Tour Reviews : London 02 Arena - 20th March 2010

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[susiej]

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[Hubz]

OMG, I am going to the afternoon show.  Just when I had calmed myself down, I read this. ARRRGGGGGGGGG!   

[Hubz]

Right so here is my review, my seats weren't as good as I thought they would be, in fact they were quite high up on the top level, so the view wasn't great, but I could see on the screen.    But my seats in Newcastle are better so it is fine.

Ok so I will start from the top, I bought a Joe t-shirt, programme and poster, went to my seat, lots of little Jedward fans around, huh.

The lights go down, ARRRRRRRRGGGG, I chuck my programm in my mum's bag.  Voiceover man says "London, it's time to face the music" obviously greeted with a massive appaulse.

So the Rydian music starts, I start to sing, da, da, da, da, you know the really tense music.  Finally all the acts pop up, at the end Joe popped up, I tried to take a picture but I was too far away, I gave up there and then.  Hopefully I will get some pics in Newcastle. 

So I gotta feeling, it was alright nothing special.

Lloyd Daniels - Cry me a River & Stand by me mash up. 
Obviously you guys that have been know it is not in this order, but quite frankly I can't even remember the order, I was just waiting for Joe to come on and none of the performances in the first half were that rememerable. 

So Cry me a River was a little shaky, I heard a few bum notes, but then what do you expect from Lloyd.  Stand by me was much better, still not the best vocal but yeah good enough. 

Lucie Jones - Sweet Child O Mine & This is me. 

I didn't really like Lucie on the show tbh, I didn't mind her on the X Factor, but she was pretty screechy and shrill, it kinda went right through you, so she goes to the other little stage, and does a bit of not that great singing. 

Jedward - Ice, Ice Baby, Rock DJ, Ghoastbusters
Just like I expected, I didn't like their performances, I actually didn't find it very funny more annoying.  Obv there were some deaf kids behind me screaming like banshees, I really don't know what the fuss is about, I couldn't wait for them to evacuvate the stage. They walked on their hands, did the flying with the blowup snowman thing.  They didn't seem to be doing much singing at all, there were a few occassions that they had either lost there voice, forgot the words, or just out of breath from all the silly dancing they were doing, (well if you can call it dancing lol).  Most of the singing seemed to be from background singers, but I guess none of their fans went for their voice. 

The silly wiggle dance they do in Ice,Ice Baby was cringe, they couldn't move their hips in time with the music to save their silly talentless little lives.    So yeah they jumped around and amused the tiddlywinks. 

Jamie Afro - Sex on Fire, Hurt
I am not the biggest of Afro fans, you guys probably know I am not a lover of furry men who sing rock. But I have to say, Afro was pretty good with sex on fire, he got the audience going, I was singing along and so was most of the audience.  Hurt was ok, but I just kept thinking em, your vocal isn't that great, but for a rocker that was ok, but deffo prefferred sex on fire.

Danyl Johnson Purple Rain, Man in the Mirror, Little help from my friends
Danyl was actually pretty good, I have heard a few tour videos where Danyl sounded a bit off, but he really didn't disappoint.  Danyl didn't get the loudest of screams when he came out, but when he finished singing, he did.  I liked his version of Purple Rain.  I think I liked Man in the Mirror most from him though, his vocals were really good on that one, I would say the best none Joe performance of the night.  Little help from my friends was good too, Olly and Afro joined him, he didn't really need them, but they were good backing singers for him, he was deffo still star of that song.

Stacey Solomon - The Scientist, What a Wonderful World, Who wants to live forever, Queen of the Night
Stacey's first song was "The scientist" which she did on the little stage, yeah the vocal was pretty good, nice dress.  Queen of the Night I didn't really like, Stacey looked uncomfortable swinging her akward hips around the pole, and walking round the pole, totally RANDOMZ, I don't think it really worked, her vocals were also pretty shouty, not the best.  Who wants to live forever was her best song, really nice vocal, just the same as when she performed it on the show again nice dress.  Then What a wonderful world, now why did they bring Lucie on, she totally ruined the song with her again whiney voice, Stacey sounded much better then Lucie did, and deffo deserved to be the last standing girl, but it was ok.

