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Post by wrigglerosie on Dec 13, 2011 8:39:18 GMT
Rosie goes to see James at the Christmas special event in Covent Garden, December 3rd, 2011
So for the first time in ages James came to see me for an event, instead of me going to see him! It was strange having to travel less distance than he did to get to it. Patti had come to stay with me for the weekend, came to work with me on Friday (“Take Your American Friend To Work Day!”)and went shopping and managed not to freeze to death in my crazy old house despite her being from California and it being December. I gave her three duvets to use and instructed her to run as fast as possible in between rooms as the passages have no heating at all! Luckily the colder weather didn’t start until after she had gone home.
After a Friday night of squeeing madly, and getting things ready, Saturday morning saw us driving up to the same place to park my car as I do when I'm going to Heathrow, but instead of catching a bus we caught the train into Waterloo. A 40 min train ride, during which I tried to explain the rules of cricket to Patti including the LBW rule - she didn't even know how cricket was played, I even had to explain what the bat looked like! - passed fairly quickly and it made my day when we were getting off at Waterloo and the gentleman from further down our carriage congratulated me on my explanation of the LBW rule, as it was apparently spot-on (thank you to my cricket-mad dad and brothers!) – and he had done some umpiring so he should know!
A brief walk over the River and we soon found Covent Garden and St Paul's Church, which is otherwise known as the actor’s church. It's a very old but beautiful building with a very peaceful churchyard right in the centre of bustling Covent Garden. It was only about 11.30 but there were already a few familiar faces outside in the churchyard, so we were able to say hello to a few people. With an hour to spare, we went off to do the next important thing which was to have breakfast! We found a tiny little restaurant within a few hundred yards, and got jammed into a tiny corner table from which it was impossible for me to even move, but they did serve a good omelette.
Getting back to the church there were a lot more people outside, many who I hadn't seen for nearly 2 years since James's last UK appearance. The trouble is that at these things, there's not a lot of time, and often having said hello to someone that the only time you get to speak to them. I was busily hugging everybody and trying to talk to several people once, whilst being laced into my new corset that had been brought across from the USA by Jessie, as we didn't think the post would get it there in time for the event. She was my corset courier! It's a good thing it wasn't raining and it was still fairly mild. Jessie did a great job under pressure as we were convinced that we were going to be called in at any minute and I'd have to run half laced in! As it was, she had finished just as we were called over although we needn't have worried as we ended up queuing for a few minutes. A lot of people had dressed up, steampunk seem to be the main theme along with various Christmas hats. I just wanted to wear my corset as it gives me a fabulous hourglass figure!
On entering the church we had our hands stamped with a stamp I didn't want to wash off as it said James Marsters, and got to pick our goody bag from a pile on the floor. The seating was in the wooden pews which we had been warned about and I had equipped Patti and myself with a cushion each which proved to be very useful as the day wore on. I was ticket number four which meant I was in the front pew and luckily on the right-hand side which is the side I like to be whenever I'm photographing James; and I chose a seat towards the right as well so that the microphone would not be blocking his face in my photos. I was sitting between two James virgins! For both, this was their first time. Patti had much higher number and so was further back, but after everyone had taken their seats people were allowed to move into any spare ones and so moved around to the sides and to get different views for photographs. I went down to the merchandise table and bought my extra photo ops – I was having 3, plus the one that Froggy owed me from Austin.
The venue was lovely. Yes, the pews were a bit hard and the toilets rather inaccessible, but there was lots of space and yet it was still fairly intimate despite being a church and the sound system was absolutely fabulous. And it was warm, no extra layers needed. And best of all – oh joy of joys! – It had the most fabulous theatre lighting, which was an utter delight for this photographer! A lovely change after all that awful convention lighting and those damn water jugs!
