UK Show Reviews and Michael Moments - 14
It seems, from my initial scan, that no UK VBers have picked up last nights feature in the London Evening Standard. I will try and find a Web site so you could view it - if not I'll transcribe it mysely (unless you are doing it already). I thought I would be in boss-free environment today but I afraid the boss's boss is in the same seat behind me so be patient. It is a brilliant article and says EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MF's present situation. It is a big article so excuse if I fill some room up in today's 'stack' but it really is worth reading if you want to feel up-to-date. Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <Godwind3@boat.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 01:15:12 (PST
O.K. I'm onto this. Ring 0171 938 6000 and ask for extension 3108 and Bob Cool. The route is something like http://www.UKPLUS.CO.UK and in the FIND box put THISISLONDON. I'll try it myself (when the eye in the sky is not looking - difficult) but try for pages 8 and 9 and last night's London Evening Standard. The title on the page is FACE IT MICHAEL, THE DANCE IS OVER but it is not as bad as it first sounds. It is written by the paper's dance critic and I find it all makes some sort of sense. Good luck. Keep us informed on the VB re. your progress. Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GodwinD3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 01:34:42 (PST)
just purchased Ronan Hardiman's new cd Solas,dare I say it,will I be banished from the web page, I did'nt like it I thought it sound's too much like Enya's music. 2 days untill Wembley. Dave 193.149.81.96 <daveanthonyjones@hotmail.com> England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 05:43:01 (PST)
O.K. no news so I'll attempt to transcribe it. BEWARE this is BIG! If I have to cut-off in between - sorry - pressure of work(boss's' boss) and all that crap. Here goes.....oh, by way. It was amazing how I got saw this article because I don't live in London. I was coming out of the toilet (having had a cig and a tinnie in private) of my second train home(I get 3 each to way i.e. 2 hours each way) when I saw a woman reading this newspaper. I just glanced at the page she was on and lo and behold, there was a picture of MF. I approached her and, since my station was coming up, I somehow managed to get the appropriate pages. If she reads this(cause I gave her the site details), may I say a big thank you on behalf of VBers world-wide. FACE IT MICHAEL,THE DANCE IS OVER - London Evening Standard, Thursday, Feb 19th 1998. Michael Flatley is Lord Of The Dance. But for how much longer? Evening Standard dance critic Anne Sacks has always respected his raw talent and, as he returns to London, his transformation of classic Irish dance remains wildly popular. However, she says, he's lost the edge that made him famous. Michael Flatley may call himself Lord Of The Dance - but the truth is he can't cut it any more. He turns 40 this year and it shows. He may still be able to tap out a thunder of beats at lightning speed, but he has lost his ravishing leap, +his featherlite jump and gorgeous surge through space. Even his feet look leaden. After three years on the raod, the Ego has finally crashed in London. I wondered if he were simply tired the January night I saw him last perform. He collapsed at the start of a three-month tour to Australia last October and doctors diagnosed pneumonia. Nobody believed it. The whisperers said it was exhaustion. He admits he had been on the road without a night off. So he rested in the Seychelles and went to the Caribbean for New Year. Flatley is adamant I saw him on a bad night. "With all due respect, dancers have good days and bad days. There was a while when I was overwhelmed with Press and business during the day. Don't forget I have all these people counting on me for a living, so if I don't give interviews for shows in Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Denmark they won't know the tickets are on sale. I have to work all day and until late at night and do a million things at the same time." "There are times when no matter what kind of preparation I do physically or mentally I can't be 100%. But I would say that in my own defence that those days are few and far between." He talks as fast as dances but I am not convinced. Dancers have to stop at some point. There is no shame in it. He denies his body is sapped. "I recently broke the world record tap again(from 28 to 35 taps a second) at the age of 39. That was something I could not have done a year ago. The fire is definitely still there. I feel like a tiger." he insists. I