London-May 3rd

Hi again, it’s another installment of OMD blogs LOL. Though I should put in a small disclaimer…not sure if they will be fully timely as I don’t know about internet access and our hotels so the videos especially may be a bit late in upload but I’ll do my best! 😉

So aside from the outdoor gig in Brussels last year, it’s been over 2 years since my last “full” OMD gig abroad, all from the HoM tour. I couldn’t help but think about that and wonder about how the gigs would be, the crowd etc since it’s been all American gigs for me for 2 years LOL. But as always, I was excited to be coming back over. The flight was a bit, er, different. Firstly, as I got my ticket and passport back and was heading down the tunnel to the entrance of the plane, I came across not one, not two but FIVE police officers! 😯 Not sure if they were air marshalls or airport police but all their gold metal badges were showing…a bit unnerving and I wondered if a prisoner was on board or if they were looking to confiscate someone coming on but eh, whatever. I also experienced the worst turbulance ever. I’ve flown a lot and usually on the bigger airplanes like the international flights, it doesn’t hit you as hard but this one was intense. Since the row I was in only had myself and another girl in it and both of us were aisle seats, we both laid down across the middle to sleep but this thing actually lifted me off the seat. I’m not afraid of flying and usually find turbulance a bit fun (weeeeeee :lol:) but I felt for those who ARE afraid, the poor things were I’m sure in pure panic mode.  OH, and oops, forgot to mention, the above picture…taken from inside the American Airlines magazine! I had actually seen it a couple weeks ago as one of my co-workers ripped it out during one of her flights and left it for me to see the day I got back from the April gigs but I guess since we were now in May, I hadn’t expected to find it….HELLO! Quite appropriate I thought. 😆

London’s my favorite place in the world so to be starting my OMD UK/European tour here is awesome. As I was on the plane, I had to keep reminding myself though that it was literally going to be less than a day until the first gig….I usually come in the day before but not this time so wham bam land and bounce LOL but that just added to the excitement. 😀  Immigration was pretty easy and then it was off to the tube to head out to Kathryns. She was gracious enough to invite me to stay with her and Tony (didn’t see her daughters this time but will later in the month :D) so it was a nice welcome and reunion. They had Gold package tickets so  it wasn’t long before we were on our way to the venue. As if I hadn’t had a few good defa vu experiences already on the April leg of the NA tour, this was definitely one to make the books! The very first time I flew over to see OMD (aka, the first OMD gigs I’d ever seen) saw me at the Roundhouse. HoM was at the London Hammersmith but I like this venue much much better and it also holds a special place in my heart with such fond memories of, well, basically the start of my OMD adventures (though technically Birm the night before was my first gig, but I was in the balcony so couldn’t see as much…London was front row so my head tends to go to that gig more LOL :wink:) That gig seems SO far away now….The Roundhouse is in Camden Town which has a lot of, er, unique stores and shops. I remembered that from before but being 5 years later, I didn’t know fully if I’d see the same place or if it’d be a lot different.

When we arrived, we were a little early but they took people aside to another area fairly quickly so off Kathryn and Tony went but Mark and his sister Debbie hadn’t arrived yet. Plus, Helen had sent me a text say she was heading to the area so I ended up standing alone waiting…and telling a bunch of people who were arriving for the sound check to go on in, they took people already. 😆 (including Mark and Debbie…great to see him again and lovely to meet her :D)   As it turned out, Helen and Co. didn’t make it in time so I just wandered a bit and, well, though the building that I remembered from before with a big cat climbing up it was gone, there were plenty of other funky buildings to take it’s place, plus more horses/horse heads etc than what I remembered.

