The chattering classes

What is it with these young people?

I can remember going to gigs in my teens and early twenties where we'd stand reverentially watching a performance. Sure, there was a bit of shouting between songs and sometimes even a bit of banter with the performers: Julian Cope was excellent for this, Gary Numan less so.

Even these days, when I go to gigs such as Wire, we stand and nod and, occasionally, frug but there's no talking in the audience during the songs.

It's not quite the same with newer bands and younger audiences but this evening was a revelation. The Minx and I went to see Chet Faker at the Brudenell in Leeds, which is a cracking little venue, but the audience was SO YOUNG. And they just talked all the way through the gig! It was like they were in a club or something, as if the music was just a backdrop to their evening.

But, that said, they all obviously enjoyed the music and Chet Faker was delighted by their attention. (I'll put a link to the gig reviews here when we've written them.)