Thanks for the pix PKP!
That was the week that was! The name of a programme that was on TV when I was a teenager…but now the perfect way to describe the amazing time I had last week.
I was very lucky to be able to go to 3 concerts. Let’s begin with the IOW. What a day. Travelled down with Jazzy and after a lot of slight mishaps and much laughter we found ourselves on the 11:00 ferry heading across the very misty Solent. I loved the fact that the day started so early. There is nothing worse on a concert day than trying to fill the endless hours or concentrate on something else before you can set off. We arrived in Shanklin and pottered about for a few hours having first checked out the location of the theatre. Shanklin is a pretty place but it felt very out of season even though it was only September. After bumping into a few other fans and hearing that Lee had been on the 2:00 ferry, we returned to the theatre just before he arrived in Robyn’s car. He gave us a wave. After a long al fresco afternoon tea and a meal it was time for the concert. The theatre seemed fuller than I was expecting which was brilliant and our man did not disappoint. On he came wearing tight blue jeans, a white Tshirt and dark suit type jacket. Someone (you know who you are!) behind me said “oh very nice” and I had to agree. I was blown away by Lee’s confidence and stage presence as well as the voice, which just gets better. The beaming smile was much in evidence and he seemed to be having a great time. He announced that he would be signing afterwards and also that he and the band would be travelling back on the 1:00am ferry. OMG, same as us. Gulp! After queueing for a while, I managed to remember what I was planning to say which was to congratulate him on the Casualty role ( he had probably heard that 101 times by the time I got to the front) He was very sweet and seemed very excited about it. Afterwards we met a new fan from the US who was then introduced to the other US ladies who were there. Also good to meet others and put faces to names! The people in the queue and the theatre staff were very taken with Lee. It was almost funny to watch the reactions. He signed, chatted and posed for photos for over an hour. After a drink in a local bar, which had just been about to close when 10 of us rolled up, Jazzy and I headed back to Fishbourne to catch the ferry. After getting round the compulsory road closure, we were aware of a number of cars following us as we approached the terminal. Could that be them we wondered? After a mini detour in the parking area, we ended up in the ferry queue right behind….oh you’ve guessed; yes! Lee and Robyn, with the other band members in the 2 cars beside us. That has to rate as one of the more surreal half hours of my time as a Lee fan. We tried to play it as cool as possible looking at the curls in the car in front as they all larked around sharing sweets. Then off we went onto the ferry and we were parked behind them again. They vanished off to the lounge petty quickly. And we casually wandered up trying to casually clock where they were. We didn’t bother them but could hear quite a bit of laughter. Lee walked past once. Heartstopping. Once back to the car, he did say a few words to Jazzy and waved at me. Magic. Then off we went, into the night. I didn’t get home until 3:45. Worth it though.
On to Camberley (sorry, this is going on a bit. I would stop now if you are bored) Now this was my local concert and I was so thrilled that he was performing just a 25 minute drive away. I had a non Lee fan friend with me and also my daughter. Added anxiety…would they enjoy it? Of course they did! Apparently Lee and the band had been held up on the motorway and had only reached the venue at 5:30….After me! That must have been so stressful for them all. Again, he wowed the crowd. Every number was just brilliant. Much as I love the big dramatic songs like BHH and MOTN, I actually love Lee doing the more rocky Kiss (which I never tire of) and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. He was very chatty re. the Casualty role and also told us he had been to see Pasha and Katya at the same venue a few months before. I restrained myself from shouting out “I know, I saw you, I was there too!” There seemed to be a full house. I must only have eyes for Lee as I failed to notice both Keith Jack and Paul Zerdin. He didn’t announce a signing and we were told he would just be popping out to say hello. But he came out and sat down and signed as before. I mentioned the late ferry trip to him and a friend kindly took a photo for me. Such a great evening. I described it as being a bit like being at a family wedding….so many people you wanted to speak to, but only time to say just a few words to anyone.
Goodness, one day off and we could do it all again!
And so to Cheltenham….
Such a brilliant day. We got there very easily and found a parking space in the street only 5 mins from the venue. Free parking!!! Maggie had booked us in for afternoon tea at a hotel in the road we were parked in. Excellent idea as we had both had Sunday lunches at home. The tea was really good...almost too much to eat.
We kept bumping into groups of fans as you do before tea. After that we mosied on down to the Town Hall which was an amazing place. Huge with marble pillars and balconies. It looked pretty much sold out too...700. Met Lee's agent who was very friendly. Lee came on to rapturous applause and stormed it yet again. One funny moment when he was doing his pretend loincloth and dreamcoat mime after CED, he spun round, smashed his thumb on the mic stand and only just caught it to stop it falling off the stage. Then he kept telling us how much it hurt! Only at a Lee concert!
