UK Show Reviews and Michael Moments - 1
Thanks to Cathy Evatt-Davey a.k.a. "Cathymom" for providing us with the content of this page.
GOOD MORNING ALL : It's 10:25am over here and I guess you're all waiting for some news. First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURIE. I'm waiting outside the arena at 5pm and 30 minutes later the band members show up. They had walked from their hotel which was a few blocks away. Jason Duffy recognised me and we had a good chat. I said Hello from Jessica and Jason Correll to him. The Arena is very large and at first I didn't think it would sell out because at 7:15 many seats were still empty. By 7:35pm all of them were filled. Show starts at 7:45 and every is quiet waiting with anticipation. The part where the curtain rises and you see the silhouette of Michael was the moment they've been waiting for. There were loud screams and whistles as Michael started his dancxe. Yes, Michael is ALIVE and WELL. Throughout his number the screma and whistles were constant. Then finally all the dancers came out and formed the ring around him. What a rush!!! I was sitting way toward the back just off the main floor and the sound was incredible. The band, the violinists, dancers and Anne Buckley were just fantastic. Anne's voice is superb. She never missed a note. Since I haven't seen a T1 show in quite some time I may be wrong about this, but it seems like some of the dance numbers were changed a bit, even the band played with some slight changes. The leads were performed by Bernadette, Catriona and Daire. Even with the amount of time they had to relax you wouldn't have noticed. All of the dancers were flawless. The crowd was very loud at times especially when Michael was dancing. The last number before intermission you would've expected an ovation. There was no ovation just loud screams and whistles. After the intermission the part I was waiting for was the flute jam. The crowd really got into this one. My other favorite part was Siamsa. Again the dancers were flawless and the music outstanding. I wonder if these dancers relxed at all, or did they continue to practice every day. Towards the end of the show right before Planet Ireland, many people started to leave. Those of us who remained knew the best was yet to come. Incase you women are wondering, yes, Michael still does his bump & grind. The women in the audience made him well aware of that. I looked around me and the women were screaming while the men with them just stared straight ahead as if nothing had happened. Some of the men even looked embarassed. At the end of the show they finally gave Michael and the troupe an ovation. Even so, we only got one encore. It was an incredible evening and look forward for tomorrow night. After the show I made my way to the stage door and came across Christina. We chatted a bit and then the cast started to come out. First to come out was the band, again Jason, Paul, Gerard and Eamonn shook my hand and said good to see you again. Jason told me to give Jessica and Jaon his warm regards again before they took off. John Carey comes out with Cora Smyth and we talk with them awhile. Christina gave Cora some photos she had of her and Mairead. Next to come out was Damien O'Kane and Bernadette. Talked with them awhile also, and then Daire comes out. We grab him immediately because there was a good size crowd standing around us. We finally let Daire go and he proceeded to sign autographs for the rest of the crowd. By this time most of the dancers had already left and the crowd was still waiting for Michael to appear. Security came out and told us we're wasting our time and that Michael will be coming out from a different location. Sure, we've heard that one already. Sad to say, I didn't wait around much longer after that. After a 7 hour flight to London, 2 hour train ride to Birmingham and an hour's walk to my hotel I was exhausted. I'll have to let Christina fill you in about the apperance of Michael at the end. I wasn't able to get any pictures because it was too dark. The cast members told me what hotel they were staying at and what time to come over for a photo shoot. This afternoon I'll make the most of it and hopefully get some good pictures in. Tonight we get to meet LindaUK, Vanessa and a couple of other UK lurkers. I'll come back tomorrow morning with another post. Until then, CHEERS ALL!!! Joe Horn 194.205.64.132 Birmingham, England - Monday, January 12, 1998 at 03:00:23 (PST)
My husband and I saw 'Lord of the Dance' last night (11th Jan. 1998) at the N.I.A. in Birmingham, U.K.. I didn't realise until just now that it was the first performance since Michael Flatley's illness in Australia. It was certainly a brilliant comeback! The show was fantastic and very professional. Well done all and best of luck for the future. Claire Hawkes 152.163.204.139 <CHawkes1@aol.com> Cardiff, Wales, U.K. - Monday, January 12, 1998 at 12:35:34 (PST)
