It had been a funny old working week, Monday in the office, Tuesday fly to Newcastle, Wednesday fly back from Newcastle, Thursday back in the office, Friday would be off to Coventry, I could get used to these 2 days weeks I was thinking.
Of course, on the Thursday I had got the old “Spanish Inquisition” in the office, “So how was Rod then?”, “Absolutely brilliant”, “So what is it you’re doing this weekend then that your off tomorrow as well?”, “Going to see Rod again”, “Really, where now?”, “Oh, just going to my wife’s half-sister in Coventry tomorrow, then from there on Saturday, nipping onto Birmingham”. Looks of astonishment followed by “Well, how much different will Saturday’s show be compared to the one you have just been to?”, “Probably not much at all”, “Oh, okay then”. Some people just don’t get it, do they!
Friday 21st. May – Bags are packed and ready to go, although this time with a difference, no priority tickets, but I have paid the same price for three, so they must be good surely! But that is for tomorrow to find out, first it’s that journey. You see if you’re a London commuter, you don’t get many opportunities to drive in the car any great distance, even “nipping” down to Brighton would feel like a bit of a long trip for me. So here we are today venturing on a trip up to Coventry, my wife Alison, sister-in law Jacquie and with me behind the wheel. Alison has an aunt in Oxford that on rare occasions we may have popped up there, but Coventry, that was quite a bit further on, so this was breaking a bit of new ground.
We left once the peak traffic had gone, but you still needed to take on a part of the M25 for 6 junctions before getting on the M40 and of course around Heathrow it’s busy 24/7. By the time we had got off the magic roundabout, the ladies were saying “We need to stop for a coffee on the first service station on the M40”! Which naturally meant, we would be stopping a second time before we reached Coventry (or Walsgrave which is where we were actually heading). The beauty of a satnav meant I didn’t lose my way, and we arrived at Alison’s step-sister, Jennifer’s small bungalow just after lunch.
A cup of tea and a piece of cake went down well, then the suggestion was to drive into Coventry and look around the cathedral, which of course is a modern building, given the previous one was famously bombed by the Germans in World War Two, It’s colourful interior was impressive, but as a cathedral it lacked it’s history that so many possess. After our little tour, it was off to book into the little B&B hotel situated at the side of a pub which was across from one of the M6 junctions. It was far enough away from traffic, and in fact had a nice garden that lead down to a canal where barges were moored. In the evening we went back close to where Jennifer lived and had a pub meal with her before going back and settling in for the night, the “long” drive had made me tired, so I slept pretty well for me in a strange bed.
Saturday 22nd. May – The big day, I felt pretty fresh, a nice breakfast, then meet up with Jennifer to go to some nice gardens nearby (No idea of the name of them now), we would have an early lunch, then it was time to set off on the short journey to Birmingham totally reliant on the sat nav again. Well if you don’t know them, city centres can be a bit hair raising to drive around – especially seeing 99% of the other drivers know exactly where they are going, and it’s a Saturday on a nice warm day. I remember Alison and Jacquie feeling excited – no not just because we were off to see Rod – but because of the Bullring shopping centre! We would pass it as the sat nav lead us towards the NIA’s car park that I had booked to park in, of course the further we got away from the Bullring, the more anxious the ladies became. As I negotiated another roundabout the satnav quickly told me I had taken the wrong turning, I knew I was close so I seemed to circle back on myself, as I reached close to the sign of the Bullring again, the cry came “Stop, we will get out here, you can come and find us once you have parked”.
I pulled over, probably where I shouldn’t have been, they jumped out and said, keep your mobile on. Now think back, 10 years ago those mobiles were not anywhere near as good as they are today, so this was a big gamble – I might have been left with 3 tickets and 2 stranded people not having a clue where to go in about 4 hours time.
I came back to that same roundabout I had taken the wrong exit on before, but this time exited the junction prior to the one previously, no correction from the satnav, I still couldn’t visually see exactly where the NIA was, but after a bit of stop start (thankfully no real traffic around), I located the car park. The guy was a little surprised I had arrived so early, as it was probably only 2 o’clock and the concert was not scheduled to start until 8. I parked up, got out the car, looked at my phone and read a message saying they were in the Bullring, meet them there. I asked the car park attendant the best way to get there and he said it’s a little way but pointed me in the right direction. So I embarked on a nice little walk on a warm afternoon, I went passed a couple of impressive large buildings, including what’s called Birmingham Council House, situated in Victoria Square with the statue of Queen Victoria outside (impressive I must say if all Birmingham’s council houses are like this one!). Fortunately, the Bullring was well sign posted, so after a good 20-30 minute walk, feeling nice and moist, I found it. The key with Alison when separated like this is normally the same “Meet in M&S” – so after a few messages back and forth (Yes, the phones kept their charge) we located one another, and so it was time for a nice cup of afternoon tea.
