Brighton-March 26th, 2024

Well, it was a sunny start of the day when my friend Lara and I were up and getting ready but it quickly changed as we got to Brighton. 🙁  Drizzle that would off and on get a bit worse but hey, it’s spring in England so… Lara had an appt at 1pm so I wandered the town a bit before we met up for a really nice lunch at an Italian restaurant. Then she headed off to see if she could find something to do to kill time and I went off to the venue. Brighton Dome….lots of memories tied to this venue. Very first time I came to do a bunch of shows on a tour started at this venue (I had come over the 2 years prior but each were only for Birmingham and London shows. The HoM tour I was doing 5 UK and 2 German). It also started the whole bouncing thing to HoM since Brighton Dome was the first show of the HoM tour. PLUS, met Mr. M. briefly for the first time (though got to get a pic with him and Mr. H. the next gig in Glasgow) Yup, it was AGES ago but also as fresh as it was just last year. 🙂

Tonight I was with Marilyn and Mali and had gotten in line early enough to make sure I was front row. 😀 Also wanted to be on Mr. H.’s side to try the TG singing again so as it turned out, that’s where we got our rail spot. 😀  It was going to be my first time seeing Walt Disco and from what many said, they are a “grow on you” kind of band. A few friends still aren’t too into them, only liking a couple songs, but most told me they STARTED like that and then grew to like most or all songs. OK, fair enough. 🙂 As it turned out for ME…..meh, not too thrilled with them sad to say. I liked the second song (which funny enough everyone told me first 2 songs are great but I just couldn’t grasp the first one) and the last one. Rest….meh, not really a fan. But hey, I have tomorrow and also USA so HOPEFULLY they will indeed grow on me. 🙂

When the lights went out, the crowd really got going and I felt ooo, this could be good 🙂 Clapping along to Anthropocene went well and Mr. M. tapped one of the security guards on the head jokingly as he danced over to that corner. When it was over, he said hello to us and announced this was their “7th time playing Brighton”. Yes, we for sure had our dancing shoes on for Messages and, like Ipswich, there was an awesome sing along to the musical part. 😀 Sadly, despite us 3 girls being fairly loud near the end, Mr. H. didn’t hear or see us so still no response. My goodness, I’ll need to hold up a sign tomorrow LOL. But as it turned out, that was the least of our concerns because as soon as the song ended, Mr. M. walked over to the other side of the stage and said “do we need to stop? Is there a medical emergency?” Someone must have nodded or something because he then said “right, we’re going to leave for a bit because someone needs assistance and everyone’s health is more important”. So Merv came out with the flashlight and the guys all left the stage. A sweet guy who had been there before I arrived and who we all had chatted with a little bit earlier I guess had a seizure. One of the guys near us told the security guard that he was diabetic but none of us knew his name to give to the guard. I am LOW blood sugar and always carry protein bars so I gave one to the guard to pass on incase it could help and then we all just waited and hoped he’d be OK.  (which later Mr. M. announced in encore that he was indeed going to be OK, thank goodness!) So sad tho! Especially seeing as how he had been in the queue for so long and then he only gets to see 3 songs. 🙁 🙁

It was about 15 minutes and then we were able to get back on track tho Mr. M. joked saying “muscle memory is shot now” as he changed the setlist slightly and went into HoM before Kleptocracy but hey, they’re both bouncing songs so all good LOL. 😀  A couple girls in the front put on Boris Johnson masks during Kleptocracy and Mr. M. laughed, shaking his head. When done, he said “that’s the scariest thing I’ve seen, Boris Johnson masks.”

