I like to write about special things that have happened to me because I get scared incase I let the memory slip. But it's lovely to have something you can look back on and read; you can see what it was like when the memory was fresh and new. This blog is for me and you; if you're interested.
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On August 24th I woke up with butterflies in my stomach and that feeling stayed when I got on the plane, when I arrived in London, throughout the day right up until I walked through the doors to Earls Court. I had said to my mum "Why have I got butterflies in my stomach? I'm not nervous, you only feel like this when you're nervous" and she replied with "You're just excited. I don't think you've ever been this excited for in your life."
I woke up at 7:45am had breakfast and grabbed my shoes, bag and hoodie and stumbled down stairs while Dad was calling "George is waiting for you!" He drove me and my mum to Manchester Airport for about 9am and we went through customs. That's always a nerve racking thing for me, but to be honest, I don't think I've been on a plane since the 9/11 attack, and therefore never knew the security to be so tight. I met Harri in the Departure Lounge. I text her telling her I was in WHSmiths, and the next thing I knew she was poking me in the back and giving me a massive hug. I think I was pretty speechless, I was just so overwhelmed about everything that was going on and 9:30 is too early for me! To be honest, I was just quiet the whole day, even though I was pleased to see her. She had seats on the plane behind me. I told my mum that I had safety pins in my trousers because I had turned up the bottom of them. The look on her face was priceless. She was like "How did you get through customs with those!?" Like I can jab someone's eye out with safety pins (!) My mum, Harri's mum, Harri and I spent a few hours in Covent Gardens. We bought lunch and watched a load of street entertainers. There was this one guy who stuck a balloon down his throat, popped it with a sword and juggled whilst on a 6 foot ladder. Before he did this, he put a rubber glove over his head and blew it up (by blowing out of his nose). It was a sight if I ever did see one. I couldn't stop laughing. Harri, and I'm sure several other people around me, can vouch for that.Me and my mum checked into our hotel, which was in South Kensington. A mere 10 minutes walk from Earls Court. I'll never forget this. We got into our room and Mum went to the window to see if we had a good view. She said "Oohh, now Zoeyy... Don't get too excited... But come and have a look at this" and I looked out, and through the trees I could see Earls Court, and the banners with George on. I practically cried on the spot. Seeing it there made it very real... We ate our M&S salad in the hotel; I changed my clothes and makeup, crimped my hair and walked out of the door…
I think I got to Earls Court a little before 7pm, and we queued to get in. There was a long snaking queue which was constantly moving. But I didn't notice the queue too much because I was just staring at the banners, and then all the fans with their GM shirts. It was so overwhelming and I wondered what I had ever done to deserve this. I went in and got my camera through security. I don't know why so many people were fussing over it, because they didn't even check properly. I was debating whether to get a tour book or not. It was £15 and my mum reckoned it was a waste of money. She told me that if I saw somewhere else that sold them I should get it because it's 'destiny'. Then Harri rang me and told me where she was. A guy checked my ticket and told me to go up the stairs round the other way, but it all lead to the same place. As I came to the top of the stairs and through the door, I could see people milling about and a big crowd pressed against the barrier for the merch stall. Lots of designs of shirts, key rings, DVDs, badges shining in the spotlight. I looked around and Harri was a few yards to my right. We spotted each other and I just ran into her arms, tears in my eyes again. She'd bought a Wham! shirt and a GM faith glittery pink and white shirt. I can't even remember what I said to her. My mum gave me £60, told me to not spend it all and me and Harri went to the merch stall. (My mum had told me in the hotel "I'm going to regret saying this, but I'll buy you your shirt, anything else you buy you're paying for!!" I got quite emotional over that as well because after everything she'd done for me, organized it all, and she still buys me a shirt.)
It was so funny being in that queue because we were so giddy. I was deciding which shirt to buy, and I said "if it hasn't got Georges face on, I don't care" which has sort of become a running joke with Harri and I. I'd also said I wasn't getting on the plane unless it has George's face on. Good times. Anyway, just occasionally we got glances off other people, as if it was weird for us to be like this, two girls, aged 14 and 15, getting giddy over George that would have made sense 20 years ago. My butterflies completely went, and I know that's because my internal excitement became external i.e. I got more vocal and giddy, you could tell I was excited, I wasn't quiet anymore. Harri got her Wham! shirt changed to a different size and eventually I bought A Different Story (his DVD documentary), the tour book (because its 'destiny'), and a shirt with the 08 tour dates on the back and a picture of George on the front with the image that was on the banner at EC, with 'George Michael' written above. I game mum the £15 change and me and Harri went separate ways.
