The INSANITY Tour  (part 1)

with JA, Caz and Lou

Sunday 8th October - Norwich

How excited can a person get on a 4 hour drive to Norwich??! Having left Poole bright and early, I managed to get caught in traffic within minutes. Once on the motorway I was flying along in the Orsonmobile with the CD player up real loud!!! Arriving in Norwich was less painful than anticipated and I was able to find the Travelodge quite easily.
Having struggled in with my luggage, well a girl has to have a choice of outfits right  ? I began to get ready for the first gig in my diary. I had my ritualistic half can of Bud and then made my way to the Uni. It's amazing how many students don't know where the Refectory is on campus!!
And guess who was the first one there   ? Feeling a little bit like an unclaimed date, I tried to keep myself occupied. Half an hour later another two people arrived and I felt a little better. Met up with Sarah (asshaker) and her daughter and we continued the eternal wait for the doors to open at 7pm. The security guy on the door with the wonky eyes didn't help much by rattling the lock every so often!
As soon as those doors opened, the adrenaline rushed through me as I made my way to front and centre. The venue felt really small and filled up pretty quickly.
Gliss came on around 8pm and I was pleasantly surprised at how good they were. When Martin started to take off his socks and trousers I wondered what was going on.............Naked for the final song was certainly a surprise! LOL Made me hope it was a trend that our boys might follow too
And then the big moment that I'd waited so long for arrived - ORSON!!!!!!!
Opened with Bright Idea, Chris doing a fab intro until all the guys were on stage. I began my usual insane bouncing and continued all the way through to the final No Tomorrow!
After the gig we were all kicked outside fairly quickly. I met up with Rachel, Jo and the crew and we hung around with the other fans in the hope of seeing the guys. We weren't disappointed..........
It was fabulous to meet the guys again and to finally get the opportunity to see Johnny. Having met all the others at previous gigs, it was really special to get one of those infamous Orson hugs from Mr Lonely!
The guys spent ages chatting, signing autographs and posing for pics with everyone. Jason did say he felt a little poorly - just a ploy to get more hugs I think! (and it worked!!)
Having waved the guys off, I headed back to the Orsonmobile and attempted to find my way back to the hotel. Some 45 minutes and a full tour of Norwich later I made it!!!

ONE HAPPY ORSONITE!!!

Monday 9 October - Birmingham

Having had my dried muesli and coffee for breakfast, (I tell ya - you think eating dried crackers is tough!) I pack up the Orsonmobile to make my way to Birmingham. I've always liked Brum, may be the Duran connection but the people are always fab there!
The Travelodge was on the main Broad Street and getting to it was easier said than done. The reception were great and got me a parking space out back and then watched me drag in the luggage - the look on their faces was priceless when I confirmed that 'yes, I was just staying for the one night'.
Once changed and having had my pre-gig half can of Bud, I grabbed a taxi to the venue. The cab ride was a bit like something out of the Italian Job but we made it in record time! LOL
Once there, I saw 4 already queuing and began the second long wait of the tour. The queue built up quite quickly. At around 6pm Chris and Johnny came out to say hi to the fans. Being on the look out for PK, I finally spotted him as he made his way over to the guys for pics. I think he was almost as excited as me (if that is even remotely possible!)
Just before doors opened, security decided to form two queues and we found out that if you had paid for a drink in the Academy bar you could queue jump! Not deterred by this added challenge, I still managed to get my spot on the barrier in front of Johnny. When you're as little as me the barrier is a lifeline!
PK managed to get two rows behind me and was getting excited about seeing Gliss - especially as he had heard they got naked in Norwich! On seeing Victoria on the bass, he grinned broadly in anticipation!! Unfortunately, this time round they stayed fully clothed.
The Birmingham crowd were amazing and really got behind the guys. We really rocked that venue  !! The set was even better than the night before, same set list but the atmosphere was awesome. You could tell the guys were enjoying it and their performance was electric!!
Having seen the little figures on the speaker behind Johnny the night before, I continued to work out what the hell they were. No amount of zooming in with the camera seemed to help. Were they Star Wars, super heroes or what   ?
Johnny was on top form tonight, meowing into the mic and going even more crazy than normal.
George did his usual crowd surf at the end and the guys all came down to the edge of the stage to say hi to fans at the end too.
Looking back across the floor after the gig, it was carnage. You would think there had been some sort of explosion in there. PK was waiting after and we had a good chat. Managed to speak to Gliss who explained they couldn't get naked anymore as there had been a few comments made after Norwich.
We went outside and it wasn't long before the guys came out to say hi to everyone again. Jason was immediately mobbed and was so patient in signing arms, faces, shoes and the likes. Having managed to grab the one piece of memorabilia I could get my hands on, he signed that for me and we had a chat. And then I decided to go along with the latest trend and get my arm signed - I may grow up one day! LOL
Then I had an idea................I rang JA!! Jason was only too happy to speak to her on the phone!! I could feel her glowing down the phone after, bless her!
PK kindly dropped me back at the hotel in his little Micra (after he'd tidied it up to let me in! LOL) and we said goodbye.
I was totally hyperactive and found it really hard to get to sleep. Out came the laptop and on went the CD player. I finished my other half can of Bud before drifting off into a restless sleep.
And I'm not gonna tell you what I did with the phone after Jason had used it.............................

