More Memories…..Trip To See Kylie in Concert

As you all know I am trawling through my journals to find the subject matter to use in my blogs and I came to the following account.Happened in 1990.

No 1 son was so excited when we said that one of us would take him to see Kylie Minogue….his favourite singer…..former Charlene from Neighbours (daily soap from Australia). She was appearing at the London Arena on 21st/22nd/23rd April. We booked tickets for the 23rd. This was NO 1  sons 14th birthday present. All of us who remember being “Beatles” or dare I say further back “Johnny Ray ” or “Frank Sinatra” must be able to see how excited he must be as the day approached.

We planned to leave at 4 o’clock and caught the fast train to Waterloo station just after 5.We rang hubby to say we had arrived in London. He was amazed we had arrived in London quickly.

Then the fun starts…I HATE THE TUBE…(I think it stems from a horrific underground train crash at Moorgate)….but it was the quickest way so down the escalators we go into the bowels of the earth. I cannot imagine how all those people spent nights down here in the bombs of World War 11.

I also ask myself…is it obvious to the rest of the travellers what novices we are. First tube to the Embankment, then another to Tower Hill where we had to catch a train on The Docklands light railway.

THESE TRAINS HAVE NO DRIVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It actually felt like one of those rides at the fairground. Realy high above all that water, but we did manage to sit down.

ARRIVAL…..Good, we can see the arena from the train. No 1 son and I along with all these little girls and their parents alight and follow the crowds. It is now 6 o’clock and the crowds are building up….No 1 son is hungry. On the ticket, it says that there were many fast food outlets and I imagine an array of McDonald’s, Wimpy and KFC but alas what we ended up with…burgers(disgusting) and cartons of pineapple juice. We could only eat a mouthful and dropped the rest in a litter bin……I caught the eye of a policeman who grinned and said “you do not have to say a word.

The endlessly long queue then we were in. We found our seats. Quite a good view of the stage..not in front as we thought but at the side. We were in Row F……I pity the ones that were right at the back.

The lights dimmed….no Kylie just yet her support act. An Australian band called “Indecent Obsession”…the lead singer a clone of Jason Donovan…..the after their 6 songs the interval. The queues at the drinks counter and the loos were endless.

The lights dimmed again, a group of dark-clad figures came onto the stage, drums started to beat. No 1 sons eyes glued to the stage for his first sight of HER…They started to sing “The Locomotion”(the only one I know the words of). The look on No 1 sons was worth it all.

She sang all the songs we know and boy can she move. She is so slim and slender with all that blonde hair. She disappeared and then came bouncing back in a sparkly red/blue glittery shorts set.

There was a lot of dancing…I have to admit I enjoyed it……but I found myself distracted by constant comings and going……Mums taking 4-year-olds out to the toilet.Which I found very strange. I honestly don’t think I would take a 4-year-old to a concert. (My next Kylie concert was full of gay men – how times change LOL)

There was a wide selection of ages. The oldest kids about 18.Just as many mums, dads, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

As she finished I did not want to be caught in the rush I persuaded Son no 1 to leave, We caught a bus to Mile End then the tube back to Waterloo. Caught a train at 11.15 and was back in Guildford by 1230. Getting a lift from the station by someone who was meeting his wife /daughters who had been to the concert.

VERDICT……I did enjoy it even though not a fan. My pleasure came from seeing the look on No 1’s sons face at the first sight of her when she bounced onto the stage.