Onto the main event, I took us over to the stage a bit early so we could get a good spot, near the front, almost in the middle. When they got on to stage, the crowd went crazy, middle aged men and women jumped up and down, danced crazily, just like they were teenagers again. We did the same, still being teenagers of course. They started with One Step Beyond, a real party starter, it was immense, lots of jumping, shouting and laughing.
My dad had told me to look after myself because Madness usually attract a fairly rowdy crowd, I dismissed this fairly quickly thinking I would be with a load of smartly dressed businessmen and sophisticated women. I was half right. They were all there, just near the back or in the stands. Near the front were the hardcore Madness fans. After just a couple of songs the real Madness began. Moshing, fighting and shoving, security was slow to react but took no prisoners once they got involved, one twat decided he would fight one of these massive security guards from G4S, a foolish move, not only could the guy have kicked his arse on his own but they work as a bit of a team and as he tried to get away he was grabbed round the neck and hauled over a fence by another security guy and restrained completely. I hope the idiot got what he deserved.
Sometimes people take the law into their own hands, I was stood next to a particularly large, relatively young girl who was clearly a big fan, when this idiot who challenged security shoved her she nearly killed him, being stood next to her I was quite worried he would lash out and I'd be down for the count. He did not, I kept myself looking vaguely calm and stood my ground (while my friends cowered behind me, in their defense, two of them are quite small). The two that were causing most trouble were two of the fattest people you will see on their feet (fatter people you may see completely bed-bound), they were bashing into each other and other people causing absolute chaos. Security held back slightly on these two, probably because an elephant tranquilizer dart would be the only way to take these two down and if they put up a fight, it would have decimated the crowd. On a side note I would like to point out the correct meaning of decimate. It does not mean to completely destroy or to kill the majority. It means kill one in ten of a population. Get this wrong with me around and I will be forced to hit you followed by a long explanation of why you are a moron, just a warning. There were some points in the evening when I was being consistently battered by the crowd while desperately trying to prevent the smaller of my friends from being killed. My other friend will tell you he was doing the same but I didn't see him take any of the hits.
Eventually Madness got on to the main songs that everyone knows, we sang and danced so loudly, Baggy Trousers, Our House, It Must Be Love, House of Fun, we did them all, it was amazing.
Madness are like a fine wine, they just get better with age, it was a really good night and despite fearing for my life I loved every minute. Well done boys.
