I hope you had the time of your life

I sometimes feel like a bit of a fraud when it comes to talking about music. The musical talent and interest runs down the male side of my family (my grandad played guitar in a big band, my dad has the most varied musical taste of anyone I know, my brother DJs a bit and runs a club night ) Me? Well I can mostly take it or leave it. I listen to the radio all the time but it's always Radio 5 or sometimes Radio 4, so I never have a clue what's going on in the charts unless a friend sends me some music. Doesn't seem like I'm missing that much to be honest!

But when I do find a band or artist I like, I really like them. They'll tend to be responsible for the albums or songs that come to really mean something in my life, music that instantly defines a certain time or place or emotion.

I don't want to sound all pretentious and be like "oh ya, American Idiot is a really seminal album for me" but there was a lot going on in my life in late 2004. I'd just finished uni, no real idea what to do with my life, parents were splitting up rather traumatically, my cat died, I was busy falling in love. Lots of memories, lots going on, and that album was seemingly always there in the background. I'd always loved Green Day anyway but it just holds a special place in my heart.

I was poor with a capital P when they were touring it though so had no chance of being able to go but snapped up tickets for the latest tour and last night was the night! I can't review it, I'm still not able to coherently talk about the glory that was nearly 3 solid hours worth of Green Day live. Time of my life? I'd say so.

Here's a very good review of it, if you're interested. If not, feast your eyes on beautiful Billie Joe and his guyliner. Swoon. Oh and Ffion and I, pulling funny faces (I blame the cider)