Lisa came on stage and explained that the programme for the day. Steve came down the aisle like the beautiful assistant showing off the merchandise (he is a natural at that!) which was two exclusive pictures of James that would only be available at the event and also to say they were selling extra autographs and photo op tickets. There were two Christmas hats available for props if anybody wanted to use them in their photo op. He was followed by the author of the book “Dear Me: Letters to My 16 Year Old Self , Joseph Galliano who was there selling copies of the book as James had a letter in it, and signing them. He's a good-looking man, but didn't quite have Steve's panache at showing off the merchandise, though he tried! Also, Lisa said that there was a booby prize in one of the goody bags. A lot of us hadn't looked yet, so we dug into ours to see what we got, there seemed to be a variety of gifts. I got some Body Shop make up which is a complete waste since I never ever wear any, but the two newbies on either side of me got CDs – one got Like a Waterfall and the other got the Spring Fever CD – which was really nice for them. It seemed that nobody got the booby prize – breast cream! – So we never did find out what their special prize would have been!
As I suspected the first thing up was the photo ops. Everybody got one free picture with James and these were done first. If anyone had any extras they were done afterwards. So being in the front row we were the first to go through to the back where Froggy was taking the pictures in a room up some steps. As usual, just before a photograph with James I had a few butterflies, especially as this would be the first sight I had of him. Coming round the bend in the steps, I could hear James before I could see him, his distinctive laugh letting me know he really was there and then there he was, dressed in grey jeans and a tight dark blue T-shirt with a heavy silver chain round his neck and smiling that beautiful smile. When it was my turn, I walked the few steps over to him and his face lit up when he recognised who it was, saying "hi Rosie" and we shook hands and had a brief hug. There wasn't really time to say anything and I wasn't asking for a pose for the first picture so we just put our arms round each other and I reminded him that he didn't need to do his Spike face for me! He didn't, as the picture came out with James doing a lovely natural smile, the expression I like best.
I had a chance to speak to a few people whilst waiting to go round again for the extra photos as it was one of the few free times during the day. I had a couple of props to take with me for these as I did have some poses planned. It was a little slower this time as quite a few people were using the hats as props. James seemed to be kind of zoned out a bit at this point – he was smiling and doing the poses and quite willingly wearing whatever anyone handed to him, but he was going through the motions rather than engaging with anybody. But he smiled at me and we hugged and any James hug is always memorable even if it's only for a second – I am always very aware I'm holding that beautiful man in my arms and try to remember everything about it! He is so warm and even though there's not that much of him really, he is compact and solid and you know he's there, and it’s wonderful!
First picture was just a cuddly one which is always good. The second one I brought out my props for – two of my own Christmas hats, one a normal one, and one with long white braids. For the first picture I wore the hat with braids and James the other one and I was just leaning on his shoulder. For the second one we swapped hats! James was such a sport, he struck the hat on without any argument (and yes it did fit on his big head!) A single lock of hair was sticking out under the hat on his forehead and the pom-pom was falling over his eyes and he just made a very snarky Spike face which I could see out of the corner of my eye and I knew it was going to be hilarious. I just about managed to hold it together for the photograph, though you can see I'm about to collapse in complete giggles! Even Froggy was laughing as he took the picture, and you can see why – it did come out as an absolute classic!
I had one more picture and one more prop – a sprig of mistletoe. I had been looking for mistletoe all week and it just didn't seem to be for sale anywhere. Patti and I finally managed to find some on Friday night in a local garden centre. I gave it to James and let him take the lead. He said "face towards the front" so I did, and I was aware of James being very close to my ear, as I could feel his breath on me! Because of this I ended up grinning like an idiot rather than doing an amusing pose, and though I knew James wouldn't actually kiss me, he was miming quite close to my cheek and it came out quite sweet. As soon as Froggy had taken the picture James laughed and hugged me again and I tried to remember everything about it in that brief moment. Mostly I was aware of his cheek against mine and his arms around me, and I could feel the muscles in his back under my hands. It was lovely!
