The Academy was left in a puddle of running mascara last night as Frank Iero rocked the shit out of Dublin.

For me, the night started off on a mild Sunday evening as I camped out to get a wrist band for the instore on the afternoon of the main event. I arrived outside Tower Records at 22:30 to find myself the first in line. Only a few minutes later, another lady, her sister and her mother joined me and we were the only ones camping out until about 6 the following morning when more people started to join the queue. Nine am eventually struck and we got our wristbands, but I couldn’t help but think of how few people were actually there and I had completely overestimated the ‘fans’. And also, the guy to girl ratio was about 1:25.. god dammit.

Anyway, the meet and greet thing was the same as any, Frankie and his band played three songs I think, and then signed merch. I was lucky enough for him to sign my first guitar ‘Pansy’ that I bought because of him. I told him that he was my inspiration and the reason why I took up guitar and performance so seriously. He also took the advance copy of my bands EP and told me to keep on rocking. Words I will probably never forget.

Doors for the show was at half six and I had heard there were kids queuing up since 11 that morning. I passed by at half six on my way to meet my friends and to collect Sarah from work and then we’d all head into the show together.

Opening the nights proceedings were Axis Of, who I thought were pretty poor to be an opening act. The FOH sound was awful, the guitarists tone lacked any character and the bass lacked any balls and girth to make the room rattle. The kit sounded awful and the snare sounded like a floor tom. Not my type of band at all.

And then, Frankie came out and he lit the room up. I was so excited to see my childhood inspiration do what he does best and that is performing and putting everything into every show. But the moment he stepped out onto the stage, phones came out. This is where the night was spoiled for me. Kids who pay a lot of money to see a show… through their fucking iPhones, recording the whole night. Fair enough if you want to take a picture or two, that’s fine. And I draw the line at record one song, but there was kids recording the whole thing.

It’s so sad to see the difference between the crowd when I was going to gigs at 16 to now. Only five years in the difference and it’s changed so much. I remember going to Taking Back Sunday in the same room, jumping up and down constantly with people of different ages, I remember going to seeing Being As An Ocean in the same room moshing my tits off and screaming with Joel and sharing a common interest with strangers of whom I have never seen since.

At Slipknot and Korn, there were fans of all ages at that show. Older hardcore fans and new fans. You can see the older fans teaching the way to the new fans, teaching them how to mosh and the whole Spit It Out thing. Hell, when I went to see fucking Paramore there was mosh pits the whole two times I’ve seen them in the Point.

At the Frankie show, the crowd bounced up and down collectively two to three times throughout the whole show. They all just watched. Losers.

Everything I loved about going to gigs is now almost a dying art. And it’s really sad.

Also… I load of them expected to hear an MCR song… sorry. No. That chapter is over.

xo