The 2 weeks before the gig were a little turbulent to say the least. Seetickets messed up the shipping of the tickets, the tshirts I got printed were wrong and I got made redundant! So as you can expect I was thinking is this ever going to happen and will it run smoothly?
Having to collect my Rob tickets for Roundhay Park from the Box Office meant that I wasn't in a great spot and I was hoping and "Pray"ing that it wouldnt be the case this time.
Getting ready to travel to London on Friday, I heard from Tinks that she had managed to secure a GA ticket too and was going to drive to and from London on the same day! Now thats dedication! So I pack up, with the reprinted t-shirts, pacamacs, sweets, plasters, wet wipes, nurofen... you get the picture! I was like a friggin Boots Chemist! All into my rucksack with the idea that I would be travelling light - pffft fat chance!
Head to the airport and sink a Pear Bulmers - yummmm! Plane leaves on time, lovely voddy en-route and then before I can catch my breath we are landing at Stansted. The Stansted "EXPRESS" was far from it and an hour and a half later I'm still on the train! Thankfully, Lou was already at the hotel, checked in with a little carpet picnic. Well when I say little I'm not actually telling the truth. (A bit like the Stansted Express LMAO!)
It was HUGE! 3 bottles of Rose Wine, Chipsticks, Bacon Fries, Sweets, Chocolate, Toblerone, Nuts.... Planned to be there just in time for Maxie on telly but alas was not meant to be.
Finally got to the hotel around 10.15 and checked in, straight up to the room and big hugs all round from Louise. I had also brought a few guests in my bag... as Debs was going to the gig with her pool team mates and Rena wasn't coming this time, I decided to bring them with us! So in my bag there were pics of them which we fed, watered, showered, took on the tube, to the pub and to the gig! They even made some new friends.... but more about that later!
So we got stuck into the picnic and Lou put the lads on the ipod - nice one Lou with the speakers!
We're proper in the mood now and are catching up, chatting over good old times and thinking about the new ones coming up tomorrow!
Around 2.30am we head to bed - well not before Louise and I get a fit of the giggles after brushing Debs teeth!!!
Next morning, we are up and at em around 7.30. Mooching around and chilling, we decide to get ready before heading for breakfast. When I say ready I mean put on the t-shirts! At breakfast we can see people trying to read them front and back and we are getting some funny looks and some sly smiles!
Update texts from the rest of the girls come thick and fast and we start getting excited.
Check in is 3pm, but after I smooth-talk the guy on Reception, he calls housekeeping and they get the girls room ready for 12! Meaning they can check in and freshen up before we head away. It's all coming together nicely...
My phone rings and I don't get to answer it in time because... I'm at the bar! Well it would be rude not to! I get back to the table and in walks Gemma and Sarah! Sarah is Gemmas mother in law but one cool dudette!
Introductions over, they take the weight off their feet and we sit and wait.... for PINESON!
We don't have to wait too long, about 10 minutes and in walks Paula, as bouncy as ever. We start the introductions again and the Crew are now 6. Well 8 if you include Rena and Debs!!!
So we down our drinks, get the girls checked in and they change into their tshirts. I was really pleased with how they came out in the end - panic averted!!
We head for the tube and we're on our way to Wembley.... Off at Wembley Park and it feels like we are home. Tinksy texts and lets us know she is not far, we are getting excited. Gemma and Sarah stop and look at the stadium, you can't help but smile when you see the place!
Down the road, after a few beeping cars and mad waving we head into the Sports Bar. We have not been in since Soccer Aid last September but its like we were never away! The old faces were there and some new ones too - Mo and Rickyyyy were laughing and after lots of hugs got the beers in. Louise asked for some vino to be chilled for later, courtesy of Den, and we find our seats. As usual we make friends with a few new peeps, a group of girls swap stories with us of how they are sooo excited and we do the same! They are happy to oblige when we ask for piccies and we get Rena and Debs in on the action!
A couple of drinks later, we decide to make like a banana and split. Ticket office beckons. Its not open till 4 allegedly and I am getting anxious about queuing. So Saz and I head to Wembley; Gemma, Sarah, Lou and Paula head to Maccy Ds to get some supplies. Oh and we pick up Mr Smirnoff on the way too - cheeky!!
