there's a first time for everything

so last night i did something i've always wanted to do but never had the opportunity/courage, and that's go to a gig on my own. sure, i've watched headline acts at festivals alone (notably kasabian who were announced as last minute headliners of a teeny tiny tent at t in the park about 4 years ago), but the atmosphere at a festival is so friendly, so all-encompassing that you don't notice you're alone. everyone is consumed by the music, and has consumed so much cider that there is a real sense of affinity and belonging in a festival crowd. you're a part of something that's happening right there, at that very moment in time, and you're sharing it with those around you. and i realise that this is sometimes the case at gigs, but more often than not going to see a band/artist on tour is more like a night out; an experience you share with the people you go with rather than everyone there. for starters, crowds at gigs are so divided. while a festival crowd is levelled by the fact that no-one has showered for days and everyone is passionate about the music and excited to be a part of it, there exists many divisions in venues beyond the obvious seating vs. standing.

anyway, all this aside, i have always wanted to go to a gig on my own. not that it's something i imagine i need to be able to do for any particular reason, but rather because i want to know that i can do it. like going to the cinema, it makes sense to me that one can enjoy a gig alone. after all, you're there to see, watch, listen, enjoy the spectacle - none of which you need a companion for. so it was for this reason that i accepted a last minute offer of a ticket to see rihanna play brixton academy last night, in a one-off launch event organised by nokia. honestly? i'm not the world's biggest rihanna fan but i do enjoy her music and knew she would put on a good show. which she did. wearing a black leather leotard and fabulous grey leather glove complete with cuff, the starlet performed songs from her forthcoming album alongside chart hits including 'please don't stop the music', 'disturbia' and 'take a bow'. oh, and she was joined onstage by her mentor and hip hop hero jay z for 'run this town' and 'umbrella'. the music and performance was so stunning that i really didn't notice that i was alone.
okay, so obviously when i first arrived, i felt a little uncomfortable - should i buy a drink? should i stick to a corner spot or get further in in order to blend into the crowd? should i dance or just nod along? and what do i do with my hands...? but really, as soon as rihanna came on stage, i realised that no-one cared what i was doing there and why i was there alone. everyone else was enjoying the music too much to wonder about me. and i was enjoying the music too much to wonder about me too.

so i didn't buy a drink. i got myself a good spot within the crowd. i danced my socks off. and i didn't do anything with my hands - except clap and put them up, as per jay z's request.