It was hard waking up after a short night, but at least it was for a good cause! So at 12.45 Sofie joined us and we set off. Sleepy or not, I am a good sleeper, so before I realized it, we checked in at the Ferry. Slept a bit more at the ferry, got off and made our way further to Newcastle. Around 10 am we stopped to fuel up (again I slept the whole way), and I took the wheel. Around noon we arrived at the hotel near the airport, checked in and put our luggage in the rooms.
Yvonne needed a rest, the rest of us were wide awake and went to the stadium, to see if anything is going on already. We had a sneak preview on the balloon over the B-stage, had a walk around the stadium, had a look at where the box-office was and where we had to queue. Soon enough Yvonne called that she was awake, Anna went to pick her up and Sofie and I stayed near the stadium. We met some of the Dutchies and they told us where we could see the Circus Trucks. Thanks girls. We went to a pub, where we waited for the Germans to come back to have tea together.
After our tea, we went back to the stadium to see there were a lot more fans now, and the VIP’s for the dress rehearsals were waiting in line already to go inside. No one but them could get in, security wouldn’t let anyone in unless they were on the guestlist and you could prove it with an ID. After long waiting around (and speculating about the 2 German vans and the 4 black Audi’s with same plates), we saw Emma and Dawn arriving, so we knew it couldn’t be much longer…
At 9pm, all of a sudden we could see balloons going up in the sky, and soon we got the first notes of Greatest Day. We could hear it very well outside the stadium and enjoyed it like this. Everyone was going wild…
So it was clear the opener was Greatest Day, than they sang Hello and Could it be magic. I didn’t want to know more, so put my fingers in my ears. Sofie asked me if she could sign the next songtitle, and ofcourse I guessed correctly, so knew the 4th songs as well: Pray. By this time, we were walking back to the car (to go get some supplies for the next day), me still with my fingers in my ears. Anna did pull them out though and screamed the title in my ear. So now I knew the 5th song as well. I did not want to know that much, so I really felt I had to leave as soon as possible! And luckily we did. To Tesco’s for our lunch the next day and some last minute shopping for the queing.
By the time we got back to the stadium, the show was finished and we hoped to see TT leave. We saw the first Audi leave. We waited for more action, but were unlucky. Decided to go straight to the hotel and bed, since we had a long day ahead of us.
The next day, Friday this is, Sofie and I got up early and took the metro the The Stadium of Light. We got there at 8 am, and could queue right behind the Dutchies, who had been there since 6am. It was raining already and unfortunately we got soaked the whole morning…
At 1 pm the stress started to build. We had our tickets in hand (which was a struggle itself), but we didn’t have a clue about where we had to run once the first gates would open. It got pretty obvious that the security at Sunderland didn’t have a clue about what was about to happen: they struggled keeping us calm. We didn’t give them a proper chance to check our bags and were all very inpatient when they tried to put on our GA bracelets. We all ran for the third door in the food court and since Sofie and I got held back by security and a lot of people that queued behind us got in line at the second gates before us, we asked the Dutchies if we could stand behind them and luckily they agreed. Two more hours of anxious waiting, when at 3.30 the security took their place at these gates…
At 4pm finally we were let into the stadium and it was chaos! You had to run down small stairs into the pitch. I was pulling Sofie down and was just hoping we wouldn’t fall. At the end of the stairs, they tried to guide us to the right, since there was a large block were they didn’t want us to cause any accidents. We ignored him, because we didn’t want to run any further than necessary. Our mission was front row and that was all we could think about. When we got to the stage, we were standing right behind the Dutchies, but Sofie (luckily she was still thinking straight) saw that at the other side of the stage, the front row was almost empty. So I ran there and held a spot for her. WE WERE FRONT ROW!!!
The Dutchies were just across from us, and you could tell that we all were very excited about being front row. It was 4.30 now and the show would start at 9pm.
I realized that despite the T-shirt, 2 sweaters, rainjacket and poncho I was wearing, I was soaking wet to my skin. My scarf lead all the water to my clothes… Not my best dress up!!! But luckily the sun was shining now and we could warm up.
By the time Gary Go came onstage, we forgot about the rain, the stress and panic and realized that finally it was the night that we had been looking forward to for the last 8 months…
Gary Go came on first, than James Morrisson and then FINALLY we saw the first signs of the Take That show!
The technicians were preparing the stage, all dressed up in the circus theme. The first artists came out and handed out balloons. More and more of them came out and than the moment was there: TAKE THAT WAS ON STAGE!!
They open with Greatest Day and let the balloons free. Then it’s Hello, where they use the colourful ladders and do a kind of dance on them. Could it be magic is followed by Pray (full dance routine!), A Million love Songs and Back For Good, where the crowd at the B-stage get soaked.
