Brisbane shows...and hotel(s)?

[grace_face]

Oh dear. I'm NOT good at recalling details of events and experiences that completely blow me away, overwhelm me and leave me literally SHAKING!!!

I had SUCH a fantastic time last night at the show...we got there about 7.15pm and rudely *sheepish* didn't go in to see The Verses at all. We were too busy trying to find a bathroom that wasn't packed with a line trailing halfway out the door and into the hall...we were also buying Coke and a Mars Bar and a glass of wine and trying to see what merchandise there was (hey, did anyone ever see a program for this tour? My partner always buys a program and was disappointed to see there were none. Were they just sold out by this last show in Australia, or did they not do one for this tour?)

Anyway, so...wow. Our seats were in the third row. Excellent BUT we were RIGHT on the very end. The right side (Stevie's side, though both her and Lindsey were fairly centred we noticed).

We couldn't actually see John at all (except for the very top of his white cap) or Mick (except when he moved to a smaller different set of drums for one song. What song was it? I don't even know. I tells ya - COMPLETELY overwhelmed, I was!!! My brain fell out, lol). We had the big stage monitor in front of us, blocking our view of them, but luckily we could see Lindsey and Stevie well.

I was VERY pleased with Stevie's voice. It seemed stronger than I think it's sounded for AGES, and she looked just beautiful as always...perfect. Really perfect. I loved her Gypsy story...and Lindsey...OH MY GOD, HE HAS SO MUCH ENERGY, it's unbelievable!!! He went "crazy" numerous times on his songs...amazing. The crowd ate it up.

Now...those security guards I was NOT happy with. I'd heard varying stories of people being able to go and stand at the stage from rows 1-10 or so...I thought, being in row 3, we'd have no trouble. We didn't ever intend to stand at the stage the whole show though (my back gives me major trouble if I stand for too long), but intended to go down there about halfway through...but no. Nope. Not allowed apparently. Only the first TWO rows. I think this SUCKED, frankly. I was p!ssed off. Still obviously thoroughly enjoyed the show and found myself in tears and trying very hard not to turn into a crying mess towards the end of Sara when Stevie and Lindsey hugged, and also during Silver Springs...the final song (2nd encore)...I REALLY wanted to go to the stage then...where I'd no doubt have been a blubbering mess standing beneath the gorgeous Stevie...but no. Still not allowed. EVEN THOUGH several people who had been standing at the stage actually left before Silver Springs (WHY!? WHY, PEOPLE!?)...but no. And yeah, the camera thing. Total camera nazis. When we entered the main area outside the doors to the stage/hall etc, there were signs around saying no cameras with "detachable lenses" or "telephoto lenses" would be allowed in. And I was like YAY! My camera doesn't have either of those, so it's fine. WOO! But nooooo! I didn't get mine out till...I don't remember when. Maybe a third of the way in? But the guy next to me got his out right away and then took a few photos (no flash. I also didn't use my flash when I later took some pics. A LOT of people scattered around were using their flashes though), and one of the guards came up and said to stop, so he did, but then got out some kind of iPod type device and was audio-taping the show with it sitting in his pocket. lol. He later took more photos. I myself tried to hide my camera behind my enormous thing of Coke, as well as behind my head and behind that guy's head and his own camera/hand. LOL. I took about 7 photos at different times (3 are really blurry, DAMMIT!!!! Too much zoom and too dark makes the camera go blur), and didn't get in trouble. Heheh. I wanted to do a small video tape footage thing, but was scared it'd be too obvious.

Anyway, at some stage (again, I don't know what song!! I DO know all the songs, and all the words to the songs, ok? I'm not a "phony" fan! I just lost my brain, that's all! lol) I was shaking and feeling quite overwhelmed, but just had the BEST time.

*sigh of deflation and depression that it's all over* Last night, staying in our hotel room (the Hilton, which was very nice), it felt comforting and nice to know that Stevie and the gang were also staying in hotel rooms nearby...just blocks away. If Stevie was at the Treasury, she'd only have been 2 blocks or so away...*sigh again* What a beautiful night. Even though we had to wait around for quite some time at Boondall Station for the last train back to the city and were eaten by rabid mosquitos. lol. (I'm also sort of relieved to hear that Stevie left 10 mins after Silver Springs...we couldn't have gotten to the back door by then anyway, even if we thought we had a chance...too slow to get out of the auditorium...we carried around 2 CDs all day though and to the concert, just in case we bumped into anyone and could get signatures! lol. Didn't happen, needless to say.)

Oh, and anyone who's from here who was there and saw a 5'7" girl with long brown hair wearing a halterneck clingy deep blue long dress wandering around with a huge drink of Coke in her hand, and a brown handbag, that was me. lol

Here are my blurry, rushed photos...(some are good. The clear one of Lindsey I cropped to hopefully make it clearer, and also attached the original wider shot too)