2007 WORLD TOUR HIGH +LOW

HIGHIt's hard to pick just one highlight. Just seeing the Crowdies was amazing. Maybe BBHS with the lights out and being carried away on a wave of sheer emotion as everyone sang their hearts out.

LOW At the end of the gig, Neil was shaking hands with the crowd from the stage and I rushed to the frnt but he moved away just as I got there. I was so dissapointed.

PS The first time I heard Transit Lounge (also a favourite of mine) was live in August and it sounded brill - I thought it was better than the studio version. I recorded a snippet of it - it's only 15 seconds long - but it sounded really funky.

HIGH - Actually going to a CH gig!! I never thought that would happen and yet there we were in Sydney. Being there, hearing them live, meeting other fans - it was ALL good.

LOW - Standing around waiting for ages (with a sick husband in tow) for a glimpse of Mr Finn himself and missing out. That was a lot of effort for my husband who had broken his collarbone and was soldiering on just for me. Nobody's fault, just the luck of the draw. Met Nick and Matt though, so that almost made up for it.

High - meeting Neil Finn after the second Sydney concert

High - saving for months to spend two nights in Sydney and attend the "Dinner & Show" package - bargin at only $200 - great seats, great meal, great company - and the tickets went on sale days before the Tikatek seats were on sale.

High - talking my way into the "after party" where there were about 30 VIP/invited guests + me!

High - After 23 or so years of admiring (ok, lusting after) Neil Finn, I finally met him.

High - He was REALLY nice to me!!

High - I spoke to him for about 5 mins...and he was REALLY nice to me!!

High - I shook his hand several times....and he was really nice to me!!

High - I chatted with Matt for ages, and then Matt introduced me to Neil Finn....and he was really nice to me!!

High - Matt took my photo, with Neil Finn (who was really nice to me!!)

High - Neil signed the letter I got from the Sydney Entertainment Centre, confirming my "dinner & show tickets"...and.....you guessed it, he was really nice to me.

High - I think Neil realised I was the only person there who was not on the "official" guest list (maybe the fact that I was the only person with a camera, paper & pen...gave it away) but...he was still really nice to me!!!

High - Sharon smiling at me as I passed by!!

High - Telling my hubby (of 24 years), teen age children and friends that I had snuck into the 'after party"

High - being an extreamly shy & quiet person, and finally being rated as an "ABSOLUTE LEGEND" for realising my dream, by meeting Neil Finn...and he was really nice to me!!

Low - What low!!! only highs for me.....thanks Neil

Carolyn
Canberra

High - meeting Neil after the second Sydney show

Low - being unable to think of anything more intelligent to say other than "would you sign this please?"

High - Italian Plastic in Sydney

Low - no Oz dates recorded for release

High - Catching up with Frenz I had not seen in many months and meeting so many beautiful new Frenz

High- Being a part of the soundcheck and being invited to the after-party (thankyou SO much)

High- Nails In My Feet, A Sigh, English Trees, Message To My Girl, Fingers Of Love, People Are Like Suns, Private Universe

High- Nick smiling at me for my daggy dancing to Distant Sun and commenting on our glow sticks

High- Matt having our 'magic bird' on his drums in Melbourne and recognising me at the airport

High- Meeting the guys almost every night

High- Perth on December 17th-amazing, simply no words for it

High - being on the same plane as Mark and Matt

High - Getting huge smiles from Neil and Mark from the stage and Nick pointing at me during Better Be Home Soon

High - being there when some of my Frenz met the guys for the first time

High- 99.99% of the whole 2 weeks


Low - The Aussie shows not being recorded

Low- getting food poisioning and almost missing the 2nd Melbourne show

P.S. that was just for the Aussie concerts, as for North America where do I start !!

High- travelling to the other side of the world alone and ending up meeting so many wonderful and kind people

High-My first 'full scale' Crowdies concert in L.A. and getting into the after party there(thankyou Cali-girl), having the guys thank me for coming so far and Nick singing to me

High-Fingers of Love and Throw Your Arms Aroound Me in Portland, I almost melted right out of the balcony. Finally having my photo taken with Neil (thankyou, Justacat)and having a good chat with Nick and my programme signed by all the guys

High-Bumbershoot was awesome !!!!!!!!!!