The first part of the main event was James reading a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Because of copyright issues we weren't allowed to take any video and so Steve asked that all cameras be put away. It wasn't too bad, as James was sitting down and reading the whole time so wasn't really looking up so I didn't really miss any good photograph opportunities. Though of course it would be great to hear it afterwards, even if you couldn't see it. And of course you get to really concentrate on him alone, not looking at him through the camera lens. The reading was amazing. I think it was slightly edited but James read the entire story in just under an hour. Actually to call it "reading" is to do it an injustice. It was a performance. James may have been sitting down and telling the story from a script, but we had the full array of voices. Every one was different and easy to pick out, which made it a joy to listen to. Before long, he started to use his hands as well which just made it even more fun. Of course I couldn't take my eyes off him; I never can whenever he's in front of me. I find him utterly mesmerising and I missed some of the story because I was so intent on watching him and the way he was really getting into it.
There was a short break at this point and I think this is one I got my copy of the book Dear Me signed by the author, Joseph Galliano. He was a lovely guy and I told him I would be ordering a copy for the library which pleased him as he said he was a great supporter of libraries. I think everyone was surprised how popular his book was as he sold out of copies quite quickly!
Next up was a question and answer session with James and the first chance I had to take any photographs. The chair had been removed and they just left a single microphone for James which he soon pulled out of the stand so he could walk about. When he arrived on the "stage", he was wearing his black coat and I was highly amused to see that on his lapel, he was wearing the Obama badge I had given him in New York! It's the one that says "that's MISTER President to you, Honky" which had made him laugh at that time and he'd pinned it to his T-shirt. But the coat soon came off and there was James in all his glory! He is looking pretty ripped at the moment, his arms look really good and his pecs really nicely defined. I think he has been getting in shape for the role he's just done in France. Of course the very tight T-shirt helped, and the tight jeans made other things quite obvious too, but I certainly wasn't complaining!!
I can't remember all the questions, but here are some of the ones I do remember. Patti asked the first question about the filming of Metal Hurlant that he had just done in France. He said they had been filming in a rather dank basement for the week, but Michelle Ryan was wonderful. He also let on a bit about the story, describing it as a bit Twilight Zone though I do know what happens! He was talking about bloopers on set (he doesn't really have any) and then went on to talk about working with John Barrowman which is completely different and told the story about how they frightened the actor playing Captain Jack's younger brother by being thoroughly outrageous on the set.
One of the few Buffy questions that came up was James's favourite episode, which of course is the musical. Talking about how he was very proud of the cast are really working at it, he said "we screwed our courage to the sticking place" and then stopped and put his hand over his mouth, looking guilty and said "oops, sorry!" as he looked heavenwards. "Don't quote the Scottish play!" And then "oh you know, we're not in a theatre. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth!" And he danced about a little bit bouncing from one foot to the other waving his hands as he said it! Good to know he's not that superstitious!
He was asked about recording Macbeth for LA Theatre Works and he said how much he had enjoyed it as the director thought the same about the play as he did. He couldn't remember his name again and so for the second time, I had to call it out to him "Martin Jarvis" and he thanked me. Juliette, one of the newbies sitting next to me whispered "the Martin Jarvis?" And I replied "yes, that Martin Jarvis!" as most people remember him as a television actor in sitcoms.
James then told the story about auditioning for Peter Hall for a role in Macbeth many years previously and since they didn't agree on how the play should be done, as Peter Hall thought that lady Macbeth was a complete bitch, the one thing that James is adamant she is not, James did not get the part! He was also asked a very technical question about Joss Whedon which he had real trouble understanding, as the questioner had a very strong Scottish accent. In the end he walked down to her at the microphone, so he could hear her better. That was the second time he done that – the first time was to come and alter to the height of the microphone for a questioner who was quite tall. Ever the gentleman! Unfortunately the following questioner was very short...!
That's just about all I can remember though I am sure there is more that others might. I was having a wonderful time taking photographs in that glorious light. I can't help it, I have to take close-ups of James's beautiful face and all his many and varied expressions. And the camera preferred to as well, as the photographs I was taking from further back were coming out a bit light with not much detail. At least it wasn't having its normal love affair with the microphone – well not then anyway!
