Sometimes you just get to a gig and you know it’s not going to be for you. Sorry, girl in red. This was one of those. The mood wasn’t exactly ideal, having missed the support act through the genuine shitshow that was the crowd control and queuing (I fundamentally do not understand how I can turn up 45 minutes after doors opened and be queuing outside for nearly an hour). The front of the room is full of main character syndrome TikTok kids, insistent that their friend who is ill be recognised to the audience; the back so far removed that they are disinterested, really, by what is occurring. The net result is that I really don’t think girl in red had the audience she deserved. Witness the end of hornylovesickmess, genuinely perhaps the most striking moment of the night, go unappreciated by most of the crowd. A real shame. On some level, maybe girl in red is simply not at the level to play the Apollo. The band are tight, she remains in good voice throughout, but we’re done in time for me to comfortably get an 11pm coach from Victoria and the presence might just not be there yet. But one day, I’m sure. Bet on it.