I have to admit to being slightly Twitless to begin with on Monday! Things were very quiet compared to Prague. I had to rely on His Nibs to tell me that the stage was already set up and "looking great". George Michael also tweeted that his "voice feels stronger" and he was looking forward to getting on stage.
However the George Michael Twitter team soon got going before the concert and more than made up for it. Once the troops had arrived on my timeline I had weather reports from those queuing in the trenche(s) coats outside (terrible rain), concert updates from fans and the GM team, links to pictures & video clips from front row seats! I even had press photos, Youtube postings of the concert & concert blogs from fans, press reviews & a video taped interview to list but a few! With a little Patience my Faith in the GM Lovelies and GMichaels Twitter team was restored as they took me by the hand-y URLS into a little virtual taster of whats waiting for me in Dublin on Nov 1st!
The GM Twitter family is growing. Thanks has to go to not only @George Michael himself, @GeorgeMOfficial, @GeorgeMichaelNL & @SymphonicaTour but also @GeorgeMichaelSite, @dutch_ada, @faithful2u2g, @Leosmusic, @dutchieemy, @FreeekMaudi, @Sophierossing, @MichaelSandager, @MissBongy, @TanteGeraldine, @PernilleSogaard and @bryanricemusic. These all tweeted, posted & blogged producing a fantastic irresistable sample of what your own Symphonia ticket will deliver.
Excited tweets from the Boxen Arena reassured me that even the torrential rain outside the venue didn't dampen the spirits of the fans or the "festive atmosphere". Fans twittered of the increasing tension as the orchestra could be heard (but unseen) tuning up. Indeed according to GMOfficial they could even be heard tuning up in the hotel in the afternoons. I had pictures of the resplendid red semi-circular curtain which engulfed the stage and of the arena itself filling with fans. This was the first of the big arena venues. It was a large, 11,000 seater, horseshoe in shape. The front stalls were not tiered but the sides and back were. The orchestra was behind the curtain on the stage and the front row was a meagre 6 feet (2 metres) from the stage separated only by a red rope.
Songs were posted like the Prague concert before it, sometimes songs were listed in ordered groups, sometimes as they happened. Copenhagen was considerably Twitter quiet compared to Herning but this could well have been due to lack of internet connection inside the venue itself. Photographic proof was posted by fans of the officially titled "George Michael Concert Train" which took fans to the venue, especially laid on by Danish rail.
Video clips were posted from Herning of a few songs & of George chatting completely at ease with his audience. Indeed his opening banter was videoed, posted and later quoted in the Danish Press. "Obviously I won't make you work too hard this evening but you do get to boogie at the end and work off some calories later"! The audience went "crazy during Freedom", "He was amazing after the break, so so good", he adhered to the same set list as Prague, opened his very soul during Where You Are Now and left a "happy crowd"!
What these Twitter aided titbits show are that the George Michael Symphonica Tour is not your typical pop concert but is a magnificent blend of beautiful ballads and adeptly orchestrated gems, all delivered with panache and the legendary George Michael fun factor.
These reports from the audiences on the nights are reflected in the Danish press. Gaffa (Danish Music & theatre Reviews) 30th August can be quoted as saying "George Michael not only sung like a dream but managed to deliver an intimate and deeply personal performance". "A great and special experience beyond the ordinary". "Goosebumps" and "breath taking visuals". George set an informal and friendly style and pace from the start, from his first "How are you doing Herning?" to "you get to boogie at the end" and later modestly said "you are listening beautifully which is all I can ask for really".
George Michael: Tasteful. Cool. Monstrous"!
The Copenhagen Post 1st September described him as "navigating through the pop chart decades like a sleek, multi-coloured yacht"..."bringing with him one of the most esteemed live production teams in the business"..."worth the...price...the highend tickets are going for". DR Nyleder (dr.dk) posted a video interview before the Herning opening night. In this interview George told them he liked to challenge himself constantly in all facets of his career but especially as a vocalist. Perfection seeking as always, he said that "ideally this experience" singing all over Europe with his 41 piece orchestra will result in him "becoming a better singer than I've ever been"
He admited to getting his photo taken by what seemed like the majority of the 3,600 people around him on the Greek holiday island of Mykonos during his "down time" before the Herning Opening. The picture perfect Mykonos was the holiday haunt of my own youth. (Oops did I just admit to that nugget outloud?) Ahem ..of my twenties! He had previously shared his Mykonos "experiences" with his followers on Twitter "His Lovelies". After the opening night he tweeted his thanks to his band, his orchestra and his audience. He told them he couldn't wait for his next performance there and posted a "quick question for people who were at Herning on Monday, what was your favourite visual?" and then said that "the show will visually change as we tour". He tweeted from Copenhagan that there "was no soundcheck for technical reasons" but that "my voice is really settling in now". By the sounds of things he is starting to relax and enjoy the fruits of all his hard work of the previous few months. I hope to enjoy it with him, stalkin...I mean following him on Twitter
Next stop Berlin in Germany on the 5th of September!!! Oh look who I've just spied out of the corner of my little eye....MR TWITTER MR TWITTER!!! As I'm being very nice about you, can you upgrade my next ticket from TWIT Class to TWAT Class pleeeaaase sir and thankyou?