Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Concert





For those of you who have asked about the concert and our week away. Here is the story.

We arrived at the concert at BC Place in Vancouver and I was overwhelmed by the masses of people. I don’t do crowds well at all, but The Man had his arm around me and held me close as we wove our way through the people rubbernecking and oohing and aahing over the t-shirts and memorabilia on display near the entrance.

First of all – our tickets cost $225.00 for the two of us and they were in the nosebleed section. Never having been to the BC Place – The Man decided to ask at information where our seats were. The man behind the counter took our tickets – looked at them and then turned around and picked up some others and handed them to us. He said – these are right over there – enjoy.

He had traded our seats in the nosebleeds for seats that were 20 rows away from center stage! They cost $225.00 each! We were astounded!

As we sat in our seats stunned by our sudden fortune – a mother and daughter team came along and sat beside us. Their conversation went along the lines of what great seats they were. It turned out that the daughter had gone to the information desk and asked if they could trade in their tickets on an upgrade! And the same man had given them the seats right next to us. So someone had upgraded their tickets and the four of us got lucky!

The concert started soon after that and a man named Gordie Brown came on stage for the warmup. He was funny and great and we all got into the spirit of the thing. He was an impressionist who sang like other performers and he did it all with such humour he had us all laughing and clapping along with him.





While he performed – two girls came in and sat directly behind The Man and myself. The one girl was on her cellphone and yelling into it that she was at the concert and held it out for whomever to listen! I thought – okay – she’s all excited – I’ll let it go.

Then Celine came on stage and the crowd went insane! She started by singing ‘I drove all night’ and the girl behind The Man sang along at the top of her voice! I could feel the tension in my back and in my mind building and I was gripping the arm of the seat. I always seem to sit in front of someone who talks through everything! When Celine launched into her second song and the girl behind started to sing along again – well I had had it! I turned around with a huge smile on my face and tapped her on the knee and she leaned forward – singing at the top of her voice.

“I paid to listen to Celine Dion” I said with a sweet smile on my face.

“So did I!” she yelled in between singing – she didn’t even take a breath to say it!

“Yes!” I said – the smile leaving my face. “Not to you.”

And that was it. She shut up and never said another word.

People around leaned forward and flashed me grateful smiles. I told the girl sitting beside me what I had said and she laughed with delight and told her mother who also burst out laughing!

We didn’t have our camera with us, but my new-found friend next to me did. (and no - unfortunately Andrea Bocelli was not actually singing along with her in person - but it looked great!)

“Make sure you get a picture of her shoes,” I said very quietly as she snapped away.

“You’re right! They’re fantastic aren’t they?”

Then she asked for my email address during a ‘scene change’ and I handed it over! She sent me 41 pictures of the concert and I have a new found friend!

So – here are some of the pics she sent me. The show was incredible! Celine’s voice was incredible! And I only cried right at the end when she sang the Titanic song. I couldn’t help it! I didn’t know until we got back to the trailer that I had smudged my mascara onto my cheek – but I didn’t care.

Thank you Kris for sending me these and thank you for not talking or singing all through the performance.


I really believe that if you pay to see a movie or listen to a performer – then that is what you should get. If that girl behind us could sing like Celine – well then I would have been happy to pay to listen to her perform. But believe me – she couldn’t. And when it comes to telling people to be quiet at something like this – then I’ll do it! It’s my right to get what I paid for.



30 comments:

abb said...

Glad it turned into something wonderful. Very nice!

Potty Mummy said...

GREAT put down Aims. I'm going to remember it for the next time that happens to me.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear someone else gets peeved when people talk loudly or sing at concerts we have all paid good money to enjoy. Once my hubby told some 'adults' to go down the street to catch 'Disney On Ice', as they were acting so childish and obnoxious. I think they were just inebriated, but that's certainly no excuse either.

dND said...

What wonderful luck, new seats and a new friend.

I agree about the accompaniment, I rarely bother with the cinema these days as people talk right through the films. Mind you I'm the same with TV programmes, it drives my crazy if I'm watching and someone else decides to talk about it too much :-D

And before I forget, well done on making such a big trip and to such a large venue. That wasn't just a little step, that's a massive one and one of which to be proud.

Deborah x

softinthehead said...

It sounds wonderful - glad to hear you had such a great time. Ditto what Deborah said -a big step - where to next?

Rachel Green said...

Fabulous!
I'm glad it went well :)

Daryl said...

