UK Show Reviews and Michael Moments - 3
Thanks to Cathy Evatt-Davey a.k.a. "Cathymom" for providing us with the content of this page.
I couldn't believe it when I read Joe's post about the Michael look - a- like! He's an official decoy guys, got to be! Michele had told us they had seen him in the hotel before and couldn't believe their eyes. The clincher, though, is something one of the security people said to us. He told us that Michael leaves straight after the show and showers etc back at his hotel. "Yeah, right!" said we. He explained that he drives himself in a red Mitsubishi. We LOL and he pointed out that it WAS a posh sports number and that when he left yesterday the car was swamped with fans. He said where to look and if the car was gone then so was Michael. "Yeah, right!" said we again and wandered off. So he has to be working for Michael if the security people know about him and are actively steering fans towards him. JAKE - Loved the TT, now you lot know why my post took so long. I was trying to get off of that darn cushion of air!!! Number one was very special, thank you. But don't make me fill up (means tears springing to the eyes) like that again, you so and so or, to use Michael's own immortal words, "I'm sueing!" LOL!! Just one thing. What do you think "Jammy" means? It actually means to be very lucky. In fact I had to explain this to Christina last night when I told her she was jammy in getting that front row seat, LOL!! Linda 194.168.68.50 <r.servante@virgin.net> Derby, U.K. - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 11:14:02 (PST)
Myself and a friend saw the show last night the 12/1/98 at the Birmingham Indoor Arena,We were lucky enough to sit on the right front row (facing the stage!)WoW!!! what can I say it was breathtaking! Michael was incredible, what energy!! The troupe never put a foot wrong all night, I just wanted to be up there on stage with them it is a night we will never forget.Thanks Michael you made my youg friends night when at the end you walked along the stage and nodded and smiled at her, she has been on cloud nine ever since!!. Richard Taylor 194.168.70.131 England - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 15:15:43 (PST)
Saw the show at the NIA in birmingham england....inspirational!!!!! hannah Wooldridge 147.188.211.21 <hsw576@bham.ac.uk> birmingham, uk - Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 00:53:26 (PST) I went to see Michael at Birmingham - National Indoor Arena on Monday 12 th January - it was truly spectacular and awe inspiring. I managed to obtain an autograph and a kiss afterwards. Thanks Michael you made my life. Love always - Julia JULIA BARTON 152.163.205.217 <Bartonjc@aol.com> Stratford-on-Avon, \Warwks U.K. - Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 01:51:54 (PST)
Saw LotD last night at Birmingham - superb! (have the video too, was a change to see it on the stage, not the screen!) Shelley 194.222.23.177 <shelley@sparkinson.demon.co.uk> Preston, ENGLAND - Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 11:21:53 (PST)
Myself and my father went to see The Lord Of The Dance on Sunday 11th January, at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England. What an amazing show!! I would like ALL of the Lord Of The Dance dancers, for a truely unmissable event. God bless them all! Paul Hibberd 152.172.103.148 <Skarlock64@aol.com> United Kingdom - Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 12:38:37 (PST) Saw the show last night at the NEC Birmingham, England. Wow it was amazing. I wonder if I can get round to seeing it again somewhere else Paul Bogaard 193.149.75.165 <paulbogaard@email.msn.com> Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 13:43:25 (PST)
Well, if I can't BE in the UK, then I can at least read about it! I went to our local hobby shop and was looking through some UK papers, and came across this article from the Sunday Mirror's issue from January 11th, 1998. So, here it goes (the article has no title, except "Dance")..."Loyal fans all over the world will testify that Michael Flatley's Riverdance is pure magic. After a triumphant Birmingham run, or should we say foot-tapping feast, Flatley opens Lord of the Dance to sell-out crowds at Wembley Arena on Thursday. And on March 1st, one of the extra new dates to be announced, the world's highest-paid dance troupe is due to claim a Wembley record for selling more dates than any other artist in the arena's history. Trivia buffs will want to know who is being knocked from this top spot. It's entirely reasonable to think of someone who has been around for a long time. But while the Rolling Stones spring to mind, the current record is held by Sir Cliff Richard who no doubt will be the first to offer his congratulations to Michael. Lord of