Belfast 2006
I had a very early start. I got up at 2am, having hardly slept at all. It was a mixture of pure excitement and nerves. Have I got my tickets packed? Lights on. Tickets checked. Lights off again. Have I got my Money? Lights on. Money checked. Lights off. Then, I’m going to see Muse! Yay! Lights on again. Look at ticket put back in bag. Lights off.
I left the house at 3am ready to get the 3.30 bus to Heathrow. During the whole journey, I was telling everyone I came in contact with where I was going and what I was doing. The taxi driver on the way to the bus station, the woman waiting for the bus to Heathrow, the man sat next to me on the bus to Heathrow, the cute Aussie guy behind me in the checking in queue, the woman manicuring my nails in Belfast (I was killing some time!) and the taxi driver on the way to the hotel all got it!!
I arrived in Belfast at 8am. I got a bus into the city and just wandered around aimlessly with my suitcase in tow like the bag lady for a few hours. I killed a bit of time by visiting a nail bar for the first time in my life. I soon realised that it isn’t a very good idea to get your nails done, then put on your coat then try to lift bags and suitcases without smudging them. The poor woman had to start again on 3 of the nails because I ruined all her good work!
So I decided to sit in a coffee shop for an hour or so before heading to the B+B and checking in. The B+B was a short taxi ride/bus journey from the city centre. I lazed around there for a bit then got a bus back into the city and headed to the Odyssey Arena. I got there around 5pm. I was delighted it was on the riverside. I have a thing about water. I think it comes from having lived in built up areas all my life. I really appreciate the opportunity of walking along the riverside or gazing out to sea.
So I hung around there for a while until it started to get dark and I started to get bored and cold. So I headed into the Odyssey complex. I was delighted to hear they had Absolution playing in the background. I decided a liquid lunch was in order, so I went into the pub there and had a quick pint. It was when I started to feel a bit light-headed after one pint, that I realised, a) I was very tired b) I remembered I took some headache tablets as I’d had a headache for 3 days (perfectly normal for me) c) I hadn’t actually eaten since 7am. I thought I’d better go for a walk to try and revive myself a bit. I wandered around the complex a bit but it wasn’t very exciting really. But they were still playing Absolution in the background so, like a real saddo, I stood there, under a speaker listening to it for a while. How sad is that? Stood in the middle of an entertainment complex, by myself, in a city miles from home, listening to Muse. I decided even by my standards it was pretty tragic so I went back to the pub for another pint.
At 6.30 I decided to leave the pub and join the end of what was by then a very long queue. But the queue was moving quite quickly and before I knew it, I was in! I stopped off at the merch stand and bought a t-shirt and a poster. It was only after I bought it that I realised it probably wasn’t a good idea to buy that poster there as it ended up going on a little trip with me. It went on 2 flights, a bus journey and 3 train journeys (it did survive though thankfully!)
I then bought myself another pint and went and settled into my seat. I started talking to someone who was also on his own, until someone else came and sat in between us. I tried 3 times to start a conversation with him. Nothing. So I sat in silence.
Then The Noisettes came onstage. I hadn’t heard any of their stuff before hand. It took me 3 songs to realise I wasn’t enjoying it. So I went off and finally got some food. After that, I went back to my seat, intending to watch the rest off The Noisettes. I couldn’t believe what happened next. I actually FELL ASLEEP! I woke up just as they went off stage. I couldn’t believe it! I fell asleep at a gig. Poor old thing cant take the pace anymore! I’m just SO pleased it wasn’t during Muse!
At 9.15, the lights went down and that moment had finally arrived. Muse came onstage! They were fantastic. The stage show was very spectacular! I had looked at the setlists for some of the shows they played before so I had a fair idea what they would play. I got a bit over-excited when they played Exopolitics… And Muscle Museum! And Stockholm Syndrome is just amazing live. I was just sat there during that with my jaw almost on the floor! The only slightly annoying thing was everyone around me just stayed sat in their seats so I felt I couldn’t stand up. They did all stand for the encore but why not for the whole thing?!! Still, I managed to jig around a bit in my seat. But all too soon it was all over.
I went outside on a total high. Then I had a bit of a debate with myself. Little Miss Sensible was worried about getting back to the B+B and thought she should head straight back. But Little Miss Naughty decided she wanted to wait around to try and meet the band. Little Miss Naughty was shouting the loudest, so I went with her. I headed round the back to where the buses were parked. There was a lot of other people waiting around there too.
We were all gathered around behind the barriers by the gates. After around half an hour, Chris came out and got on the bus. Just after him Matt also came out, signed a couple of autographs then got on the bus too. I got over there just as he was going on the bus.
A barrier got put up and we all waited there thinking maybe Dom would come out and go on the bus. I had some people in front of me and a lot behind me. After about 20 mins or so, the bus door opened and Chris came back out. He came over to us and was going to sign stuff but no one had a pen. I handed him my marker pen and he made his way along the line signing what he could. I had brought some bits of coloured paper with me as the plan was to try and get their signatures on them, then stick them to the poster I’d bought, along with all my ticket stubs. He signed my paper, finished signing for other people and handed my pen back and went back in the venue.
A couple of minutes later, the bus door opened again and Matt came out. Everyone was asking for my pen, so I handed it to Matt and he signed some stuff. I held out my bit of paper but people kept putting their posters over the top. Then he gave me the pen back and went inside. I couldn’t believe it. He used my pen, but didn’t get round to signing my paper! I found that highly amusing. At least I knew there would (hopefully) be other chances.
