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From:
Trudy To: Jackie Sent: May 06, 2000 Subject: An open letter to share
Hi! Before I got involved with other Michael fans over the
Internet I had no idea that Michael had so many fans in the States.
I know a lot of Americans can get over here to see Michael in concert,
but for so many it is just not possible. I have been a fan for a
long time and have enjoyed every minute and have made so many good
friends too. It seems Michael's US fans are pretty starved when it
comes to information etc., about him and I thought it would be nice to
let you know that Michael is as nice as he appears and the most wonderful
performer you can imagine when you see him in person. In Britain he
is often referred to as "the nicest man in show business" - not
by fans (though we think that too) but by the industry itself and that is
quite some accolade! I truly hope that you will all have the opportunity of
seeing Michael in person in the future and that one day he fulfills your
dreams by appearing in concert in the States. I for one would be
very pleased to see that, as if he is to become an international star, he
needs to make it in America. Whether he wants that - well, only he
knows that one. Just be sure you let us have him back.
----- Original Message ----- From: Trudy To: Jackie Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2000 2:15 AM Subject: Michael at Edinburgh - March 15, 1999
Hi Jackie - while I'm still on line I thought you might like to hear of how five friends of mine met Michael last week in Edinburgh on 15th March. They were told to go to the stage door at 7pm and ask for Phil Bowdery, who met them and took them through to see Michael.
Michael was all dressed and ready for the show and my friends said he looked absolutely gorgeous. Better looking than ever and with his hair just right - not too long and not cut too short. Michael greeted each one of them individually and gave them all a big hug and kiss. He made them feel very much at ease and was chatting with them about his last visit to Scotland and just making general small talk. He was apparently a little worried about going to Aberdeen - said he had never been that far north before and was apprehensive about how he would be received. My friends told him not to worry - they would love him! When they left they got yet another hug and kiss each!
Michael was apparently in great spirits for the show - the place was packed out and the atmosphere really brilliant.
After the show they all got chatting to some people who worked at the hotel Michael was staying in - they were saying that all the staff were in love with him. He was such a darling - so charming to everyone and the manager had said he was the most undemanding star they had ever had staying with them.
Sorry this is second hand - I wasn't in Edinburgh myself but I still thought you might appreciate this account through one of my very good Michael friends in Scotland.
Bye for now
----- Original Message -----
Hi Jackie. I'm really pleased you
enjoyed my friends' story of their meeting with Michael. I haven't
actually met him but I have another little story (this time first hand!) of
an encounter with Michael.
----- Original Message ----- From: Trudy To: Jackie Sent: April 1, 2000 Subject: Michael in "Passion" (September 1996)
Here
is a “Ballfesting” story from 1996 that you might all be interested in:
On
Friday, 27th September 1996 I went to see Passion at the
Queen’s Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London with some friends. It was brilliant – very dark and dramatic.
Michael showed that he excels not only as a singer but
as an actor. The part of Fosca
was played by Maria Friedman, who was excellent. At the end of the show Maria came on to take her bow the second to
last (just before Michael) and received a standing ovation. Michael came on to take his bow to an ecstatic response
with most of the audience still seated rising to its feet.
We
went round to the stage door at the end and Michael spent some time hanging
out of his dressing room window from the second floor of the building
waving to everyone! At one
point he came to the window with no top on – lots of screams! (At this point there were about 200 people milling around.)
Once Michael came out he spent about twenty minutes signing
autographs and posing for photographs with fans and was his usual charming
self chatting amiably to people.
Once
he had done his “star” bit, I was quite astounded when he calmly
excused himself and told everyone he was now joining his friends over the
road! At that, he walked
across the small street to a little pub that had lots of chairs and tables
outside. It was a very warm
evening and lots of pub customers were standing around enjoying the mild
weather, as well as lots of Michael fans. One of Michael’s friends handed him half a pint of beer, Michael
lit up a cigarette and then started chatting to his mates! It was really amazing because it seemed he was Michael the star one
minute and then five yards across the street he became Michael the person
and no-one bothered him at all. Everyone
respected his privacy and even the really “dotty” ones (you know, the
ones with “I’m a Michael Maniac” and “Michael’s Barmy Army”
printed on their T-shirts) kept their distance and totally left him alone. Anyone
coming on to the scene would have been completely unaware that Michael Ball
was there, not to mention “surrounded” by a couple of hundred of his
adoring fans, all desperately trying not to pay him any attention so as not
to intrude on his privacy! I
kept stealing a quick peek at Michael and he wasn’t even looking around
him; he was just absorbed in the conversation with his
friends. An American lady was
there and she was amazed at how unstarry Michael was!
