It all started a month before NetAid when AMan said to me, after a visit to the Bnet Chatroom
and hearing the NetAid excitement, "you know, I quite fancy a trout fishing holiday in the UK".
AMan knew I was a bit down about the no Bowie tour announcement and 2 years since our
fabulous Bowie fix in Ft Lauderdale and a trip to the UK, using 1 ticket with hard earned frequent
flyer miles and staying with my best mate, Annette, made it a feasible idea. I set to work planning
and getting NetAid tickets (not easy to do from across the pond), before AMan could change his
mind. It was also our 10th wedding anniversary and a birthday present to me. 10 years ago to the
day, I had arrived in the UK and a month later, AMan and I married in the small burrough of High
Wycombe....that's another story.
In the meantime, rumours abounded about TFI Friday and a Bowie appearance the night before
NetAid. We were of the feeling, just get to the UK, perhaps a small gig would be in the works by
the time we arrived.
Anxiety descending and excitement was building, the closer we got to our October 1st departure
date. Many personal and business situations were also coming to a head, so it was all a bit of
chaos before we left.
I managed to call the UK for TFI tickets at some ungodly hour and mumbled into the phone about
being the only yanks to come across the pond for NetAid and would love to see Bowie on the 8th
at TFI. The chap replied, "Well you are coming from Florida, so I'll just have to let you in, now
won't I?" And my name was added to the Guest List, with 2 guests. This woke me up and got
me into gear - we were going to see Bowie! At least twice!
I quickly sent a message to David Bowie (via Ask David on BNet) because I heard he does read
the submissions, albeit answers very few. So, not expecting a reply, but wanting my situation
known, I sent a message to the Action Man that basically said, "I don't take kindly to the English
weather, but I'm making the journey to see you. Please make it HOT (If I'm Dreaming My Life
would do it for me)".
Side note: right after I sent the message, the phone rang and I thought "oh gawd! He's ringing
me up!" - it was Annette, finalizing arrangements.
We get to the UK a week before the Bowie events - I got a quick fix of finding some Bowie in
the Virgin Store at Gatwick upon arrival, procuring a couple of the singles, Thursday's Child. I
manage to go to HMV in Aylesbury during the week and find Hunky Dory and Scary Monsters
on CD's - no promo Hours material at this store, however.
Friday finally comes - it's October the 8th, exactly 2 years since I met Bowie in Fort Lauderdale and got the 3 + hours
concert - we set out on our rail and tube journey to Hammersmith for
the TFI taping. 2 hours later we are there....finally finding the studios and I am practically in
Steph's face before realising, it's her! At long last I find Steph and Carl! I receive hugs all
around and I think, ahhhh finally the Bowie family is all together, but where is Paul? I get into
queue, order AMan to get us drinks, promptly we are told we can only drink on the other side of
the street and I felt I was back in England for sure now. The glamorous Helen arrives and I
finally feel calm and all is right with the world. So doors open, we check our gladrags (coats) and
handbags, proceed to the bar til the studio doors open. I chat up the securityman, as you do, at
one of the side doors and glean the info I need about which doors for where. We don't want
upstairs for the interview, we want downstairs for the best stage jockeying position. We are finally
corralled to one of three stages and I am up front for the Eurythmics, by the small steps that the
performers use to get on and off the stage. A riveting performance by Annie Lennox, I tell the
cool backup singers, upon their descension off the stage, about how beautifully they sang and
thanked them and they are grateful for the comment! We are then supposed to move position to
the next stage for a performance by the Charlatans - not wanting to lose my fab position on this
stage, I hang back and stand between the 2 stages, ready to run back if need be. Chris Evans, the
show host, appears and I notice a camera aimed at me in his line of fire. I find the nearest security
and tell them we need to get near the stage for Bowie and I am told which stage Bowie will be at
(same stage as Eurythmics). I sidle back to that side, and by now knowing the deal, I begin
directing audience members like the camera crews do, making way for various wires and cameras,
moving people about and back to their shuffled position. We watch the Bowie interview on the
monitors, though it was hard for me to concentrate on the interview.
Gail breezed past me and as I turned around, I was face to face with her, I was so taken by
surprise to even see her, I said " OHHHHH HALLO GAIL!" and she turned and said hello back
to me with a beautiful smile and a direct look. I get chills just from the sight of her. It was then
the excitement started to get to me and Bowie appeared and descended the steep steps to the
floor and right past me and I manage to touch his shoulder with a "hallo sailor". I felt like I was
in the chatroom again, as he gave no response. HA! Don't you know, you were touched by the
hand of Moaner (again!), sailorboy!?
