NOT much beats the fizz of watching a live concert for the physical and emotional joy of feeling in awe yet part of and connected to the very best that is human. It’s exhilarating.

At comedian and jazz musician Tim Minchin’s concert in Plymouth my companion, a hospital doctor, and I crested a wave of emotions. At last! (And possibly for the last time for a while thanks to the omicron variant), the thrill of live performance reminded us how important a role the arts play in all our mental and physical health. Laughter, dancing, inspiration, longing, excitement, fantasy. I had imagined my way through being asked backstage before Mr Minchin had played one note!

The excitement of experiencing somebody else’s gifts – the pleasure of applauding and supporting such extraordinarily talented artists is good for us all. It feels good to clap the brilliance of others; music bonds and humbles.

How I long to be part of the band when at the end, they line up, linked arm by arm to take their (many) bows. My friend and I started the standing ovation in our section; British audiences are notoriously less expressive in their applause than other countries. Performing in concert halls across Germany and Spain, I recall the frustration of the singers as we had to take yet another bow to an ecstatic audience while the time left till the hotel bar shut grew scarily closer.

At the Plymouth gig, we were very much in the minority in terms of wearing masks. The man next to me had a mask round his neck and it wasn’t till he’d emitted several juicy and productive coughs that my medic friend asked him to wear his mask.

What is it about the well-off middle classes?

If that had been me, I’d have been full of embarrassment and apologies and kept any irritation to myself. I’d have immediately worn my mask properly. This chap, though, initially refused, huffing and puffing that we should have had the rudeness to ask. His female partner chimed in snootily telling us it really wasn’t necessary. My medic friend kept her cool and pointed out they were wrong. Oh so very grudgingly, the man then told us that ‘so we could all have a nice evening he would do what we asked even though it wasn’t necessary’.

Somehow my friend managed not to shout ‘I’m a hospital doctor you idiot and if you won’t consent to reduce risk for those in sneezing distance why the f**k should I treat you when you get ill?’

She is of course far too elegant, soignée and professional to do so; of course had he been a mind-reader, he’d have known that this was what I was thinking anyway…

The tickets were eye-wateringly expensive – we were nowhere near the stage and paid £45 each. Given the real emotional and physical benefits that the arts provide, the health-preserving and mood enhancing impact that concerts have, it infuriates me that this Conservative government puts less and less funding into the arts and provision of musical instruments in schools. Playing rock and roll piano should not be the preserve of kids in private schools with Bechsteins to practise on.

There is such value in music and performance – just look at how young kids respond to rhythm.

How often do DJs at weddings end up with more three-year-olds on the dance floor than 30 year olds? It’s a natural instinct that should be nurtured, not subject to government cuts.

Perhaps somebody should start a Pro-Music Political Party. Anybody fancy that and if so, any suggestions for a campaign theme tune?