was one of the few London dance critics to take Michael Flatley, an American born of Irish parents, seriously. Sure he is conceited and cocky, an implacable dictator who lives to see his reflection in the eyes of an adoring audience. But none of that matters. He may be many things but he's certainly not a fraud. He used to dance like an angel and knows what makes a great show. Such flamboyant talent is good for dance. The other reason I admire him is because he invented a new art form. This is a big claim but it is true. He borrowed from ballet and musical theatreto revitalise a tedious Irish jig. He assimilated the slick, high-tech glamour of rock concerts with the drama of theatrical dance to create a pulsating extravaganza the likes of which we had not seen before. I called it the show of the nineties. Part of its success is the speed, energy and discipline of the dancing. Lower body movement is mesmeric at its best. Long lines of well drilled dancers criss-crossing each other in split-second timimg or beautiful solo by voluptuous young women with high kicks and short skirts drew the audience irrevocably into a love affair with Lord Of The Dance. This was a chance for dance to reach millions. Flatley became the person he always wanted to be - "a solo player", as Riverdance called him. The trouble with being in total control is that nobody stops you from losing your marbles. Not satisfied with producing, directing and choreographing Lord Of The Dance, he now plays with the band as well. In the second half he calls the musicians on stage to back him as he plays the flute. They smile indulgently as he blows into the instrument with embarrasing ineptitude. I can forgive him his egotism but I can't forgive him his lack of artistic judgement. Or was the musical interlude a device to keep him on stage without dancing? He is troubled about being egotistical. "People are intimdated by what I am doing. If they took the time to understand what it is I am trying to do and if they understood that I have a second and third company in which someone else plays my part...that can't be egotistical. It used to bother me. But the sign of the tru and confident artist is to share the stage, which I do. People are so small-minded. I just can't understand it." Without prompting, he offers a view on why he is resented. "Let's face it, there are 100 little dance companies out there getting rave reviews and going broke, and living off the government. I make my own money. I had to commercial to bring the focus back to dance. I had to take dance to the next level. I took a beating for it. I stuck my neck out but I'm prepared to take the heat over it. People should talk to the thousands and thousands of dance teachers who are inundated because of the popularity of dance." Flatley found fame late, so he danced as fast as he could, going round the world in three years, where he was seen by four million people. He plans to retire this year at a huge farewell performance in London in July. According to Forbes, the Amercian business magazine, he made £34 million in 1996 and 1997. "That's for one financial year, not two" he says. So he made even more? "Basically," he laughs. "Not bad for a kid from Chicago who does the jig." He is retiring from the stage to make a film in Hollywood. Shooting starts in October on a love story that will encourage people to pursue their dreams, just as he did. "It's Rocky meets Dirty Dancing," he says. He is producing it, writing the script and dancing in it. He is writing an autobiography and has been invited to set a permanent show in a Las Vegas casino hotel. "I am very excited about this because it will give another group of young stars a chance to prove themselves." So he retires a rich man. And a fulfilled one. He says that he feels proud and lucky - that he was man enough to take the opportunities offered him and do something extraordinary. His obsession with Irish Dance cost him his apparently idyllic 11-year marriage to Beata Dziaba, a Pole who being on the road and wanted to settle in Los Angeles. He boasts that he has more sex than anybody he knows, the bleats about being lonely. He had a two-year relationship with a young dancer from the show and is now linked to an English nanny who left her American husband for him. He has no home and once scorned possessions. Everything he owned, he said, he could put in two suitcases. That has changed. He has a Rolls-Royce and a sports car. He has found a house he likes in London and hope to build another in rural Ireland. But the end comes after a heavy schedule of tours. "There is no feeling in the world like the power, energy and passion of being live in fron of 10,000 to 15,000 people. Every night I feel that feeling and it will never leave me. It will be a sad day when that comes to the end. No doubt about it." MICHAEL FLATLEY'S STEPS TO FAME in my next post. Hope you enjoyed this article - going to rest my fingers for a bit before I get RSI! Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GODWIND3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 06:30:06 (PST)
