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Anna Dolgikh:
Dear all! I want to tell you the story of my visiting Chris De Burgh
concert held on 18th of July 2007 in Zurich.
Well, I live in Russia and I have been listening to Chris de Burgh
songs since I was 13 (i.e. for 15 years already). And Chris for me is
much more than my favorite singer. I consider him to be the first
Teacher in my life. So a chance to visit his concert is a miracle for
me.
When at the beginning of this year I found out from the cdeb.com that
Chris would have a concert in Zurich on 18th of July (just my
birthday!) it took my breath away. But ... at that time a visit to
Zurich and Chris concert was only a dream for me.
But it turned out that I had married a magician :) My husband (who
knows very well what Chris and his songs mean to me) made a wonderful
birthday present to me tickets to Chris concert on July 18th and
trip to Zurich!!!!!!!
I won't tell you the story of buying tickets (not to be boring :) )
but it was our first experience of buying tickets abroad. And, as
every thing you are doing for the first time in your life, it was a
little bit hard. But now, I guess, I can easily buy tickets to a
concert held in any part of the world and even on the Moon. :)
So we were lucky to buy tickets just in the middle of the 6th row,
very close to stage. And as it was an open air concert, starting from
July 10th I regularly checked Internet weather forecasts for Zurich.
Well... On 18th of July all of them promised rain, showers, even
thunderstorms. But as 10 day weather forecast often are not precise I
tried not to take them into my mind. But when I looked through 3 day
weather forecasts and they were still promising rains, I understood
that ... it was a mistake. Because there could not be rain on Chris
concert and my birthday. :)
So, there was splendid weather in the morning and afternoon on July
18th in Zurich. It was sunny with some clouds in the sky. But by 5
p.m. more clouds appeared. Time of concert's beginning was 8.30 p.m.
We came to Landesmuseum (place of concert) at 7 p.m. By that time
there were lots of grey clouds in the sky. And nearly half past 7
light rain began. Than it became stronger. The organizers began
distributing raincoats. The majority of the people was hiding from
the rain in the restaurant area and under the tents. Well, I had been
a little bit upset because of the rain... until I understood one
simple thing I could enjoy Chris concert at any weather. It was me
to decide to notice rain or not. And ... at 8.10 rain stopped! And
even sun tried to appear. And there was rainbow!
There were some photographers taking pictures of the guests before
the concert. And one of them approached me and asked if he could take
a picture. He liked the flowers that were in my hands (we have bought
a bouquet of white roses for Chris) and the flower in my hair. They
turned out to be a good combination. :)
At 8.30 Chris appeared on the stage and said that he had had a
conversation with God regarding weather, and that although all
Internet forecasts had been promising rain, at that moment the
weather was fine. Well, I do believe in this conversation because
during all the concert no drop of rain fell down and it began raining
only 10 minutes later after the concert's end. :)
Well, the concert was exciting!!! It is very difficult for me to find
words to express my emotions and feelings during the concert! Was I
completely happy? Yes! Did I feel great love in my heart? Yes! Was I
high on emotion? Yes! But it is only a part of that what I had (and
still have) in my heart and soul!
The concert consisted of three parts. And each of it was incredible,
exciting, taking my breath away. First was Chris solo. I liked it
very much. I had such a felling that there were no limits between
Chris, me, and all people seating in the hall. Just one soul for all
of us. I felt Chris energy, great love and respect to all of us,
kindness of his soul, his strong emotions. I should say that I always
admired Chris for his open heart and great love he has in it, for his
wonderful soul and of course for his talent and exciting songs.
I should say that I have taken few pictures of Chris during the
concert. However, I still have a feeling of regret about that.
Because I took photographs while I didn't know Chris point of view
regarding taking pictures during the concert. I wish I knew it! And
also it turned out that at a time I could do well only one thing
either listen or take pictures. Failed to do both of them
simultaneously. :) But I have one consolation it took me little
time to understand all that, so having taken a couple of pictures I
asked my husband to take camera far-far away from me. :)
In the second part Chris sang with his band. Oh!!! It was strong,
exciting, incredible! My heart and soul were singing together with
Chris.
I would like specially to mention "The Leader", "The Vision"
and "What about me". There was a screen behind Chris. And some songs
were accompanied by video. At the beginning of "The Leader" Chris
left the place in the center of the stage and moved to its right
corner and was looking at the screen with us. He sang with strong
emotion... And on the screen there were pictures describing war,
nuclear weapon, nuclear blows... Oh my God! Cold sweat was on my
forehead. I was deeply impressed and shocked. I guess that after
these video and songs everyone in the hall could really feel the
tragedy of nuclear weapon as if he had been in Herasima or
Nagasaki... My God! When there is a nuclear blow it is impossible to
run away. And it seems to me that seconds or minutes between nuclear
blow and death are as long as whole life, but it is a life of
horror... Oh my God, how I wish we all were living in
peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
... Cold sweat came again on my forehead... ... But let me now leave
this serious topic and go further...
Well, in the third part of the concert there was dancing!!! Chris
invited everybody to come close to the stage and to dance and sing
with him. Well, I decided to stand up and come close to the stage
while my husband decided to remain seated (because it was a little
bit inconvenient for him to dance with his arm in plaster cast he
had fallen dawn and broken his arm in June). So he remained seated
and I left with him the bouquet of white roses for Chris.
