Concert Review: Norfolk, UK - August 8, 1998
Melanie Warren:
WELL! I'm still high-u-igh-u-igh on emotion (and VERY tired)but I'll do my best! We had the most brilliant day. We had a 3 1/2 hour journey there, but met Kitty straight away, and then Cesar and Che. Although it was only 2.30 we parked and joined the queue at the gates and were probably in the first group of 10. We then sat in boiling hot sun and no shade from 2.45 until 6 (when the gates opened early,) listening to the sound check and Che's guitar. We were joined by Alan, Linda and Miriam, who were sitting right behind us. Amazing! Sorry we didn't meet up with Theresa and her husband, that would have been so good. Then Linda did an amazing performance in the 'across the field sprint', barefooted, and was one of the first there, closely followed by Keith (8th!) and the others. kitty and I walked at a leisurely pace! We were so lucky cos we were right in the front row and just slightly to the right (the perfect karaoke place, except that a very 'LOUD' lady in a red dress beat Cesar to it :(( ) We had fantastic views(and photos) with no-one else between us and Chris and it was just amazing. He was in a great mood and cracked lots of jokes, especially remarking on how the Americans must find the name 'Norfolk Broads' confusing! The music was wonderful and the crowd got very involved right from the beginning. His band, when they joined him were great, just like old times almost! He did all the songs that Nicki wrote so eloquently in her review the other week (hope you kept it!!) except BHBJ and if I can remember right, he did Loves gotta hold on me (or was that the sound check??) Lonely sky was amazing , you were right Nicki :)) He also did an ad-lib bit of House of the Rising Sun after Brother John (oh yes, that was an extra too!) which was incredible. He had made us do loads of singing but after Brother john he came back and started it up again with us singing and then went into House of the Rising Sun and back to Brother John and it was very effective!! Anyway it was all great. We sang, shouted, screamed, danced, sang and danced some more! In Revolution, every one suddenly surged forward and we were all dancing right up next to the stage after that. I had been very lucky and managed to sit down and still see until then and even when people came forward in the second half, they were really kind and left a gap so I could sit and conserve energy. But when everyone decided to make a dash forward, there was nothing for it but to join them and I'm glad I'd rested earlier cos I was ok!!
BUT, ........the highlights were, first of all Cesar got his guitar signed by Chris, and played by him, I don't know which was better! he had a long private time with him cos Chris recognised him before it started by his list T Shirt, and called him over! Then Kitty and I saw Diane and the 3 children, they are lovely and Diane is beautiful and very elegant. As 'Hey Jude' was coming to a close, Kitty and I dashed to the back stage entrance and were there first. We waited patiently for ages despite being told repeatedly that he wouldn't sign anything! Chris Andrews came out and we reminded him that he had promised us before the show, he'd get Chris to sign our T shirts, and so he said "Yes let the Internet group in" (Che had already been invited in!) and Cesar, Kitty and I joined him in the VIP tent, where over a bottle of wine we then MET Chris, chatted, got our T Shirts signed and had photos with him, Diane and Rosanna! OH WOW! What a night! I gave Chris Andrews a big hug and kiss afterwards!!!! :-)) 22 years I have waited for that moment! Kitty was in heaven too! he recognised Cesar and remembered his name which was lovely too. The only sad part was that Keith had waited with all our bags and the 2 guitars, thinking we would get our signatures and come straight back, and there was no way of going to get him. We had been ushered in whilst all the rest of the crowd got turned away and if we'd gone out looking for him, may have missed it all. he waited patiently and all alone in the field for about 1 1/4 hours for us!! Then Chris Andrew said "Oh you should have gone and got him!!"
We all danced and sang back up the field, got a crew memeber to take our photo together, and then had a very special time all alone in the great big field when Cesar and Che, on their signed guitars, played a few songs and we sang along. Talk about 'At the end of a Perfect Day' !!!! .... So , there you have it! We got home at just after 3 a.m. and had to get up and get Che off to the airport at 7.30 a.m. but well worth the tiredness! It was FANTASTIC! Love Melanie and Keith
Theresa Hood:
I must apologize for posting this review so late, and I promise it won't be a long one. I looked for the CdeB web-site t-shirts at the gate prior to the concert but we had made a wrong turn and were a little late getting there........damned road signs. Anyway, it sounds like I missed an opportunity to meet with CdeB, and that's pretty disappointing.
We did get good seats though, dead centre, about 30 ft back from the stage. The concert was great. I have to admit to shedding a few tears when I thought about how much it meant to me to be there, all the way from Canada, on our 25th anniversary at a Chris de Burgh concert. One can't help but reflect on all the times in at least 2 decades that his music has touched our lives. Anyway, not to belabour a point, it was such a thrill to be there.
I was particularly impressed with his rendition of Hotel California, which I hadn't expected to hear. Here is Your Paradise brought chills. Danny Boy is lovely. Head and the Heart, Borderline, well, all the favourites, always the best. Whoever said they came away hoarse was absolutely right - I just felt this mad compulsion to sing......loudly. I did feel a little bit sorry for the woman who did the kareoke, whew, she had a very difficult time of it, but, to CdeB's credit, he asked us all to give her a hand, and mentioned that it took real courage to get up and do that.
Again, I'm sorry to have missed you all. It's too bad there wasn't some marker somewhere that we could have met at. Anyway, we had a night to remember and my thanks to you Dave, for releasing the concert info early enough for us to plan a trip around. It was great!