I did some sketches in Clissold Park for a comic with no characters or explicit narrative, where the character WAS the park itself. I wanted to base it around a song, but couldn't make up my mind which to use. Then, when I went to see Jack Jones DJ and he told me that he had written Thinking Again in Clissold, the answer was clear, especially as I often find myself listening to Trampolene in the park. So here you go, a short art comic.
This is my write-up of my visit to Margate, including Wheels & Fins and meeting Carl. It’s pretty long but I wanna recount all of it. So if you’re sick of hearing about it, feel free to skip! If not, read on... (small trigger warning for mentions of anxiety and depression)
I arrived in Margate at about 14:30 on Saturday the 8th of September, having been travelling for the past fortnight. I wasn’t feeling too great as I arrived, but that mood began to lift as soon as I stepped out of the train station. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a Northern girl or if I’ve just been largely misinformed, but I always thought Margate wasn’t a nice place. Anyway, that is so not true! It’s a lovely, fun, and really quite beautiful seaside town, and I honestly felt taken with it as soon as I arrived.
I walked from the train station to the Smiths Court Hotel, looking out over the beach as I did so, dragging my bursting suitcase and feeling so much better. It was about a twenty minute walk, and before I knew it I was at the hotel, just three hotels down from the Albion Rooms. The Albion Rooms stuck out like a sore thumb nestled in the row of other tall, slim hotels, and as I arrived the finishing touches were being made to the gold paint on the outside of the building. I had a quick glance, then headed to my hotel.
A little while later I met @suchasinistergame and @missoneminute in their hotel room. It’s always a joy to see @suchasinistergame, and it was so exciting to meet @missoneminute for the first time ever. I immediately felt so happy to be there with them, and I had this feeling like something amazing was going to happen, but I almost wouldn’t let myself believe it.
We met up with @getaddictet and Charlie who just generally make my life brighter, and we hung around outside the Albion Rooms for a little while. Nothing was really happening, so we all kind of did our own thing, I spent some time with everyone, and ended up diving headfirst in to a Chinese takeaway at 21:30, before heading to bed. We were all just desperate for the next day to arrive I think.
The next day, aka the best day of my life, started out a bit weird. We had a plan in place and that plan disappeared pretty quickly, haha! I originally wanted to get to the festival when it opened at 12:00, and everyone kind of had different plans, but of course we all ended up outside the Albion Rooms. We saw John, and he’s so lovely. He chatted to everyone and went off to get some food. Then Peter came out, and the atmosphere was so electric, everyone was so excited. He said hi to everyone, and I kind of mumbled hello to him (you know I’m a Carl girl right but... damn, Peter is attractive in real life), and got to see @missoneminute and @suchasinistergame give him presents, which honestly was enough for me, it was a great moment. I also got to meet the lovely @exarcadiaelux around this time too!
Oh, and then he was talking to some other fans, and he took two of them in to the Albion Rooms, because one of them had a Libertines t-shirt on and he apparently had never seen the design before or something? And he wanted to adjust her t-shirt for some reason, so he took them both inside, and about half an hour later she emerged wearing a totally different shirt. So weird, but classic Peter.
Anyway, we finally got to the festival at around 14:30. I got a wrist scarf (which I was unnecessarily excited about) and then we went to the barrier, where we stayed for the next six hours. Totally, definitely, unbelievably worth it. We saw John Power, Mic Righteous, Cabbage, Reverend & the Makers, Echo & the Bunnymen, and then at 20:20 we finally got to see The Libertines. And what a show it was.
I’ll be honest, due to the events that happened afterwards, I feel like the gig was a (wonderful, exciting, amazing) blur. But what I do remember is going fucking crazy and being so, so happy. I just completely let myself go; I screamed out the lyrics, I danced and flailed about because that’s how they make me feel, and it was the best (well... second best) feeling ever.
They were on top form, the gig was just amazing, and the banter and atmosphere was fantastic. There was a wonderful energy. The songs that stick out to me were Heart of the Matter, Gunga Din, and What Became of the Likely Likes. But the final song, I Get Along, absolutely blew me away. I was buzzing, it was the most wonderful experience.
After the gig, I managed to grab a setlist, which was great for me because I’ve never managed to get one before. I was so happy it was for this gig! And then I met the lovely @orchidsonthewindowsill, and we all headed off back to the hotel.
I think @getaddictet and I were the last ones to find out what was happening, but basically, we happened to be staying at the same (beautiful) hotel where the VIP party was. I think our minds actually exploded when we found out. I can’t even put in to words how shocked, excited, anxious, and downright gobsmacked i was. Stuff like this does not happen to me! We agreed to meet everyone downstairs, and we were so excited (and I desperately needed a drink to calm my nerves) that the two of us rushed down as soon as we could. And of course, as we ran down the stairs and arrived at the hotel reception, Carl was stood there, drinking champagne from the bottle.