I changed my shirt in the toilets and came out, we practically ran to the arena because we didn't want to be late, although he is always late as well. When I walked in, that 'concert smell' was immediately there. You could see the excitement. I was just amazed. I don't really know why. But when we got shown to our seats I had tears in my eyes again because we were actually pretty close to the stage, which stupidly doesn't show on the photos (they're rubbish anyway). All the banners people had were adorable as well. People next to us had balloons and were blowing them up, so we were all bouncing balloons everywhere and then Mexican waves started and it all made me really excited. It was just great to sit there and wait for him. You could call it 'calm before the storm'.
Oh my GOD. I saw Kenny! I actually saw Kenny. For those of you that don't know who he is, he has been George's boyfriend/partner for 12 years and is from Dallas, Texas. It's adorable how Kenny comes to every single show to see George perform and he's always there for him. It was quite a big deal for me, because these things just don't happen for me. I've never actually spoken personally to anyone famous, and I rarely see them. Kenny was walking down the edge of the floored seating, getting photos with people, smiling and chatting. I was 4 people and a barrier away from him. A George look-alike had a photo with him I took a photo of the back of their heads. They were facing away from me and I wasn't quick enough. I'm still really chuffed. I spotted a few people from the forums during all this as well. Harri rang me again wanting to know what all the fuss was about and I told her it was Kenny. She saw him too.
The backing music stopped and the lights went down. The screams hit me like a tonne of bricks, and I joined in. The beautiful screen visual effects moved to the beat of the song Waiting [Reprise] (like the visualizers in iTunes) and George started singing, behind the stage. The quality of his live voice was like nothing I've ever heard before. I was blown away and that song is so beautiful anyway. I started crying about half way through the song and then George sang the last few notes "Here I aammmm!" and held the last one on so long I automatically held my breath with him, and then the doors opened, and I cried even more. He walked out onto the main stage, light shining on him from all directions and it hit me that I was in the same room as him and I'd be hearing him sing for the next 2 and a half hours. It was weird how the song finished and then George launched into Fastlove and I have to recover from it all and start dancing and having fun, it happened a lot through the concert. Many times my mum grabbed the camera off me and started filming because I was just dancing too much. George sang the first verse of a more mature I'm Your Man, then stopped and said "I wouldn't do that to you" and launched in to the full on Wham! version. I cheered like crazy. I heard a fucking Wham song live! George was so lively, dancing about everywhere, singing like an angel. It was amazing. They even showed the clips from the video on the screen. It was funny comparing 1986 George to 2008 George; I tell you, he's hardly changed. Next was the wonderful Father Figure, his backing singers stood around him. I can't actually take in how perfect is voice is live, you'd thinking it was pre-recorded it was so stunning.
"Does anyone remember 1987? Well this is from that year, that album. This is called Hard Day". I actually said "Oh my god" really loudly. I was so pleased to be hearing that song! I really can't go through all the songs in detail, but hey. Next was Everything She Wants. I'm telling you that's all I came for. I love that song. It's so powerful, and it has so many layers to it, George could easily make 3 or 4 songs out of it. Tears were in my eyes; I was singing along, it was all perfect. One More Try was the next one and it was similar to Father Figure in the way he sung and performed it; equally emotional and perfect.
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, a Roberta Flack cover was next. This song can make me cry in seconds when I listen to it on the CD. Hearing the first opening bars, I gasped. George sat on his little stood and sang his heart out. It was so weird. I actually broke down into tears and I was sobbing for the first half. My mum said she got a little freaked out because of my reaction to that song. She thought it had some significance to my Granddad. But it really wasn't that at all. Like I said before, you have to pick yourself up ready for the next song, wipe the tears away and get ready to dance, in this case to An Easier Affair.
Too Funky came, probably my favorite dance song of the night, and I danced like crazy. I even got my mum to start dancing with me. She really isn't a great fan of George. She likes some of his slower songs but that's about as far as it goes. But she really started to get into the whole thing after Too Funky, I feel.George ended the first half with Star People, but I think it might have actually been Star People '97; it was a funkier version with slightly different lyrics. Lasers shot from all directions, green and blue. There were even some comings from the back so it filled the arena with light. This concert was probably the first one where the audience itself was quite well lit. I could see people faces, see them all dance, smile and cry; and it was wonderful.