After my exploring, I met up with everyone as they came out from sound check and they dropped their goods off in Marks hotel, we grabbed some light food at the local Sainsburys and then got in the queue.  I actually saw one of the guys who I had hung with at the 2008 gig (small world!) and many other friend came also. It was a definite reunion! Gosh, there was Dave (Booksie on the forum), Mark (MarkC), Helen, Steph, Paula, Gary, Gina, Janine (not pregnant any longer.  I had met her for the first time at Erics LOL). Let’s see, who else did I run into? Ah yes, Hannah, Mousekitator (sorry, I didn’t get a chance to ask for a real name :sad:), Andrew (AndrewK), oh, and Darren! Yay as I hadn’t seen him since HoM tour and we kind of lost touch so it was great to see him again and meet his friend Jerry. (and he joined the SMS congregation but more on that later :wink:)

So, just like in 2008, the venue was nice and let us inside at 18:30 where we then were directed into two lines…packagers in one, the rest of us in the other. And, luckily, unlike in 2008, they were only using 1 door (2008 found half of us fans in front of one door, half in front of the other as we had been instructed they’d open both…and then didn’t so a mad dash of fans to my side followed. :sad:)  Mark and Co saved me a spot up front so I was ready.  He had warned his sister about our bouncing and we also talked to Kathryn and Tony about joining in.

So….John Foxx…..well, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting too much. NO offense to him as I’m well aware that he’s, well, I guess I could say a legend in his field, has influenced many, is still making music, and from what I heard from many OMD friends, was going to be a thrill for a lot of the crowds. Just personally, I didn’t like his Ultravox work and only liked about 1/2 of the Greatest Hits I had at home.  Checked out some of his stuff on YouTube from Interplay and such and, well…eh. So when he came out, I just figured I’d play it by ear but wasn’t totally psyched.  He ended up being better than I had expected but I’ll talk more about him in the next blog or this thing will end up being a short novel 😳 😉

As the band has said, the American tour is a bit more stripped down in terms of the stage set up and I had purposely avoided the forum so I wouldn’t see pics and/or set list info so it was Mark who pointed out the black and white striped banners on each side of the stage. There was also a black curtain in front of the stage and the guys stayed behind it  until the music started. But unlike the American gigs, there was no Decimal, it went right into PRS. 😯  As it went on, two of the crewman (couldn’t see which) came and pulled the curtain down and before we knew it, it was into Metroland.  The clapping started early which was good, then off to Messages.  When Dresden came, well, I promise this will be my last “OMG, YAY!” moment regarding this but I wasn’t expecting it so I couldn’t help it. Mr. M. comes over to our side and is doing his thing and all of a sudden I look at his  bass….see that the inner part is solid black and realized what I was seeing. I literally screamed “OMG it’s Old Faithful!” and started pointing, clapping, gleefully freaking out.  Mark laughed and said “yeah, I took a picture of her in Margate but didn’t want to show you until after this gig because you said not to tell you anything.” I was like “wait, he had her THEN too? OMG, cool!!!” 😀 😀 :D.

Well, when HoM came around, as it turned out, it wasn’t just Mark and I bouncing up and down, Kathryn and Tony joined in. 😯 😀 It was great fun and seemed to go down well with the crowd.  This lead to Mr. H.s front and center moment.  Well, Mr. H. is all ready, Mr. M. goes to play the keys, and….something other than what we are used to hearing came out of the keyboard.  And then the next attempt was also off.  Mr. M. had a “huh?” look and Mr. H. turned with a look like “oh shoot” and started towards him but then Mr. M.  got it fixed and it was FLaD as usual.  After, Mr. M. laughingly joked that when he hit the first key and heard it, he knew it was wrong. But luckily in sound check, he had asked Mr. H. about things so knew what to do. “I DO know how to play, I play” and hit one of the keys. Mr. H. laughed and said “I’m just keeping you on your toes”. Mr. M. laughed and said “yes, you are…bastard.” 😆

Well, gotta say, the next song wasn’t expected. Being in the UK, I figured we’d get Pandora’s  Box and IYL and Secret would be dropped…nope. Mr. M. introduced the next song as the song that made them LOTS of money. “John Cryer has to give us half his royalties from Two and a Half Men because he got so famous from this.” I laughed because I knew what was next but then after a pause, he said “Yeah..that’s got some of you thinking” and I thought “wait, was Pretty in Pink not big here?”  Gotta say it was quite weird to hear the song and have it get a mediocre response. Mark laughed and was like “we’re gonna have to play the American part” and I laughed back saying “I AM American”. 😆  But no one else did the 1 and 2 for the touching lyrics and though it didn’t flop or anything (no song of any OMD gig has ever flopped!), it wasn’t the massive sing along and such it had been for me over the past 2 years.  Not hearing Mr. M. say “nice!” or take his ear piece out to hear all of us singing was, well, just weird. But I’m sure by the end of this tour, the song will be well known so….