the Dance--a follow-up to Riverdance, which was born out of a seven-minute routine for the intermission at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest--has continually broken box office records since its debut in Dublin in 1996. Two million people have since seen it live and millions more watched it on TV in the 1997 Academy Awards. It was created, choreographed, and produced by Flately who once proudly told an American TV host (Barbara Walters, I'm thinking) how he was the world's best dancer. When he was asked if he thought that was an arrogant remark Flatley, whose legs are insured for 25 million pounds, replied 'No, it's confidence.' Flatley, who once spent 1,500 pounds on a bottle of Chateau Latour 1983, for an after-show celebration in his dressing room (this was after the St. Louis show which I attended!), chose the title Lord of the Dance because he thought he deserved it. And since he has turned the humble Irish step dance into a multi-million-pound phenomenon, who can argue with him? An eight-piece traditional Irish band, 38 dancers and a soprano singer are all in fine form for the Wembley shows. And to make sure the show's exacting standards are maintained, they are all on strict diets and have been banned from drinking. Let's hope the boozing restriction was relaxed long enough for them to raise a token glass of bubbly." END I think it was a pretty good article for a change. There was a tiny pic of Michael in b&w, nothing new. But a few pages back, there was a nice quarter-page, color ad for the Wembley shows, with MF in his US/Ireland jacket. Jessica Correll 152.163.201.139 <LOTDVB@aol.com> Oak Creek, WI USA - Wednesday, January 14, 1998 at 17:56:31 (PST)
IF MICHAEL'S READING THIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW GREAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE AT THE BIRMINGHAM NIA ON 13TH JAN. I ALSO APOLOGISE FOR MAKING SUCH A FOOL AOUT OF MYSELF WHEN I MET YOU (I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!), AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU PERFORM ON STAGE AGAIN VERY SOON. ONE THING I'VE LEFT TO SAY TO ALL YOU FANS OUT THERE - YOU'VE GOT GOOD TASTE!!! JOANNE HARVEY 194.83.132.11 <JCH1979@HOTMAIL.COM> STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND - Thursday, January 15, 1998 at 07:24:09 (PST) We saw Lord of the Dance on 13/1/98 and we absolutely loved it - it was brilliant. We could watch it again and again and again.... Alison and Roanna Hodges 195.232.24.11 <familyhodges@compuserve.com> Rugby, England - Thursday, January 15, 1998 at 10:56:16 (PST)
We are looking forward to your concert at Wembley Arena on the 27th January 1998. We have got the CD & the Video now we await the Real Thing. Regards Steve & Janine JANINE BONNER 199.174.138.69 <stephenbonner1@compuserve.com> stevenage, h England - Thursday, January 15, 1998 at 14:43:00 (PST)
Brilliant Steven Wadsworth 195.21.255.6 <swadsworth@ibuk.bankgesellschaft.de> London, England - Friday, January 16, 1998 at 01:15:16 (PST)
Brilliant cyberpal in UK has sent me a couple of fabbo reviews of LOTD from Birmingham and London papers this week. They're great reading (not if you're Moya Doherty tho) and here they are. First is from Birmingham Evening Mail and it's headed Dance Fever.>>> More than two million people have already seen LoTD and they were joined by a good few thousand more at the NIA last night. The show has been transferred into arena format to cope with the demand for tickets and it brought a capacity crowd to its feet during the opening night of the final UK tour. It may all come across predominantly as a vehicle for Michael Flatley - he of the skintight leather trousers and well oiled chest, to demonstrate his talents - but in all fairness the man can dance and woo an audience like no-one else. I enjoyed Riverdance on its most recent visit to Birmingham in September but this show choreographed and produces by Flatley simply outclassed it. Flatley is more than ably backed up by a troupe of 38 step perfect dancers, a haunting soprano and a foot tapping eight piece tradition Irish band. The show has lost none of its energy and sparkle since it opened 18 months ago. The set, special fx and dramatic lighting hlep to make it a truly spectacular piece of theatre. By Alison Harding.>>>> OK, on to the next one. Deb 203.1.73.138 - Friday, January 16, 1998 at 01:15:21 (PST)
OK, trying again to post the piece from London Evening Standard."Lord Flatley storms on stage to the thunder of drums, a light, supple, golden faun who forces audiences to take him seriously because he has single handedly turned competitive Irish dance into a theatre art. Superby presentation, mesmerising rhythms that race through the heart make this a must" Deb 203.1.73.138 - Friday, January 16, 1998 at 01:20:55 (PST)
