Well, guys, at last I am allowed on the computer after George has been hogging it since we came back from London ... !
I dunno about Feeder - simply because I honestly haven't listened that closely to them on record. All I can tell you (from an uneducated point of view) is that I agree with Simon - I felt them to be very much the 'support band', somewhat lacking in charisma, and although the musicians themselves are, I'm sure, more than just beyond reproach, the overall impression was kinda bland. The lead singer (sorry, I don't know their names :? ) was tuneful but not at all strong. I couldn't make out a word they sang, and the sound quality was, well, rough.
Anyway, that's my opinion, but like I said, I am new to these guys. :shrug:
Then came Coldplay! I won't go over all the details again - Simon did a very fine job as usual! This is just my slant on it.
It was really great to meet up with Si again, as well as his friends Ian and Jodie, and we walked for what seemed like miles before finding our seats right at the top of the arena and to the far left of the stage.
Vertigo momentarily hit me as I looked down at the stage, far below, and the huge, almost empty arena, which soon filled up as the evening progressed. I could see Andy and George on the far side, in Block 1, row C, which was almost as close as you could get, seated. They were lucky - they had the guest tickets which Chris's dad and mum had very kindly arranged for us. However, I was absolutely delighted to sit with Si and his mates up in 'the Gods', where we had a brilliant, panoramic view of the whole arena.
I was not at all surprised by Chris's energy on stage - it is something we have all come to expect - but I was amazed by the passion of the other members of the band. How Will keeps on hitting those drums the way he does for an hour without faltering I just don't know, and quiet Jonny - rockin' with the best of them! And Guy (who is so skinny you wouldn't believe!) giving it his all with the others.
These guys really mean what they're doing.
The light show was totally brilliant. I've never seen anything like the way the lights were used as part of the songs - to enhance rather than embellish. In Yellow, yellow and orange lights were used (OK, pretty obvious). And in Daylight they brought in a kind of sunrise effect just at that glorious moment when the music delivers the dawn.
But the lasers in Clocks - well, honestly, it was stunning. When they brought them on, they switched on the smoke machines in pulses, just briefly, and from where we were, looking down, it was as if pools of water were suspended in mid air, the edges of which smouldered and smoked and glowed brightly as if they were burning. It was all moving, shimmering, but just in two planes - nothing 3D about it. We've all seen it on video - but my Goodness, when you're there it's something else!
As Simon said, I was really lucky and had been given After Show passes for 4 of us. So Ian and Jodie left, and Si, Andy, George and I went backstage (another long walk!) to the 'celeb' party. I expected a free bar, but no chance, and they were definitely charging over the odds, too. However, I didn't care a jot, and everyone seemed fairly pleasant and enjoying themselves, but I wanted to see some action. It can be very useful, having a teenage son - without seeming a complete anorak myself, I cheerfully followed George around the perimeter of the party, and as soon as he spotted someone interesting he'd stop and point them out to me! Me being a TOTAL HOPELESS CASE I didn't even recognise Will and Guy when they appeared through a doorway. But I didn't waste any time and actually INTERRUPTED Will in his conversation with another fellow with 'Hi! Will ! I'm Vicky, pleased to meet you' and shook his hand without any apology! I chatted with him for a bit, about nothing very much, except how he must have built his muscles up with all that frenetic drumming!
Then Si pointed out Guy, who was just behind me, talking to some other people. But something about him made me reluctant to approach - he seemed not quite so 'open' as Will, who simply beamed at me and was really, really sweet! Guy seemed rather more private - or something like that.
Then Si or George, I can't remember who, said 'look, there's Jonny' and pointed at these two guys, neither of which looked like the Jonny I knew from the photos!! So me being me, I went up to them both and said 'I'm told that one of you is Jonny!' and Jonny said, 'Yeah, that's me!', so I laughed and shook his hand and said 'Hi, I'm Vicky, I'm sorry about that!' but he just laughed too and it was OK! I tell you, Jonny is a really, really lovely guy. He (and Will) struck me as very open, normal people, not at all arrogant or 'up themselves', and happy to talk to me even though I was obviously struggling to find anything interesting to say to them! Jonny is very tall - I would guess about 6'3" or so, and he was wearing a baseball cap (I think that's why I didn't recognise him!). When George eventually asked for a photo of him with me, I said, 'you'll have to come down here a bit, or I'll have to get a chair' because I'm only 5'2"!!! He is lovely and has a very engaging laugh!
Did you all know that Guy and Jonny smoke? I held Jonny's cigarette while he found a pen to sign my CD insert, and I said he shouldn't be smoking! (Cheeky bitch! ) He just laughed and said he knew he shouldn't, and thanked me in a very gentlemanly fashion for holding his cigarette!
I was watching the three of them very closely, all the time I could see them, for the best part of 2 hours. It was very interesting. Will and Jonny are rather alike - both very open, normal guys. If you met them in the supermarket you would not think 'those guys are famous'! Guy, however, looks more the part. He is very skinny, and when he put his arm around me for the photo, and I slipped my arm around his waist in return, I was surprised to notice how thin he is, but how hard. There is just no fat on him, he's all muscle! He was very courteous about signing my CD insert - the damn pen just wouldn't work for him and he tried three times!!
But, sadly, Chris didn't appear. We left at something well after 12.30, and a lot of ppl had left before us. I'd really hoped to see him, but it just got too late and he was probably too tired.
But I have photos of me with Guy, Jonny and Will, and had a fantastic chat with Jonny about his university courses - did you know he studied Pure Maths and Astronomy at uni? And passed?! But he said he would rather have done Cosmology than Astronomy, and that Pure Maths was really, really hard.
I can't think anymore. When I can, I'll come back with more detail - if you're not bored already ..... :-D