Ok, so it's not quite officially the end of my gap year yet, but I move to Birmingham on Friday morning and have nothing sorted yet, so tomorrow will definitely spent last minute packing. This time last year I had just acquired a job in my village shop, I had some vague idea of what I was going to do at Uni, but still wasn't sure exactly or where. Everything seemed pretty awful this time last year, I was already regretting not just taking any place in clearing, I wasn't prepared for a gap year, I had no money, all of my friends were off starting their University adventures, partying the weeks away and making new friends and seeing new places, while I was stacking shelves and serving the locals their papers.
One year later, and I'm SO glad I took my gap year, despite being completely unplanned it turned into one of the best years to date. I FINALLY decided on a course, applied, got the place and I'm happy with what I'm going to be doing for three years. I did a short course at CATO music, where learnt the basics and more to get me on track for a career in the live music industry AND met some lovely and fun people, both who I shared the course with and who were lecturing the course. I've got stuck into working gigs, mixed live acts at a small outdoor festival for the first time ever. I'm about to go and dive even deeper into sound mixing.
The real highlight of my gap year has to be the gigs I've been to, the places I've seen and the amazing bands I've met, and made friends with though. I can't imagine what my gap year would have been like if I hadn't have been harassed by the "Best of Enemies" twitter account. Sam Christmas is an awesome guy, and without him I probably would still be scanning papers hating my gap year. Not only are Best of Enemies a super fun band who have filled my time with little gigs, jumping around and totes emosh Lower Than Atlantis covers, but Sam also brought loads of other bands into my life. I'm so glad I've been able to share my year with them at their London gigs. Brightlight City? Without a doubt one of the best live bands I've seen this year, and they're just about to go off to Canada (No matter how eventful that competition was I'm glad we were able to help and I hope you go and smash it out there, they're gonna love you) Really genuine people as well which is probably why I've loved this year even more, when you support bands like this you get to know them as people, which just makes going to the gigs even more exciting. There are so many bands to add to the list of awesome bands Sam introduced me to, Bellevue Days, Chisel Beeches, NATIONS. Oh how grateful I am that Sam introduced me to Nations, if I could marry two songs they would be Sleepwalking by BMTH and Let This Go by Nations. Other bands I've loved this year are Speaking In Shadows, Ashes and Autumn Ruin, again amazing people, definitely not going to be losing contact or stopping coming to gigs anytime soon. Special thanks to the lads in EofE for helping me out, answering questions, putting on awesome shows and being interested in what we're all up to, it really does make a difference, can't wait to get to another EofE gig. I have been to so many gigs this year, I wouldn't have it any other way, thank you guys for all filling my free time with beautiful music and even more beautiful faces.
Another reason why BofE made my gap year? Well they introduced me to one of my favourite people in the world. I met Eleanor at a BofE gig in February and since then I can't even remember how many times we've met up, watched gigs, caused trouble, laughed a lot, probably cried a bit from laughing. I've had so much fun going to gigs and dancing around, and it wouldn't have been the same going to all of my gap year gigs without her.
And THEN I started listening to Alex Baker's Fresh Blood and my LOVE for unsigned bands just got stronger and I discovered even more bands and went to even more gigs and my drive for working in music just got bigger and bigger. Shout out to GrumbleBee for being the most brilliant thing I've come across from a radio show, I can't wait to see what's to come, really, genuinely can't wait.
Outside of the gig life, which isn't really much, seeing as most of my gap year has revolved around studying music, or going to gigs, I've also had a pretty good year. I've been to London for a few days and shared a cake in a Travelodge bed. I've met my long lost cousin from SWEDEN, whom I absolutely love, she's basically the Swedish me. I've been to visit Warwick uni multiple times, had some great nights out, met some funny people, realised that keeping friends who are at uni does work as long as they are proper friends. I've realised that nothing really has to change, and that seeing your friends in the holidays after a few months away from each other is the best feeling in the world. I've realised that the friends I had at school who were always my friends but never "best friends" are actually the best friends I could want now, if people try and keep in contact with you, make an effort back. I've been on the best and worst nights out. I've learnt that no matter how hard you try you won't please everyone, so don't even try. The people worth keeping in your life will respect your efforts. There are so many people and things I want to write about but this post is already long enough, I'll just say that if you're about to start a gap year and it wasn't planned and you don't have enough money to go to Thailand don't worry. Make it what you want, find something you love and explore that. If you love music make the effort to go to more gigs, however big or small, interact with new bands, try new genres. If music isn't your thing there'll be something else, just find it and get involved. And don't worry about your friends all going to Uni, I know it seems like the end sometimes but it's really not, you'll just have more to chat about when you meet!
