The DB European Event
The Brighton Centre, August 2003
Friday 29th August 2003
I left home at 9 o'clock on Friday morning to travel by a series of severely overcrowded trains to Brighton, finally arriving at 4.40 pm. It was pouring with rain so i queued for a taxi to take me to my guest house, just around the corner from the Brighton centre.
Despite having cashed my deposit cheque, the landlady could find no record of my booking but graciously allowed me to stay as someone had cancelled earlier that day. She actually charged me £10 less than originally quoted, so ha!
After a quick shower and change, I popped next door to secure a room for Saturday night, then walked around the block to the Hilton to meet Redwitch. There was some small confusion over exactly which Hilton, but we found each other eventually, and then went to the Brighton Centre where we met up with Morella and her hubby. Having phoned SheBit, we walked down to the Aussie pub and met her there with her friend Naomi. We waited for Scourge and Archaic but they didn't show, so we headed into the Lanes (if you ever go to Brighton, don't miss these!) and found a lovely Italian restuarant for dinner. I had to rush back to my digs to pay the deposit for Saturday's accommodation, but got back to the restuarant in time for our food, which was yummy. Excellent company, too, although the place was incredibly noisy!
After our meal, Morella and her hubby went back to their hotel, leaving us four to find a pub, which we did, and sat outside discussing all manner of things from Buffy to Pratchett and psychology(?) amongst other things. After another failed attempt to locate Scourge, we headed back to our respective digs just after 11.
Back at my guest house, I exchanged several texts with FancyAngel, who had been stewarding from 8.30 am to 9 pm, and arranged to meet her in the morning.
Saturday 30th August 2003
I had to get up early to pack, and get my stuff to the neighbouring guest house, before joining the queue outside the Brighton Centre at 8.30 am - it was already around the corner and almost to the next corner by then! I was soon joined by Morella and hubby, and then Redwitch, and we finally got inside at around 9.15, only to find that all the tickets for David's photo/auto sessions were sold out. Colour me bitterly disappointed and close to tears.
I spent the next 10-15 minutes trying to establish whether or not I could get my Sunnydale High School yearbook signed. Short answer = "no". Long answer = "yes" but only if I paid the photo/auto fee for each guest i.e £39 for Nick, £29 for Kristine, £19 for Kelly. I could not make them understand that I wanted only autographs, not photographs: they seemed only able to quote the all-in price. Colour me doubly disappointed and a tad annoyed.
In the end I decided to make the most of being there and went in search of FancyAngel, when I found her we went to join the welcome crowd waiting for the VIPs to arrive. I talked with her extensively about 'Chosen' but cannot reveal what was discussed. She had to go back on duty, so I waited in the crowd and took photos of Nick, Mark, and David (although they didn't all come out). FancyAngel popped back briefly to tell me she had got me a photo ticket for David! I was so overwhelmed I nearly cried. Bless her. She had to get back to her duties, so I went upstairs for David's Q&A session, followed by the others.
My ticket put me near the back of the hall, and I regret not sneaking down to be nearer the stage because my photos from that distance are disappointing at best. But I was so psyched to be there, listening to David and the others answering questions and being all-round nice people, that such technicalities didn't occur to me at the time.
After much texting, I finally met up with Mr.Holtz, who went on stage during the OMWF karaoke session to sing Sweet's song; the idiot compere only allowed him to sing the reprise, which is a shame since he seems to have a really good voice.
During the karaoke they announced the start of David's photo sessions, so I went in search of FancyAngel who, true to her word, gave me a photo ticket, and I joined the queue. Security was very tight, and stewards were giving out very strict instructions - "No touching" "Don't talk to him" "No personalised autographs" etc - which made everyone very nervous, but soon it was my turn and before I knew it I was crouching next to him (he was seated, we weren't offered seats) while he signed my book and someone took our photo. I offered him some gum, which he politely declined and smiled "Thankyou", and I smiled "You're welcome" or "Thankyou" or something similar before being ushered out of his presence. I swear I was shaking like a schoolgirl for a good ten minutes afterwards! *g*
From there I headed to the bar, and joined a very long queue for 'food' (an inedible chilli chicken sandwich) and a bottle of coke. I sat and talked with Mr.Holtz for a while, then was joined by Uberman and Redwitch. Afterwards I went in search of FancyAngel and joined her and some fellow stewards Dawn and Simon, in the Grand Hotel next door, where we had (edible) sandwiches and a drink. Halfway through our food, some stewards came in with tales of ructions next door and David threatening to walk out. Dawn talked with Kristine and Nick at the bar - I got a smile and a wave from both! I learned later that David had been unhappy with the way fans were being treated and with how the event was organised, but it was his manager who had been causing problems and wanting him to leave.
After lunch I went to check out the Dealers' Room, deciding that if it was no good I'd buy photo tickets for Nick and Kristine. I bought three books, a keyring, and several raffle tickets, so no photo sessions!
After the afternoon Q&A sessions, I met up with Uberman, Redwitch, Mr.Holtz and Morella in the bar, and hung out with them for a while - they were waiting for photo sessions - and also chatted with Kaz (of TDBUK fame), and met up with Laird, then Redwitch and I went back to our hotels for a quick shower and change before returning for the disco. Nick, Kelly, Kristine and Mark put in a brief welcome appearance and thanked us all for coming. We hung around to put our details in for a prize draw, then Redwitch Laird and I went to the Hilton for something to eat. Later, Laird and I were joined by SueAngel and BlueBear and four others who had paid £600 each for their tickets but were not at all happy with the day's proceedings. By the time we'd finished our drinks it was last orders, so we all headed for our digs. I received a text from FancyAngel at 2.50 am(!) and called her back: the event organiser was blaming the stewards for the bad organisation and they were all planning to walk out in the morning!
Sunday 31st August 2003
I had a lie-in until 8.30, then packed and went to the Brighton Centre. I asked several stewards how the prize draw was to be done, but no-one knew or could find out. Finally I found FancyAngel and we went outside for a while to chat, and from there I saw (through the window) David arrive and then the others. After saying goodbye to her, I met up again with Redwitch, SheBit, and Mr.Holtz, and also Kaisa and Ginger, and we headed into town for brunch. Then we all went to the train station and said our goodbyes to SheBit, who lives in Brighton.
Redwitch, Mr.Holtz and I said bye to Ginger and Kaisa at Gatwick, then at Reading Mr.Holtz and I said bye to Redwitch, and the two of us travelled up to Chester, where he headed home and I got on the train to Wales. On the way, I received a call to say I'd won the raffle in the Dealer's Room, the prize being a lovely original artwork of Buffy, Angel and Spike, so yay me!
I have no recollection of what time it was when I got home, but I was buzzing! I'd had a fab weekend, met and made some wonderful friends, spent several seconds right next to one of my idols, and won a prize! Okay, the event itself was incredibly badly organised and there were so many complaints it made national TV, but I had a blast!
My photos of the weekend can be found here
If that link doesn’t work, try this one and scroll down for the relevant album
Other reports can be read here, here, here and here
