The gig made a cracking start with The Drive Home, Shari spent most of the set transfixed by Callum as he played the drums like only he could. As soon as their set finished I swiped the setlist that was on the stage in front of me and put it in my goodie bag, along with a drumstick that I had managed to score off Callum, despite the glares from Shari I got.
The glares I had received from her were immediately forgotten as All Year Round made their way onto the stage, despite my friend's fantasies I didn't just like the band for the incredibly kind and sort of attractive drummer, I liked them because they were some of the most incredibly talented and caring musicians who were always willing to chat and take photos, remembered you and also happened to create some of the best and most relatable music I had heard in a while.
I evidently wasn't paying attention because all of a sudden I get a shove in the side from Shari and she gestured to the stage, to where George was looking at us with that smile that would bring any girl to her knees, when we finally make eye contact he winks and pokes his tongue out and gets ready to start the set.
Not that I expected anything less than amazing from AYR in their performance, but somehow their set was even more solid than I had ever seen them before, and not just because Jackie saw me during 'When The Lights Hit Your Eyes' and winked at me when she sang the line 'we've come so far' due to the extraordinary large amount of travelling she knows I've done to see the band.
I'm fairly certain the reason their set was so good was because I was there front row with two of my best friends watching some of my favourite human beings doing what they love. As per tradition I snagged their setlist off the stage to add to my ever expanding collection of AYR merch, I could see George looking at me and shaking his head and laughing to himself as he made his way off stage, I responded with a poking out of my tongue and then turned to the girls so we could chat while Lewis's band was setting up.
"So what did you think of their set girls," I asked Shari and Shailey together.
"Well I don't know what Shailey thinks, but I think someone in the band enjoyed seeing someone in particular standing in the crowd," Shari said with a smirk.
"I would have to agree with your statement there Shari, they couldn't keep their eyes off them," Shailey said with a smirk that matches Shari's.
"What the hell are guys on about?" I asked them confused beyond all belief.
They went to say something else but were drowned out by the sounds of Amaranthine playing, so we turned back towards the stage.
Throughout the entire set I couldn't help but be a little bit frightened of the band, they were a lot heavier/harsher than I was used to listening to and being constantly shoved into the stage wasn't exactly comforting.
Thankfully their set was over soon enough and I got to question the girls about what they had said earlier.
"What were you guys on about earlier? I'm completely lost," I asked once again directing the question at both girls.
"Well, it's not us a certain drummer kept looking at," Shailey said.
"He did not," I argued back indignantly.
"You may not have seen it Em, but he was indeed constantly looking over at you with a smile on his face," Shari stated.
"Why on earth would he be looking over at me for though?" I asked them not really expecting an answer.
The girls looked at each other, then over to side stage where the person being discussed could be seen talking to other band people, then at me and said in unison with a grin, "because of Gemma".
"You guys are certifiably nuts you know that right?," I tell the girls shaking my head and turning towards the stage as My Catalyst started to play.