Correction re. MF article. For 100% read 110 per cent! Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GodwinD3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 06:38:00 (PST)
I am always amazed at how show critics and jounalists tend to ignore the live interviews with a celebrity and print what other journalists print, even when it's in error....What is this about everyone insisting that Michael is retireing. HE JUST SAID, YES IN ABOUT 20 YEARS. What's up, is everyone hard of hearing? Dave: I think that writer needs to check out her sources a bit more. Michael is also a concert level Flutist. Hardly an amature who needs to be "humored" by his band members...But thank you anyway for the Article, it's nice to know he's getting more public attention, even if it is still mostly incorrect... DJ 208.155.131.201 <gertie@telis.org> North Tower, Flatleyland - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 07:10:10 (PST)
Once again - extract from the London Evening Standard. Thurs, 19th Feb 1998 i.e. ANNE SACKS column on MF.***MICHAEL FLATLEY'S STEPS TO FAME*** Michael Flatley grew up on the south side of Chicago, one of five children born to Irish parents who emigrated in 1947. At school, he would get into fights and learned to box before he learned how to dance. But the dancing became a teenage passion - with characteristic dedication, he practised hard, pushing himself ever further. At 17, he travelled to Dublin and there won the world Irish dance championships, the first American to do so. For ten years, Flatley toured sporadically with the Irish band THE CHIEFTAINS. In 1993, a year before the Eurovision contest that would change his life, he danced with the band before the former Irish president Mary Robinson. Seven minutes of dervish-paced dance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin first brought him to public attention. For once the cliche is true:Flatley stole the show, overshelming a vast television audience. The telephone began to ring furiously. A producer called Moya Doherty immediately asked him to expand the seven minutes to two hours. Riverdance was born. Riverdance became a phenomenon - if you hadn't seen the show, you owned the video. It began with a five-week run in Dublin, then transferred to London where its popularity boomed. On the eve of its second London season, however - in October 1995 - Flatley split from the show dramatically. He has claimed that artistic and financial disputes with the show's producers were to blame for his departure; Riverdance spokespeople have since admitted that it was messy but maintained a dignified silence at the time. Flatley claims - and most people would surely agree - that he created and personified Riverdance. (In fact, the seven-minute Eurovision routine was co-created with composer Bill Whelan). But Flatley says that he was asked to hand over copyright for a £50,000 a week contract, and refused. Flatley picked himself up and created LORD OF THE DANCE. The show is now worth a startling £400 million , and sells out the biggest stadia in the world. Flatley himself is fabulously rich - his videos sell in huge numbers. He likes to sail, to house-hunt, to spend his money. His legs are insured for a reported £25 million and they work incredibly hard. He has told interviewers that, if he doesn't eat immediately after a show, he loses eight pounds in weight. He has said that he will write an autobiography and his film career is far beyond the planning stage. Flatley's talent(and his talent for self-promotion) will display itself for many years to come. Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GODWIND3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 07:16:46 (PST
In response to DJ's comment (North Tower, Flatleyland) plus my own realisation (since I was too busy writing to notice), I have left a message with the London Evening Standard to forward to dance critic Anne Sacks (she hasn't got an e-mail address and she works from home). It reads 'Anne, if you had heard of, or listened to, Michael Flatley's flute CD you would realise that 'embarrassing ineptitude' is entirely the wrong phrase. If you took him as seriously as you say you do, you should have known that Michael is an accomplished flautist. I can send you a tape copy with pleasure if you ring me.' Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GODWIND3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 08:03:37 (PST)