Star People finished and George, waving and smiling, ran offstage and the lights brightened. Up on the massive LED screen, big orange letters read "Back in 19:59" "...58" "...57" and so on. It was a countdown. I stared at that screen for two minutes or more. Just looking. Eighteen minutes before George would be back on stage, with that smile… and that voice. Then my eyes tore away from the screen and I glanced at Harri over near the back, who was looking at me and stood up to come and see me. I threw my leg over a row of seats and walked down to the barrier, and Harri joined me. We hugged so tightly, the barrier between us and I guess we just talked about the past hour, what it was like seeing George on that stage. She had cried, I had defiantly cried. But her makeup was all smudged and she said "I hate how your make up is still perfect" and I replied with "But I buy good makeup. :D I've been crying so much". I looked up at the screen again. Fourteen minutes. I think we talked about seeing Kenny. And then George again, then Harri left to go to the toilet before he came back onstage. I went back to my seat and gave my mum a big hug. I can't believe she'd do all this for me. Suddenly, the thumping of the bass drum and the magical tune of John and Elvis Are Dead started, and the music video to match came on screen underneath the timer, with five minutes to go. Surprisingly, a lot of people around me weren't too interested in the video, although a lot had left the arena. But I watched that video and sang along to every word. I said to my mum that George will probably come on straight after the video because it lasts for about five minutes anyway. But I was wrong; made of fail. There was just a couple of minutes before the timer ended. It reached 00:10 and everybody, including me counted down from ten.
As soon as the timer hit zero the lights went down, the screen brightened and George ran on, with a smile bigger than I've ever seen him smile. The second half had begun. He went straight into Faith and I fucking screamed. Everyone was clapping along and George's dancing was truly incredible. Twenty-one years may have passed since the release of Faith but George was still dancing like it was 1987. Seeing him dance and spurring everyone on made me dance even more. The chorus must have been THE song to clap along to, of all time. Clap-double clap- clap-clap. Like that helped anything (!) Just watch the video.
He next played Spinning the Wheel, which was amazing. Some people had started waving their arms in the corner, so George got everyone to do it in time. I swear to god, every single person did it. All of the floor, all of the lower tier and the entire upper tier. Everyone in front of me and behind me. It was a sight. Mum later told me that she swear she thought she'd never see everyone join in like that until we went to see Queen. It felt amazing to be part of that crowd, swaying my arms, being part of the experience. Its weird how at a rock show, its great don't get me wrong, but it feels more violent and less "we're all here because we love the artist and their music". I guess it depends on the concert, but I think it comes across a lot more in a pop act, and especially because the artist in question has been doing this for 27 years. The only other concerts I've been to where I felt everyone was united, the band has been around for five or six years. It's nowhere near as apparent. A Spinning the Wheel remix was played and George said "Just pretend you're at a rave" which I thought was fucking hilarious.
The next song was Feeling Good, an old song that everybody knows because loads of bands have covered it in their own way. It was only released a few months ago in the States but it has yet to be released here. George introduced the song with something like "It was released in America but it's available to download for free on Christmas day, along with a new song." He gave a wide grin as he adjusted his microphone stand. I cheered and clapped and smiled so much. A new song?! He sang the song with a beautiful, sexy and smooth voice while on the screen; there was an almost strip-tease type show from Dita Von Teese. The song made its big finished and the lights went off. There was this strange suspense I felt. There were camera flashes, cheers, and some chatter. People were bringing chairs up to the end of the catwalk. I held my breath.
George appeared and sat on the stool the crew had placed for him. With it was a double bass and I think another instrument, maybe a keyboard? I have a video of this song anyway…George was so close now. "When we were on the American tour, I don't think many people focused on me, more on the screen behind. The next piece of film wasn't acting, they're real people. About ten years ago we went to a place called the red light district…" We al cheered because we knew which song was coming. "…I wanted to thank them for letting us invade their lives for a few moments for us to film it. This is Roxanne" The smooth double bass started, and George started singing "Roxanne… you don't have to put on the red light. Those days are gone; you don't have to sell your body to the night." My mum went "oohh!!" and I said "It's Sting" (because the song is a jazz version of the original, a rock song by Sting/The Police) She said "I know!" in that shocked tone of voice. That's what she gets for not letting me play her George Michael songs pre-concert!