Kiss was outstanding with Lee literally playing to the balconies. Wonderful stuff. Afterwards we joined the longest queue in the world to meet him. It was very friendly and we got chatting to people while the FOH staff kept telling us what a lovely man he was. Yes, we know!!
I decided not to ask for a photo or autograph this time and just thanked Lee for an amazing week. He told me about the cruise and said not to worry he would be doing some concerts next year. I hope he is not thinking the Warners gig is an ordinary concert. He also told me about the cruise. He was really lovely and seems to sense that we get panicky when there is no way of seeing him. I wished him well for the filming and said we would all miss him. Then it was off and away.
That's when the evening went a bit awry. On the way home, we got to a vital junction not far out of Cheltenham and wouldn't you know, the road was closed. Nightmare. I had no idea what to do so I apparently headed of in the completely wrong direction and ended up near Bristol. 2 hours later we finally got home. What a pain. It should have been such a quick journey.
Oh well, I am trying to forget that bit and concentrate on the rest of what was a wonderful week.
Here are a couple of my pics.
Thank you so much for the lovely review really enjoyed reading it and all the little details,so nice to read about it when you can't get there
Great reviews Cassie and Michelle - and lovely pics!
Thank you both for your reviews. Cassie, it was lovely to meet another US fan on IOW - and spend time with her at Camberley, Bedworth, and Cheltenham. Another good friend found through Lee Mead-love.
I am suffering horrible jet lag and that flat feeling you get after such a high. But it was so much fun and well worth it. Lee was amazing and so lovely and seeing friends again was priceless.
Till next time . . . 
Cassie, thanks so much for doing that review. I've got a bit bogged down with mine, it was on page two before we even boarded the ferry!!!!!! I think the readers may all have been asleep by the time they got to the end!!
You summed it up perfectly for the IOW day, its was such fun wasn't it, despite the detours. Thank you for travelling with me, I would have been quite lonely in the car otherwise. As Cassie said, it was such a thrill to find the band driving into the ferry port behind us, I had to seriously concentrate as it was very distracting once I had realised that Robyn and Lee were behind Ricky's van. Steve had a separate car, probably because it would have been more expensive to take over the bigger van. Red Bull was also being passed around and Lee was watching videos on his phone while we waited. On the ferry it was quite surreal knowing that they were sitting just behind the pillar to us and were wandering around from time to time. Ricky and I exchanged a smile and he nodded to acknowledge be which was nice but we stayed well away from the party. It was just fun to listen! If only we had realised they were taking that funny floor photo, we could have got in the shot
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Our respect was rewarded as we went back down to the car deck in Portsmouth when Lee spoke to me as we left. He was very sweet and happy joking that he was going to have a sleep on the way back as it was a long journey. We wished them a safe trip and went on our way. I was glad when they finally drove out of vision so I could concentrate on where I had to go! Definitely one of 'those' moments not to be forgotten.
So lovely to read these accounts. I truely think I may have wet myself had I been on that ferry with you! LOL
Cassie I absolutely LOVE your photos. How happy does he look? At Cheltenham he said that signing and meeting his fans is one of his favourite things. How lovely to hear that . There was a time people worried and fretted about whether or not he felt forced into doing the scrums etc, and whether it was a chore for him. It's just fantastic that he chooses to come out to see us.
Thanks so much Cassie, Michelle, Jazzy and everyone who's had an input. Thanks also for the photos Cassie, the review must have taken you ages. The 3 concerts I saw over the weekend were rather special weren't they, but agree Bedworth had the edge. Although Cheltenham was a beautiful venue, I didn't like the lights being left on, maybe it's because it's a town hall and doesn't have the same facility as a theatre. Don't think anyone has mentioned Lee's 'rendition' of Nessun Dorma at Bedworth. For those not there, Lee said that Pavoretti had once sung at Bedworth and then went on to sing 2 or 3 lines of Nessun Dorma in Italian!, in a fun way pretending to be him. It was good. Apparently Lee said he used to sing it when he was at Potters
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Thanks for your lovely long review & photos Cassie. Thanks to Michelle, Asher & Jazzy as well.
I can imagine the excitement at the ferry terminal when you realised who was in the car in front!
To add a little to the Shanklin concert - Lee had mentioned earlier in the evening that they were on the 1 o/c ferry so when he said it was nearly time for the last song, someone called out "you've got till 1 o/c".
Thanks for the 'Nessum Dorma' info Annie. I'd love to have seen him doing a Pavarotti impression!
I'd love to hear Lee sing 'Nessun Dorma'! Another one that intrigues me is 'Barcelona' - I remember him mentioning in an interview that he used to sing that when he was a struggling young performer doing the Summer Season at Bridlington!
Thanks to all the ladies who posted a review and all the pic's I really enjoyed reading and looking at pic's,it must have been so good being so near to Lee,it is many years since I was near to him,but I have my memories to keep me going
