I'm standing in the queue outside Simons Place trying to figure out how to work a camera that a friend let me borrow, gone are the days of pointing the thing and just pressing a button, too many things to twist, holding buttons before you can take a picture….crazy.
Well, this gig was set up for those who had managed to attend all three Dublin gigs a couple of months back, as a thank you from the band to the fans...and what a thank you it was.
The night opened with 4 tracks from the new album "For the Birds", a nice start, Glen then started to explain to us that the plan was to let the crowd pretty much decide the playlist for the night, hoping that we weren't going to ask for "Denounced" or certain others, not that they are bad songs, its just that some songs are harder to remember than others, well didn't this prompt my friend to ask for "Picture of Love", you could tell by the look on Glens face that that may have been one of the songs they had hoped to avoid, but after a 2 minute rehearsal the boys marched on and played a great version, Mr Hingertys first time I think, and how well he played.
If the time were available I have no doubt they would have played every song known to them,  Glen told us that they could outlast us on the night....I'm not too sure.

"We are metal, we wear spikes, we like to ride our motorbikes", Coffee to go, Metal at its finest.

Cover songs that have now become fan favourites like the Wedding Presents "Octopussy", "Most beautiful widow….." and "New Partner" were greatly appreciated, and on a personal level it was fantastic to hear "In this Boat….." for the first time live, I've waited many a year.
Amidst all the music we were treated to a raffle in which some lucky punter won a broken watch, copious amounts of Sangria, courtesy of Simons staff. Some soapy bubbles from the couple next to me (I have no doubt that the lads sitting along the front went home smelling Fairy fresh) and we even stopped for toilet breaks. To be in a room with the truly passionate was pretty special.

Somewhere in the middle of all of this Mr David Kitt and Paul O'Reilly made an appearance for a few chants, and the boys were joined on stage by a wee bloke (Sorry the name escapes me) for a rendition of Star Star.

We were treated to a truly amazing night, it was one of those moments that you hear about in music and have always wanted to be part of, and tonight, for the hundred or so in attendance, this will take some beating.