So basically, I died. I was fucking scared man. But I kept thinking “be cool, be cool”, because this opportunity was too good to give up. I could lie and pretend it wasn't a big deal but it fucking was. So @getaddictet went straight to Carl and talked to him - he recognised her immediately. I’ll let her tell her experience herself though, and I’ll just say what I remember. I was anxious and shy especially because @getaddictet and Carl were already talking. But somehow I found the courage, and I just sort of joined in their conversation, instead of standing there like a loser.
Carl finally looked at me, and said, “oh sorry, hi I’m Carl” and I said “hiya, I’m Jess”. We said how much we had enjoyed the gig, and he said that he had seen us down at the front, and he said he knew we’d been there for ages, and then he said that he really loved to see fans going crazy like we had been because it made them feel encouraged and he liked to see fans having fun. I said something like, “oh my god did you really notice us at the front?” and he said yeah and then he said, “wait, you’re not from down here? Are you from Hull?” and I laughed and said, “No, i’m from Sheffield,” and he said, “Oh right, Sheff!” and he tried to say “sort thissen aht” (”sort yourself out”) which he absolutely couldn’t do hahaha.
I don’t remember what we talked about next but basically there was a bit of a lull in the conversation, and I realised this was my chance to finally say what I had always wanted to say to him. So I kind of put my hand on his arm (happy sigh), and I said it. @getaddictet kindly stepped aside and gave us space to have a bit of a moment.
I said, “I just wanted to tell you that I haven’t been a fan for very long, but you have really, really helped me to change my life around. I was suffering with depression and I was very unhappy and after discovering your music, my life has gotten so much better and I’m so much happier. So thankyou.”
He looked so genuinely touched and he said, “that’s such a nice thing to say, thankyou. And you’re all good now with everything right?” and before I could answer he said, “aw, I know it’s not that simple with these things”, and he leaned in to me, kind of half hugged me and kissed me on the cheek (dead for the second time). I was so overwhelmed and so touched by his reaction. I don’t even remember what I said in response.
I really know that other people have had longer, more in depth encounters with him, but to me this was just... it was everything. He probably doesn’t even remember it because he was pretty drunk and he meets so many fans. It doesn’t matter. The fact is, I got up the courage to speak to him, and to tell him about my depression, and I got a picture with him! I hated it at first cause I look like a gorm but I decided that I love it instead because I look so happy on it. (One of my best friends literally said, “I have never seen you smile like that in twelve years.)
I also managed to grab Jon McClure, lead singer of Sheffield band Reverend and the Makers, and we had a really fun exchange. I said “I’m from Sheffield!” and he gave me a massive hug (he’s like 9ft tall I swear man) and asked if I’m an Owl or a Blade (if I support Sheffield Wednesday or Sheffield United) and was pleased when I said I’m an Owl (I don’t really give a shit but my family are Owls so whatever). I also said that I’m from Hillsborough and that I loved their gig at Tramlines. Jon was lovely and a typical Yorkshire bloke. I asked for a photo, and he said he’d grab me after he went for a fag. True to his word, he found me later and we had a picture together. (Needless to say, most of my friends and family are more impressed about me meeting Jon than meeting Carl haha.)
I had literally only eaten cold chips for the past 24 hours so everyone kindly accompanied me round Margate trying to find a takeaway that was open. We didn’t succeed, but we did see Peter on his swegway gliding past the Albion Rooms, and I was finally drunk enough to say hello to him, but he went back inside pretty quickly and we didn’t talk to him properly.
We got to bed at about 3:30am and I got up at 6:50am to travel back to Sheffield (rock n roll, innit) and when I was stood outside the hotel at 7:30am, I was just getting in to the taxi when I heard someone say “hi”. I turned around and Jack Jones of Trampolene was stood in the doorway, dressed in a lovely blue suit and swigging a can of lager. I was slightly mortified because I looked grotty as fuck with my hair tied back and my bent glasses on, but I was so happy I just called out, “hiya!”. He came over and asked if I was okay. I said I was buzzing and he laughed. He said he was staying at Peter’s for a bit and that he hoped I’d had a great night. I said I was honestly so happy, and it had been the best time ever, and he said that was cute. Then I asked if he remembered me from Sheffield (I went to their gig at the end of April and met Jack there very briefly) and he was like, “Psht, of course! That’s why I said hello” which made me so happy, and he gave me a huge bear hug and wished me a safe journey home.
So that was Margate. Wonderful, exciting, anything-can-happen Margate. To say I’m happy is an understatement. I feel like I have a new lease of life. I was anxious and nervous about all of this and it turned out brilliantly. I know I’ll be smiling for days if not weeks. I get that some people do stuff like this all the time and it’s not a big deal to them, but it meant the world to me.
Big love to @getaddictet @suchasinistergame @missoneminute @exarcadiaelux @orchidsonthewindowsill and Charlie for sharing the experience, what a gang. x
(I also just want to say, in case anyone is offended or really cares, I’ve never been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, but I’ve suffered from both on and off for the past few years. I understand people have had worse experiences than I have but I have struggled in the past.)