Michael’s fans seem to have an unwritten rule that no-one steps out of line. Michael is well known for being accessible to his fans and is always happy to pose for photographs and sign autographs, time allowing. No-one wants to spoil that so I am proud to say that Michael’s fans always behave well. For instance, at the Bedford Park open air concert in 1997 the concert organizer came on at the end just before the firework display and announced that the police had just told him that, out of a crowd over 11,000 people, they had not had one incident of trouble all evening.
The
Bedford Park concert was one of the best Michael events I have ever
witnessed, but that’s another story!
To: Jackie From: Trudy Sent: May 4, 2000 Subject: Harrogate - Sept 5, 1998
There has been some interest in the Harrogate concert of 1998 recently so I thought all Ballfest members might like to hear of my visit there.
The concert took place on Saturday, 5th September 1998 and was a Gala Charity Concert at the Harrogate International Centre. Harrogate is a lovely town about an hour's drive from where I live and is in North Yorkshire. The International Centre is a lovely venue and has an hotel attached to it, where Michael usually stays when he performs there.
It was special to me because it was the first time two friends of mine joined us at a Michael concert. My old school friend, Anne, whom I've known since I was 11, and her husband had heard me go on about Michael so much that finally they decided they had better see for themselves! Anne, Barrie and myself and my husband all decided to have a weekend in Harrowgate and stay at the hotel overnight.
We arrived early and found lots of fans waiting for Michael to arrive. Unknown to us, Anne and Barrie were driving into town and passed a very expensive looking car being chauffeur driven. Anne spotted a curly haired man in the back and said to Barrie, "Wouldn't that be funny if it was Michael Ball?" They followed as the car turned in to the forecourt of the International Centre while they carried on to the car park. When the passed the forecourt they suddenly heard lots of screams! It WAS Michael Ball!
I was one of the fans waiting for Michael. He got out of the car and was friendly and chatty as always, although he wanted to get in fairly quickly and rehearse. He said to us "It's posh tonight - no rock 'n roll" and we all sighed with some disappointment! (Little did we know.)
The venue was packed to the rafters and we had brilliant seats. I so wanted Anne and Barrie to enjoy it. For once Michael followed a programme, as he was being accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and, believe me, the sound they created was wonderful. Among the songs Michael sang were My Funny Valentine, Losing my Mind, Gethsemane and Broadway Baby. He had the audience in total raptures during Broadway Baby and his performance was hysterical. It was meant as a spoof but the sheer talent on the stage was just knock 'em dead brilliant. The audience absolutely roared its approval at the end. It wasn't a particularly Michael audience this time - lots of dignitaries were there and the tickets were very highly priced as it was a charity gala. They needed to be "won over" and, after that, they were!
I was ecstatic during the interval as Anne and Barrie were totally overwhelmed. I was especially pleased at Barrie's reaction as he had more or less had to be "dragged" there. He kept saying "I've never heard a singer like him" and "He's the best singer I've ever heard". Anne said that until you had seen Michael live in concert you had never really heard him. True.
Michael's dad came on first after the interval and was very amusing. He told a few stories about Michael as a child, one of them being that Michael used to tell people at school that his dad was Alan Ball (famous English footballer) and that his mum was Lucille! He is a very good speaker and it was such a lovely surprise to see him. Michael came on to join his father and it was obvious that they have a very nice relationship.
Michael then sang, among others, I Dreamed a Dream, Anthem (from Chess), Memory (from Cats) and Music of the Night (from Phantom). It was mind boggling. We didn't miss the rock 'n roll at all! It was a truly wonderful performance and Michael never sounded better.
We all trooped back into the bar to have our usual swoon with fellow Michael fans whom we usually meet up with. There was a party going on for Michael and guests elsewhere in the hotel which a few hardy souls tried to join. Needless to say they were soon back with us - they weren't on the list and were soon out on their ear! They told us though that they could see into the room where the function was going to be held and all the tables were beautifully laid and the champagne was ready.
We had a lovely evening and the next morning we were all sitting round having a coffee and wondering if Michael was staying at the hotel. Next thing we know the lift doors open and out comes Michael on his own. He looked over at us and smiled and we just quietly said "Hello Michael" and he said hello back and then went out of the front doors of the hotel and into the sunshine.
Once he had gone well out of earshot of course we all started giggling and screeching and swooning etc!
The best thing is that Anne and Barrie have been to several concerts since, including the one at Hampton Court Palace and to Castle Howard, and this October they are going to two more! Once you have seen Michael you have seen the best there is.
Hope you enjoy another of my lovely Michael memories.
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