Oh what a Wonderful day and an even more spectacular night!!! From me, A Great Big Thank You to Joanne (HardheadedSofthrtd) for sharing this experience with me, also to Cristalina and Christine for their part in this too
I only found out for sure at 09:15am Thursday, that I was definitely going, by 11:30am, I was on my way to London!!!
HE WAS ALL I EVER DREAMED HE WOULD BE AND MORE, MUCH MORE,
The night just kept on getting better and better,
On the way to the Porchester Hall
Cristalina, HardheadedSofthrtd, SuzieQ
While we were waiting to be allowed in to the hall, Joanne spoke to the editor from the BBC and happened to mention to her that she had flown in from Boston especially for the event. Well you will never guess what happened next……. But no, I will leave that for Joanne to tell, but, there will be pictures!
Once in the hall, we were seated one table behind the front, bang in middle, so we had the best of views, as Joanne and I reached our table, Jon and his daughter Rachael, were talking with Alun Davis! Then Joanne was introduced to him, he was told that she had just flown in from Boston for the show, and they were shaking hands and then Alun turned to me, “I’m afraid I have only come from Leicester” I said laughing, and Alun said “Well I can still shake your hand can’t I! And he was laughing too.
Shortly after that, Joanne and I had pictures taken with Alun!!!
Unfortunatley the picture of me wouldn't open
SuzieQ, HardheadedSofthrtd, Cristalina, Marier, Jon (not sure of his user name) and his Daughter Rachel
I took a few shots of Yusuf, but in the interval/ between takes, I was told off for using my camera
Hear are some of what you have all been waiting for,
After the concert, I overheard someone ask if they could go back to see Yusuf, and he was told that the guy in the white shirt was the one to see.
Well it’s not like me to be so pushy but,….. I almost broke the land speed record and ran across the hall to speak to THE Guy, I said to him that we were from the Majicat website and wondered if we could possibly see Yusuf, he said “I will have to ask as he has a dressing room full of family” and off he went, so I rounded up as many of us that I could as most people had now left, and we waited, Then the Guy (sorry don’t know his name) came back with a big thumbs up Yeahhhhhhhh!
I tell you the night just kept getting better and better!
I was first in the door, being pushy again!!! And saw Yusuf hugging someone, I waited a while, then I caught his eye and said (while shaking his hand!!!!!!!!!)
Hello I’m Sue (SuzieQ) Yusuf said "Oh yes, SuzieQ Five Stars"!!! Ohhh he knows of me!!!!!! so then I asked Yusuf, “So does that mean you look in on us?” Yusuf answered, “When I have looked through the BBC stuff and read all of my emails, I think umm, I wonder what they are talking about today”!!!
Edited to add Of course, now I wish I had said Oh please would you post something for us. But of course, you can always think of things you should have said!
Then I shook hands with Fauzia and said a big thank you to her.
The other girls introduced themselves using their web names, he recognized us all!!! at this stage I was all quite overwhelmed as you can imagine, there HE was, right in front of me!!! We spoke about his Granddaughter, Ariana (I do hope I spelt it right) He was explaining where the name came from, and there she was, Ariana, in her mothers arms just at the side of us, the most beautiful little girl, with lovely black hair. Then Marier asked if it was possible to have a picture of us all together, after asking Fauzia and Muhammad, Yusuf said yes, it was ok, so I went to take a picture, Yusuf said to me, “Oh, you must be in the picture too” so I turned around and asked a nice gentleman if he would take the picture for me. Yusuf said, “He is the right man to take the picture, That's Peter Sanders, He is the photographer that took the picture for the album, (this is the same one that is and on the ‘Menu’ for this nights event). He also mentioned that he had taken pictures of someone else very famous, but for the life of me I can’t recall who at the moment, Yusuf also mentioned that this picture was taken in Dubai.
(The picture of Yusuf, sitting at a table, drinking coffee, with the poster behind him and his guitar at his side.)
From left to right
SuzieQ, HardheadedSofthrtd, Muhammad, Yusuf, Yusuf's son-in-law ( I believe) Cristalina an Marier.
Then someone else came in and took Yusuf’s attention, But I so wanted to get his autograph, as you do!!! (some people are just never satisfied!) so I stood there holding up my pen and a menu and just gave him a look I can only describe as PLEASSEE. He looked at me, and bless him, if he didn’t stop what he was doing and come right back over to sign it for me, and of course, he then went on to sign for all of us. After that we had to literally drag ourselves away.
Yusuf is such a warm, caring and giving person, but we already know that don’t we.
I have tonight just been to another concert to see James Morrison!!!
I don’t know, it’s been at least 25 years since I have been to a concert and then two come along at once!!!
I will post more tomorrow as I didn’t have a lot of sleep for the past two nights, Umm, I wonder why?
Signing off for now, a very elated and ecstatic Sue…
Oh, Yusuf also mentioned, while we were talking about the set, now that we have it, he said (the set) we very well may be doing smaller more intimate venues, and maybe interviews at the tables. Now, there’s a taster for things to come!
Thank You Yusuf, for all your wonderful music and such a memorable and perfect night.
And I look forward to the next one!!! As long as I can get a ticket!!! Hint hint.. lol
Edited for spelling,