. The mother told me not to pay much attention if I hear her complaining or crying a bit. It happens sometimes though at a later time. It’s good for me to do something like this because in this way I can find some time to write and tell you what I did last thursday. It’ll be a strong contrast: from telling you that I’m babysitting a cute little girl to tell you that I was in a gothic-metal concert...

Yes, I went to a concert of metal. It was a novel experience for me, not for the fact of going to a concert (I’ve gone to a lot) but because I was really keen to see that band, what they mean for me, the circumstances, chances and place where it happened. There were two bands. The main band was Symphony X, which I have never heard about although I was watching them for a while and it wasn’t that bad. The supporting band was Epica, the reason why I went. Epica is a dutch band that sings in english a very good quality music under my opinion. Although it sounds metal and looks like they’re noisier with their guitars than a drove of trucks, the truth is that all or nearly all of them have received a classical-academic music education. On top of that, the singer is not only a beautiful girl (really beautiful) but also has a brilliant voice and she’s mezzosoprano, with an academic education too. Therefore, they’re able to play very different music but very personal, that it’s noticeable their own hallmark. I think they’re a band out of the ordinary, or at least I don’t know many like them. Apart of their excellent music, they’re a special for me because they remind me of my my friends from my former job in the Old Cathedral. In fact, the music some of them included in the video to welcome the visitors is of Epica.

They’re in a world tour but they’ve had to cancel part of it due to the singer’s illness. They expected to perform three concerts in the UK but they cancelled two and performed only in London (fortunately for me, as I though about going to the one in Leeds). I guess that the fact of being a short journey from Holland plus they were the supporting band and the concert was short, make them not to disappoint their fans. The concert was in the Astoria Theatre. I got there about an hour and something earlier and queued (not very long as it was quite early). Then I realised I was the only person not wearing anything black, not even a T-shirt. Nothing. What I was thinking about? It was a heavy-metal concert! And I was wearing more like “Bob Dylan”. We went into the concerts hall like a swan and I stood really close to the stage, only two rows from the edge (so exciting!). They didn’t make us wait long and started punctual.

It was awesome. What a skill to play and sing! On top of that, they were really nice with the audience, always waving, smiling, cheering up and shaking the mop. I must admit that I hardly had eyes for nothing else than the singer: so beautiful! (for a sexy chick is not the same as a beautiful girl, and she’s a beautiful girl). Anyway, I think there were more people on the stage because the music must be played by the owner of the other mops that sometimes shook, hahaha. No, seriously, the guys were really great too. Especially the keyboard player, who came down to the audience at the end of the concert to give the sheet of the repertoire. It was so good that at the end I ran to buy the T-shirt (see photo on the entry below) and the last cd. If they come back to the UK or I have the chance to see them in another country, I’ll go with no doubt (and with black T-Shirt).