Leaving home in Leicester was done during a torrential downpour and didnt bode well for the concert. Memories of Edinburgh last year came back to haunt me. Still we made the Journey East to Norwich and nestled down by the river was a small stadium all decked out in green and yellow with pictures of canaries everywhere.
On entering the ground the Jazz men were already doing there stuff but I dont think anybody was really interested. Most fans I spoke to said they should have saved a few quid off the ticket price and not had them. We found our seats in Row 5 of block 5 however never got to them. Other Smilers started to appear and we congregated at the front until we were told to move to our seats. The aisle seemed a good place to continue the conversations and waited there until the show started. Some Smilers had told me of horror stories from Leeds including being manhandled back to their seats the security at Norwich said you wont get that from us when we talked to them. Other Smilers then told me how Aberdeen Rod seemed out of sorts and didnt seem up for the show. I was beginning to fear the worst as Swansea was such a good show.
My fears were unfounded though as the Norwich manager took the stage to introduce Rod and he said “football management is easy compared to this standing up here in front of all of you is terrifying”.
The stewards kept the front clear and wouldn’t let anyone up to the railing.
Rod came on to Love train and the regulars took to doing the love train along the front much to the amusemnet of Rod. The stewards were fine and let them carry on which was great. Rod was in excellent mood smiling and laughing and joking with the crowd. It was a really sunny evening although a little breezy with Rod pretending to be blown away at one point when a gust of wind hit the stage.
Many Smilers had got tickets through the site and ended up all in the same block so the atmosphere was brilliant and they were all within the first five rows. Just after the fourth song started there was a sudden rush of the fans in the aisles to the front where the stewards just stepped out of the way. I dont know if they were overwhelmed or under instruction from Rod but we werent going to find out. The rest of the show was seen from the railings at the front and most of the Smilers made it there to create a fantastic atmosphere.
As Rod went through his repertoire he sang hitr after hit and brought back first cut is the deepest and kept in the every picture tells a story belter that the core fans really love.
Some great news broke when he sang shake your money maker and we had to pinch our selves to make sure we heard him right. He said “I am going to do a song from my new album which was going to be a blues album but now I have started writing my own songs to go on it so its not going to be just blues anymore” Thats great news Rod and everyone around me was very excited about that and the talking point long after the show.
The crowd in Norwich did their bit singing along to Rod and were in fine voice but not to match the mass welsh choir that was Swansea.
I have never seen Rod so relaxed and smiley and you could tell he was really enjoying it.
J’anna was also in a very relaxed mood laughing and messing around and even had some banter with Rod during Maggie after the band had got some kind of Jamming session going singing to Rod “I wishh id never seen your face ” Rod turned away laughing and was a magical moment.
Footballs a plenty were kicked out and one fan even rushed the stage getting over the barrier and trying to jump on stage. The security was onto him and went to rush him out but Rod told them to stop brought the guy back to the front laid down on the stage so he could reach to shake his hand. They then let him back to his seat and enjoy the rest of the show.
The show ended after two hours with no breaks and around twenty four songs sending the crowd home with a buzz in the air and smiles on their faces.
Many Smilers said that this was the best one this year and I would definately agree with them.
Well done Rod and thanks for the great night out.
Photo’s by Andy Darcy