Cary calls and we arrange to meet her at gate M - her ticket is for there which is cool as is Paulas. I'm hoping that ours is the same so we can all queue together. Its about 1.30 now and its warm and sunny. No pacamacs required! Woop woop!
As we walk up Wembley Way we see a familiar face at the top...its Cary! So more hugs and kisses...
I was under strict instructions from Rena to give Tinks a big snog (no tongues mind!) and we set off for the ticket office to chance me arm and try and get the tickets a wee bit earlier.
At the ticket office, the guy is happy to oblige and we introduce him to Rena and Debs. He wonders WTF we are on but it all becomes clear once we explain! After handing us the tickets he wishes us a good day. And we know its just going to be the Greatest....We head for the ramp to start queuing... but we have to queue at the opposite gate to Cary and Paula
I head over to one of the stewards - Sean - who tells me we do need to go to gate G. I explain the mix up with our tickets and that we dont want to get split up - that we have come from all over England, Wales and Ireland. Turns out he has family in Cork and has lived in Leeds so we start the charm offensive on him and soon he is won over!
In the queue we get chatting to some mother and daughter friends who are looking forward to seeing the lads too. The queue for the loo outside the stadium is unreal - Pervy Paula is queuing for so long and getting very borderline for needing the tenas (literally) that when she eventually gets in the loo, she gets a big cheer and clap from all the other girls
Back at the ramp, all the girls are back and we crack open the Pink Champagne that Saz & I have gotten for Pervys Birthday! Louise remembers the cups and we pass the drink around, including to our new mates Claire and her mum! By return they dish out Rose' Wine and Pimms - and again the Birthday Girl gets some of her fave tipple!!!
Its getting close to 4pm and the stewards start getting us on our feet. We are all getting giddy and even though that Cary and Louise have both seen the show already they are worse than us lot!!
We get the OK to enter the stadium, OMG - this is gonna be good!! "Dont run!" shout the stewards... pfft as if we think so with a very fast WALK we head inside. OMG we are heading in near the stage... OMG theres room at the front... and so we manage to bag a fine spot on the front row right in front of the left hand side stage!!
With bowlers hats and red noses, we start to get to know the stewards on the front row and they get into the spirit of things especially when they tell us they're from LEEDS LEEDS LEEDS!!
Paula and Gemma head for beers, Cary starts snapping and me and Lou get to work on the banner. The stewards once again are happy to help when we fix the banner on the front of the barrier and we are getting excited at the anticipation of what is to come later that evening. As we look around the stadium is starting to fill behind us. The sea of people that are on the pitch is making the stadium swell and the seats around and above us are slowly filling up.
It's nearly time for the 1st support - Gary Go. Not bad he is, can certainly play and with a few catchy tunes. Gemma says that its very apt that hes called Gary Gay - what a faux pax!!
Next its Lady GaGa... well all I can say is I wish we had The Script or James Morrison... What a load of cack.
She looked crazy, she spoke a load of twaddle and when she sang... sorry mimed.... pffft!
I mean when you can hear the artist singing but you look and they are not at the mic and not moving their lips you know that are using playback & miming. Considering she didnt even show up for the 2 shows last weekend I would have hated to be a fan of hers as it would've left me feeling so let down. Total lack of respect for her fans. I could have easy poked her face I can tell you
After that, we were getting excitererated!
We called Debs and found out she was sat above us to the left, frantic waving occured (what occuring!!???) and Lou even managed to snap her in the crowd! Priceless!!
The stewards were asking us about the PV Crew and other general chit chat, we handed out haribo and then had friends for life!! They even took piccies for us with the banner and not once were we waiting for water as it was such a humid day. They dished it out no bother and kept checking that we were ok...
From our vantage point we could see behind the main stage and a load of Cloud Clowns were milling around with balloons. Lou and Saz waved and they waved back!
Next they made their way into the crowd and you knew it was nearly time... The pulley started to make its way, being wound slowly, up the BStage and everyone waited with baited breath... The hot air balloon was met with 100s of colourful balloons... they were raised into the air... the lads appeared... and the Greatest Day just got a whole lot better for the Crew!! Cue bouncing!!The set list was unknown to us all - cept for Lou and Cary. They did a fab job of not letting any surprises out of the bag! Which was just fantastic as we didnt know what came next...
