Everyone was pretty respectful, a few people taking flashless pics but mostly everyone was there for the music. Signs saying no pics/recording equip too :-)
Ahh it was amazing. Sorry I couldn't stay around afterwards, but I had to drive back to Brum (via Liverpool)... managed to be home and in bed by 1:30 which was quite good going! It was lovely to see so many of you guys again though.
the gig itself was absolutely perfect. Everyone seemed to be on really good form and I have never seen Alison so relaxed, she was engaging with the crowd and just came across happy. It was lovely.
I didn't take many photos as it wasn't allowed and I'm always under the impression some jobsworth will steal my phone/camera off me, but the woman next to me was taking photos the whole way through (don't get me started on how irritating it was) so I took a healthy 4 photos! This was the best one...
In fairness this was the new album i suspect come proper tour time cameras/filming will be allowed but cmon smart phones are the norm now with very good cameras on them,its asking a lot of people who've gotten used to filming etc.
Can only repeat what Tweety, Sally and others have said - a very special performance, with Alison, Will and the whole band appearing to have as good a time as those of us in the audience. Also fantastic to see many, many familiar faces from the Forum... and one or two new ones (eg Chrissy, Jon). :)
The new songs, which were performed during the first half of the show... were brilliantly revealed, with a 20-strong string section providing a lush accompaniment. Alison looked stunning (and very happy & relaxed) in a black trousery thing(?) As expected, the new ones were quite subtle, musically. Very much growers, I'm sure. I couldn't help but imagine looking back on them, from a later vantage point. Hard to explain! The standards, in the 2nd half, were amazing, with Little bird and Caravan girl in particular benefitting from the choir.
The audience were the most respectful I've seen, with very little during-song chatter, and mercifully few people holding cameras/mobiles aloft. There was no security check, so big cameras could have been snuck in, but everyone I knew just wanted to be there for the experience. Which was also why myself and others didn't post during the gig itself.
Still in trance after the freaking awesome night! Fantastic gig, probably the best I've attended, Alison even chatting between songs, what happened?! That was so lovely, as well as meeting many of you! Wish I could stay longer!
Hugs all round seem like a better idea. So glad it was so great. Alison wore that black outfit during the whole show? That kinda fits what I expected.
Can't find a bowing emoticon, either (thinking of all of those pictures from Alan), but I'm bowing to the ground to all you lucky dogs that were there last night and will be there tonight. As someone said above, can't wait for September! But, that's not new!.