Avril Lavigne. October 5, 2007

The concert followed her performance at RMA Ceremony on October 4 where she won in the nomination “Best Foreign Singer”. It was held in a new club “B1 Maximum” specially built to organize concerts of famous singers/groups from abroad. “Chemical Brothers”, Brian Ferry, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper, East 17 (I didn’t know they still exist), and “Funeral For A Friend” coming soon, too.

I arrived 2 hours in advance hoping to get a good place (mine was entrance ticket to the dance floor). But when I came, I saw a queue to enter the club stretching for not less than a kilometer! Mostly students, some teenagers even accompanied by their parents. Behind me stood a girl and a father talking about music. The father is a typical representative of a hippy trend so popular here in the 70s. And although he looked now absolutely average, the traces of hippy past could easily be read in his every word and gesture. He said to his daughter, “I’m so happy that you listen to rock and not to some popsa” (“popsa” is an offensive name for pop music). I envied the girl. My Dad does not like music at all, and Mom understands only classics being a classical musician, and I’ve always faced hurts and opposition on her side when I went to some non-classical music concert or simply switched on a music radio at home. And never did any of them accompany me to any concert of modern music! Always alone or with a friend, but mostly alone, ‘coz none of my friends want to spend 70 dollars for a concert. And I can’t count money when it comes to music that I like. Or just music.

When I entered the concert hall I saw a crowd of people occupying the very middle of the club space. I first tried to squeeze as closer to the stage as I could, but then gave up these efforts and left the crowd. But I saw some vacant place to the right – and oh God! There was a place in the first row, but a bit to the right from the middle! It was absolutely no problem, ‘coz I could see the whole concert and Avril was very close. Besides most of the guys tried to get closer to the middle, and those standing in the centre of the first row suffered greatly. Some lost conscience, and some even broke arms-legs because of the guys pressing them from behind. I also suffered this pressure, but the only consequence of it was my aching body the whole day following the concert. But it was a trifle when compared to a great show seen :)

What is the English word for the performance of another group before the main performance of the main group/singer? We call it “razogrev” in Russian (“warming up” or “heating” the crowd). Some group showed up on the stage with a nice blonde to be lead vocalist. She sang a number of absolutely weird and loud songs so that everyone wondered who the hell could compose such queer things. Then rather a nice song was performed, and I thought it could be a hit. Anyway I was sure this group could be some more or less known one if they warm up the crowd before Avril’s concert. But no one knew it. The questions, “Who are they?” were heard here and there. And only when they reached the last song of their performance we all understood who was standing on the stage – “Masha i Medvedi” (“Masha and the Bears”), a famous rock band of the end of the 90s, and the song was a great hit. The only thing about it was that they all were totally bald those days (including the girl), and now she’s a blonde, and no one recognized her. “Masha, please, never cut your hair again!!!” some guy shouts from the crowd. Everyone nods and smiles. “Yeah you look great with this blond hair!”

And finally the main show started!!! There’s no need to mention the crowd bursting at the sight of Avril, screaming and shouting, cameras, journalists occupying the area in front of the stage for the first song performance. I waved my hand to all TV cameras :) The only problem’s that I don’t know where and when to watch me :))) She opened her program with “Girlfriend” dancing with her ballet. And during the whole concert performed most of the songs from her fresh album plus everlasting hits like “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boy”. She changed dresses thrice, and microphones, played the electro guitar in two songs, and at the very end went down to us and the first row (including me!) could touch her hand :))) She’s so small!!! I’m small, but she’s smaller than me – not taller than 155 cm!!!

When the concert finished Security did not allow the crowd to leave until Avril’s team left the club. And even after that they allowed the people to leave in small groups – 10-11 people at a time. Of course there was a mess ‘coz everybody wanted to get home and got furious. I did not hope to get home by Metro judging the crowd that gathered at the exit door. But when I squeezed somewhere from the right, Security guy looked at me and said, “Don’t let anybody. Only let this girl pass”. COOL! What was special about me I wonder?! But I was pleased much :)))

I arrived at my Metro station already at 1 a.m. I hate passing the selling tents standing here and there near the Metro. But I had to… “Girl, please stop, stop, where are you hurrying?” Oh nooooo, I knew it would be like that… Some drunken male figure forwarded in my direction. “Hello” – “I’m in a hurry” – “Noooo, wanna go to drink something with me, or may I see you off home?” – “NO! I am in a hurry, ‘coz I’m tired and I want to sleep!!!” – “No, stop, stop, let me talk to you for a minute”. – “You’ve got just 1 minute. Talk!” – “Eh eh… I was trying to catch you during 3 days. But every time you hurried so that I could not catch you…” – “Oh yes, especially taking into consideration the fact that all those days I came home from another Metro station, ah?!” – “I am a psychologist, and I read mistrust in your eyes” – “Happy for you. What else do you expect to read there?” – “I am a Militia man!” – “You said you are a psychologist!” – “I will show you my license!!!” Great! What next? I’ve fallen upon a Militia man, what a luck!!! :(((( “I don’t need your license. I need to go home. Or… I will phone home now and…” – “Nothing will happen to you and your family! I am a Militia man!” This talk-of-nothing lasted for half an hour, until I finally said, “It’s not a good time to get acquainted. Let’s meet tomorrow at 1 p.m. near the Metro”. He nodded with his drunken head, and left. I hate going home alone at night! It always goes this way!!! Sure I never came, this goes without saying :)

Here I need to put a full stop to the story about my going to Avril’s concert. Wish to put dots, but will she come again who knows? Singers come and go. It might happen that no one would remember her name in 2 years. We should value this very moment whatever comes next. And whoever.