Sorry if I seem to be monopolising the VB today - it's just that I am now in a boss-free situation! That phrase also reminds me of another Americanism I heard on Country Music Television(CMT) the other day. Travis Tritt(famous country singer) was talking about his breakfasts. And he said he has his biggest ones when "he's in a vacation situation!" Us Brits normally say 'on leave' or 'on holiday'. Now I have adopted Travis's line. Sounds really cool. Anyway, for once, this post is NOT about MF but about the median we use to communicate to each other. WARNING (or has someone already experienced it?) This is an article taken from this week's UK Computer Weekly.***WOMAN CLAIMS LOVER'S SEXY E-MAILS MADE HER PREGNANT*** The INTERNET doesn't need V chips to keep kids out of X-rated material, but it does need chastity chips. That was the conclusion of Ohio democrat James Traficant on hearing that a woman in the U.S. allegedly became pregnant during a long-distance E-mail exchange. Traficant told Congree,"Frances Wyndham believes she got pregnant during a sexy E-mail exchange by a paramour(lover?) 1,500 miles away. She said, 'His words were so sexy , I was totally seduced'. This is immaculate conception." Have a nice weekend....and keep your e-mails cool! Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GODWIND3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 08:40:39 (PST
Dave Godwin Re: Article in newspaper. It makes me feel so sad that Michael seem to feel he needs to apologise for anything! Not giving 110%? Being 39 years old? Being on the road all these years? What do they want blood? KATHLEEN Q of D! I wish I could be there with you to feast at the banquet! Have a few extra bites for me! I'll just have to worship from here. He he. Looking forward to reading your posts. Brigid 208.14.237.86 <lkay@sisna.com> Salt Lake City, Ut Flatley Heaven - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 09:33:07 (PST)
RE THE INFAMOUS NEW UK ARTICLE: I have been under the impression that MF won All Ireland in flute. Now, I'm very sure they don't hand those out like green M&Ms (BTW, who knows what I mean by that? [veg] ). Have I been wrong in this idea? (not the M&Ms, the All Ireland) karen d }i{ 207.79.35.33 <karendau@webtv.net> - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 14:07:04 (PST)
Karen d }i{ I find at least 2 different sources that say Michael won All Ireland flute championships while still in high school!!! I have seen the show live and the flute jam is fantastic! Maybe this person is forgetting the operative word here "jam". No set tune. Jam! I own the flute CD and I think it's wonderful. ( It was recorded in 1981) LL & E! Brigid Brigid 208.14.238.22 <lkay@sisna.com> Salt Lake City, Utah Flatley Heaven - Friday, February 20, 1998 at 14:29:46 (PST)
I would just like to clear up one point of confusion. T1's first show at Wembley is infact tomorrow Sunday 22nd. There was not a show yesterday and there is not one tonight. There will be a pre-show gathering at the Hilton Hotel bar at about 6pm before each of the 8 shows running from 22nd February until 1st of March. Look forward to meeting some of you there. We are going to have lots of fun ! Love Brian. Brian 194.126.87.140 <brian@brivan.globalnet.co.uk> Hemel Hempstead, England - Saturday, February 21, 1998 at 02:36:43 (PST)
DAVE GODWIN thanks for all you efforts regarding the articles you transcribed for us yesterday. Feel a bit sick since I walk past about 20 Evening Standard sellers every night on the way back from work! Regarding those comments about Michaels Flute playing, well what can you say. All I know is that everytime that part of the show comes along, the audience go wild with appreciation and enjoyment. So who's right - The audience - or some dumb ass critic who probably wouldn't know the difference between a flute and a penny whistle? Thanks for pointing out her inadequacies to her. "Embarassing Ineptitude" indeed - how dare she ! Regards Brian Brian 194.126.87.140 <brian@brivan.globalnet.co.uk> Hemel Hempstead, England - Saturday, February 21, 1998 at 02:56:09 (PST)
