Fab news on the HH front – our golden boy has been asked to be the support for Travis when they do their arena tour of the UK this December promoting their new album, L.A. Times, which is due for release 12 July. The tour concludes with a gig at the OVO Hydro on December 21st.
For me personally, that throws up a bit of a quandary as I am already committed to two nights back to back at the Barras seeing Del Amitri on December 22nd and 23rd. I’m trying to think of a time when I have done three gigs three nights running? I’m not sure I’ve ever done it. I’ve certainly done three gigs in a week…probably four in a week but I don’t think I have done three in a row.
The physical drain of it is an aside. The biggest factor is funds. The Del Amitri tickets have been paid in advance for me, but I need to repay the debt incurred for those. If I decide to go to the Travis gig, well, I need to be able to do that on top somehow. Prior to Covid, gigs were not as much of a financial obelisk to me as they are now. So much has changed in the past four years. Not only has my financial situation altered considerably, but ticket prices for concerts have skyrocketed. I have to be very considerate to who I can see, how much the cost will be for the tickets, and (if by some reason Glasgow or Edinburgh is out of the question for the act concerned) whether the logistics are viable and affordable.
Just a number of days ago ANOHNI announced a tour as Anthony and the Johnsons. They won’t be playing in Scotland and the only UK options are The Barbican in London or a venue in Manchester. I looked at ticket prices for Manchester and there is a flat rate price of £72, no matter where in the venue you’re seated. That £72 flat rate prices me out of going to the gig from the off. It COULD have been doable had the seats further back been lower in price. I could have done the return coach in the one day like I did going to the SM gig at the AO Arena in March. Alas, I won’t be going to see Anthony and the Johnsons – which I am really sad about to be honest. But it’s just how things are now.
Another aspect in my ability to go to the Travis gig (or otherwise) is the timing of the ticket sales. The tickets go on general sale next Friday (14 June) – with fan pre-sales 48 hours before that – I won’t have the funds for purchasing a ticket until the following Tuesday….which by then could mean the concert is sold out! So…what’s a girl to do?
Anyway, despite my own personal dilemmas about whether I’ll get to go to the Hydro gig or not, it’s irrelevant to the fact that, for Hamish and his band, this is thrilling news. I would absolutely love to see him wow the crowd at the Hydro.
The Travis fans amongst you that have yet to experience Hamish Hawk, you are in for an absolute treat.
The tour starts in Leeds on 5 December and then heads to Manchester, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Margate, Shepherds Bush (London), Bristol, Eastbourne, Sheffield, Newcastle and finally, Glasgow. You can get more info HERE
With any luck, I’ll see you there!