Do I want Justice? No, thank you, I'd rather go to the pub

I have always wanted to be apart of the 'in' crowd when it comes to music. You know, one of those people who has an AMAZING music collection, goes to shows all of the time, and knows the names of all of the up-and-coming bands.

I love music and I love going to shows and learning of new bands; but I discovered last weekend that I will never be one of those 'crazy' music people, I learned that I draw the line on my music education when it comes to waiting in line for over 2 hours in the rain, and wind, in January on a sketchy London street...

Last Saturday I was invited to see a show at The End, a club in London that was closing (now closed). The End supposedly booked an amazing band (according to two Dutch girls) called 'Justice.' I have never heard of Justice until last weekend, but apparantly they not only have good music, but they put on a great show as well.

Good band, new experience? Yeah! Sign me up!

One thing though.... we didn't have tickets. But don't worry they say. We can get them. They are selling 500 tickets at the door.

Okay, sounds good. I am still really into the idea of seeing a great show at a closing club. Seems Epic, right?

One more thing they say....

We need to wait in line (duh),

Outside (possible duh again),

and we need to get there early.

How early?

At least two hours early.

In my mind waiting two hours sounds like a bad way to spend two hours of a saturday night, but I am confident the end result will be worth it.

As agreed, we went to wait in line two hours early. As it turns out, only those people who really don't want to see the show badly enough show up two hours early, the rest start lineing up a good half day ahead of time! So, needless to say, when we show up there is a HUGE line- and did I mention that it was cold outside? And rainy? And windy? But, at that moment, we decided to become 'die-hards' and we wait. And we wait, and we wait.

After about an hour a guy walks up along side the crowd, schmoozing as much as possible. I am thinking, "there is no way in hell he is getting in line in front of me." So, as he comes up alongside our group, (I am ready to tell him off) he says, "you look cold, care for something to warm you up?" Opens his hand, and what is there? Drugs. Great. I would rather he asked me to cut in line. So, thinking back to my elementary days, the first thing that comes to mind is "just say no." Which, I do.

He continues, "First time?" He says, " for you beautiful ladies, I'll just give you your first try for free." Oh jeese. As we sheepishly look at each other, trying to avoid eye contact with him, I awkwardly smile and say 'no thank you' again. He moves on. Whew! okay, I can hold up under drug pressure. Good job parents!

So we are still waiting, people are getting antsy. But the fun isn't over yet! Oh no, not at all. Soon the overly boozed group of boys in front of us start passing around bottles. Not wine bottles, not beer bottles, not even whisky bottles. They are bottles full of something that used to be soda, but cleary is not anymore. It is soda that has been mixed with various different substances, which, among other things keep the body warm on cold, rainy, windy London nights. Now, had i actually known those boys I may have taken there offer of a drink as the bottle came around. Instead, I found myself thinking, "damn, I should have thought of that." Then I started thinking, "is there a pub around here?" and "could I pull some people out of the line so that we 'give up' together and go grab a pint?"

So as I thought these things, and as my body slowly began to lose feeling and as we inched slowly, slowly, slowly toward the front of the line, I waited for another 30 minutes.

After that, I was done. I couldn't take it anymore. I am not a die-hard. I wouldn't wait in a line like this to see a band I had heard of (okay, well, maybe), so why wait now? I left and I am successful at taking someone with me!!!

Nicole and I warm up at a pub over a pint, chatting like two school girls and having a good ol' time. A few minutes later, some more people from the line come in and join us (Yes! We are not the only ones who quit!) TWO hours later, approaching 1am, two more people who had been waiting in line this whole time, near where we were in line, come into the pub. As it turns out, the line had moved only minimally in that whole time, and no one was even sure if there were tickets still being sold at the door! My decision to leave had been justified. I felt great. Not to mention I was warm and had a pint in me.

All in all, turned out to be a great Saturday. There is really little better than enjoying a pint with some friends at a local pub, a place where everyone knows your name.

Cheers.