Birmingham, UK, January 11th 1998 Absolutely brilliant performance! Lynne Metcalfe 194.72.246.161 <D2259373@infotrade.co.uk> Torquay, UK - Monday, January 12, 1998 at 14:11:37 (PST)
Hi honey, I'm home!!! Guys it's 2.30AM and I'm totally knackered, I've GOT to get some sleep but I'm going to 'phone in tomorrow and book the day off so I can write my report before I forget anything. Please be understanding, I'll do a better job after some z's anway. In the meantime I've just got to get this out of my system - W-W-H-H-O-O H-H-O-O-!!!!!! Linda 194.168.74.52 <r.servante@virgin.net> Derby, U.K. - Monday, January 12, 1998 at 18:31:12 (PST)
GOOD MORNING ALL : It's 11:05am here and it's quite busy at the Netcafe. People are waiting in the queue just to use it. This will be a short post for now but I'll try to come back this afternoon to post otherwise tomorrow morning with comments about the Mon and Tue night show. First I'd like to say I went to the hotel where the cast was staying, met the band members and chatted with them again, finally got to meet KERRIE CONNOLLY and DEARBHLA LENNON as they came down from their room. DEARBHLA took a couple of pictures of KERRIE and me which just absolutely made my day. I also got one picture of them together. Met more of the dancers as they came down for more photos. At tonight's show I'll try taking some photos at the stage door. OK, on to MICHAEL. We did not see him after the Sun night show. We were told he left when actually we found out he left from another exit ramp. Anyway, after Mon night's show we went to the other exit and waited for MICHAEL. Yes, we did meet him and I'll have to post later with more details. Sorry, my time is up. They're trying to drag me away from this chair. Met LINDA, JOAN (Linda's mom), and VANESSA before the show. Had a great time talking, a few drinks and some photos. See you later... Joe Horn 194.205.64.131 Birmingham, England - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 03:13:58 (PST)
TOP TEN SIGNS MICHAEL FLATLEY IS BACK IN GREAT BRITAIN: 10. While floating blissfully on a cushion of air, UK Linda is almost sucked into a jet engine at Heathrow Airport. *** 9. Joe Horn opens a chain of cybercafes across England, all offering 24-hour Internet access and a special discount for VB’ers. *** 8. Phrases like "That bloke was bloody brilliant!" and "How could those jammy buggers just sit there without clapping?" show up on the VB. *** 7. While floating blissfully on a cushion of air, UK Linda is detected over the English Channel by NATO radar and identified as a UFO (Unidentified Flatheaded Object). *** 6. Joe Horn is knighted and awarded the Flathead Medal of Honor for service to the VB above and beyond the call of duty. *** 5. Queen Elizabeth sprains her ankle while attempting a "rock." Prince Phillip sustains a concussion while attempting a clicking high kick. The Queen Mother sustains a terminal case of hiccups from laughing so hard. *** 4. In an attempt to discard his stodgy public image, Prince Charles starts wearing nothing but black leather pants and a headband. Scandalized by his pale and flabby torso, Buckingham Palace insists that he also wear a matador jacket adorned with the Union Jack. *** 3. While floating blissfully on a cushion of air, UK Linda becomes the first person to circumnavigate the globe with no mechanical means. Steve Fossett chucks his balloon into a garbage dump and calls it quits. *** 2. Sir Joe travels to Belfast and facilitates the peace talks by giving everyone tickets to LOTD in Wembley Arena. *** 1. While floating on a heavenly cloud, Princess Diana observes her countrymen having fun once again…and smiles. Jake CJ 207.180.218.14 <jtinio@en.com> Fairview Park, OH - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 03:57:01 (PST)
Dear All its 12.30 Tuesday afternoon, and have just got back from Birmingham so stand by for long post. Well I had to waid a whole year since the last show but it was well worth the waid. It was great also to finally meet my vb pal Linda, as well as her Mum, Joe Horn, Michelle and Anne from Portsmouth and Christina. We had arranged to meet at a bar first with our VB Shamrocks at the ready (Thanks to Maria from Belgium - beats wearing a Carnation. I splashed our and got myself another programme I am so glad I did I have fallen in love with the new pic of Michael in the middle, so sexy (shame I couldn't get it signed). There was a flier included advertising Ronan Hardiman's new Album Solas due to be released 9.2.98 (single released on the 26.1.98 called Far Away. Anyway where was I back to the show Linda, Her Mum, Michelle Anne and myself had front row seats together purely by chance. Christina managed to hang around and