And it happened. Iron Maiden performed and i was in the front!!!
So even when my fellow dumpo bought the ticket, i was not that sure if i could make it. Had lots of work to do at office, but some how i managed to catch my bus to Bangalore, from calicut.
It was about seven when i reached the garden city. Rahul picked me up, and by 9.00, i had some idlys and a cup of coffee, my first breakfast of the day. And by 10.00, i was at Indira Nagar, where my tickets were waiting for me. As per plans, i had the second breakfast at CCD, along with Shruthi, and her sis. and by 11, i was on my way to RT Nagar, where i will have my lunch with another great dumpo friend of mine. The traffic took some time off me, and i was a bit worried if i can make it to the front row. Rahul already warned me about people camping 24 hours before at the venue.
By the time i had my lunch(?), i had a huge stomach, and it was a bit difficult to walk. I was a bit concerned about an upset stomach, the last thing i wanted at a gig like this. anyway, i bought a cap on the way to the venue, and yes, by 1.00 PM, i was there.
All i could see was black. To my relief, there were only some 500 - 600 people, crowded around the Rs 1500 gate. I just dropped in, with a one litre bottle of water, worried about dehydration.
The crowd slowly started picking up, and the female population also started growing. by the time it was 2.00, everyone was getting restless, and we all started chanting "let us in" The Sun showed no mercy, and it was pretty tough to be in the queue, the worst queue i have ever been in. Yes, we were all ready to suffer all these to see the idols of metal.
The black sea became an ocean by the time it was 2.30. The crowd started pushing, and people were getting squeezed in between. And by 2.40, the gates were open, and half my bottle was empty. I regret i didn't take my camera, as there were no real restriction on cameras, unlike the Bryan Adams show. anyway, as got in, i started looking for another bottle of water, as i knew it will be six more hours before any kind of music comes in.
The dead paratrooper
Half the stage was covered with lack curtain. In front of the stage, to the left side of me, was a dummy figure of a dead soldier, lying on a metal fencing, with barbwire. He still had his parachute on, hanging from the top of the stage. Many of us speculated he might fly up as the show went on, but nothing like that happened. Any way, the show has a war theme, and this spectre did justice to the theme.
Conspiracy
Yes, i still believe it was a conspiracy by Pepsi. No drinking water was available at the venue!! All you can get was Pepsi and 7 up and mirinda, which could make you more thirsty. I could smell trouble, and i decided to save my half litre of water. After a quick visit to the loo, i rushed back to the front.
3.00 PM
Sun was getting hotter and hotter. A gentle breeze came in once in a while. Everyone was drinking more and more Pepsi. I was now placed not in the middle, but to one side of the stage, where i didn't have the complete view. But i was in front !! its hardly 3 feet to the stage!!
3.30 PM
People in the middle started coming out because of dehydration and to get a sniff of fresh air. And i slowly started moving to the middle, filling the gaps. I took an occasional sip from my bottle, keeping my throat wet.
4.00 PM
I just turned and gazed at the crowd, only to see nothing but crowd. The 1500 area were full!!! Yes, full, that it was about to touch the Rs 900 mark!! Now i knew, if i get out of my place, there was no coming back.
4.15 PM
There was this thin cameraman sitting in one side of the stage, and everyone was asking him when the show is on. Occasionally, he would just shrug his shoulders. And when the crowd started crying for water, he would throw a bottle of water to the crowd. We all were getting baked in the sun..
Interesting crowd
Yes, the crowd was really interesting. 80 % of them wore the black Iron Maiden Tshirt.I saw people in their twenties, thirties. I saw 11 - 12 yo girls and boys. Yes, i even saw a 50 something old guy. Yes, for obvious reasons, i didn't find anyone in a churidar.
As time went by, there was this strange smoke coming up. Yes, it has nothing to do with cigarettes, but it had a lot to do with weeds. The guy behind me was an expert in it, i guess. He started mixing up the stuff with great easiness, and rolled it in special paper, smoked it, and passed it on to his friends. The more the smoke came up, the more thirsty the people were, and i knew i have to hide my bottle of water before i get mobbed up.
5.00 PM
The sun showed no mercy and it seemed it didn't have any plans to sink in.Every one wished it could rain. And then the worst thing started.. the crowd started pushing. A very dangerous act, now that the crowd was so much packed that we could not raise our hands easily. If something has fallen on the ground, just forget it. And there were no signs of fresh air around. If i go out for a bit of fresh air, i can never come in again. And i thought the crowd at the gate was the worst part!! It was a piece of cake, considering they were selling water near the gates.