How wonderful ... and I am so not surprised you made a new friend.. you are Aims and you are so terrific of course no one stays a stranger for long!

:-Daryl

Mima said...

Aims I am so glad that you enjoyed it, what good fortune to be upgraded, very lucky indeed! I can only imagine what Celine Dion is like in concert, and my imagination says it would be wonderful, I'm sure that the reality was hundreds of times better!

Well done for managing as well, it can't have been easy, but now it is another hurdle overcome, a challenge beaten!!

Maggie May said...

Glad you had such a good time.
Brilliant that you got upgraded.
Glad you found a way to get the phone user to tone down.
It was good that you found the courage to go to such a big event if you don't like crowds. Well done.

Anonymous said...

Well handled, Aims. Can't say I would have been so clever. I hate it when people talk on their cell phones at a diner. They always talk so loud. Margie

Irene said...

I'm not a Celine Dion fan, but I can imagine your happiness at the concert and getting that girl to shut up. Life concerts are always the best, aren't they, no matter who is performing. I am glad you get such enjoyment out of things like this and I hope you can do more of them. You deserve it. Live life the best way you know how.

Akelamalu said...

The concert sounds fantastic and how wonderful that you got upgraded seats! We once got upgraded to business class on a flight from Bankok to Frankfurt, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Good for you in telling that woman to button it (in the nicest possible way of course). Too many people put up with too much rather than say something - not you and not me! :)

ADDY said...

So glad you had a wonderful evening. Like you, we always seem to get the noisy ones behind us at the theatre or cinema. We have come to the conclusion that the young generation now are so used to watching DVD or video films in the comfort of their homes, that they get used to chatting or singing along in the middle of it. Consequently when they are in a theatre or cinema they no longer respect the silence we used to enjoy in the past. So annoying and I am glad you had the courage to say something otherwise that girl would have trilled throughout the entire performance.

Junebug said...

I agree with you wholeheartedly! I might have only been brave enough to have held my finger to my lips to shoosh them but who knows? I probably would have said something too. 'Cause that is so irritating to have someone singing along or the whole crowd sometimes I don't even like that.

Lane Mathias said...

What a great upgrade!
And a great put down. Well done you:-)

I'm glad you enjoyed the concert. You had to overcome loads to get there so I'm glad it was well worth it.

And what a great people sitting next to you!

Mean Mom said...

Good for you! I'm glad that you enjoyed it and found a new friend, too. Great that you were able to overcome your fear of the crowds, too. Now you know that you can do it!

A Spot of T said...

Listen lady, I only stopped singing because I wanted to not because you told me to. AAAHAHA!!! Sometimes I'm too much even for me.

In all seriousness glad you had a wonderful time. And I'm glad the young lady stopped singing. She's probably writing about what a wonderful person you are on her blog right now LOL

bichonpawz said...

AIMS! You went to see one of my MOST favorite people!!! I Adore Celine Dion!!! I think she is fabulously talented and such a sweetheart!! Her voice is just amazing....and what I wouldn't do to see her in concert. You are so fortunate!!! BIG step for you, my friend. You must be so proud!! Glad you both had a great time...you deserve it!

Anonymous said...

You were lucky to get those second lot of seats but so expensive!

Fantastic photos.

CJ xx

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you had a wonderful evening and that girl didn't spoil things. I love how that brought you and the girl next to you closer. great pics.

travelling, but not in love said...

Aims, you go girl!

That's one straight out of my bag. I love it....

Cath said...

That must have been fantastic! Well done you for telling that girl and what a great new friend! Those photos are just brilliant!

DJ Kirkby said...

I am amazed at the man's generosity at upgrading your seats! Makes me proud ot be Canadian! Glad to read you had a great time. xo

Anonymous said...

Fantastic! I hate it when people speak at the movies, I like your style. Sounds like a fab concert!

david mcmahon said...

What a great evening - and I once stayed in a hotel right opposite BC Place.

Amy said...

Looks like an exciting night! And you have much more courage than I do to tell someone to be quiet. I'll bear it in mind the next time I'm in that situation.

I'm glad you had a fun night!

A Mother's Place is in the Wrong said...

Dear aims, have been over to catch up with you again, and loved this post about the Concert - how right you were to speak out when you had been looking forward to Celine for so long! And making a new friend is great too.
I'm so pleased that you are beginning to feel better. Love, M xx

BT said...

So glad you had such a wonderful time, aims. You deserve it.

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a great experience and way to go in telling the girl behind to hush.

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a great experience and way to go in telling the girl behind to hush.