Concert Review: Bournemouth, UK - December 9, 1999
Sheila Gardner:
Just arrived home so high on emotion :)
What a super day!! Chris and Stewart Williams arrived at our home about 3pm and after a quick coffee we set off for Bournemouth. Arrived there about 5pm and found the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Windsor Hall was inside this building and was the hall that Chris was performing in. We waited outside the hall sat at a table having refreshments and chatting etc. and before the show we had the okay from Chris's assistant that we could present Chris with the internet Birthday/Christmas Book to him after the show :))))) At last!!!
At 6.30pm approximately we were let into the hall and we did not have our bag searched so managed to get my camera in this time and take some photos :) and I was surprised at how small the hall was. I think it must have been one of the smallest I had seen Chris perform in. Found our seats easily (right on the front row) and we met some friends and had a great time chatting with them. Hi to Jean, Mike, Ann and Melanie from the list. Lovely to meet with you :))
At 7.45pm Chris came on to the stage and me and Chris got up and danced straight away, not being able to keep still in our seats and at every opportunity we were dancing but the security to the side were waving us to sit down but we ignored them. Chris commented that at Birmingham not many people danced and it was subdued or words to that effect and that he hoped that tonight people would be rocking. We sat down for a song and I saw Peter Oxendale wave and laughing at me told me to get up. He said this twice and I mentioned it to Chris Williams and we got up and carried on dancing. One girl was told by security to sit down and she shouted to Chris, was it okay to dance, and of course he said that it was :))
Chris was his usual energetic self and never tiring!! The highlights of the concert for me were when Chris and the band were sat chatting before the song My Lover Is and Chris and I threw up a sheep each. First Tony read what was on mine - "My name is Baa-bara! Don't Be Sheepish! I Love Ewe!! (I know it is very corny :) Then Chris took the sheep that Chris Williams had thrown and pretended that the sheep was having a conversation and it was very funny :)) I always love Patricia too and threw up to the stage some black underwear and this was caught by Chris :) I also loved to hand Chris roses and had a kiss for them :) Always I love the way the band at the moment seem to have private jokes among themselves during the show and it is fun to watch out for these :) The crowd never all got to their feet until Say Goodbye To It All, as in Birmingham, but it was great to see them moving at last!! I think the part at the end of the show when Chris falls down pretending to be exhausted is brilliant !!
After the show we went to where the backstage was and waited for Chris to get changed from his clothes and come out into a corridor. There was not a separate room and the backstage people were all squeezed into this corridor so not much room to move. Chris came out in his jacket and scarf ready to go and first he came to all the people in this corridor and greeted them, signed things and had photos taken etc. When our turn came we told Chris of the wait we had had to hand him the book from the internet and he turned the pages and looked absolutely amazed. He clearly loved it :)) Chris and I had a photo taken with Chris with the book but their was not much room so we hope that the photo has come out okay. We can only hope :)) It was such a relief to get the book to Chris at last and to see that he was clearly made up with it!! Chris and I also handed Chris a gift which we had privately made and he loved that too and passed it around the people for them to look at. I think he was proud of us!!
We left feeling so high on emotion tonight and the journey home was reliving the concert memories. Alan and I got home at 1.15am and then Chris and Stewart went home in their car from our house which would have taken them an hour.
All I can say to finish is great concert, so much fun, and can't wait for the concert at the Royal Albert Hall now!! One more day to go!!