Recently, I had the divine opportunity to be in London. Even better, the first day I was there, in a moment of sleepiness due to jetlaggedness, my dad shoved in my face one line from Timeout (the magazine). In bold letters it read "Orlando". This, one could only assume was THE Orlando who released the lovely Passive Soul album along with 3 singles (the first which I'm still waiting for my friend to tell me whether or not she successfully bought me a copy with b-sides, o how I suffer....). Looking at Melody Maker confirmed that it was "Slick pop. Not romo" was more or less what it said, how many Orlando's would be described with the word 'romo', after all? So, I was going to see a band I never thought I'd get to see. It then occured to me in my excitement that a former member of Kenickie might be there! (I first bought an Orlando single because I remembered having heard they had some sort of relation to the 'nix)
Ahem, so, to make the story about the actual gig short there was supposed to be ONE support band. After two, Orlando were supposed to go on in more than half an hour...well, another band starting setting up. It seemed a lot of people were there for them which was a bit odd 'cause they weren't listed as playing (it transpired that the band had twelve members so the people there very well could have been the other band members as well as friends). When that band were done, I went downstairs to stake out a spot so I could actually see the band (I had been sitting upstairs and by then enough people were blocking my view of downstairs to make a move inevitable). While I was standing downstairs, I started surveying the people in the audience. Now, I KNOW what kenickie look like obviously. For some reason, I expected that both Marie and Emmy might be there as a unit so I figured there was no way I could miss them. I ended up looking for both of them and didn't see them, so, I assumed they weren't going to be there or at least wouldn't show up until the last possible moment.
What I DID notice suddenly was...no! Could it be?!? This girl who had walked by me a few minutes ago and was now standing near the stairs...it was Emmy! My heart leaped a bit. Especially when her companion (well, she was actually with a few people but that's not the point!) stood in front of me I realised that she was going to come stand in front of me. So, when she walked by I couldn't just NOT say anything (if you were to know me, you would know that this is my reason for talking to anyone remotely famous, because I would hate myself for missing the opportunity, so, I couldn't just pretend to ignore her). I was so embarassed because normally I can think of something to say, at this moment I couldn't. I didn't have my camera or anything for her to sign, I had brought things yes but they were upstairs with my father (who is getting a bit old I fear, he's starting to develop a fond habit of sitting down a lot or maybe simply because he doesn't like Orlando he didn't want to accidently meet any of them).
When Emmy walked by I taped her on the arm and sort of mumbled "You're Emmy right?" Things were made worse when she had to bend down (I'm very short) and say "What did you say? I can't understand you." I managed to convey through beaucoup de stuttering that I wanted to take a picture of her. She said to catch her after the show and thankfully my dad appeared to rescue both of us because she was able to ditch me and go back to her friends and I was thankfully able to go move closer to the stage and stand with my father waiting for the show to begin (and blush like hell after the sordid miniscule incident)
Because, even after that embarassing moment, kenickie are still currently my fave band, after the show I did reapproach Emmy. She was highly friendly but I was so embarassed and shy that I felt the need to apologise a bit to her. It's good to bring your father to concerts because besides having him pay for the tickets, he doubles as a photographer. Emmy was the first famous person I ever actually had my picture taken with. So, it was exciting and a silly moment (I'm a bit adverse to having my photo taken unless I can make sure every hair is in place which I couldn't at that moment). The flash apparently got in her eyes 'cause she made a comment about how bright it was. Surprisingly, she didn't run away immediately, so, I got her to sign the sleeve of a bashed up copy of IYC pt 2 which I had only bought that day for a £1 (Killing Fantasy was the only song I didn't already have on CD and it is a lovely song worth every cent). Emmy exclaimed how old the picture of her was on the back (it's true she looks considerably older, though, I don't mean that as an insult) and she drew a heart around her picture (awww;)) and signed her name (the whole time I worried I should be calling her Emma but she wrote Emmy-Kate Montrose so she couldn't have minded terribly!) My dad in the need to make me even more embarassed was like "Tell her about your website" Luckily I don't think she was too highly offended to learn about this little venture on my part. She probably still couldn't hear me! ;)
Now, for the final reflection. After that I thanked her one more time and she went to rejoin her friends (who luckily didn't give me too many evil looks for stealing her away for a few seconds, they're probably used to it I suppose, Emma Montrose..girl of incrediable fame that kenickie fans everywhere make the trip to London to seek her attentions for autographs and photos! Though, possibly it isn't like that at all) you're probably thinking "I read all this drivel for that?? Only two seconds with a member of kenickie! ach! How dare you waste my valuable time!" But I'm not done yet honey so sit back down! See, at the moment when this all happened I just felt bad at bothering her that it didn't all sink in until later. I MET a (former) member of kenickie! They're the band that most inspires me! They're my favourite band in the world! I can't believe that actually happened! Well, no, that's not true, I do believe it happened I'm just still in awe. See, when Blur were my fave band it was never conceivable that I might ever meet them because their popularity just kept growing. When kenickie broke up it was never conceivable that I would ever get to see them live. Because Rosita existed there was still a chance I could meet Emmy or Marie (which I did) but it never seemed realistic until that fateful night a stroke of luck brought me to the 12 Bar Club. I mean, imagine what would have happened if I hadn't liked kenickie enough to be a total gimp to buy CDs from bands because they had played with the 'nix?? Imagine if Nature's Hated hadn't been on sale that day back in '98? Or what if I hadn't like it and then not bought the Magic EP and then the album and become an Orlando fan? Wellll, then I'd never have met Emmy! Perish the thought! *shudders* BTW, I also met Tim and Jo from Orlando and got Mike's autograph but that's a story for that one page on another webpage of mine devoted to Orlando. This still is actually a kenickie fan webpage. And that was actually my story about meeting Emmy (despite all the other crap you may or may not have ended up reading)