All, I apologize for the long post, but once I started writing, it just kept flowing…I got back from London on Friday, and I’m sitting here pondering what has been an absolutely incredible week. I know everyone has seen the streams and videos from the concerts so I’m not going to focus on that, but wanted to share some of my other experiences.
I shared a flat with schufly, rjacks, and hopperskippersminers and it was really nice to have a large apartment and to have a living room to be able kick back with each other and reminisce, read forums and reviews, watch videos, or check out our own pictures and videos. It was also nice to be able to retreat and find that quiet time that some of us need. I arrived in London on Saturday and went to the Wed and Thur concerts, the first as GA and the second with a seated, 2nd row center balcony.
Impressions and memorable moments, in no particular order (apologize for mixing past and present tenses… not going to go back to clean it up because I have to head to the airport within the next hour for a business trip)
Day 1 concert:
*Queuing for 12 ½ hours with periodic downpours and then rushing the stage and holding our positions for another two hours, with occasional surges that squished us together– and let’s not forget the heat and KILLER sore feet by the end of the concert – my buds for the queue were Dietcoke (@alinsst), @funkandsoul, a beautiful Japanese Adam fan (friend of funkandsoul) and Schufly, who came a bit later
* Met a cute little 22-year old French med student in line – she became an Adam fan after the AMAs, and her favorite Idol performance was Ring of Fire – she couldn’t find any friends who wanted to come to London with her so she came by herself and hung out with us all day in line –she had made a special Adam “Trespassing “ sign that she had so carefully wrapped in plastic – good thing too since it poured on us periodically throughout the day – lost her during the rush to get our stage positions, but think she had a good time – she later tweeted me “Glamberts power, I’ll love Him forever and ever =)”
* Took pics and chatted with Japanese Freddie, who was #21 in line and I was #22, also chatted with another Japanese Queen fan who had gone to Kiev and Poland – super nice guy who thought Adam did really well
*Spoke with a couple of German Queen fans on Day 1, they were reserved about Adam performing with Queen and were curious about how he was doing in the US – spoke with them in line on Day 2 and they told me “your boy did better” - for Day 2, they got Fan Club special GA entrance and were #4 and #5 in line – later, when I was watching Day 2 riddle60 videos, I could clearly see them ON ADAM’s SIDE OF THE STAGE in the same corner that I went for my GA tickets, between the stage and catwalk, except they were on the rail front and center – I watched them in numerous videos singing, screaming, fist pumping, clapping, and reaching not just for Brian May, BUT ALSO FOR ADAM – the bastards, lol, stringing me along- they looked like they had an absolute blast
*Chatting with the girls behind us from Norway and UK while waiting for the concert to start– they told us that since we were in a corner, to be prepared for surges from both behind and beside us – chatting with them about Sonisphere and other bands (we like My Chemical Romance, Evanescence, Flogging Molly, etc) – turns out, they kept the pressure from behind us so we only got squished from one direction – really nice thing to do
* Altercation beside us with an Italian Queen fan – he kept deliberating stomping on the UK girl’sfoot – she called security but they couldn’t really do anything – he later grabbed @funkandsoul’s wrist, who was standing beside me, and pulled her back two rows behind us during one of the surges – all I heard was her scream and looked and she was gone – we yelled at him and dragged her back up with us – drama, drama, drama….
* Adam was on fire during the concert – just cannot describe the emotions with being so close and getting so much eye contact - DEAD!!!!! The joy Adam exudes is so infectious and the love and respect flowing between him and Brian and Roger was so incredible that I don’t know how anyone could not be affected by it. There were constant glances of joy between Adam and Brian… and I mean A LOT!!! They both just looked SOOOOO HAPPY
* Sweat pouring off of Adam and flying towards us when he shook his head.
* After the concert, the Japanese Queen fan that I had stood in line with all day ran over and gave me a huge hug – he was SO HAPPY too – spontaneous hug from a very reserved guy – I will never forget that
*Chatted with a 30-something Italian man and his 12 year-old son just after the concert when we were looking for food– they both LOVED it – couldn’t talk enough about how great a concert it was - he said Adam gained a new fan with his son – yay, one convert at a time!!!
Day 2 concert
*Walking to Freddie’s house and speaking with the Queen fans from Berlin who were sitting on the curb across the street paying their respect – they were going to the concert on Day 2 dressed in costume – I regret not getting to the venue in time to see them before the concert to chat and get pictures
* Speaking with a guy outside the concert on Day 2, who, when asked if he had seen Day 1, told Schufly and me that he had seen Queen’s very first concert – further probing revealed he was “Bri’s best friend”, Tom, and that they had gone to the University together – the first concert was for friends and family only – very cool to meet Brian May’s best friend
* Seeing Jeff Scott Soto walk past me on Day 2 to pick up Will Call tickets – I just saw him perform with Queen Extravaganza in San Diego a couple of weeks ago
*Passing Sauli on my way to my seat - When going to get seated, I had to walk past Sauli who was talking to a couple - Too shy to say hello to him, so I just asked him if this was the right section – btw, he is gorgeous in person and seemed really happy
* Grinning to Neil who was seated behind me during “one of those moments” during the concert and getting the “I know” grin/acknowledgement back
*Having to stay seated in the balcony, so headed downstairs to the GA section to be able to dance and feel the crowd – GA section was completely jammed all the way back to the doors - grabbed onto the shoulder of a guy who was returning into the crowd with a couple of drinks and stuck with him as far as he could take me – when we stopped, Queen fans around me asking “are you lost?” (with that wonderful British accent), me “yes” –then we danced and sang along and I now have a new FB friend, lol – had an absolute blast, but went back upstairs for the encore, where everyone was finally on their feet
* Jeff Beck was upstairs during the Day 2 concert and I asked for a picture after the concert- he was super nice – his girlfriend/wife/date kept trying to get it right with my iphone – I am now the proud owner of 8 bad pictures with Jeff Beck, lol – she was so cute “oh no, let me try again”
* The smiles and happiness emanating from everyone walking out was just amazing.
Other memories
*Atop dinner - Thanks to all the organizers of this dinner; what a wonderful way to connect/re-connect with everyone. Talked to other lurkers and we jokingly decided we needed a lurker’s club
All in all, had a fabulous time.
*Hunting for Trespassing CDs – went to several HMV stores until we finally found the last 6 at a store near the Tower of London – five of us walking in the pouring rain, following my iphone map and losing signal while looking for an HMV store in a unknown neighborhood
* Capital Records – just after we bought our CDs, we took the underground back to Leicester Square to see Adam outside of Capital Records – he was already there when we arrived but I still managed to get my CD signed with one of his quick signatures (initials only) – thanks to the Adam fan who grabbed my CD and put it in front of him to sign – no way was I going to be able to get close enough – Adam looked gorgeous as usual – also met more fans, both local and from around the world including South Africa
*Walking and waiting– discovered that Hoppers and Rjacks walk super slowly and that Schufly and I walk super fast – lots of waiting with that dynamic- but we somehow made it all work out, lol
*Watching and re-watching videos even after seeing the concerts first-hand – many thanks to the videographers and streamers who make this possible – I somehow just cannot get enough and feel compelled to repeatedly view these shows – I know they give up a lot of the concert experience to provide this opportunity for all of us fans, and I am truly grateful to them
All in all, I have to say that this is by far the best concert experience that I have ever had. Adam, Brian, Roger, the timeless Queen music, the two fandoms mixing, the old friends and new friends, the joy and happiness that I experience every time Adam sings… just cannot put it into words. My heart is full.
All in all, had a fabulous time.