It took me a little time to approach the stage (there was a little
delay because of my regret to leave my husband seating alone, but he
said that I should go and dance because this concert had been my
dream and there should not be any regrets.) So when I stood up and
began approaching the stage some people had already successfully
approached it and were dancing there. And I was going to join them
when ... a security guard blocked up my way. It was very unexpected
to me. I didn't know why he did that because a couple minutes ago
Chris invited us to come close to the stage. I got lost for a moment
and then I decided to stand there where I was (it was only three or
four meters from the stage) because the guard didn't ask me to go
away he only blocked my way. And when I lifted up my eyes and looked
again at Chris I have seen that he was showing at me and
gesticulating to come closer to stage!!! But the guard didn't see
that because he was looking at the hall and the stage was behind him.
And I could not explain anything to him because I didn't know
German ... But have you noticed that in your birthday all Universe is
helping you? One lady who was dancing close to stage turned back,
approached the guard and said a couple of words to him. And ... he
disappeared! Great thanks to her!!! So the way was clear and I could
easily approach the stage!!!
Well, standing there close to stage I had such a strong and exciting
feeling that I came up on the next level of my emotions. Seating in
the hall I was high on emotion, very high!!! And when I approached
the stage there was a new outburst of emotions inside me. I had such
a great love in my heart to Chris, to all people in the hall, to
every human in the world, to all Universe. And I felt that the same
love was going from Chris heart and eyes.
After having sung "Don't pay the ferryman" Chris said "Thank you very
much" and "Good night" and left the stage with the band. There were
lots of applause and shouts in the hall. I knew that Chris would
return and sing a couple of songs an encore. I was thinking should I
stay near the stage or go back to our seats to take flowers. Well, I
was so excited standing there close to stage that I didn't want to
leave that place. And ... suddenly my husband appeared beside me with
the bouquet!!! He said that he had known that I would have that
dilemma, so he decided to solve it! Great thanks to him!!!
At that moment Chris returned back to the stage. After he had
sung "High on emotion" I understood that it was the time to present
him flowers. So I passed along the stage to its left corner (there
were stairs to stage). When I reached that place I looked at Chris
and saw that he and members of the band were making bows to the
audience. I found that moment to be good for presenting flowers and
wanted to walk up the stairs when a security guard suddenly appeared
in front of me. He blocked my way and said that I couldn't come
upstairs and the only way to present flowers was to give them from
the hall to the stage. Well ... It was a little bit unexpected to
me ... But at that time Chris began singing another song. I decided
to return to the place where I had been standing all dancing part
(right in front of the center of the stage). And I began making my
way back (because many people were standing near the stage). Well, I
think they understood the purpose of my first pass, but they
definitely did not understand why on the way back the flowers were
still with me. I guess, they decided that I had changed my mind. :)
Well, I successfully passed along the stage and stopped not far from
the place Chris was standing on the stage. But I still didn't want to
present him flowers from the hall because of two reasons. The first
reason was that the stage was rather high and it was inconvenient to
present flowers standing in the hall. But if it had been the only
reason I would have closed my eyes on this inconvenience. The main
reason was connected with that I considered Chris to be more than my
favorite singer, I considered him to be the first Teacher in my life.
Well, let me make a little deviation from my story and tell you what
I mean under these words. I'll try to be short. :) Well, while I had
been growing up I understood that every step of my life was a choice.
Between good and evil. And Chris was a person of my admiration, a
person who was an example for me, a person who through his songs
influenced my life greatly. His songs every day inspired me for doing
good things, for personal growth, for love to others, for being kind
and noble. And of course Chris songs are influencing me now. They are
a part of my world and are helping me to keep the way I have chosen
in my life.
And for all these I wanted to say Chris "Thank you!". Few months ago,
in April I have submitted my question on Man On the Line section with
my thanks to Chris. But my dream was to have a chance to say
this "Thank you!" straight to Chris looking in his eyes. That is why
I didn't want to present flowers from the hall to the stage. Because
in that case there was no chance for this "Thank you". Well, as you
see, I came back to my story. :)
So Chris sang the last song and began saying goodbye to the audience.
I felt his delight and happiness. I was standing and thinking how to
present flowers when suddenly Chris ran to the left corner of the
stage and began walking down the stairs.
He reached the left gangway, walked along it and was hugging some
people and shaking hands. And I understood that the only chance to
present flowers to Chris was to get to that gangway. So once again I
began making my way along the stage. People were smiling and making
way to me, so I reached the gangway very quickly.
Well, I was standing there, looking at Chris and thinking how I
should act. I didn't know whether he continue moving far in the hall
or come back to the stage. But hardly had I took a decision to follow
Chris when he suddenly turned back and began approaching the stage.
And then he saw me with flowers.
Chris smiled and quickened his steps towards me. He approached me and
I presented him flowers. In Chris eyes I saw such a delight that I
felt myself as if I had been the first person in his life who
presented him flowers. Well, I wanted to say him "Thank you for being
the first Teacher in my life" and I began my phrase and just
said "Thank you ..." when Chris answered me. I smiled and wanted to
continue my phrase and said again "Thank you ..." but at that moment
I understood that my phrase was rather long for a short period of
time that I had at my disposal.
And suddenly I realized that that phrase wasn't the main thing. What
really was important were my feelings and emotions that had been
always in my heart towards Chris and his songs. And feelings did not
require words. So my third "Thank you" was from the bottom of my
heart and contained all emotions and feelings that were in my heart
and soul at that moment. And Chris smiled and kissed me in my cheeks.
And no words required because I clearly felt Chris emotions.
After the concert me and my husband came back to the hotel and didn't
sleep until 4 a.m. we were full of emotions and were talking and
talking and talking. It was wonderful, amazing and unforgettable day
of my life!!!
Thank you all for spending your time to read this story. Hope you
didn't fall asleep reading it or at least had somebody near you who
woke you up. :)
Kind regards,
Anna Dolgikh
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File last modified on January 3rdth, 2008