26th MAY 2012

Yes. That's right. The date does say 2012. That means I'm going to talk about something that happened today, right now, in the present and we all know what that means.

RANT TIME!!!

On this day in 2012, Florence and the Machine came to Brisbane to perform at the Brisbane Riverstage and I REALLY WANTED TO GO!! But of course, tickets sold out in like a second and no matter how many times you go back and refresh the page, the tickets just won't reappear as if by magic. If only.

Florence and the Machine are a British indie pop band, lead by singer Florence Welch, who released their first album 'Lungs' in July 2009 and their second album 'Ceremonials' in October 2010. Both achieved great popularity and success in the UK and US charts and, for that matter, in many other countries (including Australia). Their sound has been described as a combination of various different genres, including rock and soul.

So I didn't get tickets. And then that made me wonder whether or not I was a good enough fan. I mean, I didn't buy tickets and I didn't try that hard to buy tickets (I could have been much more manic about it). And then that made me think about all the people out there who would have bought tickets just because their friends were going, or because they remotely liked Florence and the Machine, or because they just wanted to be cool and go to a concert. You know who I'm talking about: the Hipsters.

I think that in some ways we are all a little bit Hipster. I mean, when we like something and then it becomes popular, we  have to try very hard not to be all "I liked it first! I'm a trendsetter! Yay for me, I'm cool!" Or maybe that's just me. But if it is just me then I apologies for categorising all Hipsters in this way. For stereotyping Hipsters in this way. For using a stereotype within a stereotype.

Anyway, furthering my Hipster-ness I find that in some cases it can get to the point where we begin to dislike the thing that we loved so much in the first place, just because it's getting so popular. Now I'm being a little bit self-centred in classifying myself as a Hipster. I think I'm cool like that (not really, but for the point of my argument we are going to assume as such that I am that Hipster). It can also get to the point where a Hipster will refuse to like something just because everybody else likes it. Or am I getting confused now with some other 'cool' people group?

Anyway, the point of all this ranting, of calling myself a Hipster, basically has just one goal.

To justify WHY I DIDN'T GET TICKETS!!!

Guess I'll just have to watch all her music videos instead.

This song, 'Cosmic Love' was the first I ever listened to by Florence and the Machine after a friend gave me a mixed CD with all sort of soul/ballad/indie songs on it. It is my favourite song.





Image available: http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20475181_20475183_20925822,00.html 
Video available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIeUlvHAiM