I went to Suede’s gig in Hangzhou last month. I didn’t expect that I would have a chance to go to their gig, because it seemed that I always had bad timing. Last time I wanted to go to their tour in Kuala Lumpur, but I couldn’t make it because of something else. Honestly, I’m not the kind of person who easily gets thrilled when enjoying a show. So I wasn’t expecting to see any gig on purpose, especially this year I haven’t got a job, which means every item of my daily expenses should be carefully considered.

My friend and I made a plan that once she resigned, we would take a trip to Hangzhou, where she’d never been but I once had a trip there and longed to revisit. Before this, I went to Hong Kong by myself, and just when I was finding a way to get out of the metro, I saw Suede’s gig announcement on the wall, but hurriedly I didn’t take a photo. Then I checked the information and hesitated about buying the ticket for several days. The lowest price of tickets was 480, which I could afford, had sold out already, but I’d learned that it still could be bought on some resale platforms at a slightly higher price, like 525(including the service fee). The seats were assigned randomly. I got a seat almost on the top of the stadium(actually it’s a tennis court) but luckily it was not bad.

That day we just arrived in HZ in the afternoon after about 6 hours on the train. And it proved that booking a hotel that was just one subway stop away from the station was a good decision because we needed to wake up early next morning for a tour bus which also departed from the station. I ordered a takeout meal that included rice, vegetables, and fish with pickled cabbage. Feeling a little tired and uncomfortable since my period came just as predicted, I finished the meal quite slowly, so there was no time for napping, and then I took a shower quickly and set off.

The way to the stadium wasn’t very far either. No more than 8 stops, I remembered. However, I had researched the information about the subway exit nearest to the stadium somehow the opinions were divided. I picked the safe choice and it was right. Until the show started, I was observing what Suede’s fans look like—their ages, faces, and clothes. Most of them were young and stylish. Sitting in front of me were three ladies in their forties, as I guessed, and they dressed in a quite vintage style. When the show reached its peak, the ladies swayed to the music slightly. Such a lovable scene. I was touched and tried to sing some words at a controlled volume when Anderson said, “Sing it!”.

So glad that I had a chance to know how to buy a ticket, exchange the feelings about a gig with other friends who had already seen many shows, and maybe prepare for next time. To be honest, it wasn’t the first time I went to a live performance. I once went to a piano concert where the pianist mainly played Chopin and Rachmaninoff and it was the first time I went to a live performance and also a concert. Personally, I can’t tell the difference between a gig and a concert since I’m an audience who goes to a show only for live music and seeing the artists is my second purpose.

But this gig did let me know more about the members. Yesterday, I watched their documentary and interviews. I listen many kinds of music in my daily life and am precisely not a rock fan. The reason I like Suede is Anderson’s unique voice and that their songs and lyrics are different from other bands. And their artistic lives and experiences also inspired me: only by keeping healthy and getting along well with ourselves can our lives and creative activities last as long as we want.