The one that started it all...

Everybody has a 'first' proper gig, I mean I'd been to plenty of pop concerts and Power in the Parks (old Radio day festival in Southampton) and had seen bands before as well as my fair share of...questionable artists (Spice Girls....yeaaaaahhhhh!) in the past but you know the one. The one that drags you kicking and screaming into the world of live bands, mosh pits and adrenalin. Mine was Sum 41 supported by Reel Big Fish. It could be worse I guess! This was the tour supporting the 2001/2002 inescapable album that was 'All Killer No Filler' and it seemed like all the grunger kids at my school were going to it. I had just turned 16, a living billboard for early 00's skate/surf punk style. The lyrics to Bowling For Soup's 'Punk Rock 101' come to mind actually lol. Checkerboard everything, sweatbands, Roxy/Hurley longsleeve under short sleeve thirts, beaded necklaces, baggy as hell jeans or Dickies. Vans...everything Vans.....I guess some things never change!

Sum 41 at Portsmouth Guildhall Friday 15th March 2002.
Support: Reel Big Fish.
https://www.songkick.com/concerts/2340126-sum-41-at-portsmouth-guildhall

My friend Sam got us tickets to the gig and we were so excited about it, lunchbreaks playing 'All killer..' and 'Half Hour of Power' in build up, talking about what other bands we wanted to see (basically Blink 182, Green Day, Foo Fighters etc) Its quite funny thinking back on it. It would be a large gap before I saw Sum 41 again, with a different line up and on a different continent actually but that's for another time.
We had seating tickets which immediately made me vow not to get them again as I wanted to be in the front, where the action was. My mates were down there, I was very jealous. Reel Big Fish brought the party hard and were as fabulous then as they were when I saw them this year. A great big laugh, nothing quite like singing along to 'Beer' and miming the air trumpet along to the band. A great support band and really got us pumped. Sum 41 were great, the original lineup with Brown Sound on lead guitar bringing the metal licks that sadly lack in their more recent albums. I remember laughing at their stupid dance routines while playing and coming out in 80s hair metal fancy dress for 'Pain for Pleasure'. The show rocked my little brain and firmly dropped me on the path of rock n roll. Those two bands have cost me a fortune, really given how many live gigs I've been to now :D
Onto the merch and I plumped for the official girl's shirt to mark the occasion:

 The old thing is looking a bit battered and washed out, as I have worn the shit out of it over the years. Love the Super Soaker design, typical pop punk goofy fun. Its shrunk a bit too but seeing it reminds me of being 16 and excited to see a rock show. I should remember that kid when I feel jaded with the music industry. Funny how things link up, when I first met my best mate at work, Ian, we bonded over our love of live music and it turns out his first rock gig was the London date of this very tour too which really made me smile. :-)