101) See Infected Mushroom

Having this as 101 may be cheating since I didn't add it, but seeing Infected Mushroom is something I have wanted to do for ages, but thought I wouldn't be able to. I have loved this band since I was 12 and first heard Mush Mushi. They are a electro/psychedelic trance band from Iran, and I find their music helps me so much. It pretty much played the whole time I wrote my dissertation.

So yes, I wanted to this this band for 10 years, but the reason I didn't add it to my list is because I thought it was something I would never be able to do. They are hardly ever in England, my friends wouldn't see this sort of band, and they aren't going to be touring forever. I didn't want to have something on the list that I could never complete... so it was never put on.

The two weeks ago I happened to see they were playing in England. The following week. I sat blinking at the computer for a while. London. Although it isn't impossible for me to get there... I would have nobody to go with. I painted my excitement all over the next few Facebook statuses. I called and messaged a few friends. I was really hoping they would go, but in all honesty I didn't expect any would. There was no takers.

I looked back at Facebook and saw Della had replied. "I dont know what that means but any excuse to go to London :)". The best line I could have ever read. She was willing to get a train ticket to London, go after work, and stay up all night with me, watching a band she hasn't heard of, playing a genre she probably doesn't like, and then get the train back to Birmingham right after. This is why she means a lot to me, and why I value her friendship so much.

On the Friday night (21st May), as planned, we filled coke bottles with alcohol (its good to pretend to be 16 again) and got the train down. The 70% absinthe I decided to use was pretty lethal, but quite appropriate. It made my vision go from:

Then to be more like ...

And finally like this...

Somewhere between 2:30 and 3am... the usual time I would be leaving a club, Infected Mushroom took the stage. I haven't been this excited for ages. Seeing them really did mean a lot, I haven't been to this sort of place at all, and I love doing new things, especially things I've been wanting for so long.

Everyone in the club seemed properly up for it, it could have been my excitement clouding it, but I didn't see many mardy people standing in the corners. It was different crowd than I am used to, and one dredlock-clad guy had the craziest dance I've seen. It seemed to defy physics. Though I was still raving it like a loon.

It was a complete sweatfest. My tshirt was literally dripping. I was considering taking it off, since a lot of the people in the club already had... but as I started to lift it up, I changed my mind. It was either remembering the annoying Chavs the other week, topless, in Gatecrasher.. or possibly because I don't like my body. As my mind changed, and I lowered my top, a guy next to me gave me a glance of 'go on... do it'.

The tshirt came off.

We danced until after 4:30, when we rolled into the closest 24 hour McDonalds, and eventually on the train home, already feeling hungover, sleeping the whole way. Thankfully, saved us by picking us up from Birmingham. Much love.

For those who need a video to see the experience... here!