When he sang Amazing, I got really teary because I could really hear the emotion in his voice. The way he dedicated it to Kenny, the way he said if any of the audience members weren't there with someone they love, don't worry "that day will come". It was amazingly sweet, so sentimental. It made me realise that through all the celebrity-ness and the press attacks and everything that puts him in the center of everything, he's really just a normal 45 year old man who's in love. The two situations colliding just make it more surreal. I know that he's happier now than he's ever been in his live, and when he sang Amazing, I could clearly see that. He threw his right arm out, holding the microphone into the crowd. "So now I walk in the midday sun. I never thought that my savior would come. I think it's amazing. Na Na Na Na Na Na…" I've never appreciated that song more in my life.
Flawless (Go to the City) came and went, and for the first and only time in the concert I was jumping up and down to the chorus "You've got to go to the city…Always the same" etc. Ha-ha. It was like a proper rave. Lasers everywhere. Everyone was having so much fun, including George. The end of the song was extended and George ran offstage, leaving the backing singers singing "'Cause you're beautiful…" I hadn't even noticed that he'd left and then after a few seconds I was like "Where's George!!"
He came back onstage in his police uniform and the roof blew off! The cheers and wolf whistles were so loud. He sang Outside, in his uniform, as he always has done. My mum was shocked; she said "He's in his gay outfit!!" Ha-ha! There was a lot of cat walking and strutting. I guess this was his one chance to be really camp. In reality, it's probably the least gay person. The way he dresses, and talks. You just wouldn't automatically thing he was gay. Usually you can tell, right?
Then he said goodbye to us all. But I knew it wasn't over. Soon enough he came back with A Different Corner. A little stool on the vast stage, in front of a vast crowd. Everyone was silent as he sang those words. Again, I cried a little. It was just about the ultimate dream to hear that live, and I did. It was so touching, and the screen visuals were beautiful. I remember the first time I heard A Different Corner. The way I watched the video, mullet-George in white clothes, in a white room, with a white phone and a white bean bag. How beautiful the lyrics were. How someone of twenty-three years of age can write a song that touching. And then how by that age he had been in a band that had worldwide success, released two number one single, and was about to become the biggest pop star in the world. I heard many different versions he sang of it. Now I was hearing it live. I wondered what was going through his head. His eyes were closed, feeling the music. Singing like an angel…
He waved goodbye, thanked us all, then went off stage, and I actually felt really sad because I knew there was only two more songs and then it would be all over- no more encores. Possibly never to see him again.
But he came back, that bit was important. The crowd roared with appreciation.
"Thank you for twenty-five amazing fucking years" he called out into the crowd, everyone clapped, screamed. I just wished at that moment I could have been there for it all. Other things were said, he talked a lot during the concert, but I can only vividly remember it. The saxophone intro started and everyone went insane. Careless Whisper. Possibly one of the biggest song of the 1980s and I was hearing it live. I half laughed, because I remember being in Wales with Harri, and I went to the bathroom. Through the walls I could hear Harri turning up Careless Whisper and singing so loud to it, rewinding back to her favorite part and singing it again. I sang through the whole song, desperately out of tune because I couldn't even hear myself! I recorded it all as well, and it's a damn shame because I'm not going to release it to the public, my singing is really bad!! But I loved to sing it there and then, being a part of it. The incredible thing was every single person was singing it. In parts, George didn't sing. He held out the microphone to us and we sang whole versus and choruses. I could see the emotion in his face. As if he was just so proud. So he should be, he created ALL of it. Me and my mum just swayed to it and sang and cried.
The last song. Oh my god. "If there was only one more song you could hear tonight, what would it be???!!!" "FREEDOM!" We all called. He asked this several times, and each time I replied. So Freedom 90 started. It was amazing. It was a feel-good song to end the most amazing night… Everyone was so lively, and me and my mum danced. At the chorus, everybody sang "FREEDOM!" and threw there arms in the air. I don't think I've ever felt as free as I did at that moment. "All we have to do now is take these lies and make them true somehow. All we have to see is that I don't belong to you and you don't belong to me yeah, yeah. Freedommmm!" I can't even describe the feeling. It was immense.
