If there was an award for world's worst blogger, I would win it hands down! I made a really good start to the year, vowing to be more organised, writing my blog posts down in advance and making note of what I wanted to talk about. We are now in April (almost) and I have well and truly let myself down. In my defence though, my maternity leave finishes very soon therefore I have been making the most of my days with George before I go back to work! Good enough excuse? I think so.
Way back in 2009, I discovered a little Welsh band called The Blackout. During this time the Welsh music scene was thriving with bands such as Lostprophets, Funeral for a Friend and Kids in Glass Houses. The Best in Town had just been released and I was fully embracing my inner emo child, this album was full of absolute bangers and I was obsessed. The first time I saw The Blackout live was when they supported Lostprophets at Liverpool University in October 2009. Everyone chanted "we are the dynamite" as they came onto the stage and they blew me away with their performance and I thought "these boys really know how to get a crowd going!" There was no going back after that and seeing them live became a big part of my life. I made some friends for life through this band and in 2013 they even let me crash their set to be proposed to on stage, so it goes without saying, they will always hold a special place in my heart.
When the news came they were splitting up, I was not shocked in the slightest and it may sound harsh, but I wasn't saddened by the news, mainly because I hadn't seen or listened to them in a really long time. Life just gets in the way you know? That being said I was definitely going to be seeing them one last time on their farewell tour, so I booked tickets to see them in both Manchester and their last ever, home town show in Merthyr Tydfil.
On Saturday 28th March 2015, my friends and I made the ten minute journey from our hotel into Merthyr Tydfil. After a quick pub tea, we headed over to Merthyr Leisure Centre (an unusual choice of venue) and grabbed a drink at the bar. Right on cue at 8.45, The Blackout hit the stage, opening with Tick Tick Boom, the whole crowd chanting along. As always, the energy from both the boys and the sold out crowd was at a high the entire night. The guys slowed things down by playing Hope followed by Life and Death in Space which was absolutely perfect. I made it through most of the set without shedding a tear, but got a bit teary during Top of The World, it was one of my favourite live songs (you know you've seen a band live too many times when you sing the added bits right? We won't stand for hazy eyes anymore).
There was plenty of crowd interaction from these Welsh boyos and plenty of that famous Sean Smith sense of humour that you would expect at one of their shows, especially when they introduced their medley of The Blackout, The Blackout, The Blackout. All you old school fans will appreciate this! I do not think I can even find the words to express how brilliant this was, hearing Fashion Conscious Suicide transition into Hard Slamming was definitely the highlight of my night.
Closing with Save Ourselves (The Warning) I was surprised I didn't get emotional, it was their last song and of course it was during that song they got me up on stage to be proposed to in 2013, but I held out well. The Blackout thanked everybody and left the stage, then as they were leaving, the entire room started chanting "thank you Blackout!" It was the perfect end to a perfect show and of course the tears started rolling.
The past six years have been the best, I have made some great memories and even better friends, so thank you The Blackout, without you I wouldn't have any of that. You're still the best in town, although in Merthyr, that's not hard!
Good luck in the future boys!
This is it, is it?
Rachael xo