Wednesday 11th October - Leeds

I set off for Leeds an hour earlier than I should have done, as I’d read the time on the train ticket wrong, luckily I was too early though and not too late. I eventually left a dull looking Durham for an extremely wet west Yorkshire at 12.58. The Virgin train was a nightmare, the heating was stifling and how I didn’t pass out I’ll never know? So when I finally hit my destination, the Travelodge, Leeds, my head was pounding and I was nowhere near ready for what was to become the 4 of the maddest days of my life. Greeted by a very excitable Caz, we chatted a little while and begun to get ready for going to see our boys.

We met up with my old friend Baggy, and a couple of her mates in the Dry Dock across from the Uni. Caz and I were on a tight budget, so we did with a glass of wine before heading up the road to the venue, which in this case was The Refectory, University of Leeds. It was pissing down, to put it bluntly, and neither of us had a brolly, so lucky for us when we were chatting to the really nice security bloke, he loaned us his. Nice chap! Also the female security took Caz for some cigs, to what felt like an “underworld”, anyone who knows the story of War of the Worlds will know what I’m talking about? Here’s a building with a whole town under it, hairdressers, supermarket, bank, travel agents, it was all rather bizarre. Anyway, we didn’t see the guys but we heard the sound check, and they sounded rather good. When we got back outside we met up with a couple of Duranies we knew. Then Baggy and her mates arrived. They were working for Traffic so had to go along the queue and dish leaflets out and get folk to sign up for the official site, and in return got in to see and meet the band. Word of advice to the band, don’t get girls with heels, they cheat

So, 7pm came and they let us in, as we walked (well I did anyway) in Kevin, Chris and Jason were standing in the venue watching Gliss sound check, they turned around when they heard excitable women approaching the barrier at great speed and thought this was the time to leave. They were sweet and said “hi” to us all first. So we took up position along the barrier and waited. Gliss came on around 8 ish? They were quite good, a bit weird, but I was impressed at their versatility when they changed instruments around several times during their set, and especially when Victoria played both keyboards and drums at the same time……..show off! lol

Then at around 9 o’clock was the moment I’d been waiting for. Caz had already seen them so knew what was coming, but I LOVED the new entrance to the stage. The lighting is fabulous on this tour, and at last we can see Chris! YAY! Their set was the same it had been in Norwich and Brum. I was soooooo happy they included all my faves, Last Night, So Ahead of Me, and again included their cover of ‘I can’t go for that’ which I loved on the first tour. The highlight of the night was my first hearing of ‘Last Night / Walk on By’ Oh mama! BRILLIANT! It was also really lovely to be acknowledged by the guys from the stage again. I guess they can’t miss me, I’ve always got a huge stupid grin on my face when I watch them. A mixture of love and pride. The funniest moment had to be Baggy who was stood to my right, who throughout Orson’s performance kept saying “do I know this one?” And when they played ‘Happiness’ in sheer delight she screamed “I know this one!” lol.

The guys performed PERFECTLY! They always amaze me how they can have such fun on stage but be so professional too. I adore those little moments they have with one another, the constant grins, winks, nods of approval and even the dry shag Johnny gave Jason’s leg . I Just LOVE THEM!!!

