The Millennium Dome, good old Tony’s great idea to have a quirky building for the new century. It would cost “us” the tax payer millions of course as it just never caught on. With it’s 12 spikes sticking up in the air, you could be mistaken for calling it his Fawlty Towers, but then again remember that saying “Whatever you do, don’t mention the war”.
I know what your thinking, isn’t that some sort of political pompous biased statement? Well I can tell you one thing, if Rod ever does an outside concert at The Olympic Stadium in Stratford, dear old Boris will get it with both barrels I can assure you. So no, there is nothing political about my statement, it’s just another of those political “gaffs” we suffer.
Now it’s redevelopment after the flop of having fourteen different zones which had every school child in and around London visit it, but very few adults or tourist flocking there, meant by 2002 the whole project had gone into liquidation. Finally it was purchased in a £6 million per year deal leading to it being renamed The O2 on 31st. May 2005 where upon it became an entertainment district designed to be used as an indoor arena, a music club, a cinema with bars and restaurants and only recently a shopping outlet.
The main arena would become London’s primary indoor concert venue for every major act you could think of after it’s initial concert by Bon Jovi on 24 June 2007. Anyone, who is anyone has performed there since that opening day.
Personally, for me it’s a “marmite” venue, you either love it, or you hate it, and probably that would depend on where you parked your backside amongst the twenty thousand capacity, plus of course how the audience and the artist you came to see react on the night.
This would be the first time I would see Rod perform there, and whilst I wouldn’t call it exactly on my doorstep, it couldn’t be any more perfect from where I worked, just one stop away on the Jubilee line across the pond at Canary Wharf. Comparing this to the days when you had to get yourself all the way across to Wembley Stadium, I certainly was in another of my dreamlands.
Now don’t ask me how, ask no questions, tell no lies. Somehow Neal had got me three tickets for this. Maybe because Rod had already done three dates here in early June people may have spent their money first time around whilst we were getting our suntan in Santorini perhaps? It therefore meant both my wife Alison and sister in law Jacquie could experience a close up concert with “The Smiler Rod squad” for the very first time as well, even though it stretched my budget a bit further.
So let’s go back to the timeline shall we? Date: Wednesday 28th. July 2010. For me the normal start to the day. A 6:00 alarm, shower, breakfast, get dressed, pack a bag for my evening attire then off to catch a train just after 7:30. I would arrive at London Bridge just on 8:00, (The London Overground was not in operation back then, so I couldn’t stay out of zone 1), I would drop down to catch the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf, a fifteen to twenty minute journey dependant on the number of people and getting on board a tube. Once at Canary Wharf take the short walk from the station out across to no.8 Canada Square and that 44 floor building (They say it’s a 45 floor building, but I’ve never seen a lift quoting 45 in all the years I worked there!). The good thing for me was I was only working on the 2nd. Floor, so up an escalator and into the open plan office, if you can avoid lifts, always preferable, I have been stuck in couple in my working life, it’s not pleasant.
My day back then would have run it’s normal routine, I guess. First check in with our Offshore team in India who had replaced the three staff that reported to me up until 2006. Address any issues they had and guide them how to investigate and resolve the problems. I had staff to supervise come manage since my mid-twenties, I missed not having people physically around to organise and chat to. Since the offshoring, I had expanded my own role to local matters with other areas and I had played a somewhat freelance life, that was until about the end of 2009 when my manger, who previously never came near me, let alone ask what I was doing, suddenly said, I would like to introduce you to Claire, she will directly manage you rather than me. I remember being shocked and resented it, here I was now aged 53, and suddenly I’m having to report to a young, all be it rather attractive lady, in her early thirties. I hardly felt motivated.
I probably came across initially as awkward and obstinate, but by the time she left a few years later, I was rather sad as she had managed me in a very good diplomatic way, she would eventually get the best out of me and I thought we worked like a dream team. But she had moved to Lymington in Dorset and the journey into London became too much. I became more freelanced again, but now with a much wider contact point and I felt much more important once again.
