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Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:37 pm
by del
Having read all the "same set-same show" comments over the last few weeks I was really losing interest in the UK shows and was wondering whether I'd bother going along ever again. Then my good lady came along and brought me to my senses when she asked if I didn't have that deep rooted love for the man and the music any more. Of course I do! It's been over 43 years now and I still get that feeling when I listen to my favourites or watch the DVDs. I won't be worn down by the same old moans and groans any more.

So, thanks to my wife for pointing out the obvious I've just managed to get two tickets from GetMeIn (somebody must like the shows as he has been sold out for weeks!!) booked the Jurys Inn for the night and will drive down from Glasgow for what I already know will be a great gig. The next 48hrs will be wall to wall Alice in the car and I will be high on the excitement of seeing the man again for the 27th time.

Would love to meet any of you guys if you are going and fancy a pint before or after but please let's be positive. None of us expected to have the opportunity to see him live in 2015 when we were wondering what would happen next back in 81/82. Enjoy every minute you get because when it's gone its just a memory.

Alice..see you Friday, I'll be the balding short guy with the Roundhouse Halloween shirt on standing next to a wonderful woman who has reminded me about what was important!

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:41 pm
by Mr. Skull
Nice post Del.
Have a great time..

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:00 pm
by guttertrash
Glad to hear that you decided to stay positive and hope you have a wonderful time! I catch the show anytime it comes within a few hours away. I have been to 8 now. I just started going to shows in 2000, but there has always been at least one song in the set that I haven't seen live before. It may not be one that I enjoy, but others do, and I am just always grateful to have gotten the chance to see the show again. I also enjoy going with friends who have never been to a show, and always leaving with them ecstatic about seeing a killer show. Most of them feel like it is the best concert they have ever been too. I went with my mom, aunt, and cousin in 2001, and they were all casual fans and really couldn't believe how many of his songs they knew, because they had just heard them on the radio without paying too much attention to who performed it. It has always been a new experience everytime no matter what songs were played, and it never fails to disappoint me.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:14 pm
by bigbradwolf
Fantastic post! This is why I go to every Alice show I can get to. No band or person will ever come close to the master.
Thats why im sat In a hotel in Plymouth after a 3 hour journey from the Midlands with a beer in hand eagerly awaiting the master to rock Plymouth and Swindon.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:20 pm
by pitkin88
I haven't lived in the Uk for over 20 years. Why Plymouth and Swindon of all places? Seems an odd choice for a gig. What size venues are these?

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 10:29 pm
by Si
pitkin88 wrote:I haven't lived in the Uk for over 20 years. Why Plymouth and Swindon of all places? Seems an odd choice for a gig. What size venues are these?
I'm guessing they wanted to do a couple of their own shows but couldn`t do shows in the same areas as the Crue shows, which rules out London, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle and surrounding areas. After that it was just seeing what was offered to them within reasonable distance of London for Alice's promo duties.
I agree, odd choices but Alice has played both before on tours.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:25 am
by del
Swindon is 3000 and Plymouth is @4000. Both sold out no problem. Admittedly not arena size but I like them intimate anyway. Once again, did we ever expect to see this 30 years ago? Celebrate positive news as he is doing a hell of a lot better than many acts on the road just now.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 1:08 am
by pitkin88
del wrote:Swindon is 3000 and Plymouth is @4000. Both sold out no problem. Admittedly not arena size but I like them intimate anyway. Once again, did we ever expect to see this 30 years ago? Celebrate positive news as he is doing a hell of a lot better than many acts on the road just now.

He's playing Viejas Casino out here in San Diego. So small a venue you could almost reach out and touch.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2015 1:12 am
by pitkin88
Second thoughts it's with Motley Crue so it will be the bigger stage.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 9:46 am
by wind_up_toy
I went to Plymouth last night with my better half, all-in-all it was a good venue and great to have a concert in easy reach for once (just 45 minutes from Exeter). The atmosphere was superb and the security staff decent so not much to complain about really.