5.30 PM
People could not stand the heat, and many were quiting from the front row, and now i am almost in the front, middle. No i ain't going to lose this spot. Occasional push from the crowd had me losing and gaining the place, but i was so lucky, i was placed well. People were getting more and more restless, thirsty, dehydrated, irritated. Yes, it was horrible. It was not for the weak hearted. Never did the thought of quiting came across my mind, and i was so determined not to lose my place. And yes, i occasionlly even thought of tasting on my sweat, so that i can keep my throat wet!
5.45 PM
I was in front of a bunch of ladies, whose conversation was a real time pass. Everyone was high on something, which i didn't dare to ask. They were complaining about their brother who emptied their quota of whiskey in the morning. And sometimes it went so funny that i found it difficult to hold my laugh. By now, my bottle had only a quarter of litre left, and to my shock, i understood i was the only one in my neighbourhood crowd who had at least a drop of water.
Some time after 6.00
Yes, it was getting better as mercury went down. But the energy level of the crowd went down as well. I was happy that i stuffed my stomach earlier, and i am also sure i had all the food digested by now. I could see some people in the crowd fainting, and they withdraw from their front positions, with a long sad, tired, extinguished face. The smell of sweat came floating in the air, and we were all shouting "music" and "maiden"
And at last, the opening act was coming up. it was 5 hours in the sun, without food or water, and it was very difficult for the crowd even to raise up their arms. However, when the opening act, the "campus rock idols" - FTN showed up, there was a sigh of relief
Boo Boo BOO
Yes, it was a great boo.. They tried to rev up with some original numbers, which failed miserably. The band, according to me, looked stupid too.. there was this guy wit his hair coloured green, and there were two other guitarists, i guess from the north east. The lead singer wore a tie around his T - Shirt, which, in my personal opinion, looked dumb.
Apart from the looks, i personally didn't like their style, which was very similar to Korn. They even did a Korn cover, i guess. Anyway, the crowd, from the very beginning, had their wrong finger up, and was shouting words - "asshole", "$%^hoot", "B$%^hoot" etc etc rhythmically with their beats. But i liked the integrity of the lead singer, as he stood smiling back at the audience as they booed.
The guitarists couldn't head bang... they tried, but it looked as if they were suffering from serious constipation problems, as they did it. Their face said - damn - i want to $%it now..
Well, nothing personal against the band..I do not believe they became campus rock idols for no reason.. but today, was simply not their day
And as they quit, the drummer displayed a a "vulgar" gesture, followed by the raised middle finger. I guess he was really upset about the day.
Parikrama Time
They were so many funny things happening around.. the blown up condom was a classic example. And in stage was Parikrama.
I could feel the confidence in them from their face. The excited faces, along with the upright confident posture of the band members was refreshing, and this is what the new , young bands have to learn.. get on your high before entering the stage!!!
Yes, parikrama rocked like anything. I have listened to just two of their songs before, and i liked them. Here, they were singing all originals, and i am pretty sure 80% of the crowd were listening to these songs for the first time. All i could see was the raised index and little finger around. We were getting rocked like hell. The violinist, and the small eyed lead guitarist, the singer, bassist, keys.. everyone looked on their high from the music. Yes, it was their day. I have to say, i just love these guys !!
8.15 PM
i didn't have my watch on, and we all thought it Maiden time now. But somebody reminded me we had one more opening act, and its called Lauren Haris. Damn.. who the hell is this anyway?
There was this 50 - something lady with a black sleaveless t shirt and black pants moving around behind the stage, and some of us speculated that she was Lauren Harris. And when the show went on, we saw the real Lauren Harris, a 25 something girl,trying hard to make her mark. The lady was her drummer, and another lady(?) came in with the Rhythm guitar. There was this guy, with long hair and typical metal look, with the lead guitar.
I didnt quite like the style of Lauren Harris. She is not the rock - metal type, but i guess she was playing rock, because anything with the touch of pop in front of an ocean of metal fans could be suicide. In my personal opinion, she never did justice to metal fans, and their act lasted about 45 minutes, much to the irritation of the crowd.. we were out of water, air, food, some of us were already out of thier clothing, cigarettes, liquor, and the crowd were even out of marijuana!!
And suddenly we all had a serious doubt regarding the gender of the drummer. It she a he? or is he a she?? The face says its a she while when "she" stood up, the relevant body featres of a lady didnt show up. The debate, i guess, still goes on.
Where is maiden???
8.50 PM
And then it happened. My bottle is almost out of water. just a couple of "gulp"s and i will be relieved of my bottle. And when Maiden comes in, i would not be able to even hold the bottle. So when we sent Lauren Harris out of stage with occasional boooooos and our beloved middle finger, i had a last feel of water, and passed the bottle to the "i'll do anything for water" guys who was standing next to me. I could see them trying hard to squeeze the last few drops that was left inside.
Wait, wait,wait
Please wait, the stage is being set.. another annoying 10- 15 minutes. I have, never been in a more annoying situation before.
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