Post by maureen on Nov 22, 2014 1:10:09 GMT
Got a phone call Wed from daughter Sue saying a fellow worker in her office (civil servants) just happen to mention he was going to The Sage on Thurs night and he was doing security on Stage 2.(there are 4 stages in the Sage)Sue replied she was also going but didn't know what stage.Then he said he would be at the right hand side of the stage behind Gareth Gates. He said it was a really lovely intimate hall and it was lined with special wood to give perfect acoustics.
After enquiring via phone I was told the show started at 7pm,thought that's early. We aimed to leave at 6pm.Sue got in from work 5.30pm so it was a mad dash managed to get on our way by 6.15pm .I was panicking as we had to get our tics from the box office. Sue went for the parking tic and I ran in to get the tics ,it was 6.45pm,I discover the show actually starts at 7.30pm.Phew relief!!
After a cup of tea and time to draw our breath we made our way to Hall no.2.I was surprised to see so many ppl. According to Sue's fellow workmate come part time security guard the hall held approx. 250/300 ppl.
The show started promptly at 7.30 with about a dozen seats vacant and hardly anyone in the upper gallery. I was a bit concerned that maybe Gareth didn't have the following in the NE as he rarely does gigs up here.
Well Cherry Bomb appeared on stage introducing themselves after the first song. I thought they had excellent vocals were very good but their choreography left a lot to be desired, but I enjoyed their performance. They thanked and praised Gareth said they had really enjoyed touring and appearing with him. they sang 3 songs and left the stage after about 15/20moins.A 10min break ensued giving folks time to fill up their glasses.
Jai McDowell came on at 8pm to screams and shouts he appeared to have quite a few fans in the audience. He had a lot of banter, very friendly with a good sense of humour. Think he was understood more up here than down country and he was enjoying it. Had a great voice ,sang some brill songs one had a country and Western flavour and I love that. He was savouring all the attention he was getting from his fans as I thought I mean their banter was dead funny. Anyway he didn't thank or mention Gareth at any time during his performance, which surprised me. He announced that he would be just outside the door at the back of the hall for pics etc,during the break, which was inside the building of course as it is a large complex.. Then he left the stage. I was getting edgy now coz all I could think of was Gareth then oh no!!!! another break but this time a longer one. To try to get our minds off Gareth we went for a walk about, as there are shops on the lower level and they were full of Christmas fayre.The pre ordered drinks were all lined along the balcony with the appropriate receipts tucked under them. PPL were queuing to see Jai, The drinkers would enjoy the fab view of the river and the Newcastle quayside all lit up with the millennium bridge continuously changing colour.
We retreated back to our seats before 9pm to find not a seat empty in the place it was just what Sue had said ppl had come to see Gareth and not the support acts.
With more alchohol downed the atmosphere had developed to fever pitch and when Gareth came on stage the noise was just deafening. Gareth started singing 'Free' and when he sang the 2nd line 'She's no longer mine' there was a loud chorus of,'I am, I am.' Gareth could hardly sing for laughing, the screaming and banter continued that's when I realised the Jai fans as I thought were actually Gareth fans and it was about Gareth's 4/5 song something was going on in the first few centre rows but I couldn't see we were at the left hand side facing the piano. He shouted 'I'm laughing at you lot he was pointing to the first few rows and he was in kinks. Soon as he started singing 'Caught in a Trap' well everybody in the hall just jumped to their feet, singing waving arms and dancing where they could find a space. When Gareth sang UM there were parts where he just let the audience sing and near the end where it goes high it was brill the high sound of all those voices Gareth shouted 'what beautiful voices' to Pete.Altho Gareth had a couple of scary moments with his voice ,well I thought so, he looked so happy , confident and relaxed up there on that stage .He had the audience eating out of his hand they were absolutely purring. After singing UM he took a drink of water then looked at Pete who prompted him nodding towards the piano and Gareth chuckled' laughed and went over to play. Gareth settled himself down attempted to play and realised the plug had came out.He fixed that and started to sing and his voice was all froggy. He apologised in good humour as always and started over again think my heart skipped a beat then, but he was fine. When he shouted Its party time it went wild. With 'Summer of 69'and Living on a Prayer' He left the stage and everyone was screaming and stamping the floor and he was back onstage for SITS. My pics were not good as the flash was to far away.So I skidaddled dragging Sue by the arm with me down to the front of the stage, camera in hand. I took a couple of pics with the flash but wanted to dance so I put my camera on the stage then the security fellow tapped me on the shoulder I was expecting a reprimand but he wanted to take a pic of me and Sue with his phone, then he asked to take another and said to Sue I will give them to you tomoz at work!! well wasn't that brill. Its a brill pic, well its an awful pic of me never take a good pic but the thing is, me and Sue just sort of top half but Gareth is on stage behind us just like a selfie. I don't think I can post it as Sue doesn't know how to transfer it to me from her mob.. During SITS when Gareth had ppl singing in the mic 2 young girls pushed in front of me then Gareth came along with the mic I was standing right behind and after they sang he gave one a kiss then he tried to stand up and the other girl nearly pulled him over wouldn't leave go of his hand she pulled him back and he struggled to keep his balance but he was laughing so she got a kiss to.
In no time it was all over and it didn't look like Gareth was gonna come out to sign ,pics etc ,so we made our way back to the car and the tour bus was pulling round into the main car park.
Her work colleague re security said Gareth was a long time coming out but there was still about 50 ppl waiting to meet him they must of wanted to grab the chance as it doesn't come often up here.