They make their way back to the mainstage on the back of an amazing elephant during The Garden. They disappear under the stage and come back in a different costume, to sing Shine,Patience, Never Forget. (Not in this order, but I can’t remember the correct order anymore). All in white, Mark wearing a simple but beautiful hat, awful shoes though. They take their instruments and bring the most beautiful versions of Up All Night, Wooden Boat and How did it come to this. Take That and their instruments… They should do it like this more often: Gary on the piano, Howard on the drums, Mark and Jason on guitar (and maybe bass).
Time for Gary to have a bit of solo time, which he says is a risk that the others take: ‘leaving me alone with a piano is dangerous: I won’t be able to stop singing!’. And so he does a little medley of Love ain’t here anymore, Babe and Nobody Else. It is amazing and he ends this feast with The Circus. Not one of my favourite songs, but I couldn’t stop smiling throughout this version.
Now it’s time to get the rest back on stage: The all appear with funny trousers and a little suitcase. Howard starts singing What is Love, and I panic: Don’t ruin this show! Stop this song! And stop putting clown make-up on your faces!!!
Luckily after a few seconds I realize that what they are doing with this songs is brilliant! I like this version and I like the clown dress up more than I had thought. That might have to do with what follows, because it is the best choice : TAKE THAT AND PARTY MEDLEY, where they make fun of the songs, the dance routines that go along with them and themselves. I can’t stop laughing! The visit the B-stage again and go there on monocycles. Well, Howard an Jay do it nicely, Mark needs some help and Gary goes there on a baby bike. It looks ridiculous, but it is hilarious at the same time.
Relight my Fire is a song I’d rather not hear again, but they sing it, so I go along with it. Last year the lapdances, now the whips… and they say they’re not sexist pigs?! ;-)
The encores are Hold up a Light, where they come go back to the B-stage to say goodbye here and they end with Rule the World. An amazing end to a brilliant show!
After the show we make a wrong decision: we go have a look at the merchandise…. I spent way too much money on a hoodie (wish I had it earlier, because it is a real warm one), a shirt, a bag and ofcourse, the tour program.
When we got back to our room, we take a hot shower and go straight to bed. We are dead excited about the show, but still, so tired that we fall fast asleep!
On Saturday, Sofie and I went to Tesco’s first, to buy all the newspapers and then took the metro again to Sunderland. We arrived around 11am and we are surprised about the people that are already there… Probably because today the sun is shining! Soon after us, the Dutchies show up again as well, and they have tripled! It is a nice queing day today, with the sun in our faces. We get our bracelets already, but that is about the only positive thing about the new rules today!
They have obviously learned their lesson the day before, because today they say the 1st gate opens first, than ours and than the third. Once inside, I manage to get to the second gates first and all of us are so excited about making it after the stress of these new rules, we can’t wait any longer! We are sure of front row again and we deserve it!
Unfortunately, security didn’t share our thoughts. To make a long story short: we had to negotiate about going to the toilet and about opening the doors. They eventually (after 3 changes of plans) told us the first gate would open and let a group of people in and than they would do the same at our gate. So we could all still be front row. By 4pm we all stressed again and joked about the two young security boys that had to keep us away from the door… at 4.30 they finally opened the door, but did it the way plan A was like: let everyone in and then open the second gates. Also let everyone run around the stadium first before letting them on the pitch… This means that people who didn’t queue at all got front row and we had to fight for our spot! I got aggressive and started pounding the doors. When they finally let us in, all the security were yelling that we couldn’t run… I think I never verbally abused so many people in my life before!! Not for a second did I consider not running and not fighting my way in to Front row!
I lost everyone, but just went for it and found a spot at the B-stage. I was happy I could see Sofie coming down the stairs, so she could join me. I was trembling all over and was still really angry. The ladies next to us didn’t really queue, but didn’t understand why I thought the organization was outrageous… Ah well, at least we had made it to the front row again! (The Germans choose the wrong side of the B-stage and got soaked, since the wind blew it their way;-) )
And we soon learned all the Dutchies had made it front row as well, some at the B-stage, some at the mainstage.
Gary made up for all the anger by walking down the little stairs and coming to say Hello to us... I hope I didn't hurt his finger...
Again, an amazing show from Take That and again my mouth dropped to the floor. Today there were little changes though: the wind was too strong, so they did not put any balloons to the hotair one and the little man didn’t go up in it either. For the rest, the show was amazing again and I enjoyed every minute of it…
After the show, I fell into that little black whole immediately: I have to wait for another 20 days before I see them again… But the excitement took over again when I had a look at my pictures. Some really nice ones…
The next day we had to go back home. We left at 8 am and were able to take a ferry at 2pm, while we were booked for the 4pm one. I slept all the way, which made it easy for me, but I was happy to be home, go for dinner with my parents and be able to tell them everything…
I can’t wait for the next show I’ll see in Manchester…
and I'll be there!!!!!!! :-p
BeantwoordenVerwijderenwonderfull story, can't wait
MACHESTERRRRRR!!!!!!
xx