An evening with Will Young

I just found the review of the last time I saw Will live in Notts and wanted to live up to that.

It was back in the summer when Ange offered to buy the tickets for us. From me it was the same proviso as last time - That I can pay in instalments. I think I just about paid off the ticket in time...
This time Ange's friend Caroline was going too and kindly offered to drive to Nottingham to save all the hassle with Buses/trains. There was some confusion as last time we saw Will in Nottingham, It was at the Nottingham arena but this tour was a little different - It was to be a more intimate close up and personal tour calling at Nottingham concert hall.

I have been so excited all week and had the album on all the time from my laptop/PSP/phone. With gigs like this you buy the tickets so far in advance that you never think it will get here and then when it does I get such a wave of excitement with Butterflies in my tummy and inability to stop going to the toilet that I never think I will last out the day.

I got to Ange's about 5.45pm and she was just finishing off work then she came downstairs and put the album on her computer. It was funny because the children weren't there yet the TV was still on the Boomerang channel playing Tom & Jerry!
Debz arrived from work and then pretty soon Caroline arrived and we all piled in the car.
I was so excited at this point that I could hardly speak and I was shaking!

We seemed to get to Notts in record time. We parked up in Talbot st car park. It was weird though as we found our way out we had to go down 4 flights of stairs yet we had gone straight in off the street in the car and down a level to park.

We walked to the Concert hall and I stopped to take in the wonderful lights of the Cornerhouse...

The venue was buzzing with all the Will fans young and old, male and female.

There were lots of crowds around the merchandise stall and the program booth but I wanted to wait until after the gig as I didn't want to loose or get it damaged before the night was over.

We went to find the toilets and the queue for the ladies was huge - out the door and round the corner. A couple of ladies couldn't wait that long so actually went in the men's...rather them than me!

Ange and Debz wanted to go get a drink but me and Caroline declined as neither of us wanted to risk needing the loo again and having to queue. I like to get to my seat and then stay there for the rest of the night, having a weak bladder isn't fun. I didn't want to miss anything.

They made the call for the support act and Ange and Debz went for a smoke whilst me and Caroline went to find our seats.

The Support act were Honey Ryder and I enjoyed them.

I was dancing in my seat although I was a bit annoyed that a lot of the crowd preferred to sit chatting than listening. The lead singer told us that their first single "numb" went to number 32 in the charts which was pretty good really considering how they charts go these days.


She also told us that the proceeds from the new single "Fly away" are going to Children in need. You could text the number she gave to get it now and if you took your phone to them in the foyer to show them the message you would get some free goodies. I didn't do it but I saw quite a few people coming back in later on with posters and cds that weer signed by the band.
They did a good set of about 6 songs and of those that payed attention, they seemed to enjoy them - I certainly did.

Tensions rose as the band came on to set up ready for Will. The crowd went wild as the singers appeared and the lights went down. I wondered if people were going to stand up as everyone was seated.

Suddenly from the wings Will came bouncing onto the stage and waved for everyone to stand up.
"Friday night starts right here"

What I love the most about Will is his Passion and enthusiasm for his music. Touring and singing his own songs isn't a chore or a money making exercise for him it is what he does best. From the moment he comes on stage he is jumping around and dancing and wiggling his bum. He does just look so cute like a little boy on Christmas morning.
He was wearing just a t-shirt and the tightest jeans I have seen in my life. Boy he didn't leave anything to the imagination and those fans in the front row must have had quite a view all night.

Will did lots of songs from the new album. I loved Changes and Grace but my favourite was Love. It is one of my faves on the album too. He also did a few older tunes. Love is a matter of distance, You and I, Friday's child, Your Game and my most favourite from the whole night had to be Who am I. We were all sat down for this as it is a gorgeous ballad. The whole crowd were swaying along and singing. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I had goosebumps. In fact Will seemed to have the ability to turn me into a droolsome puddle more than once over the evening - A special mention has to go also to You don't know which he sang totally acoustic with just the guitar to accompany him. He was very still and you could feel the emotion in the air as more than a few of the audience crumbled.

