it must be love..

24/2/2007 my friends, is an historic date. At least it is in my life (and I dare say, in that of a few others as well). People in my surroundings already know what I'm talking about because it is pretty much all I've been talking about since exams finished and results came in (all good btw YEY!)

So there was nothing or no-one holding me back to enjoy the moment I had been looking forward to (and to be honest not really believed in anymore at the end) for about 4 years now. Thanks to some angels I managed to get in Merelbeke and get in in time for Arid's first (real) gig since 2003.. I do not count 0110 as one because A) it was way way too short, B) I was way too cold to enjoy it properly and C) my dad was with me, so I couldn't enjoy it the way I would have done.

So, Arid back on a stage.. It was a bit weird to be honest. A bit surreal too. Like I was dreaming and somebody was about to wake me up and say: 'sorry, it was all a dream'. So until saturday the 24th at quarter to eleven, I still did not really dare to believe it was really going to happen. All signs were there, but still, I wasn't 100% convinced.

I don't know if it showed, but on top of insecure, I was bloody nervous. Silly isn't it? I mean, its normal for the guys to be nervous (which they were, they told me afterwards *sorry guys :))*) but as the crowd watching the gig, there is normally not much to be nervous about, is there? Wrong, if you're me. See, the 0110 festival gig had left me with very mixed emotions. It was sooooooo good hearing those songs again, I didn't quite realise how much I'd missed them over the years, and yes, Jasper's voice still manages to do exactly the same to me as so many years ago (I do not seem to grow up in some aspects of my life, but notice I did say voice, nothing else ;)) but I just did not really know what to think of it. I couldn't get my mind around the sudden re-appearing and nobody knew whether it was a one - off or not. Add to that the fact I was sitting all alone on the wheelchairstage with no atmosphere at all during Arid, only noisy neighbours trying to pass the time between Will Tura and Helmut Lotti and not giving a damn whether they were ruining something someone else had been really looking forward to.. I felt quite alone and weird indeed. Especially because I knew big parts of the AC Community were standing in the front, and I was there all alone. it did not make matters any better that they only did a few songs. Normally (at least under such circumstances) it takes me a while to get into the atmosphere, and by the time I said to myself 'f*ck you all, I'm going to enjoy this' Body of you' already passed and it was time for 'If you go'.

So the big question on saturday was: 'Will it be the same?' I had at least 3 people sitting at home hoping it would be different and I would have grown out of the whole Arid-mania as they tend to call it. And I really wanted it to be the same as before because i could really do with something to take me out of reality for a while. All those doubts very quickly disappeared once the guys appeared on stage :) the first song was a new one and the worries about which new direction Arid would take also were sent down the drain. It has less lyrics then the LTOV songs used to have, which is a bit of a shame, cause i'm a sucker for good lyrics, but it was very catchy indeed. 'Singing your praises' is exactly what i'm doing ;) With the second song 'Too Late tonight' i just was swept over by memories. All those years, all those gigs, .. It was as if during that song, the missing piece found its place again. It was as if everything made sense again. (sounds very silly, i know) The third song was new again, and I quite fell for that one. Maybe because it is called 'words'? Should be the new single, I hope so. The new album is coming in october btw, could there be a more beautiful birthday present? 4 years after the other beautiful present maybe, the dedication of WWE to me on 19/10/2003 in Roeselare.... *dream on*

But back to the gig. Lots of songs from LTOV en AIQN and that was great. The live album is a good subsitute, but no way near the real thing.. 'If you go' was the third new song, but as that was the only thing we fans had to get through those long years, you couldn't exactly call it new.. We were all singing along already.. It remained as beautiful as ever though. Needless to say I was very secretly hoping for one specific song.. and i got it! right after 'If you go'. Marieke said I was just shining during that song, and knowing me, she could very well be right. God, I'd missed that song..

to go short: It was very very nice seeing lots of AC people again :) Hearing the new songs was great, hearing the old was great too, only the echo in my ears was a bit less fun.

When I came home the day after, all three my housemates were patiently waiting for my review of the evening. I think I did not really have to say anyting for them to know how it went. They said they were happy because they were worried it would not have risen up to my expectations. I wonder how long that happiness will last now the Arid-microbe is back in my blood ;)

*words on how I feel shine a light on what is real*