He came back over with a handful of chocolate mini-eggs, gave us a couple each, and wished us a Happy New Year.

Then he waved us on.

They left us sitting for what was probably only a minute but felt like a lot longer. One fella came over, checked our passports. (Seeing we were Irish helped, I think.) Asked us a couple of questions. Friendly, but didn't clear us to go, told us to wait while he went back to his command post... /

We stopped at a checkpoint. Hezbollah. Young fellas with AKs. We were nervous - the war was over, but the last western hostage had only been taken 7 years earlier. /

Hezbollah-controlled territory. We knew the drill - stop at all checkpoints, don't move until you're cleared. Could be Hezbollah, Lebanese Army, Syrian Army, Druze Militia, police, whoever, just don't go 'til you're told you can go. /

In 1999, me and a mate holidayed in Beirut. Had a ball. On Good Friday, in the main square in Bsharri, in the mountains, birthplace of Khalil Gibran, we watched Menonites hang and burn an effigy of Judas.

Bekaa Valley was open, so on the Sunday we decided to go see the Roman ruins at Baalbek. /

Okay, addendum.

In fairness, Shaârghot deliver such a big show, such an absolute SPECTACLE, that they deserve to be playing to bigger audiences in bigger rooms.

Here, have some. If you like Rammstein, I reckon you'll like this.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggTK...

Go. To. Smaller. Shows.

If you go to smaller shows now, in fifteen years you'll be able to post your videos of a tiny stick figure standing in front of a giant screen, 200 yards away in a massive football stadium, and you'll remember seeing them up close.

Message ends. /

I know with some of ye I'm preaching to the choir (the pit?) but for the price of one Metallica ticket, I can get to eight shows just like this.

The smaller shows are the lifeblood of the scene. You don't get the gigantic headliners without the smaller venues. /

After Shaârghot last night, the 16-year-old got to buy a CD and have the lead singer, still in full costume and makeup, sign it, and mark her forehead with black body-paint, and tell him she loved the show.

This is community, people.

And it's so AFFORDABLE! /

At one point Poun, their screamer, came over, crouched down, looked her in the eyes, and unleashed an almighty scream. He was thrilled with himself, and she got the experience of a lifetime. She was PART OF IT. /

She had the time of her life.

And the band were thrilled to see her. Arno, their growler, even brought it up in his patter. (She wasn't the only kid in the room, there were a couple of others at the other end of the stage.) /

She's never had that reaction at a Really Big Gig.

So this week Black Bomb A played our local city. 300-capacity venue, €15 a ticket. I took the youngest to see them again. We went up the front, off to the side, and basically sat her on the side of the stage. /

She dragged me up to the pit. Wanted to join in. Told her she was too young. Tried to get me to join in instead. Told her I was too old. But she went nuts for them. (Rightfully, because they're brilliant live.)

(We're in this video somewhere, I think.) /

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-x...

Second song kicked in and half-way through it she turned to me and said "Daddy, I LOVE THIS!" You could see it happening. She just GOT IT. (Found out later it's their song "The Fraud". Gets her every time.) /

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdRr...

Usually we know one of the acts and that's it. Me and the 11-year-old were hanging out watching from a distance when Black Bomb A came on. Didn't know them, but knew they were heavy, so told her we could hang back, get food, whatever she wanted. /

I took the then 11-year-old to a small local festival under an hour's drive from here. 3,000 capacity, rarely sells out, two-day tickets are like €85 or something. A big stage and a small stage side by side, no messing about, one band ends and another one's ready to go, the crowd just shifts over. /

They've been charmed by The Hu, confronted by Till Lindemann, sang along with Apocalyptica... but the real formative experiences have happened at the smaller shows. /

I've made a point of taking the kids to shows since they were young. (With ear protection, obvs.) They've been to Hellfest a couple of times, where they've seen Alice Cooper and Nine Inch Nails and Muse and Megadeth and Scorpions and Korn and Judas Priest and the like. /

450 capacity venue. Tickets were €17.

The show was utterly brilliant.

Honestly, much as I love Metallica and AC/DC and all, this was way better than watching stick figures from 150 metres away. This was wild. This was visceral. /