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Luis Costa:
Hi everyone.
Yes, I have survived the concert but yet astonished.
As I said before, Iīll try to tell to all of you my feelings of the concert
in the Casino of Povoa de Varzim, after 22 years of the last concert in Oporto.
My reservation for 3 persons (with my wife and my daughter - who has 14 years old,
either a big fan of CdeB) was the first one. I took our tickets (number 1, 2 and 3)
some days ago (the price was 125 per person - dinner + concert) and I asked for a
table near the stage, but the girl in the reception said that it was better to talk
to the salon chief. As I have a friend (lawyer) that works to the Casino, I asked
him to interfere and made the arrangements in order to be possible to stay near the
stage and he said there was no problem with that.
As you all can imagine, the days before the concert were very long because my
expectations for this concert were very big ant the stress in the most high level.
In Saturday I put on a suit with tie because the concert was in a Casino. To be
honest it wasnīt the best way to enjoy a CdeB concert but no problem, the important
it was see CdeB. We went to Povoa de Varzim by car (itīs near our house in Oporto,
about 30 Kilometres) and we arrived at around 08.30 p.m. (because it was dinner +
concert). I put the car in the park, in the underground of the Casino and we have a
little problem to access because my daughter is younger and we couldnīt come in by
the park, where there was the slot machines and other games, only to adults. So we
had to go to the stairs and come in by a lateral door of the Casino. Ok
At about 09.00 p.m. we went to the salon and our table was nš 26, near the stage
(uff !!!) in the front line of the salon, a little bit to the right where was the
microphones, about 5 metros to the place where Chris de Burgh will perfoming. At
last a very good table (I need to thanks to my friend because the place was fantastic).
As you can imagine, I was very nervous because CdeB will arrive at about 11.00 p.m.
and it was the most long dinner Iīve taken. The menu list was made with the CdeB image,
it was very beautiful but this is not important at this moment. The salon has about
250 / 300 places and it was full, and the most part of the people were about 40 / 50
years old, only my daughter and another child were younger. I couldnīt saw any known
fan or similar, only people who like CdeB but not so much as all of us. At the door
a signal to forbid photos machines and similars. I must confesse that I had my machine
in the pocket and I took some fotos (without flash) and some videos, even in bad
conditions and arenīt very good. But itīs only to remind.
Now the most important to all of you.
CdeB is announced at around 11.15 p.m. as a singer with 45 millions of record sales,
3.000 concerts along the 30 years of his career and begin the european tour. CdeB
came in the stage very slowly, smiling, with black shoes, black trousers, a white
shirt and the black leather jacket. After he said "Is a pleasure to be here in the
Casino of Povoa de Varzim" and then he read a paper in portuguese like "Iīm very
happy to be here to sing to you" and "Obrigado" (Thank you in Portuguese) and
everybody smiled. He seemed to be happy, in a good mood and began the show with
Road to Freedom. After the first song, he take off the leather jacket, joked like
a stripper and I thought if he will sing Patricia the striper. No, only a mistake.
He talked a little about freedom and refer the date of 1974 (The Portuguese
revolution and the beginnning of Democracy) and told that is daughter Rosanna had
win the Miss World 2003 competion. Then he joked again with the body and said that
Rosanna is tall and thin and he is small and fat, with gestures with his hands since
the top to of his head to the floor.
Here is the list of all the songs performed:
- Road to Freedom
- Fall in Love (Elvis Presley)
- Oh my Brave Hearts
- Always on my mind
- Missing You
- Natascha
- Yesterday
- The words I love you
- A Rainy night in Paris
- Lebanese night
- Let it Be
- Borderline
- Say Goodbye To It All
- Lady in Red
- Spaceman Came Travelling
- Sailing Away
- Where Peaceful Waters Flow
- Donīt Pay the Ferryman
- Snows of New York
- A Hard Days Night (Medley)
- Obla Di Obla Da (Medley)
- American Pie (Medley)
- Pretty Woman
- Hey Jude
As you see, no novelties and he didnīt sing any new song from the new album Storyman.