Despite my reservations about the show (almost the same as my last gig, in Bournemouth 3 years ago), I really did enjoy it as Alice and the band absolutely nailed it. The atmosphere definitely died down during the covers section but that has been covered on here before. It was my first time seeing Nita too and she was exceptional.

On a side note, I was really pleased to finally see Michael Monroe. I've been a fan for a while and he's a great performer with a strong catalogue of songs. He's also clearly a massive Alice fan as he stuck around and watched the whole show from backstage. He could really do with getting a wireless microphone though :)

Anyone going to Swindon tonight is in for a treat and well worth a drive down from Glasgow. Next stop for me is London this time next week!

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2015 9:59 am
by wind_up_toy
Oh and thanks to whoever was handing out Werthers Originals in the queue :)

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:36 pm
by Si
wind_up_toy wrote:I went to Plymouth last night with my better half, all-in-all it was a good venue and great to have a concert in easy reach for once (just 45 minutes from Exeter). The atmosphere was superb and the security staff decent so not much to complain about really.

Despite my reservations about the show (almost the same as my last gig, in Bournemouth 3 years ago), I really did enjoy it as Alice and the band absolutely nailed it. The atmosphere definitely died down during the covers section but that has been covered on here before. It was my first time seeing Nita too and she was exceptional.

On a side note, I was really pleased to finally see Michael Monroe. I've been a fan for a while and he's a great performer with a strong catalogue of songs. He's also clearly a massive Alice fan as he stuck around and watched the whole show from backstage. He could really do with getting a wireless microphone though :)
What he said :)
Yes, Monroe is a HUGE fan. He joined the Coop band last night for SO and you could tell his was having the time of his life.

Also kudos to Brett from bring the Halloween Balloons to play with during the interval!! Stoke of genius that one.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:01 pm
by A_MichaelUK
>I'm guessing they wanted to do a couple of their own shows but couldn`t do shows in the same areas as the Crue shows,

Yes, I believe so.

> After that it was just seeing what was offered to them within reasonable distance of London for Alice's promo duties.

I don't think he's had any yet but I'm not sure. In any case, the shows would generally take precedent over any other considerations.

>I agree, odd choices but Alice has played both before on tours.

Well, they're as much part of the circuit as any other town that has venues big enough for this kind of show and for the crowds that attend but Plymouth does seem to be furthest south and west you can go that has a venue that's appropriate.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:03 pm
by A_MichaelUK
From del
"did we ever expect to see this 30 years ago?"

Exactly.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:05 pm
by A_MichaelUK
From wind_up_toy:
"The atmosphere definitely died down during the covers section but that has been covered on here before"

One of the moderators here and his companion enjoyed "Cold Turkey"!

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:06 pm
by wind_up_toy
Alice one performed as far south west as St Austell in Cornwall. It's closed now so Plymouth is almost certainly the furthest suitable venue in this neck of the woods these days.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:09 pm
by wind_up_toy
A_MichaelUK wrote:From wind_up_toy:
"The atmosphere definitely died down during the covers section but that has been covered on here before"

One of the moderators here and his companion enjoyed "Cold Turkey"!
It's not to say that the covers weren't still enjoyed, they were. It's just notable that they weren't enjoyed as much (at least where I was).

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:14 pm
by A_MichaelUK
From wind_up_toy:
"It's not to say that the covers weren't still enjoyed, they were."

I know. I was just making fun of the person in question given the subject of the cover songs.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:18 pm
by wind_up_toy
A_MichaelUK wrote:From wind_up_toy:
"It's not to say that the covers weren't still enjoyed, they were."

I know. I was just making fun of the person in question given the subject of the cover songs.
I suppose 'iconic songs' always have the potential to appeal to different people for different reasons. To others they can mean nothing at all.

Re: Swindon - last minute decision

Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:37 pm
by Si
wind_up_toy wrote: I suppose 'iconic songs' always have the potential to appeal to different people for different reasons. To others they can mean nothing at all.
Good point. 'Cold Turkey' for example is not a song I know very well, only having maybe heard it on TV/Radio occasionally. I'm not particularly a fan of Lennon's solo stuff, it doesn`t do anything for me, but I know others hold it up as one of his best and so it means much more to them then me.