It’s been a long time….

Back before 2020 Hawklad had made fantastic progress. Not a natural socialite, even School was endured rather than embraced. Apart from one or two really close friends, he avoided large groups. But he pushed on. He forced himself on to do a few things he wanted to do even though it meant being amongst the masses. Sports matches, normally to see my so called team lose. Thankfully the wise young one picked a team that didn’t play in black and white to support. He could relax and laugh at his Dad.

The other thing he wanted to do was go to Rock Concerts. He managed it. Hood pulled firmly over his head and he found a way that worked for him. But then a pandemic hit. Alter Bridge and Shinedown was his last concert back in December 2019.

Everything then stopped.

2022 finds his fears and anxieties ramped up even further. But HE WANTS TO GO TO CONCERTS AGAIN.

So here goes.

With much planning, we find ourselves on a car journey right across to the other side of the country. A walk through a strange new busy city. Public Transport strictly avoided so we walked for miles to a football stadium. We waited outside for the right moment. A lull in the queues. We dived in. On the pitch and standing, that way we can control how close people get to him.

And with luck on our side Hawklad gets to see Echo and The Bunnymen AND THE ROLLING STONES. Yes it was crowded but we maintained a clear zone at all times. Yes I did have to get the elbows out at times to enforce that…. but the zone held. Years of metal concerts fully prepared me for that job.

A few hours later we are heading back home on the motorway. From Car to STONES to Car without Hawklad once touching an alien surface. But he did it. Hawklad a chatterbox telling me just how fantastic the Stones had been.

Here’s the sting in the tail. Poor Mick Jagger then went down with COVID a couple of days later. He may well have caught it doing this concert or in the city we had visited. That has been duly noted by Hawklad. But it’s still a step forward.

76 thoughts on “Look but don’t touch”

  2. You saw The Stones and Echo and the Bunnyman….at Anfield?!?! OMG Hawklad, I am so so so jealous! The perfect event to get out there. Yay for the heavy metal elbows; yay for kicking arse and doing it!! As for the whole Magpies thing…sigh😂

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  8. This post really warmed my heart, Gary. I am so so happy that Hawklad had this experience on his own terms. And I have tremendous respect and admiration for you for the mountains you moved to make this happen for Hawklad.

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      1. Yes. It’s surreal. Stepping into life again. Overwhelming and missed at the same time. So glad he took that step. Tell him I think he’s brave and amazing!

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  22. So, there Jagger caught the virus and they had to cancel the Swiss concert… lol
    Hey, that is so awesome. I am so happy for both of you that you made it happen. And of course, thanks to all going well, the experience was a positive one … supporting another attempt. So good!!

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      1. I’ve got nothing planned☹️ Jack Johnson is gonna be here in October, but the only available seats are General Admission on the grass. I don’t think my poor beat up body can handle jostling with other folks anymore. I need an assigned seat☹️

        I was thinking about all the Festival shows I went to in the 80s and how cheap the tickets were. I’m Turing into one of those tedious “back in my day” old farts🤪🤦🏼‍♀️😂😂😂

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      3. I just saw Def Leppard is doing a stadium tour, and tickets up in nosebleed section are $90 each😭😭 I saw then twice in the 80s and don’t think I paid more than $15 for either show🤦🏼‍♀️
        💌💌💌💌💌

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