I had worked my first 30 years in the City of London, I loved it, in early 2003 we had to move to “toy town” or “Lego Land” as I referred to it. Canary Wharf, I hated the soulless place. Although in the early stages I would explore the surrounding area, I just felt like I was on a building site, that enclosed you more and more as each year went round and the tower blocks went up. To this day, I can’t say anything I find attractive about the place. Even to walk to the river it took fifteen minutes, you had the inlets of water and also the Trumpton unmanned train service (or DLR) that mainly took you nowhere of note. Personally, I felt you were in one big shadow (of buildings) rarely seeing the sun. To get anywhere you were saying to your manager “By the way I could be out for lunch for a couple of hours today”, which of course you couldn’t do that regularly. But I had nowhere else I could go at my age, and after all it was paying for my Rod fix at least.
Now my sister-in-law just after lunchtime would pick Alison up and drive the approximate one hours journey up to the O2. Park and then reluctantly jump on the tube at North Greenwich and come the one stop back to Canary Wharf, simply because there were a few shops there to look at (Remember in 2010 Westfield at Stratford did not exist) this was a passing time exercise to avoid rush hour traffic travelling to the O2. They somehow managed to pass the time until I would say I was leaving workaround 5:45 – Ladies and shops!
Back with me, I would have been itching for the time to pass, and by 5:30 it was time to do my “Superman” trick, go in the gents and transform from my daily suit and tie into my colourful outfit from tartan scarf, Rod t-shirt, tight jeans to colourful trainers. It would have been nice to have done so in a discreet manner, but the gents toilets were situated on an outside wall with the door in the middle of the office. Oh, how I turned a few heads! I keep saying it, they simply didn’t get it!!!
I would meet Alison and Jacquie in the John Lewis restaurant just across the road, we would slowly have our food. I would get a text from Neal, “What time are you planning getting to the O2 bro?”. Probably around 6:45 I would respond, “Okay matey, we will probably be in the Slug and Lettuce, fancy meeting us there?”, “Sure”. And so, it was arranged, well sort of.
As we left John Lewis and descended down the tube it was, as it always is at that station during the week between 4 and 8 in the evening (Apart from now of course!) throbbing with people. I probably a little blasé and thoughtless, skipped my way down the escalator to the platform, the girls appeared somewhat less excited that we were off to see Rod. What I didn’t appreciate was, not Alison, but Jacquie was in a bit of a blind panic about getting on a crowded tube plus the fact we were underground (something that has shown itself on several occasions since). Alison was talking to her, apparently, she had hated just coming over the one stop from North Greenwich earlier. I stood there saying “Come on, if we get on at the back we will be right by the stairs once we get off” (I had made the trip a few times before so I knew the layout of the station) but all I got was a stern look.
Suddenly I started to feel the tension, the first train came in, Jacquie stood back, she wasn’t getting on! Okay, let this one go, and find out what the problem is. Once Alison explained, I thought, shit, we don’t really have another option (Although thinking about it, we could have jumped on the boat, but wait a minute, guess what, Jacquie doesn’t do boats either!). Another train came and went. “I’m not coming” Jacquie said! She was starting to look at going back up the escalators. Both of us pulled her aside, explained there was no real option above ground, and after all, it was her car back at the O2.
There are of course different degrees of fear, most of us have some, be it an animal, heights, flying or for some, even just going outside (Another issue that might increase once we resurface from this virus) it is all around, if you allow it to be, the mind is so powerful. Eventually we got her nearer the platform doors, fewer people were around us as another train pulled in, and we literally pushed her on, she was shaking almost uncontrollably. We talked to her about anything, time mainly, it will be over in a three minutes we urged (Oh god I thought, let this one not be one that stops outside the station in the tunnel or we could be in serious trouble), Alison being far better at this situation than me telling her “Just breathe Jacquie, breathe”. Our luck was in, straight in the station and up the initial escalator, through the barrier, up the next escalator and eureka back above ground. Jacquie is light skinned anyway, but I have to admit, I had never seen her that white before.
As we walked the short journey towards the entrance of the O2 we constantly talked, saying things like “Wasn’t so bad after all” and “There you did it” as well as “How are you feeling now?”. In an almost quiver and tearful manner she would reply “Yes I’m okay, I’m slowly feeling better”. Alison said to me “Don’t rush to this meeting place, let her gather herself for a while”, so instead we didn’t go inside, instead sat outside for 5 to 10 minutes. Once she said she felt alright, we entered, although not needing anything, looked at the merchandise store, then finally walked to where the Slug and Lettuce. It was rammed, singing and total Rod style merriment. I was given a look, then the words, “Sorry, but we are not going in there, Jac is in no state for all of that, can’t we just go in and get some water and take our seats and let people come in around us”.