James went off to a huge round of applause and some whooping – the crowd being mostly British were being very reserved and polite! Steve and Lisa called the raffle at this point, though as usual I didn't win anything. Also somewhere around here, was when Lisa asked for volunteers to join in for the performance a little later. My hand was straight up, and I was the first to be picked, which was great – if there is one thing I'm really good at, it’s getting up and making a complete fool myself in front of a crowd! After all, I pretty much do that every week in front of my line dance class, and if it was going to be with James, then so much the better – I have no pride! In the next break we were taken to the back where Marion described what we each had to do. We were doing the 12 days of Christmas, so I asked for a low number as I didn't want to be standing doing nothing, and Marion said I could do three French hens, as she was suggesting it be done more French than hen! Sounded like typecasting to me, I was totally up for it!
The chair was back centre stage again, as James was coming back out to do a couple more readings. Again Steve asked all cameras be put away as they didn't want any videos taken due to copyright issues. This only proved to be a problem a bit later, when I along with pretty much everybody else in the audience desperately wanted to take a picture. The first reading James did was "Mrs Scrooge" by Carol Ann Duffy, which made a great companion reading for A Christmas Carol. I had not heard it before but it was very clever, a modern twist on the original and again we had James doing all the different voices. The best line in it has to be Mrs Scrooge saying "I snogged that tall one once!" which James delivered with aplomb! He followed this up by reading the first chapter and a half from Ghost Story by Jim Butcher, the 13th book of the Dresden files that James should have read for audiobook, but circumstances meant that he couldn't. Having heard him read it, I just hope that sometime Penguin audio will make the sensible decision and record it again with James reading. No offence to John Glover, but James is Harry Dresden.
James was reading from printouts and was starting to have trouble making them make sense. He stopped and apologised to us, saying that the printouts all had lines missing from the end, so he would go and get the full copy from his bag. He leapt up and strode down the aisle, and disappeared upstairs for a few moments and then came back triumphantly holding an actual copy of the book above his head, saying now he could do it properly. He had also brought his glasses, which he put on so he could read the small print, and this was the point where the entire audience regretted that they couldn't take any pictures! So yes, I have seen James in his sexy specs, and as you would expect he looks utterly adorkable and endearing in them. But he obviously is uncomfortable wearing them in public, because as soon as he had finished reading, he whipped them off as fast as possible, so no one was able to get a picture. The applause was loud and there was more whooping this time – think the audience was loosening up a bit!
Next up was the autographs. Obviously there was quite a few people to get through, but it was done without anyone seeming to be rushed. They put the table centre stage and the line formed on the other side from me which was wonderful for taking pictures, though as I was in the first people to get an autograph I waited until I had been through to see James before I started taking pictures. I was probably about seventh in line to see him. We had all been given a Christmas card from James, a lovely one with one of the photographs of him in the red jumper on front (that's a sweater for all you US types!) And it was already signed by him inside. We could have it personalised and just have James's signature on a picture or the personalisation could go on the picture. Since the autograph itself is not as important to me as the time spent with James, I was going for the personalisation of Christmas card.
James came to the table all smiles and DeeDee was the first to see him (so I couldn't get any photographs of her) I noticed that James wasn't talking with people as much as he usually does, he seemed to be having to write a lot, although he can normally write and talk quite happily at the same time, and people did not seem to be talking to him. Too full of shock and awe I expect – or James fog! Juliette was ahead of me in the line and I could see James was taking the time to write "A Merry Bloody Christmas" on each card as well as the personalisation, so no wonder he was looking down so much with having to write all that. Juliette wasn't talking to him either, so I nudged her and said in a stage whisper "you can speak to him!"
"I know" she said "I don't know what to say" which made James smile as he was writing "If it was Gareth it would be easy – I would just insult him, and if it was members of the band it would be even easier"
There was a pause and then James said "Tongue tied if you can't insult me, hey?"
"It's not that" insisted Juliette "It's the first time I've met you"
"Ah yes – proper respect then" replied James in a slight British accent as he handed her pictures back and she agreed.
Then it was my turn and James turned that devastating smile onto me I said "Hi Sweetie" as we shook hands, and then "I’m gonna come down here as it’s too far up for you to look" as I crouched down
"You got it" he drawled – he'd already started writing in my Christmas card.
