Monday, 26 November 2012
I'm sitting in bed, tired and happy.
My legs are sore from dancing and the palms of my hands are raw from
clapping. My voice is croaky and I don't think I'll be getting up any
time soon.
We arrived late yesterday afternoon at the O2. The drive was wet and windy but still only took us about 50 minutes. We had aimed to get there at 6pm but were early allowing us to get a coffee and settle in. We found out where to collect our tickets (the window that said 'The Band'!). Whilst we were killing time waiting for the window to open we were greeted by The Lighting Director who had popped down to make sure we were ok and to slip a copy of the set list into my pocket.
Whilst in the line to collect our tickets I chatted happily with Mick Jagger's family. Cousins and Nephews and Nieces over from Dartford to watch MJ in action. They told me that they wouldn't normally have to wait for tickets but they didn't mind - they were just looking forward to having something to eat and watching the show. I was at the front of the line and when the window opened and the man didn't even ask my name - the bald head is now officially my ID. The envelope was handed over with a spoken massage from my Fairy God-Mother.
Husband and I made our way (via a few wrong turns and red herrings) to Alphabet City a rock and roll bar with a curtained private entrance. We were whisked to the first floor where the 'Friends and Family' pre gig party was in full swing. After stuffing our faces from the buffet and drinking as much (unfortunately just orange juice for me and a couple of beers for the driver) complimentary stuff as we could we moseyed down to pick up some merch.
By this time the merch monkeys were war torn and glazed over from the three hours of ten punter deep selling. The shelves were almost bare and the choices very limited. Husband managed to elbow his way to a t-shirt for me, one each for the girls and one for a friend who had specifically asked. Then we were off to find our seats.
We entered the arena directly opposite the stage and about halfway up the back wall. The stage was an enormous pair of lit up red and gold lips with a circular cat-walk making up the bottom lip and the instruments set up on the 'tongue'. The arena was packed full and the atmosphere electric.
We arrived late yesterday afternoon at the O2. The drive was wet and windy but still only took us about 50 minutes. We had aimed to get there at 6pm but were early allowing us to get a coffee and settle in. We found out where to collect our tickets (the window that said 'The Band'!). Whilst we were killing time waiting for the window to open we were greeted by The Lighting Director who had popped down to make sure we were ok and to slip a copy of the set list into my pocket.
Whilst in the line to collect our tickets I chatted happily with Mick Jagger's family. Cousins and Nephews and Nieces over from Dartford to watch MJ in action. They told me that they wouldn't normally have to wait for tickets but they didn't mind - they were just looking forward to having something to eat and watching the show. I was at the front of the line and when the window opened and the man didn't even ask my name - the bald head is now officially my ID. The envelope was handed over with a spoken massage from my Fairy God-Mother.
Husband and I made our way (via a few wrong turns and red herrings) to Alphabet City a rock and roll bar with a curtained private entrance. We were whisked to the first floor where the 'Friends and Family' pre gig party was in full swing. After stuffing our faces from the buffet and drinking as much (unfortunately just orange juice for me and a couple of beers for the driver) complimentary stuff as we could we moseyed down to pick up some merch.
By this time the merch monkeys were war torn and glazed over from the three hours of ten punter deep selling. The shelves were almost bare and the choices very limited. Husband managed to elbow his way to a t-shirt for me, one each for the girls and one for a friend who had specifically asked. Then we were off to find our seats.
We entered the arena directly opposite the stage and about halfway up the back wall. The stage was an enormous pair of lit up red and gold lips with a circular cat-walk making up the bottom lip and the instruments set up on the 'tongue'. The arena was packed full and the atmosphere electric.
We followed directions down the stairs
and found our seats directly in front of the sound desk. We had a
perfect and unobstructed view of the stage and were greeted by a
sweet couple in front of us who offered to take pictures and make
friends. They were dressed in matching band t-shirts and jeans and
their excitement was infectious which was actually a little dangerous
as I was pretty close to exploding myself!