High-Vancouver went ahead despite the city strike and it was glorious, Neil playing Message solo at the encore and Matt pointing and waving to me as they left the stage

High- The shows in Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, OMG getting to the front of stage at each of them (thanks Mikey), John Walsh giving me set list from each night, Nick reading my paper plane then putting it in his pocket, having my requests played, huge smiles from Neil because I was the first person up dancing in Winnpeg, having great chats with the guys each night, getting a hug from Mark for his present

High- Did I mention Winnipeg


Low-Taking me 4 days to get back to Sydney (I could have been at two more Crowdies shows instead of being stuck in the transit lounge with no idea how many more times they were going to change my flights)

High - Attending my first Crowded House shows, each one very, very special.

High - Meeting such wonderful Frenz. Cant wait to do it all again with them.

High - Attending the after show party in Sydney (thanks to the band and PG) and only being mere meters away from them. Neil requesting songs and playing 'message' for us.

High - Meeting Neil for the first time, shaking his hand, having a photo taken with him, getting a picture signed. Nothing too much trouble for him.

High - Meeting the rest of the band, all lovely guys.

High - hearing (and dancing to )fav songs such as 'Love you till', 'When you come', 'Private Universe', 'Fingers of love' and 'Nails'.

Low - Not being able to attend more shows!!!!

Low - The Oz shows not being recordered

Oh my goodness I must add these

High- The day of The Corner Hotel fan club show in Melbourne, going to the taping of Enough Rope and seeing Neil and Nick in the hallway both before and after and having a sing along with them to The Unicorn Song and Lily The Pink (that part never made it to air of course lol)

The Corner Hotel show itself (thankyou so much Chris mawn)being up the front right near Neil and singing dancing and crying to so many songs and hearing the guys do Red Sails In The Sunset

Meeting the guys afterwards and giving Neil a belated birthday present in person and him signing my Finngirl waistcoat, getting photos with Nick, Mark and Matt

Live Earth was amazing !!
Watching the guys through the window with fallingforyou when they were on Sunrise and writing signs to them, have Nick laugh at us and a whole 'sign' conversation going on with him and Neil

The Kings Arms Tavern show in Auckland, being lucky enough to be in New Zealand at that time and getting a ticket getting there at 11am and having a spot right in front of Neil, seeing Eddie there and hearing Mark do his solo

Hearing Neil sing I Can't Get Started in Canada for his dad, just gorgeous

Easy - being lucky enough to be at the webcast & meeting Nick afterwards.

Sadly didn't get to meet Neil

Royal Albert Hall was also pretty fabulous.

Happy Christmas to all - & all the best for the new year.

High: Hearing them do Distant Sun live again after all these years. It's my favourite song of all and so to hear it played live twice in one year by the band has been awesome.

Low: The downpour of torrential rain at Hyde Park during their set. Not their fault I know, but it put a... ahem.. dampner on things!

quote:

Originally posted by Finngirl:
Watching the guys through the window with fallingforyou when they were on Sunrise and writing signs to them, have Nick laugh at us and a whole 'sign' conversation going on with him and Neil

How could I have forgotten that one?! The very first time I saw the band live. The sign 'conversation' was such a laugh Nick put his thumbs up when I asked about Newcastle, maybe 2008 will be the year *grin*

hey finngirl - you definitely earn your nickname.
I am extremely jealous - you're practically mates with the band!
My new years resolution is to meet Neil and not to chicken out! so looking forward to 2008

I did all the UK/Ireland dates plus a few in Europe so I have quite a few special memories to look back on. Most of my highlights are a bit too personal to post here (would make me sound a bit too fangirly!) but here are a few:

Highs

After a somewhat dodgy rendition in Barcelona (where Neil managed to forget most of the words), hearing a sterling live version of Even A Child in Amsterdam. Was worth going just for that, especially as we didn't get it in the UK or Ireland.

Matt’s little flourishes towards the end of Don’t Stop Now.

Asking Neil for English Trees after Bournemouth and him agreeing to play it in Brighton (and keeping to his word) despite saying it was one of the ones that needs a fifth member (still sounded pretty good to me).

Mark. Sweet, sweet Mark. Fingers of Love was a highlight each and every time it was played. So good to see/hear him again. And what a gentleman too, nothing ever too much trouble for him (not that it was for the others either but you know what I mean).

Neil’s rejuvenated voice!!! I was as worried as the next person but was a bit in denial that his voice wasn’t as good as in years gone by. By the time they hit the UK though it sounded like we’d gone back at least fifteen years. I think that’s what makes me happiest out of everything.

Being sort of responsible for a “comedy moment” in Amsterdam (even if I didn’t get my song at that time)

Coming to Nick’s rescue outside the Dublin National Stadium and providing him with “ID” (ie a photo from the programme) to get the security guard to let him in.

