u/alaric420

AI posted my first article here about flying over from the US to see The Big Push (the Brixton one, with the O2 priority-line stuff and Ren singing "Chalk Outline" out the window). A few of you followed along and were lovely about it, thank you.

Quick update: the series is finished. What started as a plan for two shows became four cities and most of the tour (Brixton, Bristol, Brighton, Manchester — only missed Glasgow), and I've now written up all five parts.

If you read Part 1 already, here's what the rest covers:

• Pt 2 — Bristol: Romain threw me a guitar pick, I fumbled it into the pit, and he climbed down off the stage to hand it to me personally. Plus Ren jumping up with The Skinner Brothers at The Great Escape.
• Pt 3 — Brighton walking tour: Standing in the actual Tales filming spots using the community Ren Maps — Genesis on Preston Street, Vincent's Tale at the Druid's Head, Swan Song at St. Bartholomew's. (And the #SaveMohammad saga.)
• Pt 4 — The Chalk show: The most intimate show of the run, finally meeting Ren at the meet & greet, and turning the Freckled Angels he drew on my arm into a real tattoo the next morning.
• Pt 5 — Manchester finale: Closing night of the tour, front row on Gorran's side, and Ren walking out unannounced during Knox Hill/Vitkus event.

The whole series, in order:

1. Brixton + first steps into Brighton (the one I posted before)
2. Live Music, Long Trains, and a Guitar Pick I'll Never Forget
3. Visiting Ren's Brighton: A Renegade's Walking Tour
4. The Chalk Show and the Night I Finally Met Ren
5. The Big Push, One Last Time: Brighton to Manchester

The thing that's stuck with me most across all of it is just how much these artists root for each other — The Gulls,Viktus, Liv Sangster, Knox Hill, etc, the whole community. Anyone else make it to any of these shows? See you at the festivals in August.

I'm a 48-year-old American who just spent a month in the UK following The Big Push tour. What started as two shows turned into four: Brixton, Bristol, Brighton, and Manchester. I've been writing about the whole thing on my blog and just published week one. A few things I cover that fellow Renegades might appreciate:

- The O2 priority line hack (worth reading if you're planning any future UK shows at O2 venues) - The Brixton front row experience and that crowd humming moment

- Ren at the second-floor window singing Chalk Outline acapella to the people on the street below

- Meeting Simon, the guy on the Brighton seafront who's known Ren for many years, back when he was playing guitar on the streets and people were walking past

- The Ren Brighton filming locations map (for anyone planning a trip)

I'll be honest: Ren's music hit me during a really hard stretch of years. Writing about this trip is my way of processing how much it meant to actually be there. Week two (Bristol guitar pick story, Liv Sangster, Hutch, recovery in London) is coming soon.

https://thesabbaticalfiles.com/ren-big-push-brixton-brighton/

Happy to answer any questions in the comments — and if any of you were at Brixton or Brighton and recognize yourselves in the post, say hi.

Mike Giannella