Alex James – Over the Rainbow Memoir

[101reykjavik]

Thanks ma.r.ty.

Still irks me in the most minor way possible that they all rate the Sunday at Wembley as this moment of unrivalled communion and celebration. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Saturday (to be honest, Saturday felt pretty special to me, more so than other Blur gigs I've been to so I was lucky to experience it at all), but I was 24 hours early by the sounds of things.

[ma.r.ty]

Thanks ma.r.ty.

Still irks me in the most minor way possible that they all rate the Sunday at Wembley as this moment of unrivalled communion and celebration. Don't get me wrong, I loved the Saturday (to be honest, Saturday felt pretty special to me, more so than other Blur gigs I've been to so I was lucky to experience it at all), but I was 24 hours early by the sounds of things.

"..That's it
You've blown it.."

[ma.r.ty]

On the one hand I do understand that it was really big to play Wembley, and to play it twice, and to play it after so many years, and to get together after so many years... it was intense, a top achievement.

On the other hand I still expect them to say: "Well, you know, there was a gig back in our heyday in the late summer of 1995. We played a small venue in Lincoln and I remember when we were about halfway into the setlist I suddenly realized how lucky I had been I was in this band..."

[ricj]

I went to both nights at Wembley (I only paid for the Sunday, they were giving away free tickets on Saturday). It was hard to judge because on Saturday I was up in the stands and on Sunday down on the floor but I felt the crowd seemed a lot more into it on the Saturday. From my high up viewpoint, it looked like the entire crowd on the floor, from the stage to the back, was one huge, crazy moshpit. On Sunday when I wanted to be part of that huge moshpit, it seemed a bit more subdued and then some guy threatened to smash my face in for jumping around with a bunch of lads near his young daughter who he'd brought into the thick of it (not sure what he was expecting)...

[101reykjavik]

Just trying to make me feel better now ric!

Interesting to hear your perspective from being there both nights. Obviously I can't compare but from what I experienced on the Saturday, the crowd and the overall atmosphere felt special. That sort of communal joy you usually only feel in a small venue – 'yeah, we're all in this together!' kind of thing. Would kind of make sense with the Saturday on sale first and I assume the most fervent fans were at the very least trying the hardest to get those tickets. But, the band obviously felt what they felt, which is fine too.

Opposite of that Wembley Saturday experience for me was the London Olympics Celebration Concert gig in Hyde Park. For some unknown reason, I foolishly splurged on VIP tickets thinking it might be a cool thing as a one-off, with it being the Olympics and whatever – ended up plonked off to the side in a seated area which felt miles away with a load of casual / non-fans more interested in going off for another glass of bubbly because Trimm Trabb has come on. Not my finest hour.

Can't say I'd take my kids into a mosh pit either – pretty foolish.