Night Cafe was next and I thought “hmm….I wonder if it’s due to being in the UK that they decided to keep all 3 A&M songs together”. Either way works really and it was nice to see the new songs getting a good reception.  When JoA and MoO were done, the crowd let the guys know they were pleased and Mark and I looked around and up at the balcony. All hands were together clapping. 😀

Our System was my song to record tonight as Kathryn wanted to see it and I remember thinking “hmm…more lights on them this time” but it was still gorgeous! But THEN, Mr. M. grabbed a water bottle and headed to the amps in front. Mark leaned in and said “they’re not doing TLaC are they?” Yup! Wow, hadn’t heard that for awhile. 😀

KtM was still in the  setlist so that was next and Debbie was the recipient of Mr. M.s little “Kissing the Machine” kiss, then it was back to “beautiful dancing”.  I started to bounce but Mark leaned over and said “I’m gonna fake bounce this one” and I saw his feet weren’t leaving the ground. I couldn’t help but tease him “um…NO, if I can bounce after only a few hours of sleep, you can too. None of this ‘fake’ bouncing” 😆  When it came time for the second verse, Kathryn got the “you would do just ANYTHING”  bit and she sang right back alone with Mr. M. 😀  Next was SMS and, well, it had a great congregation.  Darren was only a couple rows behind me so prior to the gig I told him about how Mark started this congregation, he was game, and he did us proud. 😀

The next few songs flew and before I knew it, it was Enola Gay time. More bouncing from all of us and then it was the first goodbyes from the guys. They all seemed happy and so did the crowd LOL.  When they returned, it was WotMW and Mark started to clear his throat in preparation. 😆 But this stage set up was with us set back too far for Mr. M. to reach anyone’s hands so it wasn’t really easy for him to give any fans the mic either…he just held it out to us as a group and I looked around to see many singing “hey hey!”  I wasn’t sure if Secret would be next…or Pandora’s Box (I was still holding out for it LOL) but when Merv brought out Old Faithful, I thought “huh…neither.” and they launched into Electricity.  One final bounce for us and then it was a final goodbye.  I had to chuckle because, when they had left the first time and now again after Mr. M. and Mr. H. gave each other a nice pat on their backs and started to walk off, Mr. H. had to duck to avoid one of the flags. Aww…. 😀

So, after the gig, we got our group photo on Marks camera and that was also when I saw Mark (MarkC) so a nice hello, then as we were all leaving, I met PJ and Darren. It was cool to finally meet the man behind A Kick up the 80s and now I’ll be able to picture him the next time I listen (well, both of them. :D).  We were getting ushered by the guards to leave so out we went, Mark and I hit the merch table and then it was off to his and Debbie’s hotel for a quick drink and then off to the tube. Kathryn, Tony and I had a midnight tube to catch (or we’d turn into pumpkins :lol:)  so 2 transfers and a short drive later, we were walking in the door…just before 2am.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tired though I hadn’t noticed until we were about to get off the tube to walk to Tony’s car….then it was like “oh…I have to get up and walk huh?” 😆  But a really fun night, well, day too, so worth it. 😀

So…highlight of the night. Well, tbh, it felt a bit weird being back and seeing a UK tour. I can’t explain why I felt like a fish out of water, like a total foreigner because I obviously know and have more friends now than I did during the HoM tour but it was just different.  Mark knew what I was talking about and I think it might be due to having seen so many American gigs it felt strange to be back on THEIR soil. But in the same token, it was nice to see so many familiar faces!  Even a few people who I hadn’t met prior (Mousekitator and AndrewK) came up to say “hi” so that was lovely.  Pleasant surprise running into Darren, meeting PJ and Darren etc so the whole night was a lot of hellos….wonderful to see everyone and great to see so many people enjoying OMD gigs! So….roll on the next few weeks LOL. 😀