I decided not to wait around any longer. It was getting late and I needed to find a taxi and get back to the B+B. Besides, there were so many people there, it was almost impossible for them to get to everybody. Little Miss Sensible was shouting loudest this time.
That was it. Day 1 was over!
I left the house at 3am ready to get the 3.30 bus to Heathrow. During the whole journey, I was telling everyone I came in contact with where I was going and what I was doing. The taxi driver on the way to the bus station, the woman waiting for the bus to Heathrow, the man sat next to me on the bus to Heathrow, the cute Aussie guy behind me in the checking in queue, the woman manicuring my nails in Belfast (I was killing some time!) and the taxi driver on the way to the hotel all got it!!
I arrived in Belfast at 8am. I got a bus into the city and just wandered around aimlessly with my suitcase in tow like the bag lady for a few hours. I killed a bit of time by visiting a nail bar for the first time in my life. I soon realised that it isn’t a very good idea to get your nails done, then put on your coat then try to lift bags and suitcases without smudging them. The poor woman had to start again on 3 of the nails because I ruined all her good work!
So I decided to sit in a coffee shop for an hour or so before heading to the B+B and checking in. The B+B was a short taxi ride/bus journey from the city centre. I lazed around there for a bit then got a bus back into the city and headed to the Odyssey Arena. I got there around 5pm. I was delighted it was on the riverside. I have a thing about water. I think it comes from having lived in built up areas all my life. I really appreciate the opportunity of walking along the riverside or gazing out to sea.
So I hung around there for a while until it started to get dark and I started to get bored and cold. So I headed into the Odyssey complex. I was delighted to hear they had Absolution playing in the background. I decided a liquid lunch was in order, so I went into the pub there and had a quick pint. It was when I started to feel a bit light-headed after one pint, that I realised, a) I was very tired b) I remembered I took some headache tablets as I’d had a headache for 3 days (perfectly normal for me) c) I hadn’t actually eaten since 7am. I thought I’d better go for a walk to try and revive myself a bit. I wandered around the complex a bit but it wasn’t very exciting really. But they were still playing Absolution in the background so, like a real saddo, I stood there, under a speaker listening to it for a while. How sad is that? Stood in the middle of an entertainment complex, by myself, in a city miles from home, listening to Muse. I decided even by my standards it was pretty tragic so I went back to the pub for another pint.
At 6.30 I decided to leave the pub and join the end of what was by then a very long queue. But the queue was moving quite quickly and before I knew it, I was in! I stopped off at the merch stand and bought a t-shirt and a poster. It was only after I bought it that I realised it probably wasn’t a good idea to buy that poster there as it ended up going on a little trip with me. It went on 2 flights, a bus journey and 3 train journeys (it did survive though thankfully!)
I then bought myself another pint and went and settled into my seat. I started talking to someone who was also on his own, until someone else came and sat in between us. I tried 3 times to start a conversation with him. Nothing. So I sat in silence.
Then The Noisettes came onstage. I hadn’t heard any of their stuff before hand. It took me 3 songs to realise I wasn’t enjoying it. So I went off and finally got some food. After that, I went back to my seat, intending to watch the rest off The Noisettes. I couldn’t believe what happened next. I actually FELL ASLEEP! I woke up just as they went off stage. I couldn’t believe it! I fell asleep at a gig. Poor old thing cant take the pace anymore! I’m just SO pleased it wasn’t during Muse!
At 9.15, the lights went down and that moment had finally arrived. Muse came onstage! They were fantastic. The stage show was very spectacular! I had looked at the setlists for some of the shows they played before so I had a fair idea what they would play. I got a bit over-excited when they played Exopolitics… And Muscle Museum! And Stockholm Syndrome is just amazing live. I was just sat there during that with my jaw almost on the floor! The only slightly annoying thing was everyone around me just stayed sat in their seats so I felt I couldn’t stand up. They did all stand for the encore but why not for the whole thing?!! Still, I managed to jig around a bit in my seat. But all too soon it was all over.
I went outside on a total high. Then I had a bit of a debate with myself. Little Miss Sensible was worried about getting back to the B+B and thought she should head straight back. But Little Miss Naughty decided she wanted to wait around to try and meet the band. Little Miss Naughty was shouting the loudest, so I went with her. I headed round the back to where the buses were parked. There was a lot of other people waiting around there too.
We were all gathered around behind the barriers by the gates. After around half an hour, Chris came out and got on the bus. Just after him Matt also came out, signed a couple of autographs then got on the bus too. I got over there just as he was going on the bus.
A barrier got put up and we all waited there thinking maybe Dom would come out and go on the bus. I had some people in front of me and a lot behind me. After about 20 mins or so, the bus door opened and Chris came back out. He came over to us and was going to sign stuff but no one had a pen. I handed him my marker pen and he made his way along the line signing what he could. I had brought some bits of coloured paper with me as the plan was to try and get their signatures on them, then stick them to the poster I’d bought, along with all my ticket stubs. He signed my paper, finished signing for other people and handed my pen back and went back in the venue.
A couple of minutes later, the bus door opened again and Matt came out. Everyone was asking for my pen, so I handed it to Matt and he signed some stuff. I held out my bit of paper but people kept putting their posters over the top. Then he gave me the pen back and went inside. I couldn’t believe it. He used my pen, but didn’t get round to signing my paper! I found that highly amusing. At least I knew there would (hopefully) be other chances.
I decided not to wait around any longer. It was getting late and I needed to find a taxi and get back to the B+B. Besides, there were so many people there, it was almost impossible for them to get to everybody. Little Miss Sensible was shouting loudest this time.
That was it. Day 1 was over!
posted by Helen T On Tour at 7:12 AM
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