In what will be their debut New Zealand gig, indie-darlings turned mainstream stadium-fillers Snow Patrol, surfing the success of their Eyes Open album down under, will play Auckland in February next year.  Tickets went on sale here in NZ earlier today and, given their rapid sell outs in Oz, I scooped a pair up before they disappeared.  The venue is the Trust Stadium, which is just a 15 minute drive from our house.  This will mean a quick drive to Lincoln Road to park up, and grab a bite to eat before a leisurely walk to the stadium.

Snow Patrol’s output to date is on my youngest teenager’s iPod as well as mine.  So, as it was she, the budding indie rock chick, who told me about the gig in time to hit TicketMaster, it only seems right that she gets the other ticket and goes to her first ever gig.  I can’t remember who I saw at my first gig but I can recall the anticipation, buzz and excitement that preceded going to a concert as a teenager.  I saw it all that (and a little disbelief) in her face when I called her over to look at the email confirmation on my iBook.  As a grumpy old man-in-waiting, I am shamelessly flattered that she’d even be seen at a gig with her Dad.  I suspect that the thought hasn’t crossed her mind yet and I’ll be having to promise that I won’t dance or sing along when the time arrives.