Monday 2 July 2012

Diary of a Rock Mama

I should start a new blog as Rock Mama, but really, who am I kidding? Instead I'll just write the odd cathartic blog post here. When he's all famous and everything, you can say you were there at the start.

So the Man-Child, (who is now almost 17, 6'3" and in dire need of a new nickname) had his first real "gig" last Sunday (July 1st). His band, Uptown Mayhem, is a punk rock trio with the other guitarist and the drummer being even younger than he is. They are all talented musicians, with plenty of musical training and performance experience; this was their first gig as "Uptown Mayhem" though, supporting two other bands at that.

I don't think I ate all day, and if I did, it didn't stay in my system for long, if you get my drift. I knew they'd be fine; they were playing ten numbers and had been rehearsing for months in between homework and babysitting duties (bless!). I was just worried that no one could come. They got the gig only a few weeks prior and hadn't had much time to spread the word. I tried Tweeting it out, but when your Twitter followers are all about your own age and "type", and many are overseas, it's not really going to reach the desired audience is it?

So they went off to have one last rehearsal at the drummer's house, and then to the venue for a sound check. And that's when it all kicked off. They weren't allowed in because they're all under 21; adults were needed. Not just one adult, but a parent for each child. (Could someone at the venue not have mentioned this beforehand you think?) Fortunately I had already changed into semi-rockish clothes (black) so hot-footed it over there, and helped unload the equipment, which FYI is called "Loading on" (or "off", I can't remember).

The boys were setting stuff up on stage and I was in the adjacent bar, waiting for friends and family. All of a sudden one of the dads came in looking anxious. It appeared that the main band had phoned and cancelled the gig - an hour before Uptown Mayhem were due to go on. Apparently they didn't think there would be enough people there to justify the cost etc.

I know.

Apparently it happens all the time in small-town Rock 'n Rollsville, but I was feckin' livid. So, we loaded on, (or off), and the boys went to hang at the drummer's house (how come he has a cooler house that ours?).

Meanwhile I took to Facebook, found the lead band and gave them a right tongue-lashing. I don't care. I get that it didn't make financial sense to do the show, but a phone call perhaps? These are young kids. Anyway, they took slight offense to me calling them "knobs" (sorry but I did say I was livid) and tried to defend themselves but I was having none of it. In the end they admitted it was not good form and apologised.

But I'm not mentioning their name because that would be publicity.

Ah well. It's only Rock and Roll, and at this point, I don't like it. Sharon Osbourne's got nothing on me though!

12 comments:

  1. Ooh, I would have liked to see you unleashing your fury on those rockers! Nothing beats an angry mum, and I love that you called them 'knobs' (is that even an insult in America?).

    I think Diary of a Rock Mama would be a fantastic blog, actually.

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  2. I would have torn them a new one too

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  3. And your rock kids rose to the occasion and stole the show, yes?

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  4. Ha I love it! - but what did your son make of your outburst?!

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  5. OMG how disappointing and what bad behaviour from them.....you are going to be one scary manager Lx

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  6. Elsie - He definitely didn't seem annoyed with me and smiled when i told him exactly what I'd said. Who knows really though.

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  7. Yes, you are one scary manager.

    I think the drummer's house is cooler, because your a/c is having to work extra hard - all that heat you're generating. I can practically see the steam rising from your head.

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  8. Oh gosh. My son's just joined a band with some of his classmates at school (he plays drums). Should I be taking notes for the future, do you think? I don't own any black clothes, due to having a hairy grey dog. Will this be a problem?

    I'm not sure whether being in a famous band is above or below playing hockey for Wales (whose team would be easier to get into than England!) and being physiotherapist for Nottingham Forest (that's a football team, or 'soccer' to you people who don't know about real football) on the list of future achievements though. We'll see...

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  9. I will take care to write it all down here and you can take what you want from my trials and tribulations. I have a feeling it's going to be a bumpy road.
    On the brighter side, he's always said I can live in his basement when I'm old! Bless!

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  10. Oh I so want you on my side! Good to know the knob epithet carries suitable weight over the pond - the other band were! No warning! Grief!

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  11. Tattie - it's obvious that I've just spent a month in England listening to people saying words like "knob". I'm not at all sure they would have known the word but pretty sure they would have understood the rage and the insult after some thought. And they deserved it.

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