In the pause of the songs he always talk something and after the song Donīt Pay the
Ferryman, he said "Thank you and it was time to go home" but, as always, the people
asked for more. Then he talked about friends and friendship and said "Thank you for
making me feel like a friend this night" and sang Snows of New York. After SONY he
said it was time to the party and "stand up and dance" and sang A Hard Days Night.
His voice was perfect, as always.
The show finished about 01.00 a.m. and it was great. Iīm very happy to saw him again
after so many years. I must confess that tears coming to my face twice during the show
(Bordeline and Spaceman Came Travelling), my apologizes to all of you but Iīm trying to
be sincerous.
After the show I thought imediately that it was great if I get a autograph, but it was
impossible after asking all the people. It was time to go home but we werenīt satisfied
and we turned around the exterior of the Casino and I saw, in the park of the
administration and artists, a big white car (limousine) and I thought it was obviously
the car that CdeB took to go to the Casino. As it was very dificult to get in (there
was about 6 security people) we thougt it was better "catch" him in the hotel.
Povoa de Varzim is a small city in the cost but has only one good five stars hotel
and my wife said that was certain he will go to Oporto to Meridien hotel or Sheraton
(only 100 metres distance one for another), near our home and we decided to go to the
car, back home very slowly. When we arrived, my wife and my daughter asked me if I
wanted to stay near the hotel and saw if CdeB arrived. I said imediately yes and I
must confess it was the best decision I tooked the last decade.
About 03.00 a.m. CdeB arrived in that white limousine at the Meridien hotel and I
thought it was my oportunity to saw him again in Portugal. CdeB leaved the car and
imediately my daughter and my wife said that, who knows, was the only oportunity to
approche and greet him, because at that time nobody was near the hotel. My daughter
and me running in the direction of CdeB, my lags were tremble but I got courage and
when CdeB wait to the other staff persons to took something from the back of the car,
I said : "Hello Chris, is possible give me a autograph ?" He said: "Yes, of course"
and I thougt it was the last minute of my life because it seemed that Iīll fall down.
CdeB was very nice, friendly, calm and asked my daughter "Whatīs your name ?". She
said "Iolanda" and CdeB said "Itīs a beatiful name". My daughter was as well
astonished. At the same time he tooked my 2 photos of CdeB that I had in my pocket
and one person behind me (I think it was the management - perhaps Kenny ?) gave me a
brief-case in order to CdeB sign better. As you can imagine, I couldnīt think or told
him something more interesting, I was very nervous and my brain broke up. Nevertheless
I got courage and told to CdeB that Iīm a big fan belonging to the mailing list
(habitual lurker) and that we were at the concert in the Casino some hours ago. He
said only "Oh yes ?" and tried to wright the name of my daughter in the photo and
asked me the letters. I tried to tell him the right handwriting but I was very nervous
and I wrote in the envelope where I got the photos.
He wrote: "To Iolanda
with love
and signed CdeB"
My daughter was very very happy because she like him very much and she thought, like
me, it was impossible one day stay near CdeB and talk with him. Then he asked her: "How
old are you ?" and I said fourteen years old. He smiled and signed another photo to me
and wrote:
"To Luis Costa
and sign CdeB"
After this "long" five minutes, CdeB said goodbye, kiss my daughter (in two faces) and
greet me with his hand and went to the reception of the hotel. We run again to my car,
happy, happy, happy and without speech. My surprise and nervous was so much that I
forgot ask CdeB a photo with us. Itīs a pitty because we were alone with him, but maybe
next time. Anyway it was very good the autographs in the photos that will be in my
memory forever.
Cdeb was very friendly, polite and with the most calm of the world, seemed tired (it
was 03.00 a.m. in the dawn) but, for all that, was very kind and I never imagined he
could gave us some minutes of his attention. We were lucky.
I think itīs better finish but I needed to share with all of you this great night and
if I was a big fan of CdeB, like all of you, after this night nothing is most important
to me.
Sorry for my English.
A big hug from
Luis Costa
Oporto
Portugal
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File last modified on September 19thth, 2006