Massive thanks to EVERYONE who I've seen and hung out with and danced with and got drunk with this year, it's been bangin. Now to see what Uni can offer me, laters x
One year later, and I'm SO glad I took my gap year, despite being completely unplanned it turned into one of the best years to date. I FINALLY decided on a course, applied, got the place and I'm happy with what I'm going to be doing for three years. I did a short course at CATO music, where learnt the basics and more to get me on track for a career in the live music industry AND met some lovely and fun people, both who I shared the course with and who were lecturing the course. I've got stuck into working gigs, mixed live acts at a small outdoor festival for the first time ever. I'm about to go and dive even deeper into sound mixing.
The real highlight of my gap year has to be the gigs I've been to, the places I've seen and the amazing bands I've met, and made friends with though. I can't imagine what my gap year would have been like if I hadn't have been harassed by the "Best of Enemies" twitter account. Sam Christmas is an awesome guy, and without him I probably would still be scanning papers hating my gap year. Not only are Best of Enemies a super fun band who have filled my time with little gigs, jumping around and totes emosh Lower Than Atlantis covers, but Sam also brought loads of other bands into my life. I'm so glad I've been able to share my year with them at their London gigs. Brightlight City? Without a doubt one of the best live bands I've seen this year, and they're just about to go off to Canada (No matter how eventful that competition was I'm glad we were able to help and I hope you go and smash it out there, they're gonna love you) Really genuine people as well which is probably why I've loved this year even more, when you support bands like this you get to know them as people, which just makes going to the gigs even more exciting. There are so many bands to add to the list of awesome bands Sam introduced me to, Bellevue Days, Chisel Beeches, NATIONS. Oh how grateful I am that Sam introduced me to Nations, if I could marry two songs they would be Sleepwalking by BMTH and Let This Go by Nations. Other bands I've loved this year are Speaking In Shadows, Ashes and Autumn Ruin, again amazing people, definitely not going to be losing contact or stopping coming to gigs anytime soon. Special thanks to the lads in EofE for helping me out, answering questions, putting on awesome shows and being interested in what we're all up to, it really does make a difference, can't wait to get to another EofE gig. I have been to so many gigs this year, I wouldn't have it any other way, thank you guys for all filling my free time with beautiful music and even more beautiful faces.
Another reason why BofE made my gap year? Well they introduced me to one of my favourite people in the world. I met Eleanor at a BofE gig in February and since then I can't even remember how many times we've met up, watched gigs, caused trouble, laughed a lot, probably cried a bit from laughing. I've had so much fun going to gigs and dancing around, and it wouldn't have been the same going to all of my gap year gigs without her.
And THEN I started listening to Alex Baker's Fresh Blood and my LOVE for unsigned bands just got stronger and I discovered even more bands and went to even more gigs and my drive for working in music just got bigger and bigger. Shout out to GrumbleBee for being the most brilliant thing I've come across from a radio show, I can't wait to see what's to come, really, genuinely can't wait.
Outside of the gig life, which isn't really much, seeing as most of my gap year has revolved around studying music, or going to gigs, I've also had a pretty good year. I've been to London for a few days and shared a cake in a Travelodge bed. I've met my long lost cousin from SWEDEN, whom I absolutely love, she's basically the Swedish me. I've been to visit Warwick uni multiple times, had some great nights out, met some funny people, realised that keeping friends who are at uni does work as long as they are proper friends. I've realised that nothing really has to change, and that seeing your friends in the holidays after a few months away from each other is the best feeling in the world. I've realised that the friends I had at school who were always my friends but never "best friends" are actually the best friends I could want now, if people try and keep in contact with you, make an effort back. I've been on the best and worst nights out. I've learnt that no matter how hard you try you won't please everyone, so don't even try. The people worth keeping in your life will respect your efforts. There are so many people and things I want to write about but this post is already long enough, I'll just say that if you're about to start a gap year and it wasn't planned and you don't have enough money to go to Thailand don't worry. Make it what you want, find something you love and explore that. If you love music make the effort to go to more gigs, however big or small, interact with new bands, try new genres. If music isn't your thing there'll be something else, just find it and get involved. And don't worry about your friends all going to Uni, I know it seems like the end sometimes but it's really not, you'll just have more to chat about when you meet!
Massive thanks to EVERYONE who I've seen and hung out with and danced with and got drunk with this year, it's been bangin. Now to see what Uni can offer me, laters x
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