3.1.15 One more month to TOH!! More news!
Mar 1, 2015 8:41:43 GMT -5
Post by theosgma on Mar 1, 2015 8:41:43 GMT -5
I know there's a feeling that the world has moved on apace....that the tour is over and new excitement is just around the corner...
But I thought I'd post my recaps of the last two concerts as my personal full-stop to a wonderful chunk of life that started way back in June and ended on Friday night in Sheffield.
Liverpool
I've done 9 QALs in the UK this year, standing in Glasgow and Liverpool. Glasgow (as per my recap then) was the funniest audience experience ever...and Liverpool didn't disappoint.
BristolGill came to stay with me, 45 mins from Liverpool and, armed with cheap camping stools that we could abandon and a truly ridiculous picnic, we arrived soon after midday. We joined a group of highly self-organised people and were indelibly marked with our order numbers (31 & 32) which made it so much easier to take loo/coffee breaks. My sister arrived later and was in the 50s.
True to form for any time I've queued for Adam, it was FREEZING!! We huddled together in the door alcove while the wind howled across the river and we stood in an inch of water. Cold feet were a real problem for some people; one lady put her feet into empty foil crisp (chip) packets with socks over the top which seemed to work - good tip for future crazy queuers! But the crowd were so happy and resilient and fun....
We had the only stools so we loaned them out to others in half hour sessions as the hours went on. Our picnic was shared as well though we managed the wine ourselves - in the interest of keeping warm! Two lovely ladies who had come from Japan were given the honorary numbers of 1 and 2 and it was lovely to see them later, at the barrier at the very tip of the thrust, just as they'd dreamed.
The staff at the Echo Arena are always the very best; well trained, no-nonsense with that wonderful dry Liverpool humour. Security asked what system we had and then ensured that we had entry strictly in accordance with our numbers. After bag and cursory body searches, we entered to an empty arena and had plenty of time to choose positions. BristolGill and my sister stood at the barrier at the head of the thrust while I stood at the barrier in the centre of the main stage.....next to a truly beautiful young gay man.
He had first seen Adam on television in the NYE show and had fallen in love! I joked with him that he would catch Adam's eye and he did! - lots of eye-contact and an extra gyration or two....not for me sadly, but I could bask in my neighbour's attention. Needless to say, he was thrilled!
Have said this before but most of the people I've talked to at these concerts, first saw (and loved) Adam on the NYE broadcast. It can't be right statistically but that's my experience. That show has been far more influential for Adam in the UK than we could ever have imagined.
BristolGill and my sister managed to touch Adam's offered hand in RadioGaGa but were disappointed that he didn't pause on their side as he'd done before. They think it might have been influenced by a young man, a charming, staunch Queen fan with whom we had queued.
He stood at the barrier as Adam passed with a big sign saying 'Freddie Mercury - Tribute'.
Whatever his intention, Adam didn't stop there....
My sister said that, super-close-up, Adam looked spectacular with no trace of the heavy make-up of yesteryear. His skin was glowing and his eyes shone with health and happiness. Awww....
It's hard to judge general audience reaction when five feet from the stage but where I was, the audience was ecstatic and even (especially?) the Queen fans were very happy with Adam. He was particularly giggly and silly and afterwards reaction was not just what a great frontman/singer he was but mostly, what a lovely person he was. People who knew little of him responded to him as a person as much as a rockstar....they saw the same thing in him instantly as most of us did all those years ago. 'What a lovely guy!' was the general feel....he has that knack of making friends from the stage, of making that personal impact.
We got back to my place just before 1am - exhausted and making plans for Sheffield in the morning.....
will post this and then add Sheffield. Wish I knew how to save drafts - may need another three years to learn that...