Friday 16 May 2014

I met Backstreet Boys!!!

I know it's a bit delayed, but things have been a bit hectic and I've fallen behind with my blog.. but on 4th April Mum and I went to the O2 in London to see the Backstreet Boys. We initially booked tickets before Christmas, and I was super excited about that in general... but while I was laying in hospital, a few days post surgery my mum was bouncing and itching to tell me something... for my birthday present she had sourced a way of going to a sound check and a meet 'n' greet session with the Boys before the concert... all I had to do was get fit enough to handle the day! At the time she told me, I don't think I responded much at all due to the medication etc, and it took a while for it to actually sink in properly. By the time 4th April rolled around, I was worse than a little kid at Christmas... and mum wasn't much better!!

By the 4th April I'd been home for a few weeks, building up my movements and strength, but I was still pretty concerned that I would flake as we had pretty much a whole day out and about. We left home around 10am,  got the train up to Stratford and made a stop in Westfields for lunch and a brief wander. Neither of us had ever been so it was a new experience for us both. We had a very tasty savoury crepe then hit the shops for some wedding related window shopping, knowing that anything we bought we'd have to take to the concert with us. We left there and headed over to the O2 with enough time to have a leisurely stroll to the VIP meet area. I had my photo taken with Sully in the Sky Backstage reception area before we went to join the 20-30 gathered people by the VIP door. After a short while an official looking person (he had a lanyard and a walkie talkie!) told us to form a queue along one of the walls... which is where we stood and waited... and waited... and waited for what felt like forever. Eventually they started to set up a couple of tables and brought out loads of packages of things. We got processed and given our backstage lanyard and told to go round the corner and queue in the respective package groupings (bronze, silver, gold or platinum). As we turned the corner we saw just how many people were behind us queuing... the couple of hours stood waiting about 20 from the front definitely got us better placing as there were several hundred waiting round the corner!!
Me and Sully
Smiling as we hadn't been queuing for too long

My VIP Backstage pass


Once everyone had been processed and then put into the right group line, they started taking people through, the platinums went first, then us, then silver and bronze. This was significant because it determined where you were sat for the soundcheck. Being Gold, we started in the 2nd row. We were so lucky that we were just the right number of people from the front of the gold queue that we got almost dead centre of the row, right in front of where they did most of the stuff. Further forward, we'd have been off to the side, further back and we could have been up to 4 rows back! To start with the boys were coming out and checking equipment, waving and being a bit daft... then AJ brought his little girl out to wave and see people. She got taken backstage and then all the boys came out to do their rehearsals.
Practicing a new acappella version special for that night
Singing right in front of us :)
They did a couple of songs form the latest album, then brought out a guy who had helped write several songs with them, that was going to perform with them for the first time in 2 years, so they needed to practice a few things with him... they decided to try something different for one of the newer songs and although they knew what they wanted to achieve, it took several attempts to get all the way through it... Nick was struggling with one bit in particular and kept getting himself all mixed up. It got quite amusing, but when he finally got through the whole song we all cheered extra hard for it!! I have to say, when they did it in the concert that evening it went off without a hitch! After about half hour of songs, they put their instruments down and came to the front for a chat and then took some questions. Mum kept on at me to put my hand up and tell them about my transplant and ask them to my wedding!! I got the courage to put my hand up too late and didn't get picked. Once they'd done with the questions, the bronze package people were escorted out, then the boys came back down off the stage and took up position for the photos. Everyone got a few minutes with the boys, then they had their own photographer (so couldn't take our own unfortunately) which gave some nice professional looking pics, after we were given a pre-signed picture and escorted out.

When it was our turn, I went first and went along the line hugging, kissing and saying hi to each boy in turn. When I got to Brian, I was a little sore from the hugging (due to the transplant wounds) and I obviously looked a little off and he asked if I was ok. I told him that I was 5 weeks post double lung transplant and feeling a little delicate. He asked a few questions about it all, then told me to take it easy, and his thoughts and prayers were with me for a speedy and long lasting recovery.... aww!! We then positioned ourselves for our picture. We had 2 in one position then I was moved along a bit more (mum refused to move from being wrapped around Kevin) and another 2 photos were done. We said our goodbyes, and our backstage event was over :(











Feeling excited, wobbly (I got really shakey after we'd left the boys, I couldn't explain why it happened AFTER I'd left them!) and a little sad that it was over we went on the hunt for dinner as I was obviously hungry! We had to hunt around for somewhere that could seat us and get us back to the arena before the show started, eventually we settled for Spur. I opted for the fajitas and specifically asked for the mild version... the food came really quickly which we were pleased about, but with just one tiny lick of the sauce I was on fire... it caused me to cough and my face go red. I asked mum to try just to check it wasn't me being a wimp but she had a bite of a green bean and the same reaction happened to her. We called the server over and told her it was ridiculously hot and I wanted another one. My new dish returned pretty much as mum was finishing her burger, so we ate in sittings!! This dish was much better, although my tongue still hadn't fully recovered and tingled most of the evening! The server was really good and said if this was still too hot she would personally go and bash the chef!

Once we'd finished eating we headed to the Sky Backstage area. As a Sky customer, you can register for passes into their lounge which I would totally recommend. They have a bar and a restaurant, but also some fun extras like a mini tv studio where you can do some newsreading, they have an interactive thing where you can be turned into Ironman (so fun!) you can have a tour of their other stuff (it was closed by the time we got in there so I don't know what that consists of) and thy have a papparazzi style photo bit to have your 'red carpet' moment.

Our red carpet moment
I played at being Ironman, then we had our papparazzi photo, then explored the lounge area. We stuck to the comfy sofas and messed about doing silly pictures... you could hear what was happening in the arena (All Saints as back up act... not interested and they didn't sound fantastic from where we were either!) once they were done, we headed down to our seats for the main show.
One of our silly photos... don't we look pretty?!
I can't recount everything about the show, but it was AMAZING!! Got to be the best show I've seen of theirs ever! They did such an awesome mix of old and new songs. Considering they're not in their twenties anymore, they all still move like they're teens and can still work up the audience into a frenzy! I had to limit myself in terms of dancing... I did try jumping but this started to hurt my chest wounds, so I bounced some... I did massive amounts of singing and screaming (obviously) and didn't get out of puff or cough once!! 











By the time it got to the end of the show (they ran over as did 2 encores!) I was starting to feel a bit weary and expected a snooze on the train home. We got to Stratford and saw there was a train in about 2 minutes, so I RAN up the stairs to the platform so we didn't miss it and have to wait for another 20 minutes or so. That's right, I ran upstairs, and didn't collapse in a heap coughing and spluttering for ages after.. I had a little puff, got my breath and was ready for more! We had an amusing and exciting train ride home... the people on the carriage were slightly tipsy and trying to flirt with others so it kept mine and mums people watching fix under control... although I was glad when a bunch of them got off the train as they were starting to annoy me! It was also on the way home that Glen informed me that he had sold our house (again!) so I was excited and happy from that too.

By the time I got home, I'd walked over 6km, ran up stairs, done lots of singing and dancing... but most importantly... Met my Backstreet Boys again and had a fantastic day with my mummy!!

THANKS MUM!




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