"You okay? You look a bit knackered from filming this week"
"You know, I was knackered yesterday (it still sounds funny hearing James say that!) but I had a good nights sleep last night". He looked up at me and ran his hand through his hair "and a hot bath – yeah!" Holding up his fist in a brief salute and making wide eyes "which was fabulous".
"Excellent!"
"Yeah, the hotel I was in had no Internet to speak of and no hot water..."
I laughed "Hey – you're in the UK!"
"No, no" James was quick to assure me "in Brussels. Yeah, here had great Internet and hot water so I'm a happy man!"
He finished signing my Christmas card (with it’s Merry Bloody Christmas) and handed it to me, moving to the picture underneath which was one I had taken of him in Montréal. He smiled as he saw it and said "oh, right on!" And I told him "that was one you liked before" and he murmured as he was signing "I was going to say..." which made me giggle like an idiot as he obviously did like the picture, and he laughed as well. He handed it back to me as I said "I've got a couple of things for you cos it's Christmas – you get a Christmas card too – one I made”
"Fabulous!" James had a slurp of his coffee "thank you luv". He turned it over as though he would open it but then said "I'll open this in the hotel" which is what I expected.
"And as it's a Dickens event, so you get Dickens!" And I gave him this little bobble head Charles Dickens figure I found on eBay which made him laugh and say "Mr Dickens!" and make an amused little sound as he twanged the figures head a couple of times.
I then produced the last gift "And as it's the UK, you have to have a Christmas pudding!"
"Oh fabulous" and James took it straight from me, grinning in delight.
I mused "I don't know if you'll like it or not – a lot of people don't..." "I'll light it on fire!" He laughed "and I love Christmas pudding, that's fabulous!" and he looked up at me as I was getting to my feet "thank you Rosie" and then added "Ho Ho Ho!"
We shook hands and did our hand clasp thing (one day I might actually find out the order it goes in – I just let James lead each time. Maybe I should ask him...) and I said "Love you" very quietly, and smiling that beautiful smile at me, James replied "Love you too", and clasped my hand one more time, which of course made me go all girly and giggly. Aww, he's so sweet. I luvs him!
I then spent the rest of the time that James was signing autographs doing my favourite things – taking photographs of him – except for a short interlude when I went to see Steve to give him his Christmas card and present (he also got a small Christmas pudding) and again a bit later when I went to do the same for Mark. (He didn't know anything about Christmas puddings, he'd not heard of them. They really are a very English thing) I took up my position on the stone steps not far in front of my seat and started taking pictures. I didn't really move around much apart from to sit down at times and then started using the monopod so I could zoom in very, very close to James's face without getting too much blur. I also tried to photograph as many people as possible that I knew having their time with James. I caught most people, though managed to miss Jean completely as I failed to recognise her green sweater. There was still quite a lot of people not speaking to James when they were in front of him, but quite a few like me crouched down to make it easier for him.
From my position I could see that James had nicotine patches on the underside of both arms, and whilst scratching at his sleeve I could see another one on the top of his left arm! I didn't find out if he had a fourth one on the other shoulder, but I really hope not. I got sore knees from kneeling on the stone steps for so long, but it was worth it. Although James was looking down a lot because he was writing so much, I got some really nice pictures. I'm sorry to still keep going on about the lighting but it was so good and such a nice change, and it makes taking pictures even better.
Coming towards the end, Lisa cleared a space through the various people taking pictures so that James could walk over to see Nicky. I was going to take photos whilst James was signing for her, but as she was the very last to go, I had Steve calling me up onto the stage ready for The 12 Days Of Christmas performance. I said "I'll be there in a minute Steve" and he gave me one of those patented Steve looks and replied "Now Rosie!" several times. I handed over my camera to Juliette, as she had a very kindly said she would video the whole performance for me, and gave her a very quick crash course in how the video worked before going up on stage to join the other volunteers.