Had a great time in Birmingham. All 3 shows were fantastic. Met the band and dancers before and after each show so it added an extra bonus for me. We saw the show last night at the Wembley Arena. It was much smaller than the NIA but more comfortable. The seats had lots of leg room which allowed you to sit comfortably throughout the whole show. The sound was also much better here than at the NIA. The crowd somehow was not as loud as the ones in Birmingham. Of course, Maria who was next to me made up that difference by screaming throughout the show. My seat was way at the back on the arena but I managed to buy another ticket which brought me 1 section away from the stage. While waiting for the show to start Ronan Hardiman walked right in front of me and sat in the same row as me. I went over and said Hello, told him I met him in Chicago last year and talked briefly. I later managed to have him sign Maria's program book. Maria also managed to persuade one of the floor assistants who showed her to a seta on the main floor. A few minutes later I joined her just to get a different view of the show. I won't go into details of the show because it was fantastic just like in Birmingham. The principal dancers were the same as in Birmingham : BERNADETTE, CATRIONA, DAIRE, and DEARBHLA was the wind-up doll. Seeing that this was Maria's first show I brought her over to the hotel to meet the dancers. She had brought some gifts for some of them and afterwards told me how nice and friendly they all were. They were so much fun to talk to. We missed DAIRE somehow so we'll go back and see him this afternoon. Look for Maria's post about her MICHAEL encounter. I'll be seein the show tonight and Sat night and then fly home on Sun to prepare for T2 and GILLIAN (Miss You!!!) So long for now. If anything new happens I'll be back to post. CHEERS ALL! Joe Horn 194.202.251.205 London, England - Friday, January 16, 1998 at 04:05:55 (PST)
OK GUYS here it comes very slowly though, (qwerty KB instead of azerty). I'm still on cloud 9 anyway or rather the stratosphere.In the afternoon Joe(my gardian angel) took me to the hotel where the troupe is stayng and I succeeded in giving my presents to Bernie, Helen, Anne, Cora and he rest f the troupe> I only missed out on Daire, but I'll see him this PM. Well you are all wondering about michael OF COURSE, HE LOOKS ABSOLUTELY GORGIOUS. my first show was tooooooooo much. I first had noosebleed seat but then after the intermission, a lady intendent took me over to the ground floor where I had a very nice view standing up against the wall. It was awesome. I reaaly cant decribe it, I'm still tooooooo overwhelmed (PLUS THIS QUEER kb......) after the show they announced that Mr. Flatley would come out for autographs at gate 18, so there was a real mob scene for about 10 minutes, then all left except the real hardcore flatheads like Joe, Chrisina, Berverly, Kathleen, Keiko and OF COURSE ME. we waited for almost two hours in the freezing cold (VIV bring warm shoes...) and finally he came out in he car wih Emma at his side. The car stopped but Michael didn't come out, I handed him my presents and he bend over and grabbed my hand saying and he warmed my hand in both of his. I told him all I wanted to tell him and he said some things back to me which I still have to digest before repeating them on the VB. Then the other girls came around and he kissed them, so I squeezed in again and asked whether I could have a kiss too please, he took my neck and drew me down and then......... I WAS IN HEAVEN. When he left I cried, I laughed, I was shaking.....That my dear VB family was at last the Belgian flathead's Michael moment. What can I say about the rest, I'm sill letting it all sink in, I'll probably post some more details later when i get used to this KB AND WHEN I get back to planet earth, right now planet Ireland is home to me. This evening I go back to the show, but first we'll try and meet Daire. I think that, as Joe is sitting at the computor next to mine and is typing like crazy, he'll probably give you more interesting details. Joe is really the sweetest knight in shining armour a lady can zish for, Gillian is a lucky girl. Well guys and girls I'm ascending back to my cloud now, talk to you later, Sequel will follow. To my London co-travellers, hurry up, it's really great out here. Love, light and an overflow of positive energy to you all from the happiest flathead in he world. Maria 194.202.251.252 London for now, Flatleyland - Friday, January 16, 1998 at 04:09:30 (PST)
Saw the show tonight. It was unforgettable. MICHAEL WE LOVE YOU !!!!!!!!!!!! Linda 158.152.128.4 Friday, January 16, 1998 at 17:44:37 (PST)
OK...... now we head off to page 4!
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