"All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go, I'm standing here beside the door......" (NOT!!!) I certainly should be but, in my ususal totally disorganised fashion, I haven't even started packing yet, YIKES!! Keep calm, Linda, you WILL be going to the ball, just stop running around like a headless chicken and get on with it!! I'm off to London tomorrow and won't be back until a week on Monday so I thought I'd stop by and say cheerio to everybody and wish all the overseas visitors that are coming over a safe and comfortable trip. I look forward to meeting you all and can only say that, if we have even 50% of the fun we had at the last Wembley 'bash', we're going to have a ball, WHOO-HOO!! MARTY - I, sincerely, hope that you don't get flamed for your post. Anybody who has read your posts for the past several months will know that you are one of Michael's staunchest supporters, as am I. This doesn't mean that he can do no wrong in our eyes, he can and does make mistakes, he is human. A NEAR perfect human, maybe, but still human! (G) Your criticisms were made in a constructive manner and made very interesting reading. I didn't agree with all your comments (about 99% of them though) but I would defend, fiercely, your right to make them. If anybody does feel the need to flame you I'd be very disappointed indeed. As for the 1% I didn't agree with? I look forward to talking with you about that next week, FACE TO FACE!! YES, YES, YES!!! Linda 194.168.60.42 <r.servante@virgin.net> Derby, U.K. - Saturday, February 21, 1998 at 03:26:33 (PST)
I am a huge fan of Lord of the Dance and I saw it in London and am planning to see it again.I do Irish Dancing myself and my dream is to dance with Michael Flatley. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help me to make this come true!!!!!! Suzanne May 195.188.105.51 <don't know yet!!!!!!! sorry> Exeter, Devon England - Saturday, February 21, 1998 at 07:48:14 (PST)
Michael Flatley is one of a kind. We're awaiting his next creation and hope Lord of the Dance was the first of many. Laura Bones 194.73.206.2 <lbones@burnley.ac.uk> Rossendale, Lancs England - Saturday, February 21, 1998 at 14:53:36 (PST)
Well, here we are about to leave for 8 days of LOTD excitement at Wembley. Front row central tonight ! We are looking forward to meeting all of you who are coming to Wembley with us. Anyone else who wants to join us - we will be meeting at the Bar in the Hilton Hotel at about 6pm before each show. So now it's 8 days of partying before T1 move away from our country (sob!). Never mind we intend to get to Dublin and hopefully some of the other European shows. Take care everybody, we will keep you all posted. Love Brian and Vanessa Brian & Vanessa 194.126.84.47 <brivan@globalnet.co.uk> Hemel Hempstead, England - Sunday, February 22, 1998 at 08:13:26 (PST)
really enjoyed Wembley 22nd february 1998. It was my valentines present from my honey bunny Jim Jam & Sing Song 152.163.195.103 - Sunday, February 22, 1998 at 15:40:15 (PST)
Saw last night's show at Wembley. It was the most awe inspiring show I have ever seen, I didn't want it to end!!! Would see it again tomorrow and every other day. Sylvia Burnage 192.77.135.34 London, England - Monday, February 23, 1998 at 00:19:46 (PST)
Thanks for the thanks gang re. my U.K press reports. Here's one which you WILL NOT thank me for, but I didn't write and I'm you want to know everything....and if you think the text is steamy, you wanna see the pictures!! O.K. let's go - ***NEWS OF THE WORLD*** Sunday, Feb 22nd, 1998. Text at the top says: 'Flatley spends £1,000 getting 60 girls to perform'. Main Headline says: LORD OF THE LAP DANCE by James Millbank. 'Lord of the Dance idol Michael Flatley marched into an upper-crust strip club and paid 60 beauties to dance for him in "a conveyor belt of nude flesh." And as the party reached fever pitch he even joined the girls and performed the famous jig and reel that have thrilled millions of fans. "His appetite for the girls was insatiable. He wanted them dance and dance and to keep dancing for him", said an amazed onlooker. "He had a huge wad of notes in his pocket and dishing out the money to each one. "First he was watching some of them cavorting naked on the stage, then he paid others to do it round his table in sexy underwear, two or three at a time." "Most of the girls charged £15 for a three-minute strip by his table but he gave away much more to the ones he liked." "He was leaning over stuffing more money into their hands if they got his approval." "The girls didn't know what to do with all the cash. They were stuffing it into their G-strings and under their bras. The dancers were absolutely gorgeous and were falling over themselves to come and dance at his table....it was like a conveyor belt of nude flesh." But it was when 39-year old Flatley stood up to dance himself that the place really erupted. "It was amazing" said the onlooker. "The girls were really turning him on, running their hands seductively all over their bodies. And as he danced with them, they'd grind