Nick just being a general star throughout. Missed him so much.

My fluffy red (Liverpool!) dice being a fixture of Matt’s drums for the last few dates of the tour – and him waving them into the “rovercam” during the Wembley show.

Matt just being generally lovely – what a great guy! And a fantastic addition to the band. Private Universe got better and better with each rendition.

At the RAH Neil and Nick wearing the Santa hats that I bought. I made Neil’s into a cone shape so that he would see it better (although he still missed it and Nick had to give it to him) hence the comical elf look!

Although not the best gig in my opinion (I thought Wembley was better), absolutely everything about the RAH. Our timing was absolutely impeccable for the whole day and it was just a total joy from start to finish. In fact my timing was impeccable for the vast majority of the tour and I’ve been really blessed with some outstandingly lovely things.


The wonderful t-shirt that a couple of frenz had made for me – which I subsequently got signed by the guys and will soon be framed. It was a wonderful gesture and I so appreciate it

Meeting up with frenz once again, forming even firmer friendships as a result, and meeting even more lovely new frenz.

Lows

There were a couple – usually just instances of missed opportunities, where I wish I’d said or done something extra or differently. So many fantastic things happened though that I don’t want to dwell on the negatives. The boys are back and sounding as fantastic as ever - what more can we ask!!!

Highs:

The rain stopping FINALLY when the boys came on at the Outsider festival

Being let backstage to take photos at Outsider Fest

The tribute to my dear friend, who died this year in Chicago (How will you go)...that's a low too, if ya know what I mean.

Meeting up with Frenz

Watching my mate playing one of Mark's guitars backstage.

Being able to apologise for the 'silver pants' webcast question in person to Nick.

Meeting Mark (though all the guys seem truly great people )

The RAH gig, even if I only watched it via youtube

Lows:

Waiting in the rain for 3 hours at the fest just so my family and I could be up the front.

Missing opening act, Duke Special. ARGHHH!

Only being able to fit in one date due to work.

Not getting to hear MTMG or TYAAM live at Notts. Can't have everything...

Losing Liam for the UK tour.

High - everything after the announcement of the band reforming was barely believable, but being in the midst of a brilliant mass choir at Glasgow was awesome - the singalongs sound fantastic on the CD... everything at that gig just seemed to 'click' - especially as all my favourites got played

High - RAH - sat at the back of the hall, with a spectacular view of the whole amazing place, then the fantastic show with so many rare gems played - what an unbelievable experience

Low - standing around in the cold after the RAH show waiting for the guys to emerge and it never happening... i'd been really hopeful of topping off a brilliant year with that priceless experience but it wasnt to be... roll on next year for another go!... although i did meet matt before the show, so im still 1 down, 3 to go!

but above all, if anyone had told me this time last year that i'd finally get to see my favourite band, my musical idols, live (and 3 times!)... i'd have scoffed - it has been a dream come true

High - Brighton Centre gig - all of it. Also the webcast at the beggining of the year was just a fantastic treat. Like a private gig in your living room. Has everyone forgotten that?

Low - The Hyde Park concert - standing in the pouring rain getting drenched/ Transit Lounge in the wet! Not thanks

HIGH - Thekla Social for the re-union gig. Wow - a band that spent almost the whole evening smiling! We were ssssoooooo privileged that night.
[LOW - the stupid girl who pushed through towards the end and annoyed everyone]

HIGH - Brighton (once we all stood/went to front) & Wembley, right from the start, especially with Throw Your Arms Around Me, a brilliant Private Universe.

LOW - there being no all standing gigs and the poor atmosphere at Brighton until folk stood up at the front, which for me also saw CH move into top gear! Not having enough money to be able to go to the RAH.

HIGH/LOW - my friend with my spare ticket who got to touch Neil at the end of Brighton when he came down to the front - and who also had her photo taken by Matt!

High- Meeting Neil at the incredibly intimate Stowe gig in February alongside Jimmy Barnes, hearing him do some TOE tracks + others and confirm that he was going to put the band back on the road.

High- The Brighton gig -All of it was amazing!!

High- RAH Gig

Low- Paying the extortionate parking fees at NCP after only being parked up for 3 hours!!

Highs - getting to see CH 8 times in 2007 and getting to ask Neil in person after the first Mountain Winery show to wear the sequined shirt at the second show in honor of the folks in the box. Yes, I am a horrible dork! But best of all, getting to hang out with Frenz scattered far and wide.

