Can I see?

How Deep Are Your Pockets

I love Take That, I really do. They were first around during my formative teenage years and I’ve many happy memories pretending to be Lulu to the bit in “Relight my Fire” and learning the dance routine to “Could it Be Magic”. I had posters of wee Mark Owen on my walls. He really was soo cute. I was broken-hearted when the boys split up.

2005 brought the news that the boys were reforming for a comeback tour, following a documentary that covered their careers and activities since the break, this also coincided with the reissue of a Greatest Hits CD that sold by the billion. (Not sure if these are accurate figures). The day that tickets went on sale for the Manchester tour I queued at the Box Office at the MEN Arena for hours whilst friends in the office hit the phones and t’interweb for tickets.

The organisers quickly announced more dates and we were lucky to land tickets for the Thursday night show in May. I then got some more tickets for the Stadium tour at the City of Manchester Stadium later in the year.

The tour was brilliant, it was great to have them back and the songs were still great as ever, some with a twist, “It Only Takes A Minute” to a tango theme. Or poking fun at their boyband heritage with routines like 'the Making the boy band' “Can these boys dance, are these boys cute?!” OOhhh YES!!!

I was watching again on You Tube over the weekend and it was just fabby.

On the back of the success the boys went back to the studio and brought out a new album “Beautiful World” which is just brilliant, and has produced two number 1 songs, Patience and the most wonderful and amazing Shine which wee Mark Owen sings the lead, he really is the cutest person on the planet.

Therefore I was delighted to hear that there was a tour being planned for the album and I got my friend on the ticket case (as I was skiing in France). I was overjoyed to learn that she’s pulled 4 tickets out the bag, after a 4 hour wait on the phone. However, this brings me to the downside:

Tickets are £50 each.

I can’t help thinking that the boys are pushing their luck a bit here, and relying on the undying love and support of loyal fans. So yes, I have bought a ticket - I’m a fool. A few friends, who I went to the tour last year, have refused to pay the cost of the ticket feeling it was beyond reason to charge this much. Putting into context, I did pay £49 for Kylie in January, however the Scissor Sisters in July are £30. The boys must feel that this is an acceptable cost, as each date has sold out and as far as I’m aware, only 2 of my friends have refused to attend at these prices. I’m not good at maths but there must be a calculation that shows the most you can charge your fans before they refuse to pay and £50 seems to be at the top of that bracket.

What’s more my friend has got us tickets for the NEC in Birmingham. She lives in Bristol, her sister lives in London and Pompey Carly lives in, well Portsmouth. So it was deemed the nearest venue to all of us. So now I’ve got to factor in the added cost of a hotel for the night or driving back after the show finishes.

No idea how much it will cost to stay near the NEC, and I guess I’d have to get organised pretty quickly before hotels book out. I’m sure that there must be Travel Inns or something similar around???? Otherwise it’s a hunt for the car and a trip back up the M6 after the show, I think it will finish around 11pm-ish and it’s a 2 hour drive?? Just put the old I-pod on and singalong I guess!!

Finally the best alternative, I break into the boys’ hotel and spend the night with wee Markie.

Just let it Shiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnneeeeeeee!!!

Labels: Mark Owen, Shine, Take That

posted by Pixie @ 10:06 AM