theri bodies up and down to the rythmn and throw away their clothes." The incredible scenes took place at the Berkley Playhouse in London's Mayfair. It opened last October and charges £300 a year for membership. Previous guests have included chatshow host CLive Anderson, hypnotist Paul McKenna, Simply Red star Mick Hucknall and Blur. Flatley, who first made his fame and fortune in the hit show Riverdance, was there with pop promoter Harvey Goldsmith. They were greeted by ex-Page Three beauty Jilly Johnson - now the club's celebrity hospitality girl. The dance hero, who recenly split from his Polish wife Beata, stayed for four hours and is reckoned to have spent more than £1,000. "As soon as he got in there he went up to one of the girls and got her to do a seductive dance for him" said the onlooker. "That was when he started getting in the swing of things. Michael was haing the time of his life. He had a smile from ear to ear. There were about 120 beautiful girls at the club and he just did't know where to look first." "He was lounging there at his table ordering bottles of champagne and downing glass after glass of vodka martinis." "Then he looked around the club, eyed a girl he liked and got her to perform for him . After that there was no stopping him," Flatley took a shine to one of the erostic dancers, abusty blue-eyed American called Amy. Towards the end of the bash he invited her to the table. He knew what an eyeful he was getting and even pretended to hide his eyes with his hand. "She had a heavenly body and he was mesmerised by her," added the onlooker. "He'd had quite a bit to drink and when she finished her routine he clearly wanted more. Eventually he got her to dance fro him half a dozen times. She was about 6ft and wore a see-through bra and panties leaving nothing to the imagination....you could see absolutely everything. He kept on looking at her huge ****s and grinning like a schoolboy. When she finally stopped her routine he pulled her over and gave her a saucy cuddle." But when the night ended Flatley sped off in a chauffeur-driven Bentley. Like all customers at the Berkley, Flatley did not use real money to pay the girls. Guests use their credit cards to the Berkley Playhouse's 'Monopoly-style' notes to give the girls for each dance. Flatley bought wads of the stuff. Flatley is renowned for his lavish spending and extravagant tastes. He is one of the world's highest paid performers. His blockbuster Lord Of The Dance show - due to re-open in London's Wembley Arena tomorrow(DG - wrong, VBers know it was that night)- has alreadu earned over£60 million. When he is in London, he has the £1,200-a-night penthouse suite at the Hyde Park Hotel. He has a private jet, a luxury yacht and a fleet of sports cars. END OF ARTICLE. Well, sorry folks if that was not up to the normal VB standard but now you know what highs (and lows) the UK press can reach! I think, after that, I prefer to read show reports. Dave Godwin 193.113.139.190 <GodwinD3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Monday, February 23, 1998 at 03:41:38 (PST)
I am getting indications (via my e-mail) that many of you want to correct Anne Sacks, the dance critic with the London Evening Standard on her interpretation of Michael's JAM session. This review is about 3 or 4 'stacks' back on the VB but she seemed to think it was a sympton of Michael's "lack of artistic judgment" as he "blows into the instrument with embarrassing ineptitude." I have done my bit by offering her a copy of his flute CD (no reply yet!)but if you want to correct her yourself, this is what to do; write to Anne Sacks, Dance Critic, c/o London Evening Standard, 2 Derry Street, Kensington, LONDON W8 5EE, ENGLAND or you can FAX her direct on (from England) - 0171 937 2648 (from abroad) - 01144 171 937 2648 Also, I am attempting to do a review for my folk magazine of RONAN HARDIMAN's latest CD, SOLAS. In order to get a truly cosmopolitan flavour, if you would like to give me your thoughts on the CD (however radical), I would appreciate it. Might even treat you to the finished article on this VB. Please e-mail me and I will acknowledge all messages. And finally, I wish I could make it to Wembley for these last 8 nights but alas.... My thoughts are with you anyway. Only last night in my local folk club, I looked at my watch(around 21:40) and said to Sarah, hey, Michael has just been 'blown away' by the Dark Lord!! Qu. Is my watch slow or fast? Dave Godwin 193.113.57.20 <GODWIND3@BOAT.BT.COM> Manchester, England - Monday, February 23, 1998 at 04:17:32 (PST)
