Picture this….

A Monday night in May at the Shepherds Bush Empire with your dance happy bestie and four lovely 'hangers-on' and your teenage girl crush.

Starting the week with a BLONDIE Bang!!!! (so to speak)

So, feeling terribly wicked being out on a Monday we made the rendezvous in the pub next door and spent so long catching up and getting the beers in that we only caught a few minutes of the very young and terribly sprightly support act.  I can't remember who they were and alas even google cannot spit out their name.   Sorry boys (I think they were boys)

The sticky floored downstairs was heaving and as we were greater in number than usual it was no mean feat to get to a position where we could actually see Blondie but we made it to a suitable vantage point; reasonable view, able to get to the bar, REALLY BAD for toilets.  (It would take every ounce of dance happy sass to get back to my homies after the one trip that I made.)

Debbie Harry arrived on stage looking like a particularly sassy everton mint and Blondie started with 'One Way or Another' which was met with a roar of approval as these veterans of pop wrestled it effortlessly back from the adolescent mitts of One Direction.  And then it was hit after perfect hit.  Perhaps some of the missing hits are the only real indication of the fact that Debbie Harry herself is 69 (HOW???) and hasn't the full range that once she did but otherwise it was a superb set.

Could the real Debbie Harry please stand up?

SET LIST

• 1. One Way or Another 
  2. Rave 
  3. Hanging on the Telephone 
     (The Nerves cover)
  4. Good Boys 
  5. Mile High 
  6. Call Me 
  7. Maria 
  8. A Rose by Any Name 
  9. Rapture 
     ((with (You Gotta) Fight for … more)
  10. Atomic 
  11. Sugar on the Side 
  12. Heart of Glass 
  13. Encore:
  13. Picture This 
  14. Hollywood Babylon 
      (Misfits cover)
  15. Euphoria 
  16. Dreaming
      

Following the aforementioned toilet break and sassy return, convincing people that I did actually have a space nearish the front I had the surreal experience of bumping into friends that I hadn't seen for years.  But at the time it seemed OK because I was drunk and also so obviously a teenager because I was at a Blondie gig.  At least, I think that happened.  I certainly danced to Atomic with someone that I thought I knew.

During the encore I found myself watching Blondie through an iPad screen as an ardent fan decided to video 'Picture This' A curse on gig videoers and all who sail in her.

But, still in full on sass mode I asked him to send me a couple of the photos that he had taken, in recompense.  'If you give me your number.'  HAH  the lipstick on the arm technique still works a treat and voila the man hereby to be referred to as Paul (because that is his name) sent me some pics of the popstar pensioner herself.  Thanks Paul - all is forgiven.

May this be an example that people are good and people bound by a common experience are the 'goodest' of all.  Despite the salacious comments from my gig buddies the lovely Paul texted some photos the very next day, I texted my thanks and we have never made contact with each other again.  Gig goers are good people, except for the perv at the Adam Ant gig but he will burn in everlasting hell fire and be forced to listen to one direction for all eternity.