It was a fantastic party night and a brill show Gareth just excelled Sue quipped she had not enjoyed herself so much at a concert and couldn't believe how much Gareth seemed to have enjoyed himself and all the fun.
Yes it was def a night to remember!!!!!
After enquiring via phone I was told the show started at 7pm,thought that's early. We aimed to leave at 6pm.Sue got in from work 5.30pm so it was a mad dash managed to get on our way by 6.15pm .I was panicking as we had to get our tics from the box office. Sue went for the parking tic and I ran in to get the tics ,it was 6.45pm,I discover the show actually starts at 7.30pm.Phew relief!!
After a cup of tea and time to draw our breath we made our way to Hall no.2.I was surprised to see so many ppl. According to Sue's fellow workmate come part time security guard the hall held approx. 250/300 ppl.
The show started promptly at 7.30 with about a dozen seats vacant and hardly anyone in the upper gallery. I was a bit concerned that maybe Gareth didn't have the following in the NE as he rarely does gigs up here.
Well Cherry Bomb appeared on stage introducing themselves after the first song. I thought they had excellent vocals were very good but their choreography left a lot to be desired, but I enjoyed their performance. They thanked and praised Gareth said they had really enjoyed touring and appearing with him. they sang 3 songs and left the stage after about 15/20moins.A 10min break ensued giving folks time to fill up their glasses.
Jai McDowell came on at 8pm to screams and shouts he appeared to have quite a few fans in the audience. He had a lot of banter, very friendly with a good sense of humour. Think he was understood more up here than down country and he was enjoying it. Had a great voice ,sang some brill songs one had a country and Western flavour and I love that. He was savouring all the attention he was getting from his fans as I thought I mean their banter was dead funny. Anyway he didn't thank or mention Gareth at any time during his performance, which surprised me. He announced that he would be just outside the door at the back of the hall for pics etc,during the break, which was inside the building of course as it is a large complex.. Then he left the stage. I was getting edgy now coz all I could think of was Gareth then oh no!!!! another break but this time a longer one. To try to get our minds off Gareth we went for a walk about, as there are shops on the lower level and they were full of Christmas fayre.The pre ordered drinks were all lined along the balcony with the appropriate receipts tucked under them. PPL were queuing to see Jai, The drinkers would enjoy the fab view of the river and the Newcastle quayside all lit up with the millennium bridge continuously changing colour.
We retreated back to our seats before 9pm to find not a seat empty in the place it was just what Sue had said ppl had come to see Gareth and not the support acts.
With more alchohol downed the atmosphere had developed to fever pitch and when Gareth came on stage the noise was just deafening. Gareth started singing 'Free' and when he sang the 2nd line 'She's no longer mine' there was a loud chorus of,'I am, I am.' Gareth could hardly sing for laughing, the screaming and banter continued that's when I realised the Jai fans as I thought were actually Gareth fans and it was about Gareth's 4/5 song something was going on in the first few centre rows but I couldn't see we were at the left hand side facing the piano. He shouted 'I'm laughing at you lot he was pointing to the first few rows and he was in kinks. Soon as he started singing 'Caught in a Trap' well everybody in the hall just jumped to their feet, singing waving arms and dancing where they could find a space. When Gareth sang UM there were parts where he just let the audience sing and near the end where it goes high it was brill the high sound of all those voices Gareth shouted 'what beautiful voices' to Pete.Altho Gareth had a couple of scary moments with his voice ,well I thought so, he looked so happy , confident and relaxed up there on that stage .He had the audience eating out of his hand they were absolutely purring. After singing UM he took a drink of water then looked at Pete who prompted him nodding towards the piano and Gareth chuckled' laughed and went over to play. Gareth settled himself down attempted to play and realised the plug had came out.He fixed that and started to sing and his voice was all froggy. He apologised in good humour as always and started over again think my heart skipped a beat then, but he was fine. When he shouted Its party time it went wild. With 'Summer of 69'and Living on a Prayer' He left the stage and everyone was screaming and stamping the floor and he was back onstage for SITS. My pics were not good as the flash was to far away.So I skidaddled dragging Sue by the arm with me down to the front of the stage, camera in hand. I took a couple of pics with the flash but wanted to dance so I put my camera on the stage then the security fellow tapped me on the shoulder I was expecting a reprimand but he wanted to take a pic of me and Sue with his phone, then he asked to take another and said to Sue I will give them to you tomoz at work!! well wasn't that brill. Its a brill pic, well its an awful pic of me never take a good pic but the thing is, me and Sue just sort of top half but Gareth is on stage behind us just like a selfie. I don't think I can post it as Sue doesn't know how to transfer it to me from her mob.. During SITS when Gareth had ppl singing in the mic 2 young girls pushed in front of me then Gareth came along with the mic I was standing right behind and after they sang he gave one a kiss then he tried to stand up and the other girl nearly pulled him over wouldn't leave go of his hand she pulled him back and he struggled to keep his balance but he was laughing so she got a kiss to.
In no time it was all over and it didn't look like Gareth was gonna come out to sign ,pics etc ,so we made our way back to the car and the tour bus was pulling round into the main car park.
Her work colleague re security said Gareth was a long time coming out but there was still about 50 ppl waiting to meet him they must of wanted to grab the chance as it doesn't come often up here.
It was a fantastic party night and a brill show Gareth just excelled Sue quipped she had not enjoyed herself so much at a concert and couldn't believe how much Gareth seemed to have enjoyed himself and all the fun.
Yes it was def a night to remember!!!!!
I too can relate to your excitement as saw him on the Monday night it was cetainly a night to remember 