Like Ipswich, there was a little kid in the front row but this time it was a little boy (tho looked about the same age as the girl previously.) Mr. M. came over and was giving him thumbs up and nodding to him as he bopped around to the beat. Very cute! Mr. H. followed suit during FLaD so the kid was having a great time. 🙂  Mr. H. also got a really great cheer when he was done with his front and center part. The guys were really enjoying the crowd and as Mr. M. and Mr. H. swapped places, Mr. M. said to Mr. H. “you’re cool enough for Brighton”. Yup, you ALL are! 😀 It’s a known fact that the dynamic duo of JoA/MoO are a definite highlight of the night but it was great to hear so much singing for JoA! When both were done, the band were just truly all smiles as the crowd went crazy. I have to say, this was as good a crowd as Ipswich but it was a bit more special because I’d heard Ipswich tends to be in the list of top crowds so I was expecting things to be good where as Brighton I had no expectation so this was awesome! It truly made me smile SO much as I was thrilled for the guys! 😀

Of course we then got to chill while the guys did Veruschka and Healing, both very powerful and moving and both with great responses which is nice to hear and get since both are slow and new. 🙂 More singing and dancing to Don’t Go and then during SiL, Mr. M. came over to the little boy and pulled out a pic from his pocket to toss to the little boy. His mother leaned forward to try and catch it but missed. Her and her husband looked down to see if they could get it but too far. Mr. M. saw what happened and gave them a motion like “don’t worry, I’ve got you covered, I’ll get another one for you in a bit” but then security went and got the original for him so it worked out. 😀  LOTS of great singing yet again and when it was over, there were tons of cheers for Mr. C. and his saxophone. Seriously, the guys looked SO happy I was smiling ridiculously for them all as it was so great and they deserved it!

Before Dreaming, Mr. M. looked up at the balcony and said “I can see some of you have moved to the back to dance. Don’t be afraid to get up and move everyone.” All three of us girls did the little finger keyboard playing bit for Locomotion while Mr. H. played LOL. I can’t remember exactly when but I THINK it was during SotSS maybe…The 2 girls in the middle had signs that said “Explain Pulse Please”. Marilyn asked if I wanted to hold one up to which I immediately shook my head no so she and the other two girls did. Luckily Mr. M. glanced down at the signs but kept going LOL. It was again yet ANOTHER wonderful sing along, the crowd was totally into it! When it was time for Enola Gay, the crowd erupted when they heard it start. I must say this crowd was really impressive! When it was over and the guys were coming down to say thank yous, Mali, Marilyn and I did the, er, not sure how to explain it but funny little sound to a part of EG that makes us sound almost like birds LOL. All 4 guys were beaming and saying how amazing everyone was and thanking us. The appreciation went right back at them!

While waiting for the guys to come out again, a clapping beat got going to show them we wanted more and more we got with my fav Look At Us Now. Lots of hands in the air, then all of a sudden a pink cowboy hat went flying onto the stage (from the 2 girls) that said “Explain Please” (one word written on the front under brim and the other on the back under brim). Mr. M. picked it up and said “it says there’ll be a bag of shit if you don’t wear it” and handed it to Mr. H….who put it on!!! 😮 OMG it was HILARIOUS! 😀 😀 😀 Mr. M. started laughing and kept on while the song took off and Mr. H. just good naturedly did his thing with the hat on. Mid song Mr. M. said “you look like Neil Tennant” and laughed again as did Mr. H. and honestly many of us too. He kind of DID and it was just so cute of Mr. H. all happy happy with the hat. I of course had to get pictures and grabbed a bit of video too. It’s not every day you see Mr. H. in a “pink Stetson”. 😀 😀 😀 A girl named Hannah had won the contest that the band had earlier so she got to bring Mr. M. his bass prior to Enola Gay. Mr. M. introduced her and said “She’s come all the way from Manchester via Spain” and then jokinly told Merv “you’re out of a job now”. Our final chance to bounce before it was all over. The crowd cheered and cheered and the guys were just 4 massive smiles coming down to the front again. What a night for everyone involved! 😀

So…highlight of the night. Well I think I’m going to choose the pink hat wearing Mr. H. because it was just so adorable and funny! My friend and I were back to Eastbourne after the gig (she killed time the whole while I was at the venue so I wouldn’t have to deal with a ‘replacement bus’ getting home bless her heart. It’s the final show in Eastbourne next. Can’t believe it as it feels like I just arrived (well, I kind of DID since I missed out on a day due to the massive delay getting into London. Time flies when you’re having fun!) But…can’t wait! 😀