Alumni Voices: 'I had this bizarre night making sure nobody nicked any of Taylor Swift's stuff'

Why did you choose to study at King’s?

I’d come to higher education as a mature student and I was studying at another university in London. But I wasn’t happy there, so I applied to King’s. It had a good reputation and I had friends who’d already studied there. They confirmed it was a great place to be.

What are your favourite memories of King’s?

I have very fond memories of Tutu’s. I always tell people that I went to the same university as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, I drank in the bar named after him and I left King’s with a ‘Desmond’ – or a 2.2 degree.

There was also a great indie club night called the Mess Around and I loved going to the Waterfront. This looked out across the Thames to the South Bank. I remember going there with my friends when we’d finished our exams and looking out at the IBM building, the Millennium Bridge and the Oxo Tower, and thinking it was such a cool location.

You saw Taylor Swift at King’s, too…

Yes. I worked in the Students’ Union while I was an undergraduate. I was either in the bar, the kitchen or working at the venues when they had gigs or club nights. On that particular night, I was working as part of the venue team.

At that point, Taylor was pretty unknown in the UK. An American guy I worked with knew who she was and I remember talking to him about her before the gig.

What are your main memories of Taylor’s performance?

I started off working in the bar at Tutu’s, so I saw her first couple of numbers. The opening track was pretty good and there were a lot of American students in the crowd who gave her a warm reception. She was already a polished and exciting performer.

What are your other memories of the gig?

Sadly, not a lot. After her first few numbers, I was asked to go backstage to guard her stuff while she and the band were performing. So I had this bizarre night sitting in a dressing room and making sure nobody nicked any of Taylor’s stuff while she was on stage.

Did you meet Taylor after the gig?

I met her mum first. Once she’d worked out what I was doing in the dressing room, she was really friendly. She felt a bit sorry that I’d had such a bizarre night backstage while everyone else had been enjoying the gig out front.

She asked me if I had a girlfriend. When I replied I did, she explained how Taylor had been given a huge bouquet of flowers, but she couldn’t take them with her. She asked me if my girlfriend would like them and she gave them to me.

Did you eventually meet Taylor?

Yes. Her mum introduced us. She was a bit shy but very sweet, despite the fact she was obviously tired after the gig. We exchanged a few pleasantries and I said I hoped she enjoyed the rest of her time in the UK. I left her dressing room carrying this massive bunch of flowers.

I’d cycled into King’s that day, but I ended up getting the night bus home as I don’t think I’d have managed transporting this huge floral arrangement home on my bike. And my girlfriend did love them. Even when I told her the surreal story behind me getting them.

Would you call yourself a ‘Swiftie’?

I wouldn’t say I’m a massive fan. Heavy metal is more my genre, with bands such as Carcass and Paradise Lost. But there are a couple of Taylor songs I like. I Knew You Were Trouble is pretty good. I also like Shake It Off because my kids love Sing and that features in the film. I definitely think she’s a good artist.

Did you see any other memorable gigs at King’s?

I was at Tutu’s the night that Nina Persson from Swedish indie rock band The Cardigans played a solo show. She was good. But as I was working behind the bar, so I couldn’t watch all of it.

What did you do when you graduated?

I landed a role in computer software in London after I graduated. I started as a junior developer and most of my jobs have been in that sector in and around London. This included working for ITN, where I met a few famous faces such as Jon Snow and Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Now I’m a Senior Software Developer at a London-based charity.

Finally, what advice would you give to King’s graduates who want to work in software?

It doesn’t matter where you start in a career. If you can’t get a job in the specific area you want, then go after a role in an adjacent area. If you can, do some voluntary work. All sorts of different experiences can be valuable in the job market.

Remember to demonstrate enthusiasm when you’re in an interview, too. That can make a difference between landing a role and missing out.

Finally, don’t worry if the ideal role isn’t there immediately. If you’ve done the work and you have the skill sets, it will come eventually.