Melbourne-February 21, 2025

Ah, the final gig for me and Pammy found us back to the Palais Theatre only THIS time it was on an easy on/off tram that went right by our hotel and dropped off right by the venue AND, front row seats. Tho funny enough, we had seats #9 and 10 so I thought we’d be center section. Nope, there’s actually no seats 1-8, 9 was up against the wall…on Mr. H.s side LOL. Poor Mr. C., never near him this tour LOL, instead it was Sydney #2 all over again. However, this venue front row was nice and close to the stage plus there was low ledge so it was perfect to put our purses, waters etc up on it…and something to hold onto while bouncing 😀

It was a good crowd of friends tonight with Jennifer and Bert just 2 seats over from us, Paula and Steph front and center and Nicky and his girlfriend Beth in the exact seats that Pammy and I had last night. Greg was able to get a last minute ticket from the box office right by Nicky and Beth and I told him how we had really enjoyed that spot the night before so it was set for everyone. 🙂

Sydney found the second gig to have a more mellow crowd so I wasn’t sure how tonight would be, especially as it wasn’t sold out like last night. We also had the tower of speakers right in our ears so it was a bit hard to hear the crowd but as it turned out, tonight went well too! 😀 Underground Lovers mentioned how they were from Melbourne and midway thru their set, 2 girls came down to the front aisle and were bopping and dancing to their songs which the lead singer really enjoyed. 😀 For some reason it seems they dropped a song from their setlist as Nicky and I were sure they had an extra song at the end but it also seemed their songs were going on longer now (like longer jam sessions or something) so maybe they had to adjust. Either way, I was able to get the second song recorded since I wasn’t able to last night.

Quick bathroom break and a chat with Jennifer and Bert as I joked that if the 2 seats between us stayed open, Pammy and I would just migrate over but then literally a couple came in to sit in them. Ah well LOL. When the lights went down and Evolution of Species started, it was actually hard to see when the guys were coming out due to the light fixtures on stage but I could tell by the crowd cheering so a lot of us jumped up and right away were clapping and bopping around. I realized I should get something of Mr. C. singing during Anthropopene so grabbed a short video LOL. 😉 When it was done, Mr. M. laughed and said it was nice to see us up and dancing even to a new song. “This one however, you will know” and off they went with Messages. Because the stage was rounded, so was the front row so I could see Steph at times which made it fun as we mouthed lyrics at each other LOL. I tried for the yes, Yes, YES bit in TG with Jennifer and Mr. H. again went back and forth with her. I really need to get my voice up LOL…or get Mark back in with me since he started it all 😉

As soon as it was HoM, Mr. M. said “it’s now time for the dancing. You COULD wave your arms around like the windmill but I suggest you just bounce.” YUP, I agree. 😀 Part way thru, bless his heart, he came over and shook my hand and then when it was time to bounce, he pointed and said “you started it Lori, keep bouncing” and I laughed, nodded and bounced. Once over, he laughed and said “there’s a girl in the front row, Lori, who started the bouncing to that song many years ago.” Mr. H. laughed and said “yeah Lori, you did.” I laughed as Mr. M. said “it’s all her fault. She’s come from America so…escaping Trump and Elon Musk….but I won’t get political.” It was a very special moment for me to say the least 😲☺️ ☺️ and I almost missed grabbing the camera to record FLaD which was one of 2 songs I planned for the night LOL. Mr. M. welcomed Mr. H. down and Mr. H. did a great job with a lot of the crowd swaying back and forth. Once over and places were switched, Mr. M. said “you get so excited when you come down” and Mr. H. said “it’s a change from being up here.” Then he saw a black bra and said “I thought you’d trip over this” and tossed it to him. Mr. H. laughed, held it up to himself and said “I’ll try it on later.” Mr. M. laughed and said “yes, later on your own.” Then as he had walked away saying that, he turned to come back and look at the setlist saying “I forgot what song we’re doing now. The thought of Paul wearing a black bra was so disturging” 😀

IYL went down well and also found Mr. M. getting a pair of white lace panties tossed at him and he CAUGHT them! 😮 😀 He laughed, held them for a few sentences, then tossed them back at Steph (the undergarment thrower of the night LOL). She proceeded to wear them on her head later, too funny! 😀 After Souvenir was done and Mr. H. thanked the crowd, I heard someone behind me yell “thank YOU!”. Pammy and I switched spots so she could see JoA and MoO better and both just sounded so amazing! I mean they ALWAYS do but knowing it was my last show here made them stand out even more. Lots of singing along to JoA tonight and when the two songs were over, there were people in the balcony standing too. The whole band were smiles, Stuart bent over with his hands up in the air as a triumphant finish to his massive drumming and the crowd was going wild.

It was time to quiet things down a bit with Veruschka and Mr. M. joked saying “it’s dangerous playing a slow, new song at a greatest hits show but we really like it. And she looks SO good” referring to the girl on the video screen behind them. TLaC was my other song to record tonight as they’d not done it the last tour so I figured it was a good time to grab it on film LOL but I could still sway back and forth with one hand to join in on the “summer festival” participation. 😉 Then Mr. M. said “I probably don’t need to tell you to sing along to this next one but I’m going to anyways.” Don’t Go is so fun and tonight, like last night, had a lot of singing along to it that continued on into SiL and Dreaming. Even with the music blaring in my right ear I could hear how much the crowd was singing and Mr. M. was having fun slapping hands on the other side of the front row as there were many reaching out as they bopped around. Mr. H. got a shout out from Mr. M. when he was done with Secret, Mr. C. got a shout out during SotSS and Stuart got a shout out when SotSS was done. When it got to EG time, I thought “dang, it came so fast and it’s almost over” 🙁 But it also gives us “one final chance to dance” (which isn’t really true since we get Electricity at the very end LOL). There was a lady in the front row with a bouquet of 4 pink roses holding up for the guys once the song was over and everyone came front and center and Pammy and I looked up at the balcony to see a huge amount of people standing. 😀 Everyone came to the front to wave, blow kisses, Mr. H. thanked us saying “a crowd makes the night and you were amazing, thank you” and once they were gone and the lights went out, within a minute people in the front row started banging on the circular ledge so I joined in and it got pretty loud which was cool. 😀

The band came out and Mr. M. was in a tshirt this time joking “you know it’s a good show when I have to change my shirt.” Look at You Now had massive arms back and forth and Pandora’s Box heard the crowd singing a lot one more time. The couple next to me had asked if they did Telegraph or Electricity and I told them Electricity so the wife jumped up when that one started, as many of the rest of us were bouncing around too. Once over, the crowd just went crazy again and when the guys were all waving, Mr. M. announced they’d be back in 2027. He said something else, not sure if it was a name of a festival or a venue (my guess would be festival) and that got everyone excited. They weren’t joking when they said they’d not make OZ wait another 38 years so….there ya go. 😀

Once they guys left and it was truly over, it was catch up time and goodbyes. Missed finding Nicky and Beth but hugs, group pic and good byes with Paula, Steph, and Greg before Pammy and I headed for the tram. She had a SUPER early flight so we were glad to catch the 11:18 one.

So…last highlight of the night for awhile. Well, I’m sorry but it has to be the HoM shout out. 😀 ☺️ ☺️ WOW, I know I keep saying how great the shows were and how happy and blessed I feel to have experienced them but it’s true. This has been a great trip, loved seeing friends, the gigs were fantastic, the crowds were so fun to hear, see and watch and my heart is full. I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation, saw and did so much and it was an honor to have been with all the Australian fans for the 38 year return of OMD. Thank you OMD for coming back to Australia! 😀 ❤️