8. HMV, Manchester, 26.05.15
Right, so this happened after the Sound City slot, but for poeticism’s sake, I’m putting it eighth on the list. It’s not any sort of gig or live performance or album playback session, merely a free in-store meet-and-greet with the band at HMV, but I counted it in anyway. Because why not? On the week of the release of English Graffiti, the band announced a slew of various in-store performances and autograph sessions across the country, and since I couldn’t make it to any of the London ones as I was spending the whole of the week up in Liverpool, I decided to trek to Manchester for a (yet another) glimpse of the band.
I mean, because really, I should be their band manager by now. Or waterboy. Or something. I’ve seen The Vaccines in person more than I’ve seen my mother, these past six months. But I can’t help it! It’s just so easy to meet them! I don’t even have to try! THEY’RE LITERALLY RIGHT THERE FOR EVERYONE TO FEAST UPON! And these events are all stupidly free!!! I half-hide my face behind my records as I stand in line, contemplating getting facial reconstruction surgery, assuring myself that I’m only over-indulging myself in the Vaccines because no such opportunity will arise when I’m back in the States. The band are all at a table and all, of course, recognize me. If they have fear in their eyes upon seeing me, they don’t show it. They are an utterly lovely, delightful bunch. I banter with Justin for a little bit, as he is a United fan – “Steven Gerrard’s life is literally a Shakespearean tragedy” – and after they’ve signed my English Graffiti and Come of Age records, I quickly thank them and congratulate them on such a stellar album, and exit speedily.