Then the time came for it all to end. George kept saying thank you, and my eyes were just fixed on him, I didn't want him to leave. But he walked off stage, waving the whole time… smiling. The song was still going, the backing singers were singing, but George had gone and he wasn't coming back. I didn't like that. He should have finished his song, finished his concert. Credits rolled on the LED screen; I thought that was a really nice touch. Then everything finished, the lights went up and people started to leave. I took a photo of the stage and stood and looked at it for a few minutes. I didn't want to leave at all. It wasn't fair and I thought I was going to cry again. My mum finally got me away and we walked out. I looked back. I kept doing it until the stage was out of sight.
A little way round the corner, there was a crowd forming. George's old microphone from the 2006/2007 tour was in a glass box. It was the union jack on made out of little jewels. Me and my mum entered the competition to win it and I gave the form back to the smiling woman. Outside I stated at the banners outside Earls Court. The time was 11:15 and the sky was black, so the banners were lit. I took photos again of the outside, and then my mum spotted Harri and her mum. We talked for a while and then walked back to the hotel, I was singing Freedom the whole way, clutching onto my DVD and tour book. Back in the hotel, I shared the lift with a man who said to me "George Michael! I just came from that concert. I came all the way from America". It was a bit unexpected, I was sort of like 'Oohh..!' and I was still in a daze from the past 3 hours. The doors to the lift had just opened so I mustered up an "Ahh, wow!" and a "Goodbye" as he waved 'bye' as he got out.
I sat on my bed with hot chocolate and read my tour book, crying, till 1am that night. I slept through. At breakfast the next day I was in my George shirt and I wanted to shout out "WHO WENT TO SEE GEORGE LAST NIGHT?" But I didn't, I don't do that kind of thing. I was in a funny mood. I still am. Post concert blues... I walked though Camden with Harri, not really speaking, not really taking much in. I cried at the airport. I cried on the plane.
Some of 'Team GB' from the Olympic Games was on our plane! Mum turned to the sports section of The Daily Mail and Chris Hoy (the cyclist who won a few gold medals) was on the back. Mum turned round and he was standing behind us, waiting to get on the plane! We didn't say anything to him though. The pilot made an announcement that they were on and we applauded them. Three of them were sitting in front of me.
When I got off the plane, people were waiting for them to come home, a massive crowd, photographers, GB flags. I walked out the door and there was a massive cheer and then they stopped because it was only us. It was hilarious. But then a boy, he must have been about 10, pointed at my shirt and said "GEORGE MICHAEL! MY FAVORITE!!" I gave him a big grin. My dad met us and took us home. On the way out of the airport mum said "Give your daughter a hug. She's emotional." Dad put his arm around me and said "Aww, what's up" and I burst into tears. I cried all the way home while listening to Freedom.
I sat in the living room, staring at the clock. "9pm, he'd be onstage now." I thought. But a wonderful film called The Terminal starring Tom Hanks came on and I sat in the darkness watching that till midnight. It soothed me a lot.
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Let me just say that the photos and videos I've taken aren't nearly as good as they should be. Even it was zoomed in, it didn't look as close as I was in real life. The fact is, I was in great seats and my camera does it no justice. I also found out that on the 25th, George played Fantasy, Precious Box, My Mother Had A Brother, Jesus to a Child and You Have Been Loved. I can't even tell you how upset I am. They are actually my favorite songs and I really wanted him to play those songs. I can't even believe he would change the set list for that night only. The last two would have been perfect, PERFECT for my mum, because she loves those songs, as do I. I'm not complaining about what I got, it was an amazing night, it truly was. It's a shame he didn't play them; its really about the fact that I had a chance to see it, I could have bought tickets and stayed an extra night. But really, it's fine now. I shouldn't, wouldn't ask for more than I already got. I love all his songs. He will be releasing these concerts on a DVD so I will see everything again.
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This must be the most I've ever written in my life, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for reading it all if you have. It honestly means a lot.
I'd love some meaningful comments back, this took me ages to write. :]
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Setlist.
Waiting (Reprise) *
Fastlove *
I'm Your Man *
Father Figure
Hard Day *
Everything She Wants *
One More Try
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face *
An Easier Affair
Too Funky
Star People
INTERMISSION (with 'John And Elvis' Video)
Faith
Spinning the Wheel *
Feeling Good
Roxanne *
Amazing
Flawless
Outside *
ENCORE
A Different Corner *
ENCORE
Careless Whisper *
Freedom '90
* -I have recorded all or part of these songs.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
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