So on Friday I went to see Tina Dickow.

The concert was at Train. It’s sort of a combined night club and concert venue. Down by the harbour, just 5 minutes away from Kulturgyngen where I work. So I knew where I was going. I was early too. I walked around outside, in the night. In the cold. No snow left, but a wintery night nonetheless. I was wearing the scarf that Skye gave me. It always reminds me of her. Of how she found it funny that I had never had a scarf. Even when I was a kid and I’d go out and play in the snow I wouldn’t be wearing one.

But I digress. I got into Train. Smuggling in my camera and minidisc recorder. Although this time the tickets didn’t say anything about recording devices being prohibited. So strictly speaking I wasn’t as much smuggling as… carrying. I had to check my jacket at the entrance though. I wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t like it. I feel more comfortable in a jacket. And I look more presentable too. A 1995 Mellon Collie tour shirt isn’t exactly fashionable these days I bet. But the bouncer wouldn’t let people in with their jackets on. I guess that’s the night club way.

And that was really the main negative point about the evening. The night club setting. My firsts concerts have all been in pretty big, fairly open places where people came to hear the music and nothing else. In Train there were people drinking and laughing and talking loudly.

Vi skåler med vores venner
og dem som vi kender
og dem som vi ikke kender
dem skåler vi med

Drinking chants. Also there were bars on both sides of the room, so I couldn’t go and stand off to the side against the wall. Instead I went upstairs. On the balcony. There was a bar there too, of course. But I could go off to the corner and have a nice view down to the stage.

I am still not ready to stand in the middle of the big crowd on the central floor. I just can’t do that. In time, I hope. But not yet. I liked my spot though. Good view. But also so far away that all the drinking patrons were disturbing. Sitting and talking in the bar, it just isn’t right to me. Go to a pub or something. One of the encores was so quiet and gentle that I couldn’t hear a thing of it. Bands should give private concerts to me, that way I could have center stage and not be disturbed by people who want to have fun. Psssh, fun. I’m not jealous just because I have to hide alone in the corners, nope. Not at all.

My spot was right under the air conditioner. Literally, that big pipe under the ceiling. Nice and cool. And helped against the smoke.

All of the little annoyances faded away when the lights dimmed and Tina came out on the stage. That’s what I was there for. Cigarettes, beer and smalltalk be damned. The music is what filled the room.

And it was a great performance. Tina is great. The band is great. A beautiful act of mutual creation.

The highlight for me was her cover of In The Army Now. Which I gather she hadn’t played since 2001. It was very beautiful. Even with the drunken chorus chant from the bar.

Some people came and stood almost in front of me at one point. So I had to move. But then the air conditioner pipes got in the way. So I had to sort of hunch down. Or stand behind the people and look over their shoulders. Halfway through the concert it occured to me that I could actually sit down under the pipes. Perfect view of the stage. I should have sat there all night.

A beautiful show. Tina makes me happy. It feels special, to know her in some tiny way. It takes everything to a new level, seeing her on the stage. And I love the way she has made her career. In a time where it seems like you have to be a product to be succesful. She has worked her way to where she is now. No shortcuts.

I can’t say enough good things about her. You should go see her if you get the chance. She will be opening for A-ha in England in December. Tour dates. Do me a personal favour and go see her.

I wish I could have talked to her after the show, just to say hi and tell her how great it was. But I guess everyone would want to do that. There was some guy on her official forum who managed to do it, but I don’t know if that was backstage or if she went in the bar afterwards or something. I figured I didn’t have a chance so I exited to catch my bus. It took around 20-25 minutes to get out. I was smashed up in the middle of the crowd, everyone trying to get out and get their clothes in the wardrobe. The good thing is that I didn’t feel the phobia. I had people pressed up against me, the queue moving slowly, sloooowly. But I didn’t panic or anything. It was just annoying.

Also I think I had my first homosexual experience ever. And my first heterosexual since Skye. Seriously. I felt like two asses and three boobs. If you ever feel that you need some physical contact, just go stand in a queue at Train. Or just if you want to be molested.

All in all it was a great time. I didn’t care much for the setting. But Tina and the music was worth it. She is beautiful beyond this world, her songs are gentle and swinging. Always a good time.

Siiiigh.

More pictures and videos in the works. Now it’s getting late and I must rest, for the future is around the corner.

Sorry it took so long, Danny! Haha. Don’t worry about the goats, their fur gets thicker in the winter. They’ll be fine. If you start a Tina posse, I’ll be there fair and square.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 27th, 2005 at 22:52 and is filed under Blogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.