Went to the show at Wembley last night it was great to see the show from further back this time, the stage looked beautiful and the lights and fireworks look excellent from a distance. all the dancers were on top form Michael seemed to be really enjoying himself strutting his funky stuff uo there.Bernadette and Cattriona were as beautiful as ever as were all the dancers,you can see on their faces that they love what they are doing.If any of you are going this week watch out for Bernadettes dagger eyes as Michael dancess with the temtress its a crack up. Once the show was over my better half legged off to where Michael does the autographsand as I didn't want to get crushed I went up on the balcony. When Michael came out he looked up smiled and waved which made my day,he went on to sign all the children's programmes first which I thought was sweet then went over to the scrum he seemed to stay a bit longer this time which was probaly to do with the security staff doing a better job"we wouldn't want someone to tread on his foot would we". Tracey(my better half) managed to get Michael to sighn her programme and also got a kiss,she says it was nice and slobbery. Good health to you all Dave 193.149.73.5 <daveanthonyjones@hotmail.com> England - Monday, February 23, 1998 at 05:38:07 (PST)
Tonight I went through a whole new experience. It was the first time I had seen LOTD from the front row. In fact my seat was exactly front row central. Vanessa and I were at the first of the second run of shows at Wembley on Sunday 22nd February. Earlier on we had travelled to Wembley with our 2 children Daniel aged 9 and Adam aged 6, and my sister Sue and husband Paul, and Cairin from Wales. We were due to meet up with Linda UK, husband Bob, son David, and mother Joan. We arrived at the Hilton Bar at about 6pm, but Linda and her family had not yet arrived. We were wondering if anyone else would turn up. Cairin from Wales and Vanessa had spoken on the phone for many months but had not met until this weekend, Cairin was also looking forward to meeting Linda UK for the first time. Michelle and Anne arrived, I was a little surprised to see them as I hadn't known they would be there, but I should have known better as they were at most of the shows we went to last time! They have an uncanny knack for getting front row seats, and tonight was no exception. Linda and her party arrived and everyone made their introductions, and we took some photographs. It was then time to make our way to the Wembley Arena, there was a buzz of excitement, partly because this was the first show of the next run, but more so because we knew we had front row seats. We arrived and took our seats. I had seen the show 6 times before, but never from the front row. I rather naively thought that the only real difference would be that the performers would be much closer, and as a negative that I would be unable to see the dancers feet properly. Both of these turned out to be true of course, but there was something I had overlooked. I had not taken into account how different the atmosphere would be in the front row, and how different that in turn would make me feel about the show. The show began, I felt immersed in it very much more quickly because of the direct view, and feeling also as if I was somehow at one with Ronan's beautiful music, feeling totally surrounded by it due do the close proximity of the sound system. The lighting affected me more as well especially since some of the spots shone brightly directly into my eyes, the dancing light beams of the introduction seemed almost to prempt the real dancing to follow. It was lovely to be able to see the expressions on the "Little Spirit's" face and the lovely smiling faces of the dancers in "Cry of the Celts". Michael made his entrance and our group made it clear that we were glad he was there with our whooping and clapping. We were surprised to see that once again he had ASHLEY written on his right arm. I got caught out at the end of COTC by the thunderflash which exploded right in front of me, I knew it was coming and the bang didn't worry me, but the flash was so bright that I was blinded temporarily by it. Anne Buckley seemed to have two bright blobs surrounding her as I watched her sing! I love the way she moves around the stage, she is very elegant in that beautiful green dress, and her voice is fantastic. As we progressed through the show I felt more and more immersed in it, my feet were tapping out the rhythmn and my hands were similarly engaged either tapping or clapping. The adrenaline was beginning to flow and I could feel my heart beginning to race. I normally feel these symptoms of "Flatheaditis" in the second half of the show, but the front row experience was bringing this on rapidly in the first half. In this