Manchester….

The last time i was here i brought my dad to the show, Kami was with me and we had a great time. Tonight wasnt much different with the exception that i drove over from Huddersfield alone for the show.

I got into Manchester about 4pm, US Matt had messaged me 20 minutes before to say he was at Henry J Beans where we were all meeting up, Kevin and Matt from Guildford were on the train from Birmingham and Jason and his dad had just arrived are were outside at the box office.

Nick, whom Kevin and i had last seen in Prague arrived at the bar around 5pm, it was his last wall show in Europe and he was another one who had had a good run of shows and tonight would be his 10th from memory. US Matt had arrived before the show in Birmingham yesterday, seen the show, travelled to Manchester, would be seeing the show and then flying back to Boston the morning after, again this would be his last show of the European tour.

Matt and Barry didn't have tickets for tonight, i had told them not to worry and either myself or Kevin would look after them. Ive yet to go to a single show and there not be either tickets for sale outside the venue or whats more common is that there's tickets for sale at the box office before the show. Id asked at the box office as i passed on my way to the bar, they had tickets but they were the first block at the side and not the best seats in the house so i said no and would check back later on.

It was nice to sit with Barry, Nick, US Matt, Kevin and Guildford Matt in a bit more of a relaxed meet up tonight, we had a few drinks a good chat and i headed down to the venue again an hour or so later to check at the box office. I managed to pick up 3 2nd row centre tickets for just over face value,the whole ticket industry is ever so “bent” and the way i acquired these tickets just re affirmed this. US Matt and Barry were happy though and i would be sat next to the tow of them for tonight's show and sat right on the isle in front of Roger 2nd row.

I headed into the venue as i was due to meet up with my friend Helen, we had face booked and emailed but never met, she was friends with Dave K and had done a drawing of him that she had brought to give to Dave tonight. She messaged me to say she was in the venue and they were at their seats. I headed down to see her and her husband and had a chat for 20 minutes and had a look at the pictures she had drawn. Helen, it was great to finally meet you and your husband.

Helen and I                               Helen and Dave K at an earlier Manchester show        Helens drawing of Dave K

   

I went to take my seat and Matt and Barry arrived along with Kevin and Matt, this was the final UK show and even though i knew i was going to the last three shows in Athens i was a touch emotional it being the last show and possible the last time I'd see Roger in the UK! The last couple of shows here last month had a great audience, party due to Manchester being only 25 miles or so from Liverpool and a lot of the fans from Liverpool had come over to see the shows (something Roger commented on the last time he was here)

Barry and US Matt                                             Nick, Matt from Guildford and Kevin

 

As the show start time drew near the seat right on the aisle next to Barry, Matt and i had still not been taken, Kevin took the seat and stayed there for the whole night without a single person coming to claim it! Matt did the same  in a single seat in front of us in the front row however he politely moved to his own seats when two people arrived 35 minutes into the1st set!!

The crowd were very vocal tonight and sang along to a lot of the songs, the kids didn't have their new T shirts and did the normal routine of coming onstage, dancing around and then heading over to point at the teacher, no letters on the back of the shirts tonight.

I know the kids part is one of Guildford Matt's favourite parts of the show, and every time I've seen him when the kids are onstage I've wanted to catch him on video clapping along with the kids, however I've never had my camera or haven't been sat close enough, i was tonight though and as you can see below, he just loves getting involved with the kids

Matt and the kids during Another Brick

Roger has continued with his new ending to Another Brick and the more i hear it the more i do like it, im just not sure it fits in the show but i still enjoy it and its getting more refined as the shows go on. Im guessing he will revert back to the “normal” ending for the shows that are filmed in Athens with maybe just performing the new part at one of the three shows, we’ll see.

New Another Brick ending

It was great to be sat next to US Matt, Barry and Kevin for the show. At the beginning of Mother, Barry shouted out “ Roger i love you”, Roger returned the banter and said “love you too” and then  “there's a man down here who loves me”  after a few laughs in the audience and some great smiles and eye contact between Roger and Barry, Roger then said  “um where was i” before returning to what he was going to say.Fortunately someone who must have been sat pretty close to us caught this on video, if you watch the clip below and scroll to 2:00 minutes you’ll be able to see and hear it.

Barry and Roger in Love!

The second half of this show seemed to fly by so quickly and even Kevin turned to me and said “ it just goes quicker and quicker”

Roger had his podium again and the crowd rose to their feet and stayed there from Comfy Numb onwards.

before the band started to play outside The Wall Roger announced that they were coming towards the end of the European tour and only had a few shows left and this was their last UK show. Normally as the band are introduced by Roger they leave the stage and head back through the dark curtain towards the back of the stage however tonight when graham Broad left the stage he had other ideas only known to a few! he actually made his way round the back of the stage and came back on at the other side behind Dave K (who is usually the last one to be introduced) it took Dave K a while to notice him before busting out laughing and much to the amusement of Roger then introducing him again!! I've tried to find a clip of this on YouTube with no joy but I'm sure it around somewhere.