Hello Everyone!
I just got back from the magnificent Paul Potts concert - it was a blast! Firslty, I have to say, I wish Hayley had performed there this year. I know she had performed in the Aotea ASB Theater a couple of years ago, but I loves this atmosphere so much more than the outdoor. This time I was able to see the stage and the performers much better. Nevertheless, I loves Hayley's concert!
i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif So don't get me wrong!
Getting the ticket, of course, was yet another adventure of its own. The website had said there were plenty available, and I was happy to hear that. I got to Ticketek and they said the tickets sold out in November last year!
I was shocked, and upset. With only 4 days left until the concert (Yes, I am a last minute person... ) I decided to turn to the trusty TradeMe. I found a dozen of tickets being sold as sets, but none of them were prepared to sell them to me individually. My mother was coming to sit in the foyer and watch the screen on the outside of the theater (she didn't want to spend money on someone she's not as big of a fan of as me
) so I was going alone.
I hunted and begged for a ticket, until, the day before the concert, a woman rang me and said she would sell me her ticket, because someone else was buying her other one. She delivered it to me at work, and I payed around $27 less for it. So it was a real bargain!
We got to Aotea center (with plenty of parking, surprisingly) and I soon realized there was going to be a much more mature audience attending this concert. I only saw a couple of people my age, and absolutely no children. I was quite amazed.
Once the doors opened, and I walked in, I gasped. Firsly, that woman sold me the
perfect seat. I was in the second level, and smack bang on the middle!!!
i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif The stage view could not have been any better.
On my right was the other buyer of half my ticket (
) and on my left was a lovely woman from Yorkshire, who says she frequently goes to the ballet and loves theater. I couldn't blame her...
The curtains went up, the stage lit, and the orchestra - quite a small, yet beautiful one - began to play. Then they welcomes on Paul Potts who sang an Italian song from his album (I forgot the name). Then he talked for a bit and told us what a lovely country NZ is. He then said how him and his wife are having a great time here. Then he told us, what I thought, was the funniest story of the night!
s148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/?action=view¤t=Picture171.jpgPaul in a high note
When he was waiting in an airport once, he decided to go to Starbucks and buy some coffee. But after a while, his order never came, so he went up to the counter and asked what happened to it. The waitress said, "Oh, i called it out. DIdn't you hear?" When Paul asked, "what did you call out?" The woman replied "Tall and skinny!"
I laughed and laughed and laughed. If anyone doesn't know about Starbucks here, Tall is the size of your coffee cup you ask for when you order. And of course, Paul took it as the woman was calling out for someone who was tall and skinny. You can see he's not an American!
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture171.jpgCloser image of the same note
. You can see how long he was holding that for.
He then sang Ave Maria, Caruso, and then Elizabeth came one stage. She was wearing an abslutely stunning pink dress with a giant skirt that was so so fluffy! It was so pretty! She sang La Vie En Rose, before telling us a story about when she was 8, her mother had brought her to this very theater for the Phantom of the Opera, and it was then that Elizabeth decided she wanted to be a singer. As you can imagine, it was an emotional moment for her. She then sang Love Can Build a Bridge, which she funnily said was supposed to be sang in cowgirl boots, but she was tossing that aside for stilettos. I didn't know that song was a country song!
She then sang a couple more before Paul came back to sing two more songs before the interval. During the interval, the intercome guy announced "Flash photography is prohibited until the encore". I thought, OH, "flash" photography! Ok, that's easy, I'll just turn off my flash! And so I did! And that's why the photos are unclear, so I appologize for that.
The show started again with the orchestra, before Paul came back on saying, "I can't believe how many of you have come back!" He clearly is very down to earth.
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture170.jpgThis is quite a good shot! I had a great seat.
He then sang a song which he dedicated to his wife, and told us all how they met. It was very sweet. He then told us the second funniest story of the night.
During the Britian's Got Talent, they were given strict instructions to switch off their cell phones and leave it in their lockers. After he sang Time To Say Goodbye, Simon Cowell was about to give his comment, when Paul felt a vibration in his pocket! Funniest thing ever, was that his ring tone was actually an actor's voice which said: "Shut up you fatty, I have a better point!"
That would have gone down well with Simon.
Luckily, his phone was on silent, and he wasn't kicked off the show.
Elizabethe came back on with a stunning red dress, and they sang a duet and danced together, before Elizabeth finishing off with There You'll Be and Takahiri.
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture164.jpgElizabeth and Paul dancing!
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture166.jpgElizabeth singing There You'll Be
He then sang Love Song, followed by (My second favorite) Time To Say Goodbye.
Then we clapped and clapped, with half of us giving a standong ovation (What' wrong with everyone else??) and then he came back on to sing, my favorite, Norma Dessum.
It was really funny, because despite the announcement about us being able to take photos during the encore (and lots of people were) all of the theater gaurds were trying to stop us! I was thinking, this is not fair! That's what they just announced! But no worries, I got photos anyway!
i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifThere was no signing, but I met Elizabeth at the end and she thanked me for running her blog. I thanked her for a wonderful evening. Funny thing when she was singing my copy of her album. The pen just wouldn't work!
So I've got half of her autograph!
She was so very sweet, and it lovely to finally meet her after talking with her on the internet for so long.
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture178.jpgThe pen just wouldn't work!
i148.photobucket.com/albums/s38/neversawblue/Picture175.jpgMe and Elizabeth
We drove home (got lost in the city, of course. Have you read my other concert adventures?
) and it was a lovely evening which I shall never forget.
More photos soon, I promise!
Dori
) so I was going alone. 
