Just step sideways

I worked on and off all day at school on Coriolanus notes. Deborah was friendly in an open-sort of way. I’m glad.

At six-thirty I set off for Grant’s and the Fall concert at the Wavezz Club. I met him at his house and we walked up through Ashburn to the Albion, where all the Hanson school lot hang out. We met up with two of Grant's mates, a tousled-haired Nik-type (called Martin I think) and his toothy friend. I had two pints of cider and we set off back through Ashburn and down Birkill Lane, Grant unsure of where we were.

The Wavezz Club is at the end of a derelict damp terraced street in an area of loads of similar streets: we started to get enthusiastic when we saw its bright lights in the distance. We paid our £2 to get in and were quite impressed with the place; a main hall with raised stage, bar, and through the back, in another smaller room, rastas wandered to and fro with piles of records, messing with turntables and speakers. There was also a games room with pool table and an area with comfy seats and tables near the door. Only a few people sat around, and The Fall was already doing a sound check up on stage.

We sat down and waited for ages, but gradually the club filled up. I saw two craggy faced blokes with shaved heads wearing old suits I recognised from the Pigbag concert. Nik arrived, and he and Grant danced occasionally to the pounding reggae or wandered off together, Grant looking enthralled. I felt quite out of it.

The Fall came on late. The expected loud piercing drums, guitars, keyboards, walls of distorted noise with singer shouting inaudibly. Grant was engrossed in the music, bobbing away, but I wasn't really hooked: a couple of their numbers were good, with “Just Step” being the best. They went on for ages, and did a few encores, before we all flooded out into the street, my ears ringing in the cold night silence.

I walked home through gloomy orange-lit fog, part of the way with Nik, Grant, and a short-haired lad who plays bass with Venus Hunters. They talked and I was silent, alone. I really do have a basic communication problem.