I just love the way he puts his whole self into the performance. He also involved the singers and band by interacting with them all the way through.

Will is always really chatty with the audience and there is always a full conversation going on. He is also really funny and sometimes without intending to be.
2 girls at the front got him to give them both a kiss and he said "That's it ladies, that's as far as I go. You won't get anything else from me" Everyone laughed and then he laughed and said "Ha HA I just got that myself" Of course referring to the fact that yes he is gay and as hard as you try you will never get further than a kiss. Lots of others wanted to get kisses but he said what a weird concert that would be. "If I had to kiss everyone there wouldn't be any time for any songs"

Someone shouted out about Top Gear and he admitted that he had had a few secret lessons before recording the show. 'Well, I was a big gay going on TOP GEAR, so I wanted to do well!'
Ahhh how cute was that?! He said he wasn't going to tell us who the Stig was. He kept trying to look in his visor to see if it was Nigel Mansell - It wasn't Nigel Mansell.

There was another story about when he embarrassed himself on GMTV. Liam Neeson was the guest and Will made himself look like a fanboy by declaring he will lay down on the floor for him.

He also told us about the sad news of his shaker getting broken. He declared that we should have a minute silence in respect and then went on to tell us a very sweet story about when he was young and used to play at who can stay quiet for the longest with his Nan. Only his Nan never quite got it and would talk straight away...It didn't go well as each time he said 3,2,1 go someone would shout out "I love you Will!"

Will got really excited when someone threw a little teddy on the stage "It's got a penis!" he exclaimed and started giggling as he showed it to the band. Another teddy came on the stage too and he picked that up and then said "Oh this one's normal"

There was something that Will wanted to show us. Someone had done a mock up of a Newspaper front page stated "Will Young Elected Prime Minister!"
He read it all out to us and got a bit giddy about it and what he would do if he was Prime minister

Before you knew it Grace ended and Will and the singers and the band all said their goodbyes and disappeared off the stage...It was obvious there would be an encore so no one moved from their seats. The lights stayed down as the band reappeared and the 2 singers came on with fluorescent fingerless gloves on a-la 1983. They got us clapping and then Will appeared at the back of the stage with black jeans a black sleeveless top and some gloves of his own.
I didn't have a clue what the song was but there was some very funky '80s dancing from Will (I have found out since it was a Grace Jones cover - He also did a Joan Armatrading cover earlier on)
At the end of the song he took off his gloves and threw them into the crowd. He said that he couldn't throw the rest of his clothes into the crowd as then he would be naked (I think a lot of the fans - my sister included - wouldn't have had a problem with that) Then he told us a story about when he got a little overexcited and threw his t-shirt into the crowd at the V festival, then afterwards he realised it was his favourite shirt and he wished he hadn't.

The very final song was Leave right now. The whole crowd swayed and sang along and although I tried to video it the sound isn't great. He did the extended version but it still wasn't long enough. He said his final goodbyes (Taking the flowers someone had thrown) threw his sweaty towels to the audience and left the stage...

We left through the side door and then I realised I needed to get a program so I nipped back round to the front to buy a program (£10) and a keyring (£5) and joined the girls to walk back to the car. It was freezing outside but I was very hot and sweaty so I carried my coat as I needed to cool down.

The full set list
Very Kind, Are You Happy, Love Is A Matter Of Distance, Love, Won't Give Up, Who Am I, You And I, Show Some Emotion (Joan Armatrading cover), You Don't Know, Let It Go, Friday's Child, Changes, Free, Your Game, Grace, ENCORE Grace Jones cover, Leave Right Now.

The drive home was wonderful as I relived all the best bits and I couldn't wait to get home to look at my photos. To be honest I am a bit disappointed with them as they are mostly quite blurred but that, I am putting down to the fact that Will just can't stand still long enough for the camera to capture him!