They opened half an hour late with 'I wanna be your man' to wild applause. Jagger prancing in silver and black and rousing the rabble in the style of himself only a good thirty years younger. They stomped through 'Get off my cloud' inciting air fisting from the audience in agreement. A more sedate version of 'Paint it back' than I've heard before, though what it lacked in screaming vocals and crazy rock-out it made up for in menace. Jagger was joined by Mary J Blige for 'Gimme Shelter'. Her voice so loud that they had to audibly turn her down so as not to drown Jagger out completely. Keef's guitar at times becoming so laid back as to actually be a bar behind the rest of the song! (although he made up for it by seemingly enjoying the slight confusion he was causing his band mates, with his eyes closed and a wide grin spread across his face). Jagger's on stage flirtation sated they slowed into a beautiful 'Wild Horses'.
They cut 'Lady Jane' as they were running over on every song (to our delight - although I do love Lady Jane) 'All down the line' was accompanied with a video homage to all the blues greats and inspirations to the stones and it led into 'Going Down' where they were joined by an effervescent Jeff Beck who turned his amp to 11 and rocked out in a completely over-the-top awesome guitar performance. 'Out of control' followed into two new and very credible songs 'One more shot' and 'Doom and gloom' both backed by videos in stylised 2d animation.
Bill Wyman joined them for 'It's only Rock and Roll' and an absolutely mind-blowing 'Honky Tonk Women'. I skipped to the loo whilst Mick went through the band intros and ran back to the opening bars of Keith's 'B4 they make me run' which is one of my favourites. He followed it with 'Happy' and at this point, as if boyed by his own time at the mic he became properly alive. 'Midnight Rambler' steamed on for about ten minutes with Ronnie and Keith joined by Mick Taylor setting the guitars truly alight and creating visible electricity between the three of them. Watching them bare down on the ever impeccable Charlie Watts, chemistry flowing and the cameras catching and broadcasting the looks of mischief exchanged, sent a shiver down my spine.
My earlier sneaky peek at the set list had missed my favourite song so I was overjoyed to hear the opening of 'Miss You' beautifully executed and bursting with audience participation. From here in, steaming through 'Start me up', 'Tumbling dice', 'Brown sugar' and then finishing with 'Sympathy' it was nothing short of perfection. The band at this point seeming to gather energy and lose years with each song. AMAZING!
The lights went down and the band left the stage. The crowd went wild and the foot stomping faded to the sound of the London Choir opening 'You can't always get what you want' this followed by a second encore of 'Jumping Jack Flash' brought the house down. I didn't sit down once during the show and chose instead to dance like a nutter and sing my head off!
We made our way to the Lighting desk where we met my Fairy God-Mother and her beautiful daughter. We were then offered the chance to have a closer look at the stage which was already being deconstructed at lightening speed. As we approached the side of the stage, strings were pulled and words whispered in ears and suddenly we were behind the stage, past the piles of technical equipment, miles of cable, hundreds of roadies in hard hats driving fork lifts and into the corridor of dressing rooms.
We were shown where Mick does his hour of vocal warm up followed by a crazy dance-off with is genius choreographer, walked up the hall where he runs 10 lengths on his way to the stage and told the secret names they each have on their dressing room doors. We were introduced to the Director of the entire operation and apologised to by Jeff Beck who rushed into us on his way to his bus. We had a quick drink with our new friends in the back stage bar and then were walked under the stage to see where they run up to make their entrance at the start of the performance.
Quick kisses goodbye and promises to stay in touch and then we pushed through another set of doors and we were outside, in the cold night air. Reeling from the sensory overload and giggling like a pair of teenagers.
Half an hour later we were in our little country cottage, eating toast and drinking tea and trying to come down from our trip sufficiently enough to go to bed.
