Alex Spencer.

Homecoming gig.

One of the only rules I have for going to gigs with thousands of youngsters is "stay safe". I always stand in a place which is lively adjacent. It’s the only concession to my age. Do not get into a pit situation. So when you're standing near the back, minding your own business, and you suddenly feel the surge of people pushing you back, and you see a hole appear in the crowd with mainly lads, but a few girls with them, you know you've become compromised. The chorus hit, the pit exploded and you feel the pressure release and you're happy you didn't get involved. I didn't, but a chap in front of me was well up for it even though he was slightly younger than me. He flew into the youngsters with gusto. Pity he hadn't thought of his pint. We spent the rest of the gig standing in expensive lager. And this is at an Alex Spencer gig. Wow.

We arrived in Manchester after a day of explaining to my mates who Alex Spencer was. "You won't have heard of him.....yet" was repeated to my friends, over and over. And surprise, surprise........it was raining as we arrived but luckily not enough to dampen our spirits in the queue. I love this venue, not too big, but large enough to make it an event and then I did something I'll never ever have to do ever again, and that was to get in line for Archie, the 17 years and 363 days old son's beer.

As we made our "safe" position our own, Archie spotted another local band, The Cases in the crowd near us. And in fact with people pushing through to find a good viewing spot, I was pushed back and stood on the toes of Harry Hornsby, the lead singer. Hopefully I didn't break his toes as we've got tickets for the upcoming tour.

I always try and make time for the support. You can unearth some gems from the support and today was no exception. Freight came on stage and owned it. You could feel the band's energy and it was a two-way street. Beaming smiles as they played along. In fact their happiness grated on this grumpy old man at the end, but not enough to stop me going straight to the socials to start another musical journey. Keep an eye/ear out for this band. If you watch a band cold, with no knowledge of them in the past, and still really enjoy the set, then it tells you a hell of a lot. They are two great up and coming bands that I will follow as they rise up the musical fame ladder.

Next up was the band Cherryholt. I've listened to a few of these beforehand and I knew what was coming. This set pleased me for different reasons. The performance wasn't as high energy, but musically it was up there. This short set really warmed the crowd up for the main event.

My first Alex Spencer experience was at Neighbourhood Weekender last year. Lunchtime on the big top stage wasn't the easiest spot of the weekend, but it didn't stop him getting the place bouncing. I nod to my son, and that's it. I'm on the good ship Alex Spencer. It’s Friday night in his hometown and the place is bouncing. The set was full of energy, and when the band left the stage and Alex did a little speech about mental health before singing Masks, the crowd was with him all the way.

I love the way that the bands at their hometown buzz off the crowd. In the last few gigs I've seen it with Arkayla and the Royston Club. When a lead singer just stands and looks out into a vast crowd, massive smile on their face, you know they care. Alex cared, we all cared. We were all Alex Spencer.

And bringing out Luka Gunes from Freight for an encore of Nineteen Forever was an energy uplift. Finishing with A Night to Waste and finally One Way Ticket, this gig cemented the fact that I'd made the right choice to drive an hour up the road to watch someone who my mates might be listening to in a couple of years' time. Am I bothered about being an old man gigging with bands like this? No never. Age is a number, music is ageless, and tribute bands bore me.