Lots of dancing, swaying, a few tears and lots of laughs whilst the lads got stuck into:Greatest Day :Superb opening, very fitting!
Hello: Love this song so kept me smiling!
Could It Be Magic: After the Barry Manilow version at the last concert I wasn't expecting to hear this... but so glad I did!
Pray: One of my old faves, esp the dance moves like the old days!
Million Love Songs: Gary at his crooning best! A few tears from Gemma!
Back For Good: They certainly were...and the rain came down on the BStage!
The Garden: Mark gave it socks on this one - loved it! So did Tinks - bless her xx
Shine: Another faultless performance from Mark - makes me think of Morrisons thou!
Up All Night: All the girls bouncing for this one
Wooden Boat : Jason did a fab job... loved him on this track on the last tour, he seemed to have grown into this song since then!
How Did It Come To This: Belting performance from Jason
The Circus: Clown time
What Is Love: Not one of my faves off the album but omg it got me right there live... totally blew me away. Howard - legend.
Medley: Do What You Like, Promises, It Only Takes A Minute, Take That And PartyIf youre going to do a medley, why not make it your own?!?! Classic tunes, classic moves, pure class
Said It All: At this point I was just in awe... all the girls were!
Never Forget: We wont!
Patience: Gary said this was their comeback song... for some of us they were never away!
Relight My Fire: Plenty of flames fanned at this point - hot hot hot!
Hold Up A Light: Spinning lights that formed the TT logo when spun fast, the cast whipped up a frenzy with this one
Rule The World: The final song. What an ending. There were a few tears all round, it was just amazing and they certainly did Rule our World that night!
Thrown in for good measure was Gary... with only a piano and a few classics of Love aint Here Any More, Babe and Nobody Else... cue lots of
At the end it was mentioned that Mark said he would "like to thank the Crew...."
Mark - the pleasure was all ours!
So the gig finishes and we head up Wembley way... 86000 people and we meet DEBS!! What a classic PV moment!
Gemma is felling a bit poorly due to her cold so her and Sarah say they are getting off. Saz decides to join them - well its been quite a night. Cary gives more hugs and kisses and heads back to her car - shame she couldnt come and play but it was blardy FAB to see her!!
So me, Paula and Lou decide to be hardcore and head back to the Sports Bar.
They crack open the chilled vino for us and we get stuck in
The lads in the Bar ask if we were on the tellllly again.... well we tell them we dont know but we were at the front with a new banner. Trust you... they say!!!
Heading for the last tube at 0.25 we walk with a heavy heart and tired feet over to the tube. The steward tells us that the last southbound tube has gone - of course you can guess where we were going....!!
Sooo - we ask about the bus and jump on the 83 to Golders Green, like we know where we are going...
We dont!! So we ask the bus driver - his reply is that he doesnt know either!
God we are fudged if the driver doesnt know where hes going
One of the ladies who was working at Wembley tells us we need to get the night bus at the last stop - cool, thanks lady. We get chatting to this guy in a Tux on the bus. He's Neil and he is just returning from his mates wedding...
He thinks we are funny as we snap piccies at the back of the bus...
So the bus gets to the end of the road and we hop off, and on to the night bus. Cept the night bus is empty, closed and has no driver.
Whoopsie.
Neil asks us where we are going, we tell him and he lives just around the corner. We tell him we dont know around the corner, in fact we dont know where we are but he gladly flags us a taxi down and directs the taxi driver. We tell him to hop in (3 of us, 1 of him, we'll ave 'im if he starts!) and the taxi driver is loving our tales of the concert!
So we stop outside the takeaway at the end of the road near our hotel. Neil hops out and hands over the cash for the taxi, we pay half as its only fair and he hustles Paulas bowler hat as it suits him! LMAO!!
We head into the chipper for food, Neil waves bye and its Chicken Wraps and Chips all round. Back at the hotel, we decide to have one for the road in the bar before we hit the hay... talking about the fun we had and what a gig it was... A few guys in the bar overhear and they ask us where we have been. Turns out they were working up the road that night at a venue where James Morrison was playing.. they were doing his lights. That kinda explains why we were stuck with Lady GAGA....
Finishing our drinks and chips its 3am and we call it a day... the Greatest Day...!!