This is the stuff fairy tales are made of. I have a Fairy God-Mother and her family, an Angel with a magic wand and a co-operative of friends with deep pockets who I will never really be able to Thank enough for last night. You've made a life-long Rolling Stones fan VERY happy. THANK YOU x
They opened half an hour late with 'I wanna be your man' to wild applause. Jagger prancing in silver and black and rousing the rabble in the style of himself only a good thirty years younger. They stomped through 'Get off my cloud' inciting air fisting from the audience in agreement. A more sedate version of 'Paint it back' than I've heard before, though what it lacked in screaming vocals and crazy rock-out it made up for in menace. Jagger was joined by Mary J Blige for 'Gimme Shelter'. Her voice so loud that they had to audibly turn her down so as not to drown Jagger out completely. Keef's guitar at times becoming so laid back as to actually be a bar behind the rest of the song! (although he made up for it by seemingly enjoying the slight confusion he was causing his band mates, with his eyes closed and a wide grin spread across his face). Jagger's on stage flirtation sated they slowed into a beautiful 'Wild Horses'.
They cut 'Lady Jane' as they were running over on every song (to our delight - although I do love Lady Jane) 'All down the line' was accompanied with a video homage to all the blues greats and inspirations to the stones and it led into 'Going Down' where they were joined by an effervescent Jeff Beck who turned his amp to 11 and rocked out in a completely over-the-top awesome guitar performance. 'Out of control' followed into two new and very credible songs 'One more shot' and 'Doom and gloom' both backed by videos in stylised 2d animation.
Bill Wyman joined them for 'It's only Rock and Roll' and an absolutely mind-blowing 'Honky Tonk Women'. I skipped to the loo whilst Mick went through the band intros and ran back to the opening bars of Keith's 'B4 they make me run' which is one of my favourites. He followed it with 'Happy' and at this point, as if boyed by his own time at the mic he became properly alive. 'Midnight Rambler' steamed on for about ten minutes with Ronnie and Keith joined by Mick Taylor setting the guitars truly alight and creating visible electricity between the three of them. Watching them bare down on the ever impeccable Charlie Watts, chemistry flowing and the cameras catching and broadcasting the looks of mischief exchanged, sent a shiver down my spine.
My earlier sneaky peek at the set list had missed my favourite song so I was overjoyed to hear the opening of 'Miss You' beautifully executed and bursting with audience participation. From here in, steaming through 'Start me up', 'Tumbling dice', 'Brown sugar' and then finishing with 'Sympathy' it was nothing short of perfection. The band at this point seeming to gather energy and lose years with each song. AMAZING!
The lights went down and the band left the stage. The crowd went wild and the foot stomping faded to the sound of the London Choir opening 'You can't always get what you want' this followed by a second encore of 'Jumping Jack Flash' brought the house down. I didn't sit down once during the show and chose instead to dance like a nutter and sing my head off!
We made our way to the Lighting desk where we met my Fairy God-Mother and her beautiful daughter. We were then offered the chance to have a closer look at the stage which was already being deconstructed at lightening speed. As we approached the side of the stage, strings were pulled and words whispered in ears and suddenly we were behind the stage, past the piles of technical equipment, miles of cable, hundreds of roadies in hard hats driving fork lifts and into the corridor of dressing rooms.
We were shown where Mick does his hour of vocal warm up followed by a crazy dance-off with is genius choreographer, walked up the hall where he runs 10 lengths on his way to the stage and told the secret names they each have on their dressing room doors. We were introduced to the Director of the entire operation and apologised to by Jeff Beck who rushed into us on his way to his bus. We had a quick drink with our new friends in the back stage bar and then were walked under the stage to see where they run up to make their entrance at the start of the performance.
Quick kisses goodbye and promises to stay in touch and then we pushed through another set of doors and we were outside, in the cold night air. Reeling from the sensory overload and giggling like a pair of teenagers.
Half an hour later we were in our little country cottage, eating toast and drinking tea and trying to come down from our trip sufficiently enough to go to bed.
This is the stuff fairy tales are made of. I have a Fairy God-Mother and her family, an Angel with a magic wand and a co-operative of friends with deep pockets who I will never really be able to Thank enough for last night. You've made a life-long Rolling Stones fan VERY happy. THANK YOU x
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