Suede - MTV Live n' Direct
Tuesday 10th September 1996
The Tivoli



Hurray for Suede!!

Dr. J had somehow heard of Suede playing an MTV gig in the Tivoli Theatre in Dublin. Words were had with Papa J (who's a little bit in the biz) and a holy grail was successfully attained: VIP Laminates.

We went to the Tivoli, achieving a reasonable place in the queue, but with a slight paranoia that someone might kill us and rob our precious plastic necklaces. It didn't happen, so we went inside and assumed a position to the front of the crowd. Time passed and the gig began. Suede played a top-notch show from their "Coming Up" album. People kept filming stuff all over the place. Tres exciting...

But there were interesting developments after the gig. First of all, we got access to the VIP area, which probably miffed a couple of guys from our school (Dr. D and Niceone were there). We then stood around looking at the band. There was a brief chat with MTV Crispin, one of the better known MTV presenters at the time. We also said hello to Brett and asked if he was going to the after gig event, but were told that he probably wouldn't (for a good reason that concerned "suits"). The VIP area dissolved soon after that. In the meantime I'd had a Lucozade, a Vodka, and a first smoke from a pack of Marlboro Lights I found on the floor.

We exited the Tivoli and soon saw most of Suede leaving in a little car. The exception was Neil Codling, who was walking to the party in the wrong direction. We went ever, said hello, and asked if they were going to the party. They said yes, we told them about the direction issue, then offered them a lift. I think they agreed at first, but then met folks they knew and opted to travel with them.

We were in the J-Mobile at a red light when Neil and his pal ran over and jumped in. Neil rode shotgun with Dr. J and I was in the back with the other bloke.

We drove, laughed, missed our turn and arrived at the party. Neil then bought us drinks and I began to feel less well (Lucozade - Vodka - Smokes - Guinness). After a fast, subtle, straight-down puke in a dark crowded bar we went for a walk to see what was going on. We didn't really chat with Mr. Codling any more that night, pausing to see if he needed a lift on the way out. I managed at some point to put the Guinness I had ingested back into the glass it had come from, but all for all was enjoying myself in a screwed up way. Dr. J was worried, but perhaps that's why he's a Doc.

In the end we hopped back in the car and split home. We'd see Mr. Codling again at a record signing, but he ultimately had to leave Suede for health reasons. Bummer...

Check out the other Suede gigs in my tickets section (1 2 3). And I think it was at this gig that I got my second Suede set list.

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