University of Portsmouth: First Year Diary

April 2018- Part 3: Visit to Brighton\The Vamps Concert

The day after I went to see 'The Kite Runner' in Southampton, I was off to Brighton with my auntie to spend the day there and to go and see The Vamps perform a concert in support of their 2018 'Night and Day' Arena Tour. I'd never been to Brighton before that day, and I really enjoyed it. The pier is quite nice, and it feels to me like I jumped back in time when I went there as it seems traditional compared to what we are used to today, what with all the stalls selling traditional seaside fare such as fish and chips and fresh doughnuts, along with all the fairground rides and signs along the walk informing visitors of the Piers heritage. The only glimpses of the modern day you really get at Brighton Pier are the massive arcade in the middle offering to traditional fun such as penny pushing machines, along with more modern arcade games based on properties such of 'The Walking Dead, and 'Jurassic Park'.Also by the seaside, I came across some shops selling traditional Brighton Rock as long with Brighton souvenirs. I went into one of the shops and I bought a magnet and for this I was also given a free pen and a free piece of fudge. I don't think you really get that kind of customer service any more these days. It was really strange to see how many different varying flavours of Rock there were on offer, ranging from cola to hot chocolate, among others.
Before we even got to the pier though, we came across a local branch of a nationwide chain called Wafflemeister, which I'd never heard of before. I went in there and had a banoffe waffle with whipped cream and ice cream along with a mango milkshake. I have to say it was one of the nicest waffles I've ever had. I only realised the place was part of a chain when I looked it up to see where else they had a branch. It turns out that there is one inside Hamleys toy shop in London apparently, so when I go and take a trip down Oxford Street and Regent Street I will try and go and see if this is true, and if it is I will have a waffle there. On our way out of the waffle place, I heard someone shout my name for my car across the street. It turned out to be the mum of a guy I used to know from school.who had also apparently come over to Brighton, to see The Vamps that night. It was a weird coincidence because they had been there with me at the Jersey concert years before, on the disabled platform, although I was on the disabled platform at the Brighton concert, and had a good side view of the stage, they must've been in a different area, probably the balcony. I didn't see them though. After the concert, I got messaged by one of their party to say that they saw me there though.
   Before going into the concert, which was being held at the Brighton Centre, we came across this place which seemed to be the entrance to the local Odeon Cinema, but it had its only independent Costa Coffee, and there was also a place selling Ben & Jerry's ice cream. So I had some ice cream while I waited to going to the concert.
I had seen The Vamps once before when they came to the Big Gig in the Park in Jersey soon after they just started out as a band. At the time I thought they were one of the best live act that I had ever seen in my life, and I can say now after seeing them for the first time on one of their own headline tours that my opinion of them still stands, and I feel as though they've got even better over the years at engaging the crowds and whipping them up into a frenzy. I've gotten used start over the years to either going in person-or seeing on TV or at the cinema, concerts overrun by screaming girls and women. My two main examples being when I went to see Take That on their 'Progress' tour in Germany in 2011, and when I once watched a DVD of one of One Direction's worldwide tours. Even though I feel sometimes that I don't fit into the demographic of these concerts I've come to realise that it's the kind of music I've grown up on and subsequently the music I'm into.Admittedly, I don't listen to the Official Chart any more as I feel the quality of music has gone downhill over the years, but The Vamps originally existed in a time where I still did and therefore I got into their music which I really do like. A downside to the concert was that they got an American teenage superstar, Jacob Sartorius to assist in supporting them. I feel as though fame has gone to his head and that he is not a very nice person, but that seems to be the opinion of most people who comes across him . The highlight of the support acts however, were New Hope Club, which basically just seems to be a younger version of The Vamps, but the fact that the two bands are friends, suggests that there are no hard feelings towards the possibility of similarities in their music, and they seem willing to support each other in their careers. In fact they both contributed original songs to the soundtrack for Ardman Animation's latest film, 'Early Man, I have Eddie Redmayne and Maisie Williams. I enjoyed the other to support acts as well, one being a band from Yorkshire called :PM and another English guy called HRVY, who could be the next Justin Bieber.
In general, the concert was a lively affair with The Vamps belting out hits from the 'Night Edition' of their 'Day and Night' album. Maggie Lindemann joined The Vamps on stage for a live performance of their duet 'Personal'. My personal highlights of the show were when The Vamps sang  'Shades On', 'All Night', 'Middle of the Night', and when they did a melody of other artists songs including 'Havana' by Camila Cabello. They also sang classics from their previous albums including 'Can We Dance' and Wild Heart'.
   The 'Day Edition' of their two part album is coming out in July, with a tour in support of that album commencing next year. I will be getting a presale code for it due to the fact that I pre-ordered the special edition of the new album. I actually think that's quite clever that they had too many songs to put onto one album so they thought will sell them separately and go on two separate tours and get more money out of the civil I don't mind because I think they're brilliant anyway, and it's double the enjoyment. Bring on next year.