performance Catriona danced the part of Morrighan, and she did it very well. This scene seems to have been greatly reworked since the original show we see on the video. I think each girl has added a special element of there own to it. Unfortunatley I have never seen Gillian dance this part (sigh!) so I don't know what she does these days with T2 (Joe Horn - perhaps you can you fill me in with the details ? !!!), but I'm sure it is every bit as enthusiastic as Kelly and Catriona's performance. A highlight in the first half was when Mairead and Cora came on and did "Strings of Fire" our group clapped along very enthusiastically with them. They acknowledged us with a smile. It's wonderful sitting in the front row and not having anybody else sitting infront of you, the only people in front of you are the performers, and this makes you feel that you are in direct contact with them, and able to feed back to them exactly how you are feeling. You can also gauge how they feel too because you can see their faces so clearly. This is one of the things which creates that special atmosphere. Another thing which creates a special atmosphere is when a group of you are sitting together at the show. The enjoyment seems to be magnified, especially when you are in the front row because you feel less inhibited and probably get more carried away. This was certainly the case for us, we would occaisionally look at each other inevitably with big smiles on our faces as we clapped and whooped along ! In a word we were "Partying", we said we would ! I hope that when the Dublin show comes along, as many of us VB'ers can get together as possible, because THAT party is going to be the Mother of all parties! One phenomenon I have noticed is that each time I see the show, it seems to be over just that little bit quicker. It's probably due to a mixture of familiarity and excitement. By the end of week the show will probably seem to be over almost as soon as it starts ! So back to the show. I just found that everything seemed so much more enjoyable seeing it from the front. From the male perspective, "Breakout" was particularly invigorating from this close ! The all male dance scenes such as "The Warriors" and "Warlords" seemed to have more power and impact from here. "Lord of the Dance" was just awesome. By the time the break came, we felt that we needed it ! A major highlight of the second half was the Flute Jam. I am still incensed by what that Evening Standard critic said about it, she must be living on another planet! Last nights audience was as enthusiastic as ever. Our group gave them all the support we could, and the band acknowledged us. Mariead beamed back at us and gave a small Whoop ! When they had finished, we gave them the standing ovation they deserved. SHIAMSA (pronounced Sheemsa I believe) was very lovely from this close. The final part of the show from "Nightmare" was absolutely awesome seen from the front, and we all gave it everything we had got as we clapped, tapped and whooped along. The rest of the audience were also joining in and it was obvious that Michael and the troupe were really enjoying the reaction. The clamour for the encore was deafening, and we were rewarded of course. I love the encore it has so much energy and Michael and the Troupe really seem to enjoy it. I know the ladies in our group enjoyed the "Bump and Grind". The final reprise of "Lord of the Dance" came and then the end of show pyrotechnics. The show was over. By now I felt exhausted and high on adrenaline. I dread this part because I know that after an hour or so when it wears off, I am going to come down to earth and reality with a bang ! I had enjoyed this show even more than the show we had been at in Manchester at the Nynex arena on Valentines day. Sitting in the front row had been an experience I will never forget. If I never saw another LOTD show again, I would at least be happy to remember my experiences at this show in that front row. I urge anybody who can get those front row seats to do so, everyone needs to see the show from there at least once I think, it's a very very special experience. After the show we did our usual wait for Michael. When he came out he got out the car and greeted the fans waiting there. Cairin got a photo taken with him which made her day. Vanessa and I are now looking forward to tonight's show although unfortunately we don't have front row seats, but never mind, We enjoy the Magic of LOTD wherever we see it from. Love to you all - Brian. Brian 195.147.14.224 <brian@brivan.globalnet.co.uk> Hemel Hempstead, England - Monday, February 23, 1998 at 06:59:45 (PST)
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