Concert Reviews
Bournemouth and Brighton, UK
May 3 and 4, 2004
Great to be back and have some wonderful memories that I'll always cherish of my trip over to Europe and UK. My trip went like clock work accept for the dreaded suitcase.... I guess they aren't made for carrying up and down the London underground steps.
Flew out of Nice from my cussie Jane's place back to London to meet Suey at Heathrow. She was having similar problems with her suitcase, a nightmare. We caught a train to Rose's and Rose met us at the station with a big welcome - David playing in her car (made you feel at home) back to Rose's watched video of David and then off to meet her friends at a local club. Perfect hostess checked out all her lovelly pics of David on her computer till the wee hours of the morning.
Next morning we headed for Bournemouth by train . Our hotel opposite the BIC so didn't have far to go to the venue to see David. Checked out the BIC and had our pics taken outside the venue with the DC poster . I think I annoyed the girls with my freshly acquired video camera being a novice went over board lols.
Sue and Rose were getting butterflies and I surprised myself to feeling quite normal met up with Gail and Janie and had fish and chips on the beach. We then had a look around the shops. Sue and I met some girls at the BIC back entrance in the afternoon hoping to see David do his sound check, the band showed up but not David had a few laughs with the other fans and then back to hotel to get ready for the show.
I was in the second row next to Sharon J who I bought the ticket off. Loretta a DC fan here in Sydney let me wear her prized DC white hipster pants that she had painted a silhouette of David "then" on the front (from Rolling Stone mag) and on the back pic of "now" which was pic from the Rat pack. Lucky me.
Anyway back to the concert you could feel the air of excitement and I thought to myself yes, this is what I came all the way from Sydney to see David. Lights went down (electrifying have to be there - just the anticipation) and just like young school girls hopped over the seats and placed myself just near the microphone with Sharon J and her friends. Suey had given me an Australian Flag and the company I work for part-time in Oz, called Platypus, well had a Platypus from them . David took the flag (he looked fantastic in white firstly with seer sucker shirt then a plain white T and the Platypus made a joke about it - can't remember what it was. Had 3 handshakes which was lovely took lots of great pics and just took in the atmosphere and of course David. His facial expressions when singing some songs and playing the guitar were amazing I'm sure others noticed too . I hadn't seen him make those faces in the '70s and '80s concerts must be a 90's-2000 thing. You could tell that The Last Kiss meant a lot to him as he put so much effort into that song, just like he did in Oz.
Loved all the songs great atmosphere. He made a comment how in USA (but made it clear didn't mind) that the USA fans on the whole were tone deaf and he enjoyed them singing along as were in tune loved it. In Oz concerts we sang along but not as much as the UK gals). Suey (virgin DC concert goer lols) had a pair of pink knickers which mentioned 'downunder'. David took them then gave them back, I am sure she will treasure them forever. He mentioned the weather and to me had a report and talked heaps with the audience truly an entertainer not just a singer to have that report our David. David made a comment both shows I went to about the weather .The weather to me was like Melbourne (sorry Melbournites - 4 seasons in one day). The whole show was fantastic and afterwards we all went back to our hotel and met up with lots of fans and partied well into the night. Lots of Sex on the Beach - what were you thinking you know I mean the cocktail drink.
The next day hopped on a train to Brighton with Vanessa, Maria, Aggie, Mandy, Rose, Sue and I had lots of laughs and really enjoyed our little adventure with new friends. Brighton was bitterly cold and windy reminds me of where I am from in NZ - Wellington on a real bad day. We met up with Shelley and her husband, Stan. Then us girls after shopping headed off to the next concert. Met up with Cheryl K who I bought my ticket from and lots of other fans. Met up with Jill Hanley at the concert who ran the DC Friendship Society in the '80-90s lovely to meet someone that I uses to correspond to and she used to send me over so much bit and pieces on David to start the fire again.
The barriers by the stage were up at this concert and like last time after lights went out managed to get to the same possie at the front. David seemed more relaxed, forgot the words to I am a Clown, so, so relaxed and laughed joked around, some stuff I didn't understand what he was joking about...said after 40 he had CRS (can't remember shit) loved that one and played a song called you make me feel so young and then sung a verse like you make me feel well hung which girls had a laugh at, so funny. He also had hecklers yelling out which I find annoying. One said you are sex on legs. I mean we know that but to me that comment wasn't necessary and came across to me uncalled for and not a compliment, I felt embarrassed for David.
A girl next to me tapped me on the shoulder and said you look like you are in a trance I guess I was just taking it all in, David, the expressions, what he was wearing, the atmosphere you name it I was taking it all in knowing that before too long this moment will be over.
In the second half of the show like the night before everyone was told to sit back in their seats well girls weren't having it. I guess because they didn't want to lose their places and also the night before it wasn't enforced so the ones that went back initially lost their places. Anyway everyone this time had to go back to their seats and were told to sit there until David had finished his slow songs ITILY etc as that's what David wanted. Which he sang brilliantly so sexy and that voice...swooooon.
As soon as lights out lots of girls ran up to the stage disrespecting David's request I like others I know, stayed in their seat and had a lot of people around me singing with him which he had told them not to . I preferred being up front as the girls around me were real fans and respected David's wishes but the ones further back were ruining it for others. Also the atmosphere wasn't the same. There were lots of girls videoing the performance as well.
David also had a step that came down from the stage he went down on it to shake hands and the first hand he shook a girl pulled. He got very annoyed told her off and then he didn't come down again which was sad for the others.
As I said before, cherish the moments enjoyed meeting all the fans and a big thankyou to you all for making me Suey and Shelley have a wonderful time that we will look back on.
What a wonderful DC fix, so when's the next one....
Karen x
Note : Images are ©Karen. Please do not copy or use them without prior permission from Karen.