Lows - the yahoos at the Saturday Chicago HOB show who'd obviously never been to a General Admission show before and were crowding us out trying to defend their few pathetic millimeters of personal space before any of the acts even came on. And we weren't even down the front - we were about 3 rows of people back! Note to people going to GA shows, people are going to bump against you. It's nothing personal, really!

I can so relate to that latter comment, hexed! I don't know if you or anyone else saw the trouble I was having after the Tempe show. Someone kept showing me big time (not an easy task as you'll know) into this guy I was standing beside while trying to get a setlist. No idea who did the shoving and I don't think the guy believed I was being pushed and so kept abusing the *^$% out of me (in an American way that I'm not so used to throwing off), I thought he was going to lay into me after the 2nd or third time it happened and moved beyond feeling sad to sheer terror! Thank goodness I got my setlist soon after and ran, and for the good company and much alcohol afterwards, way to bring an otherwise brilliant night (fist time seeing Crowdies after the reunion, something I never thought would happen let alone it coinciding with my planned trip to the US so I could see them sooner). That's the low, that and a few others who don't know where to draw lines, but I won't get started on that.

Highs, apart from meeting many Frenz on the road (and making new ones), watching Mark from sde-on in Melbourne as he used his headstock to play keys, and all of Pomona ... that whole day and the early hours of the next were just amazing! Oh and finally getting all 4 of them to sign my setlist in Sydney.

HIGH- going to my first ever concert and it being a Crowded House concert

HIGH- Handing a note to Nick

HIGH- Being right in front of Crowded House

LOW- Didn't get to meet Crowded House

High - Seeing Crowded House for the first time ever (and 3 times in one day)

High - The Basement Gig after the first sydney show

Low - Not seeing some of my favourite songs played. (Namely: Now We're Getting Somewhere, Instinct and Spirit of the Stairs)

High: Being like 3 people in front of Neil at the Denver gig, and hearing all my favorites off of TOE except for Pour Le Monde.

Low: Opening with TGG at said Denver show, and the new versions of When You Come and Distant Sun.

High - all of it, but especially Message to my girl and Recurring Dream at RAH.

Saw CH about 20 times in the past, so this time was really special - missed Paul more than I imagined, although Matt is superb on those skins

Lows - not being able to stand from the start of the shows at Manchester and Nottingham. Thanks to the guy at Nottingham for charging to the front with me

quote:

Originally posted by hexed:
Highs - getting to see CH 8 times in 2007 and getting to ask Neil in person after the first Mountain Winery show to wear the sequined shirt at the second show in honor of the folks in the box.

I was at that show (both shows). You folks were going quite crazy in that box the second night!

And rightly so. Might I add.

High: managing to make it at all to the first Mountain Winery show despite two blowouts in a 15-minute period* on the way there (along California's DEADLY HIGHWAY 17). I got there to the venue just as Pete Yorn was finishing the last song of his set! I didn't miss a single song, when I thought I'd miss the whole show.

Low: The cab fare involved ran to pretty dang excessive. Plus the almost dying twice, I guess, but really those emotional jolts rather sweetened the eventual triumph!

*I changed that first tire in seconds flat. Unfortunately the donut wasn't up to performing its sworn duty.

High - Fingers of Love at first Perth gig

Low - people under 18 years of age being refused entry at both Perth gigs ( have I mentioned that at least 3 times before...??)

I know this is a little late but late is better than never.

High - Seeing Crowded House live for the first time.

High - Being moved down from nosebleed to floor seats.

High - Hearing DSN, DDIO, MTMG & DS Live.

Low - Being in the grips of a nasty summer cold on the night of the Adelaide concert.

Low - Because of the above mentioned 'Summer Cold', wasn't able to hang around and meet the band and some of the Frenz after the concert like I wanted too!!!

Low - None of the Aussie shows were recorded for release.

On the whole, the high of just being there to see the show despite all obsticles, far outweighed all the lows by a longshot.

HIGHS.

1. The Sydney Basement gig including the most amazing version of Helter Skelter EVER.
2. Meeting the entire band after the gig on my birthday.
3. The amazing shows in Melbourne and Perth.
4. Seeing the entire Australian Tour.
5. Hearing ALL those songs live, especially Fingers Of Love, Nails In My Feet, In My Command and Hole In The River.
6. At times, catching the same flights as the band.

LOWS.

1. The fact that we don't have any live recordings from the Australian tour.
2. The physical man handling of fans by security in Brisbane.
3. The pushiness of a few crowd-goers in Perth.
4. Security frequently jumping the barrier to try and control the crowd second night in Perth.
5. No Recurring Dream.