It was a fait accompli, I had to agree, I wanted them to enjoy the night, we had had one very uncomfortable experience, just for my benefit it would be pointless to go in, I waved to Neal, he came out, I sort of explained, he in his remarkable way was very understanding and comforting, saying “Yeah, you go ahead, no problem, lovely to see you both, we will see you inside in a short while, get yourselves comfortable”. I said “Thanks bruv” and we went and took up our seats.
Not that I was complaining, but the seats were not the very front row, but via Entrance B – Block A2, Row D, Seats 26 & 27. (Jacquie’s would have been one way either side). A case of compose ourselves and watch as people entered the arena. The Smiler crew to fill up most of our row of course were pretty late in arriving, not wanting to miss out on any precious drinking time! I can’t say I remember everyone in that row now. Neal, Roxy and Dee certainly were. I also remember Roxy being slightly put out for being five or six rows from the front and complaining about “Bloody Corporate tickets for dummies”. Rod was certainly on form. I certainly got a lot of good photos. And for the final time I’m reliant on setlist.fm for what Rod sung on the night (Which I think misses a few!).
I have this feeling that although Rod may pronounce from time to time about London being his home town and being in for “A special night”. I’m not a hundred percent certain he sticks to his claims. After all if “setlistfm” is true, then he sung four less number than the performance in Liverpool. Why would that be I wonder? Maybe he felt the audience were not as responsive? Maybe he just doesn’t like the O2 as a venue? Maybe being that when in other venues he spends the night at a near by hotel, where as at the O2 he would make the journey home, which I’m assuming takes longer to reach than the hotels? Or it could be it was the end of the UK tour and in need of a rest! Or more likely setlistfm. Got it wrong!
I think the liveliness of the other Smilers took Alison and Jacquie a bit by surprise, but at the end of the night they had thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, especially given the proximity to the stage. Some of the Smilers afterwards were heading back to one of the bars, but for us it would be simply head back to Jacquie’s car and head home on what is always a quicker journey than ever getting there.
And so, my journey of concerts for 2010 had come to a close, in just over a year I had seen Rod six times (only once not within half a dozen rows to the front), I had also seen Oasis and Bon Jovi. Plus, as an extra treat, Ronnie Wood at The Albert Hall. My music world felt like I was living the dream. The big question had to be would it last?
As listed by setlist.fm for the O2 Arena on 28th.. July 2010:-
Some Guys Have All The Luck, Rhythm Of My Heart, Downtown Train, Have I Told You Lately, It’s A Heartache, Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller, It Takes Two, (Proud Mary by the Girls)*, I Was Only Joking, It’s The Same Old Song, Rainy Night In Georgia, Twistin’ The Night Away, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy, First Cut Is The Deepest, I Don’t Want To Talk About It, You’re In My Heart, Hot Legs, Maggie May, – Encores – Sailing & Baby Jane.
I don’t necessarily believe this is complete, I’m surprised the numbers that are omitted but it is the only time he sang “It Takes Two” and the Girls singing “Proud Mary” is part of their listings.
Maybe we did get those extra 5 songs missed off the setlist and Rod would say, “Yes, it was London (my home town) and last night”, and maybe ”It Takes Two” was the bonus for the last concert and he did sing 25 songs? I guess we will never know.
Footnote:
As before – Where you at the O2 concert on 28th. July 2010? Especially if you were part of that row. If so, feel free to add / share any memory you have of Rod’s concert that night on either the message board or Facebook – Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the read.
Originally my plan had only been to try and finish this story with a concluding “Verse (or Chapter) 7”, in hope that we had made a good job of “Staying Home” and by that time that came to press, life would have returned a little to how we had always been accustomed to it. That though clearly is not going to be the case.
I have therefore opted to squeeze in an extra chapter either side of the original “7”, so now the concluding part to this era will be “Chapter 8”. So, if you were thinking you were nearly done with me, I’m sorry to have to disappoint, you have another 3 weeks left!
Words By Colin Baker
Montage By Yve Paige