One day like this a year......

And so it came to pass that nearly two years after my last gig I finally made it to another one. It was a gig that the moment I saw advertised I thought " I am going to that and I don't care how I do it! " Elbow at Jodrell Bank...oh my days ....a combination of two of my very favourite things ...music and space geekery :D
The gig was to be under the gaze of the giant Lovell telescope, could it get any more perfect?
Despite it selling out in minutes, we easily got 'speshul' tickets and yes the carer's ticket was free, as was the parking.
The great day came and I duly packed a gig bag ,and blankets etc and my good friend and excellent helper Cazzie *hugs* arrived and we loaded me and the chair into the van and off we went.
The journey there was uneventful, traffic wasn't too bad and the parking was a breeze. Unfortunately that's where the fun and games stopped . The organisers hadn't put any matting/boards down so the wheelchair got stuck in the mud ...note to promoters ..it is extremely difficult to push a wheelchair through dry grass let alone sodden grass that has turned to mud.
A steward arrived and basically hauled me backwards like a sack of spuds through it and up onto the viewing platform...and at this point I promptly had a sleep attack....
When I came round  properly and took stock of the surroundings I was delighted with the view and  ...the telescope always will be an amazing sight . However within the hour the rain began to fall, leading me to wonder why with the forecasts the organisers hadn't seen fit to put a cover on the viewing area ...it wouldn't have obstructed the view of the stage etc but it would've kept the worst of the weather off us. I had blankets and a very good, large waterproof coat wrapped round me but I was still frozen and completely drenched (afterwards even the money in my purse was damp!).To be honest it was that bad that had it been any other band we would've have left long before the end.
Then another debacle, after the brilliant Field Music (I urge you to check them out they are great) I wanted the go to to the loo . Easy enough in theory, the accessible toilet was right next to the platform .However because the had just plonked people and wheelchairs onto the platform there were no gangways left so getting off the platform was very difficult added to that it was packed with people, who, I'll be kind,didn't look to be in too much difficulty, standing or sitting around smoking/drinking and blocking the ramp. A steward did appear at one point to ask to see people's Blue Badges(you were supposed to show your Blue Badge to get onto the platform) when it was obvious the platform was getting too crowded  but it was very half hearted and he just gave up half way round. We eventually got me down to the toilet  (and yes sorry if I banged into you able bodied people in my way but I'm not fucking invisible, when you see someone in a wheelchair trying to get past ..MOVE!)
There was a queue to use the ONE toilet and arguments were breaking out when clearly not disabled people were trying to push in ..it all got very unpleasant.Again poor organisation meant that the wheelchairs got stuck in the mud,( why they just didn't put down some plywood or something, I don't know) I had to be helped out of mine and into the toilet .by my friend .The toilet incidentally was filthy and not really fit for purpose.
At the end getting off the site was awful ..we had no help I was terrified I'd be knocked out of my chair by the crowd pushing towards me  ...I had to be pulled backwards again, luckily some kind people saw what was happening and formed a barrier around me till we got out ...the stewards did nothing. But were werein the VIP carpark so we were off and away (and finally in the warm and dry) ahead of all the traffic and home within half an hour.

Anyway despite all that the gig was fantastic, pure joy from start to finish ....the use of the telescope to project images on including showing us the moon in real time, the fireworks, Guy's glorious banter and of course the music .If I had to sum up Elbow in one word it'd be love ..they just wrap you in love and  joy. Yes other bandsmight be more exciting or sexier or cooler but they aren't a patch on those boys from Bury.
"One day like this a year will see see me right " after what I've been through the past  two years ..never have lyrics mean so much and been so apt.

Live at Jodrell Bank : nil points
Elbow 1,000,000