I joined in a bit of shopping afterwards and have to confess, I found a couple of nice pairs of boat shoes come trainers and bought them. I remember we had a snack type meal just after 5, then shortly after, my phone rang “Hello Brother, where are you?” It was Neal, “Oh just done a bit of shopping in the Bullring, will be heading back to the car shortly”, he laughed at the thought of the shopping and said “Okay, shall we try and meet somewhere then?” “Okay see if we can, I will call you once we have dropped the things back off at the car”. Now by the time we had found our way back to the venue and the car, it was probably getting close to when the doors were scheduled to open at 6:30. I called Neal back, he said he was close by, we managed to meet up and he had Roxy with him. Introductions to one another, then he said a bunch of Smilers were in a pub not far away, “Do you fancy coming along to join us?” A quick glance at Alison and Jacquie and I could tell they were a little apprehensive of “going into the unknown”. So, with a quick thanks and a sorry, we said “Perhaps we will leave it, if you don’t mind” and thanked them for the offer. The fear of the unexpected especially when you’re not really going to know anyone had surfaced again. (That gate crashing somebody else’s party feeling again! – Never a problem when your 15 – but often awkward at 53!).
Therefore instead, our plan would be to enter the NIA pretty early, look at the merchandise store, I think (if memory serves me right) I had opted to buy the tour programme from here along with a t-shirt and possibly a few other things, simply because we had our car close at hand, that way the programme wouldn’t get creased, which I do hate. Then off to find our seats and slowly watch people arrive around us, the seat location I must say was not that close to the stage Block 09 (Upper) seat GG402. How come, I thought, it said “Best Available” when I bought them! – But why didn’t I look at the seating plan? A little disappointment? Probably, and yes, we know who’s fault it would be, and certainly no point in taking photographs – Just one of the stage curtain. That said we thoroughly enjoyed it, especially seeing Rod added a bit of The Faces to the set by singing Stay With Me, which certainly wasn’t part of Tuesday night’s song list.
Once more I’m reliant on setlist.fm to provide you with the “Order of play”, which you can find that at the foot of my chapter. Smiler again would use the review from a local newspaper where Kat Keogh from the Birmingham Mail, would print the traditional quips about “Now eligible for a bus pass” Rod was then also refer to him as “The mullet-haired maestro” in their story – Yawn, do they have to use such corny catchphrases?
The concert over, we were back to the car in rapid fashion, quickly out of the car park and on our way back to the B&B just outside Coventry. And yes, tonight, I did sleep even better as it was a second night in the same bed, and of course I had my favourite person along side of me.
Blessed with another fine day on the Sunday, we would stay for some lunch at the pub we were staying at and Jennifer joined us as well. By early afternoon, it would be back on the road and head for home, this time with just the planned one stop.
As I would reflect on an amazing week, any disappointment that we would be missing the up and coming dates at the O2, were thrown to the back of my mind – I had been too see Rod twice and had tickets for two more concerts in July, plus I also still had plenty to look forward to, the following Friday 28th. May it would be off to Santorini along with some family friends, which would turn out to have many surprises in store, black beaches, a walk on a volcano, amazing views, a fantastic days boat ride, even a mini tornado whilst sitting on the beach plus an attempt of seeing the sunset on my birthday (which didn’t quite go to plan – oh yeah – not my fault this time). Totally unaware that another brilliant surprise would come my way in just over a month’s time.
As listed by setlist.fm for the NIA Birmingham on 22nd. May 2010:-
Love Train, Some Guys Have All The Luck, Tonight’s The Night, It’s A Heartache, This Old Heart Of Mine, Having A Party, Handbags & Gladrags, Have I Told You Lately, Rhythm Of My Heart, Sweet Little Rock ‘n Roller, Stay With Me, I Was Only Joking, It’s The Same Old Song, Rainy Night In Georgia, First Cut Is The Deepest, Hot Legs, You Wear It Well, You’re In My Heart, I Don’t Want To Talk About It, Maggie May, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy – Encores – Sailing & Baby Jane.
Footnote:
As before – Where you at the Birmingham gig on 22nd. May 2010? 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. More next week.
Words By Colin Baker
Montage By Yve Paige