Let's begin this blog by saying that I seem to struggle typing Eccleston. If, in the process of this blog, I spell it Ecclseton, Eccleton, Ecclestone or any other variations and I don't notice to correct it, please feel free to not tell me. I do know how to spell it. I just type it wrong more often than not.
The year was 2007. The month was April. The location was The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. Our hero was me. I was 27 years old.
I quite like going to music gigs. I used to average at least one a month. I mostly went to them with my mate Rick. I had just started seeing Sharon and was starting to go to gigs with her too. Occasionally, if no one else fancied the gig, I would go on my own. I like my own company and have no problem going to see something I want to see on my own. I have seen Paul McCartney, U2 and Eric Clapton on my own. They were all awesome. In April 2007 Sharon was in stupid, rubbish Australia. Van Morrison was playing The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and I bought a ticket for myself. It turned out my Mum and Bill (her boyfriend) also had tickets for that gig. As it was seated I would not be with them, but I could have a drink with them before and after. Not quite such a lonesome gig after all.
I met my Mum and Bill in the bar of The Bridgewater Hall and had a beer. Then we went to find our seats. I was in the middle of the row, in the middle of the stalls. A good view; I was happy. There were 2 empty seats to my right. The lights went down and there were still 2 empty seats to my right. A couple of minutes in and someone excused himself down the row to get to one of those empty seats. I stood and let him pass. He sat down next to me and I sat down again. My brain told me something I hadn't realised, "You know him. Look at him again." I did; It was Christopher Eccleston. "Oh. That cool actor who was great in Shallow Grave; 28 Days Later and has just been Doctor Who is sat next to me." I texted my Mum and then carried on watching Van Morrison. He was, after all, the person we were all here to see. The gig finished and Van was very good. I had left Christopher Eccleston alone. He was at a gig. Plus he's just a bloke who happens to be famous; that's still just a bloke. I noticed him hold his phone up when a song came on, but apart from that thought no more about him. As the gig finished I figured I should say something. I am a fan. But I don't want to be one of those excitable fan people. As I said, he's just a bloke. So I made no mention as to who he was and asked him if he enjoyed the gig. He said he did and that Van Morrison has mellowed a lot over the years. We exchanged a couple more thoughts on the gig and then went about our day. I spotted my Mum making her way over as we shuffled out. She got to me and said, "WHERE IS HE?!" I sheepishly pointed to the man still right in front of me. My Mum tapped him on the shoulder and said, "I want to shake your hand. You were Doctor Who. My son is a fan of yours". I was a 27 year-old MAN. I had been a COOL 27 year-old MAN! In 5 seconds my mother stripped away all those years and I said, "MUUUUMM! I'd played it cool and not mentioned Doctor Who or anything! (to him) I'm very sorry." He said, "It's ok; I have a Mum too. Pleased to meet you both." He shook both our hands and then was gone into the TARDIS... errr, night.