Caz and I had a discussion as to whether George would do his “rawk n roll guitarist thang” by crowd surfing, and he didn’t let us down. He loves all that grabbing, the tart.

The only problem I have with any of the gigs I attend, is they have to end. You feel such euphoria when they perform, but when it’s all over, its such a downer.

So of course, the only thing to do to lift your spirits is to wait back and meet up with the guys.

That’s ALWAYS something special.

After they left we headed back to our hotel and found the bar open, already in the bar were two mad women from Hartlepool who had travelled to see Orson too, Becky and Bekki (who were very proud that they’d given Jason a “becky sandwich”), some nerdy bloke who kept trying to cop a feel of the two Becky’s and then later we were joined by some band who were a little worse for wear. We sat with our bottle of wine, sharing our Orson memories until 4am, before retiring to bed, where we talked til 5am. Suffice to say we didn’t get any sleep.

Thursday 12th October - Newcastle

Caz and I drag our tired asses up out of bed and head off in Caz’s Orsonmobile for my house in Durham, where we have a quick turn around (I give my boy plenty of hugs to make up for deserting him) before I drive up to Newcastle. We arrived at the Carling Academy where there’s around a dozen teenagers already in line. This was to be the longest 2 and a half hours of my life. Labour was easier! There were these 2 girls who had my head battered, they never came up for breath, and they talked at about 50 words per second, so it didn’t even make sense. It was like a tap dripping…drip…drip…drip!!!!!!!! I was meant to be meeting Carol, Katherine and Sara, but Carol couldn’t get away any earlier and Sara NEVER hurries for anything, lol, so we met up with them inside. The highlight of waiting in said queue was briefly seeing Chris, Johnny and J taking themselves for a bit of fresh air (as fresh as your gonna get central Newcastle air)

Then 7pm came and they let us in (HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!). Caz and I took up our position on the barrier again, and I kept a place for Katherine to my right. Carol and Sara are both tall so I knew they didn’t need places keeping. They both managed to get 3rd row places. Katherine joined me in the front. A very happy young lady.

Now the difference between last night and tonight were GEORDIES!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mental! The place was lifting even before Orson came on, the crowd were surging forward and everyone seemed to want to be front row. Carol unfortunately had to move from her good position as she felt her back crack (ouch) after a huge crowd surge. I couldn’t believe my ears when they played Kaiser Chiefs ‘I predict a riot’ before Orson came on, I was stood still and the floor was literally bouncing under me. This was the same floor that collapsed just after the venue opened last year. Scary!

Gliss got quite a good reception, but everyone was saving themselves for Orson.

And they weren’t disappointed. The guys obviously loved the Newcastle crowd (they’ve mentioned them before too) and Newcastle didn’t let the guys down. The whole place just bounced from beginning to end (except Look Around, where we could take a breather) Apparently it was so loud that Johnny had to start wearing earplugs after that gig. And to show how much they got off on the crowd, not only did George do his crowd surfing, after ripping his jacket from his back, Johnny jumped onto a security blokes shoulders, only for him to throw him off and luckily for Johnny, I caught him! Mad! Kevin hadn’t been well the past couple of nights, with cold, but you couldn’t tell this on stage, ever the professional. Another fantastic gig and another great meet with the guys after. They spent ages signing autographs and having pics taken. They even had to put up with some drunk folk who were just walking past and this one lass declared “I love you this much” stretching out her arms to George, then asked “are you American?” when he spoke to her. Durr! Huge fan huh? Carol and Katherine were like 2 cats that got the cream. Carol had met Chris and George briefly, earlier in the year when they played Newcastle and was delighted when they remembered her. And it was Katherine’s first time seeing them and first time meeting them. They were all so lovely with her, and I know it’s something she’s not going to forget in a hurry. We were all hyper after this gig, and the meeting with the guys…………it’s just heartbreaking when it’s got to end.

So off we all trudged, hugs goodbye and Carol and Katherine left to find their car and Sara gave Caz and I a lift to mine. Then it was a drive back to Durham, a nice cuppa tea and bed. But alas, no sleep, again.

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