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Tour blog: Sheffield (Blondie has a knife)
Image copyright Big_Franko, from the Little Fish Flickr group
I am ashamed to say that I have never been to Sheffield and am unaware of exactly where it is. When leaving Manchester, I ask the boys in the van and they tell me that it is only a small hour’s drive away from Manchester. I accept this, but to make up for my lack of knowledge on the city, my curious mind starts to wonder and I decide to probe the boys for more. This starts off a band discussion about Sheffield that culminates with the deduction that Sheffield is a city built around 7 hills, that the River Sheaf runs through it, that the hit children’s TV series Byker Grove was filmed there (not actually true) and that The Artic Monkeys also came from Sheffield. Most importantly however, Sheffield is famous for being the innovators of stainless steel. Importantly because when I casually bump into Debbie Harry backstage, right after having opened up for Blondie, she pulls out the sharpest of knives, seemingly out of nowhere, and rather calmly starts to tell me about the history of stainless steel.
So. Picture this. Sheffield Academy. Two thousand people front of house, all waiting for Blondie to come out and smack them dead with their killer tunes while me and Debbie Harry are standing backstage. I have just come off stage with Little Fish. It’s been another high-energy show and I’m sweating like a little mouse, with no ammunition except for a sweaty towel (which I kindly offer to Debbie, but she kindly giggles and declines). Debbie however, is dressed as wonder woman war fighter, head to toe in black, ninja shoes, power ballerina dark navy skirt and all sorts of chains and belts wrapped round her waist, holding a bloody sharp knife and kind of pointing it at me.
The first thing that crosses my mind is ‘What have I done? Is this for real?’ and then, when I realise that there is no threat or menace, ‘Is it normal for her to carry a weapon?’ Common sense makes me think for a brief moment that she might well have to carry a knife on her at all times, that this is indeed common, in case she ever needs it for some sort of rumble in the jungle with a crazy fan. You know, a self-defence kind of thing.
After my flashes of thoughts, my mind calms and I realise that Debbie is talking to me, not with anger or menace but more with a cheery smile. Her voice is calm, gentle and soothing. She has one of those American voices that I love. So composed. In and amongst my confusion and blurring of thoughts I realise that she is happy to have bought a real sharp blade from the city that innovated stainless steel. She smiles as she says that she actually bought it in Newcastle but Sheffield was where it was made. She likes it. We touch it. She tells me that she wears it around her belt as it reminds her of the woman on Blondie’s (soon to be released) new album. She says, “the most I could do with it is trim my wig and file my nails!” I laugh. She is funny. And although she has war paint around her eyes and a knife in her hand, I just want to hug her. She is the sweetest softest rock legend I have met so far in the world of music. Time has passed. Debbie needs to go on stage soon. She is sweet as she kindly says, “well I must go and warm up, see you later”. Blondie are on in twenty minutes and Debbie sneaks off back into her dressing room.
True to super-woman-tank-girl style, Blondie kicked ass once again in Sheffield. Maybe her knife gave them the edge? Every night, Blondie’s performances are improving. As I look on from the balcony, Debbie genuinely looks like she was enjoying the show. There seemed to be more smiles and energetic dance moves than usual. And just when I think that life couldn’t get any better, Debbie Harry decides, in between songs, to thank Little Fish for supporting Blondie. She tells the audience about how she met us in New York when we played with Courtney Love. I smile to myself and thank her in thoughts as the crowd applauds in appreciation. Blessed.
Next stop Bournemouth, and this time, I’m bringing my own knife!