got herself an empty centre front row seat - lucky devil. Joe was seated some where up in the Gods - that was until interval when he moved down next to Christina. I listened intently to hear if I could hear Michael warming up, but could only hear the band and got a glimpse of Maidred. When the show finally started it sent shivers down my spine. The big plus side to having front row seats was seeing the expressions on the dancers faces. For example the little spirit puts her heart and sole into the part. The wealth of emotions on her face are amazing. It was lovely to see the dancers turning and smiling to each other through out the show. As soon as Michael appeared he was very warmly received. He looked tanned, sexy and gorgeous. I would have liked to give him a standing O just for turning up. His hair at the moment is quite short a little darker with a little blond patch just at the front. He danced brilliantly, and set the stage alight, such prescene you can't keep your eyes off him when he appears. The crowd loved him and he gave back such a sweet appreciative smile at the end of each dance. What I have noticed since the last time I saw it as well as little changes here and there that everyone seems to have grown into their parts. Daire really hams it up as the Villian he struts about and uses more hand and arm movements and check out those leather studded wrist bands - even more villanus than before. Bernadette seems so serene, relaxed and totally at ease. Warlords was really hot, Michael's dancing was really sharp. The crowd loved it. Michael definitly much more attention to Berni when they have their little chat to the side of the stage, and as for the Victory kiss later on I thought it would go on forever - I KNOW I'M ONLY JEALOUS. Cora and Mairead really rocked the place, moving about all over the stage the crowd really got into the music. Which brings me to Michael's flute jamming session which is a new one to us - again the crowd went wild I wish this part could have been a lot longer. Catrina Hale plays a convincing temptress - I thought she danced really well dancing seductively roung the scenery I am sure my husband will approve of her. Anne Buckly sang beautifully such a lovely crystal clear voice - so moving. The crowd gave them a much deserved standing O for Victory and Planet Ireland. I think it was Planet Ireland that Michael went along the line of girl dancers giving their waists a little squeese and we finally got to see the now famous Pump and Grind wowee!!!!. At the acknowledgements I saw Michael turn and give a lovely sexy wink to Mairead I wish I had been on the receiving end. The band struck up a Happy Birthday for the guitarist Eammon Byrnne. I am really going to have to perfect a whistle I thought my hands were going to drop off. You know when Michael dances along the line of dancers he acknowledge one of our group but I know Linda will tell you all about that it made our friends day anyway. I just couldn't get over how quickly the show seemed to fly by perhaps it was because I knew what was coming next, I just wanted to slow it down and savour every little bit. On the way out we got chatting to a guard re Michael making an appearance he assured us he wouldn't be coming out and that last night (sunday) he had left immediately. We got a bit lost but finally found our way to the back stage door where we found Joe Horn and Christina waiting - I think Joe was getting rather concerned about us. We had been chatting or trying to get info out of another security guard. Christina led us round to where she reckoned Michael had left the night before we saw a limo waiting unfortunately a guard appeared and was having none of it were sent packing to back behind a barrier - if Michael had come out there was no chance he would have seen us from this vantage point as the limo would have gone in another direction. So we decided to try our luck at the Stage Door we managed to get Daire's autograph (He's so handsome) and so nice and approachable. Bernadette and Helen Egan came out and we managed to get their autographs - they were both so sweet. I really appreciated them taking time out for us. I am sure we missed out on quite a few of the dancers Linda and I were fumbling about with our Camera's and pens a bit, trying to find a suitable place for them to sign etc., not so organised as you Americans. I am sorry if this report back is a bit muzzy but I did put pen to paper when I got back to the Hotel and only got a couple of hours sleep my mind is still buzzing with all the images of last night. Can't wait until the next show. Love Vanessa PS excuse any typos. vanessa 195.147.13.39 <brivan@globalnet.co.uk> Hemel Hempstead - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 06:12:45 (PST)
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