Ticket
Elbow
The Bridgewater Hall
9th July 2009

Ticket from Elbow's rapturously received gig with Joe Dudell and The Halle.

I was lucky enough to be on the front row for this jaw-dropping musical experience, which was the second of a two-night run.

There was a live link-up to Castlefield Arena where hundreds of fans had gathered to enjoy the concert on huge screens in the late evening sunshine.

Unusually for me, where Elbow are concerned, I managed to keep the floodgates in check until I was in bed alone, much later on, profoundly regretting the large curry I stuffed down my neck after the gig.

Before hitting Rusholme, my best mate and I paid a visit to The Pavilion, erected in Albert Square in honour of the Festival. Here we were spellbound by possibly the worst DJ set ever performed in Manchester: a hapless middle-aged hack (presumably in boxing gloves) bludgeoning his way though a set (on CDJs) that lurched from 'Plastic Dreams' by Jaydee to 'You're So Vain' by Carly Simon, and NOT in a good way. My Mum could have done a better job.

From the sublime to the ridiculous to the gluttonous: the usual trajectory of my nights out.