Thursday 20th November 1997

Sharon and Caroline had been flatmates for a short while. They had discussed music. They may even have got to the point of mix tapes. We're really not sure. Anyhoo. One inclement October day, Sharon discovered from a Teenage Fanclub mailing list that someone who lived in Aberdeen, called Bob, and his friend Brian had between them 4 spare tickets for a Radiohead gig, the support band was Teenage Fanclub. A short digression into the world of support bands. Generally, they are quite painful. And please please anyone who is/was ever a support band do not kill us for saying this, and we're sure some of you will indeed learn how to play your instruments, and in time, how to write songs. Until then, we will turn up to listen to you, we will cringe, laugh and occassionally cry, and we're afraid to say we will say 'awww bless, wee lads, they are trying so hard'. It's really not meant to be patronising. Honest. Anyway. The point to this aside is that to see Teenage Fanclub at all, even as a support band, is not something you ever want to miss. Trust us Anyway, back to the story. So Sharon didn't want to pass up seeing Teenage Fanclub, one of her favourite bands, but she needed someone to go with her. She knew someone she worked with was a Radiohead fan, but he was supposed to be on a second date that night. Fortunately his second date was more than happy to go to a Radiohead gig so she only had one ticket to find a home for. She asked another flatmate with good music taste, but Katie was off to see The Fall that night (and got so drunk she saw 2 Mark E. Smiths. How scary is that?!), and recommended Sharon ask Caroline. There followed a historic phone call: Sharon: Caroline, if someone told you they had a spare ticket to see Radiohead tonight would you be interested? Caroline: <high pitched scream>. Sharon: I'll take that as a yes. And a friendship was born. One minor factor remained...they had to find the people with the tickets. On surface this seemed easy. We would meet Bob who would be wearing black converse trainers and his friend Brian who wore glasses in a pub called The Bobbin (now the King Street Mill but 'finding Bob in the Bobbin sounds so much better). If this was a movie, we'd have walked up to the bar and there would be Bob. But it wasn't a movie. Oh no. So. After the 4 of us stood in a bar for some time, staring desperately at everyones feet to identify some black converse trainers, Sharon got a little desperate. Friend and second date stayed at the bar trying to deny our existence, while Sharon went round every guy in the place and asked them if their name was Bob, they knew anyone called Bob and 'can I see your shoes please?'. Caroline followed in an amazing display of moral support. She really wanted to see Radiohead. Eventually, after some very interesting replies, the last person to be asked turned out to be Brian. Bob was late. Stood talking to Brian by the door, some random people passed on their way out and said 'she found Bob then'. Sharon never set foot in that place again. Finally Bob turns up and tries to hand the tickets over without receiving payment. Some people are way too trusting.

So, the friend on his second date (with a really nice, but slightly perplexed girl) is giving us all a lift to the gig at very high speeds in a very small mini. To say Sharon and I are slightly frantic at this point is something of an understatement. Due to the whole Bob in the Bobbiin scene, we're running late and in danger of missing Teenage Fanclub altogether. Sharon - not yet a die hard fan of Radiohead - is here largely to see her favourite Scottish jangly guitar band and is getting a very odd look in her eyes. Cue a scene reminiscent of the Italian Job (only minus the Roman architecture, sunshine etc. and plus lots of mud) as the mini screeches to a halt outside the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference centre. Sharon yells 'tickets!' in a slightly strangled voice and exits the vehical, flinging them randomly in the direction of everyone. She breaks into a steady sprint.

Deciding not to lose Caroline, Sharon drags her across the most ridiculous small hill of mud she could find, straight past the incredibly large queue of people waiting to get in to the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre and right into the gig. Having missed the start of the Fanclub set she wasn't prepared to hang around and listen to complaints. Teenage Fanclub were of course perfectly splendid, as always. In fact there is something magical about seeing Teenage Fanclub. It can bring a smile to the dullest of days. They are possibly the most endearing of all bands. And yes, Sharon would marry Gerry tomorrow, Caroline would marry Raymond today if he wasn't already spoken for.

After the Fanclub set there was, as we complained long and hard, a 'bloody long soundcheck'. After much complaining about how long it possibly can take to tune a guitar, and ooh look some lights. Big deal. We discovered that it was, in fact, DJ Shadow's set. Erm. Oops. No offence DJ Shadow, but well, let's just say we didn't really get it. At all. In fact, from that day on poor old DJ Shadow has become known as 'Bloody Long Soundcheck'. Still, it's good to be famous for something right?

So. Radiohead finally arrive on stage. At the point that our heroes realise that standing at the front of a very large gig is a particularly stupid idea. At the point of feeling your rib cage contract, getting the hell out is a pretty valid option. Having moved to a slightly safer few rows back, we discovered ourselves behind a rather tall man. Caroline accuses him of maliciously being tall and naturally he falls in love with her. Or something. So he offers her a shoulder lift. Feeling obliged to be nice to her friend, Sharon gets one too. During Creep. Which is possibly one of the most amazing moments ever. The feeling that you are way above a swaying crowd is something quite unreal. Caroline gets another lift during Exit Music...one of her favourites. General good cheer all round apart from the poor guy who we rapidly ran away from at the end of the night and who is probably still in traction. Caroline didn't even mind the destruction of her bank card. The gig was that good.