Patti was next to me as she was doing the two turtle doves, and Steve was number one, the partridge in a pear tree. We lined up across the stage from the pulpit side, and then Lisa directed James to go into the pulpit to lead the singing. He checked that we all knew the song, everyone said yes though I don't know if it's known in all the European countries, and then we started – to begin with James was cheerfully conducting every now and then and singing some of it. On the third day, it was my turn. Of course, being me I really played it up, one hand behind my head the other on my hip and giving my bum a good wiggle, which got a big laugh from the audience and a bit of a giggle from James. He had been given a bag of fake snow and as it got to Steve's 'partridge in a pear tree' line, he reached out and sprinkled a handful on Steve's head, which cracked us all up. After that, each time it got to the end James sprinkled more and more snow on Steve's head – and he let him! – and it got funnier and funnier. On one occasion he only sprinkled a few flakes of snow, and on another Steve just leaned on the pulpit in exasperation and James flicked a handful at him. Each time we were waiting to see what he would do and it was great standing where I was, as I had a very close up view of the shenanigans. It's times like that when you want to be in two places at once – I loved being part of it, but I wanted to be taking pictures at the same time. (Sometimes I think we should all get together and pay for a non-James fan photographer to do pictures of everybody and everything!) Meanwhile, I was playing it up and over acting like mad each time it got to my 'three French hens' – a couple of times I did my wiggle at James which earned me an appreciative giggle, and one time I did it with both hands behind my head and some naughty hip thrusting which got me another laugh from the audience. Not so much a French hen as flabby turkey wings!!
On the last verse as we went through all 12 actions, I gave it a really good wiggle to finish, and Steve went up into the pulpit behind James and as it got to the end got his own back by dumping a handful of the snow on James's head. The expression on James's face was hilarious and he turned around and proceeded to reach up and drop the last two handfuls of snow on Steve, so they were both covered. James double punched the air in delight and they both collapsed laughing as did all of us, and then hugged. Before they came out of the pulpit they started brushing snow off – James ran his hands through his hair and then shook his head like a dog coming out of water to get rid of the flakes! - and then as they came down, Jill called out for everyone to give Steve a cheer, which we did, and James started brushing Steve off before concentrating on himself. As Steve was right in front of me I had to help him with brushing off a bit as the snow had got everywhere so I was doing his back, though I said I was not gonna touch his ass! Patti meanwhile helped brush a few bits off James’s shoulders before he left the stage – but on his way past me, he just reached out and briefly squeezed my arm and gave me a huge grin which was lovely! It made the perfect end to the afternoon.
The break before the concert was going to be fairly short as it was by now 6.45 and the doors for the people only attending the concert would open at 7 PM. I just wanted to grab a drink so took a quick walk over to the Tesco store that was very close by. Then I had a chance to just write a few notes up about the day so far and getting my camera ready before everyone was coming back in.
The concert was wonderful of course. In that glorious lighting it made photography even more of a joy than usual. James came on to the stage with Guthrie the guitar – someone behind me remarked what a lovely guitar was and I told them it was called Guthrie – and luckily James had the correct lead for plugging him in rather than using a second mic. When he does that, it means he can't stand back the microphone at all which means we miss all that sexy rock star pouting he does! And after singing the first song which was If This Is Love, he remarked on how good the sound was – and he was right, it was fantastic.
I think James was tired by now as he wasn't very talkative in between songs though we did get a few stories later. He started off with three rather melancholy songs as he sang London City second followed by Finer Than Gold. When he sings the slower songs he always looks very serious and there was this look of intense vulnerability about him I noticed. I got one photograph that really captured that – there is always something about that mans eyes. And the crowd being very British mostly were very polite and clapped at the end of songs but didn't whoop like I'm used to.
Things did lighten up a little bit on the next song which was For What I Need because as he started to play he 'pinged' the pick out his hand onto the floor in front of him. He tried to keep playing without it for a few chords but then said "fuck!" and bent down to pick it up again. This got people giggling and it made James smile too. He sang the song and the applause afterwards was a bit more enthusiastic. Next up was Truth Is and I couldn't resist doing a loud whoop at one point because I love that song and it needs some audience participation–– and it earned me a quick smile from James when he heard me. Consequently at the end of the song, there was a lot more whooping along with the applause and the crowd started to loosen up a bit.