I can't even recall what Bowie word was spoken but the songs performed transformed me to that
special place Bowie always knows how to take me - you know the one, like you and him are the
only one left in the world and it ain't such a bad place then, is it? Starting with Survive, followed
by China Girl and Rebel Rebel. I love this version of Rebel Rebel by the way - the only
Reevesless rendition I accept (sorry but those 2 other guitarists don't add up to Reeves!). I try
to catch Mike Garson's eye, as I know he would recognize me if he saw me, but to no avail.
Bowie seems to want to perform more but it all ends abruptly and the cameras are off - Bowie
leaves the stage and goes past me again, this time surrounded by security, though I still manage
another grab on his shoulder (the right one this time), but he leaves.
It's all over so we go back to the bar and hang out a bit, taking pictures of our newly gained
Bowie tie amongst ourselves and rumors are that he may even walk through the section we are in
on his way out. We reluctantly go outside to breathe the Bowieless air and hear more rumours
that he is doing another interview across the road and may catch him leaving there. That doesn't
pan out and a few of us make our way to the Edwards pub. We get some much needed food and
wait for the Bowie fans to arrive. Steph and Spaceface have set up a fabulous room above the
pub and we are well treated with food and Bowiefare. I lend my new hours CD to the cause
before the arrivals. Soon the mayhem begins and I finally meet Ian, Adi, Zardoz and others...I
gain more Bowie insight from Paul and "why don't Bnet give some promotional material to the
cause" is my feeling, as the room is also filled with UK fans that are want to join BowieNet, some
for months, to no avail!
More drink and I try to ensure everyone knows where to meet for NetAid. I notice a table of
Italians and make my way there to find they already know me! And Stefano and Paola greet me
like a long lost relative. Pictures are taken throughout and the evening ends, with us having to
leave as the party gets rolling! Having to take the train back to Aylesbury, 11 pm leaving time is
our best bet.
NetAid 9th Oct - quick meet up at the Greyhound pub and a bite to eat and more drink.
We all had the mother of all queues to get into NetAid, each with varying entrances. The amount
of people is astounding and my first ever concert this size. It's a bit daunting but as long as I
drink, I'm okay. We manage to meet up again once inside, which is amazing in itself. And I spot
Steph and Co in some seats on the right front part of the stadium, and we rest our weary bones
into some seats. The stadium is not filled to capacity but most of the crowd is on the pitch. The
ones seated fight boredom and start numerous waves that reverberate around the stadium.
Annette and I even did a 2-man wave in our hungover state - "eh", *pause* reply "eh" - that was
it! Eventually even that small wave did it's reverberation and the other side of the stadium
eventually WAVED big time! The evening gets colder and even the blow up aliens don their
jumpers.
After hours of waiting for the man, I know the moment arrives when Angelica Houston says something about "the legendary, the one and only..." and Bowie ambles on stage and says something about "it's lonely up here, glad you're out there" and starts singing Life on Mars....
And that transfixed, glazed look overcomes me once again. I am like standing on a seat and
taking pics, trying to capture the moments. Steph and spaceface had brought their "Hello Sailor" sign down in the crowd and Bowie receives their message, and notedly changes the lyrics to "look at those SAILORS go!" More songs (a total of 6), during Pretty Things Are Going to Hell, I notice I am the only one around me singing it loudly
and proudly, by now I had committed the words to heart (having
had a copy of Hours 2 weeks prior to the release date! Ha!). Before I know it, I'm grooving on
Rebel Rebel again and it's ended!
We make our way outside Wembley and get a few snaps outside. I end the roll when me and
Steph find a wall right outside Wembley Stadium, covered in Hours posters, a befitting end, the
hours are up!
I didn't get If I'm Dreaming My Life (not performed until Vienna) and we didn't get any special benefits from Bowie (aside from the lyric change) or BowieNet for being BowieNet members - but we did get each other and that means the most. Seeing the excitement of Steph, spaceface, Carl, Gilly, Spidey, Bianca, Simone, Adi, Ian, Paul, Stevek, Annette, Helen and others, made the trip for me. To spaceface and Steph I say a big THANKS for making it a truly special event and organizing a slap up party. Oh yes, and the skillful AMan managed 10 rainbow trout in 1 day. Well-fed and somewhat Bowie-sated (is it ever enough!?), we made our return.
~RaMOANa~
