Why I love going on 'Artist Dates'

The main reason why I choose to do certain activities alone.

On Friday night I took myself to a Tori Amos concert by myself. I booked my ticket when deep in the midst of one of the bleakest winter lockdowns of last year, thinking how magical it would be to hear anyone perform IRL again and experience a glowing stage, audience energy, lights, set design and an warm excitable atmosphere. I knew my future self would thank me for it even though booking anything for March 2022 seemed ages away at the time and there were no guarantees it would even happen.

We all found ourselves pining for certain things when isolated at home and for me I found myself pining after live music — something I was kicking myself for not really making the most of in the Before Times. Tori Amos featured heavily on a Spotify playlist I had been writing to with lots of Bon Iver, Cat Power, José González and Norah Jones — so when I got the email advertising tickets for her London gig I had to do it. I hovered over the button asking me how many tickets I wanted to buy. I absolutely could have invited my husband, or a friend, but I knew I’d rather go alone.