James sang Moonshot and I think it is on this that he got a bit stuck on some of the chords, probably because he was partly tired and also maybe because he's been playing it with the band and its different when he's doing it on his own. This happened a couple of other times too in other songs but nothing irredeemable – James is human after all! Then he told the story of Katie about how he wrote a song, and the follow-up that occurred last year when he met the man who was now married to Katie and it was great to hear again as I haven't heard James sing it for a while.
It was rather amusing as James still had little bits of snow on him in his hair, and after a he ran his hands through his hair a few times it did rather look like he had a bad attack of dandruff on his dark shirt! It was probably sticking to all the product he will insist on putting in it.
He sang All She Wanted and Too Fast and followed them with the new song 40 Days in the Desert and he explained a bit about how he had written that as well. Each time he sang a song that was going to be on the new Ghost of the Robot album, he mentioned the fact as he did for the next one because he was going to sing Smile (though as a solo song, he sang it as he always has without the extra verse that has been added on the album)
James got a few giggles when he explained that Layabout was about when he was working on Torchwood as a lot of the audience were newbies and Torchwood fans, like Juliette next to me – they especially liked the Naoko line! He then sang Angel – introducing it by saying "This is not a song about David Boreanez!" – and then went on to Dangerous. During this, was my favourite comment from James – he always whistles the middle part of the song and having done the first phrase he said "Yeah, I'm whistling!" in a slightly aggressive way - as though anyone was going to question him! - and then carried on with the whistling! He actually whistles very well.
That was nearly it – James said he wasn't going to do an encore; he was just going to finish on a new song which had me a bit worried because if it was a new one I would want to video it. He made some comment about hoping he didn't mess it up and said it was called Best Friend Magic Dance, so I relaxed because it wasn't new to me, though obviously the first time James had sung it in England. I don't think it's a particularly easy song for him to play or sing but he did a beautifully. It was a very quick finish – James put his hands up and thanked us and most of the audience got to their feet to give him a standing ovation and then he was off down the aisle and away. Much to my amazement there was the longest pause where nobody moved (possibly because they were all being polite and British) and so I took the few steps to the microphone and picked up the set list – still with my camera on its monopod in my other hand! At least this time I didn't end up wrestling on the stage for it! (It's written on a plain piece of paper, nothing interesting on the back)
And that was about it. No more James. It took a while to gather up all our stuff and slowly make our way outside, I stopped to hug Steve and say thank you to him and say thank you to some of the girls too. Once outside there was a bit of lingering, but then a whole group of us went off to eat. That was good fun as the food was good and the company even better. It was nice to have a chance to spend sometime talking with people are and it was a nice end to the day.
Patti and I made it to Waterloo to catch the last train back to Ashford and then driving back we finally got home around 2 AM. I didn't really feel tired though as we had lots to talk and squee about all the way.
It was a lovely event. Nice venue (toilet facilities excluded) with great sound and light and a well-planned day that pretty much ran to time. I didn't feel rushed in my time with James and I don't think anybody else did either and it was lovely hearing him perform live. The 12 Days of Christmas will never be the same again and nor, I hope, will be the 'three French hens' when anybody thinks of them! (And when I'm talking about the snow in James's hair, I'm referring to the paper bits not any grey patches he might have! It's taking me ages to edit the obvious bits out of the photographs!)
And of course the star of the show – James. Looking amazing as ever and being his normal charming self all day even though I think he must have been a bit tired after the week he'd just had. He really is an amazing performer in everything he does and today was no exception. It was a wonderful start to the holiday season and great to see James back in the UK again. Roll on the next one!
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Post by Ditto on Dec 13, 2011 10:53:27 GMT
Fabulous report Rosie...I think it's St James' Church tho' not St Pauls'...you didn't get a piccie of me neither as I was third up after DeeDee and the nice American girl but the seating was very relaxed, dunno who was No 1 but they were at the wrong end of the pew, not that we were complaining! ;D I never say anything to James hardly but this time couldn't say anything to anybody with this stupid bug...felt I got a few funnypec looks.
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