Olly Murs - Superstition, Fool in Love, Twist & Shout
Erm what to say about "the entertainer", well he certainly didn't tickle my pickle.  I didn't really find it that exciting, I found the silly daddy dancing annoying, he kept thrusting his crutch in everyones face, which was the area the screen seem to concerntrate on, that and the silly bum wiggle in the middle of one song, can't remember which one, they all sounded pretty much the same.  Olly proved to me that he is the average medicore singer that I thought he was, lots of frustrated middle aged women were wetting themselves at his "sexyness", unfortunately I didn't see it, it whizzed right passed me.  The vocals weren't anything to write home about, tbh I couldn't wait for him to finish cos Joe was up next.  When Olly finished Fool in Love and went straight into Twist & Shout, I thought it was the same song, and said to myself "god stop prolonging the song and get on with it" until I realised it was the next song, he just sang them the same. ouch bitchy.

JOE MCELDERRY - DON'T STOP BELIEVING, LOVE STORY, SORRY, SHES OUT OF MY LIFE, DON'T LETTHE SUN, THE CLIMB.

So finally it was time for the star attraction after all the little support acts had been on, they, well some of them did a good job to warm up the audience.

Right so, Jeff introduced the journey bit.  My mouth was so dry as I hadn't had anything to drink, so I was trying to scream but nothing came out.  So as soon as that came on, I felt all emotional, when the clip of DWMF came on, (you may know this is my fav Joe song) I felt a little teary and just really proud.  Then the winner is bit, god I felt nervous then, like ooh who is going to win, LOL. Then Dermot says, and the winner is Joe, I screamed a little and so did the audience. 

Then Joe jumps up and starts DSB, I jumped out of my seat (the only time I stood up the whole time, I think the people next too me thought I was a right misery guts until he came on).  So after the first few lines of DSB and of me singing, my mind goes blank, just like blurry.  My mum says everyone was screaming and clapping, I noticed quite a few people out of there seats.  So I am not quite sure what happened there, really annoyed i don't remember that song, I keep asking my mum if he skipped around the stage like he usually does, hopefully I will remember this performance tomorrow and at Newcastle.  I think it must have been the shock. LOL. 

Next Love Story, so I have watched loads of clips of this song, I was singing along and doing the little dance, some girls behind me were standing up too.  Obv when Joe says clap your hands I did that, and was ready and waiting for his request to do so, as I knew when it was coming.

Sorry Seems to be the hardest word, so a lot of people sat down and just listened to Joe sing at this point, but I refused to sit down.  I stood there singing, clapping etc.  I did the occassional scream in the moment of silences, one girl shouted I love you Joe, that made me LOL.  So obviously Joe sang note perfect like always, so bloody effortlessly it is just stupid.

Straight into Shes out of my life, again just listening to him sing, well the poor people next to me, probably could hear my dreadful voice too but hey, I paid good money to go too.  Loved the high bit in that song, my mum said he sounded higher then on the telly, I didn't notice that, but he certainly sang like an angel as normal.

DLTSGDOM - Abosolutely brillant as expected, nothing less then perfection from our little Joe, at this point i am thinking, WTF, we have one song left, Joe has only been on stage for like 5 minutes, it just went to quick, probably not helped by the fact I blacked out in DSB. 

So lastly the climb - everyone was singing along, it did feel kinda emotional especially really listening to the lyrics about winning and losing etc.  Again sung brillantly, then it is the end. 

I didn't want it to end, I knew there was only You are Not alone left.

I sat down for the first part of this, to my satisfaction it was sung better then some of the clips I have seen of that performance, but I wasn't taking that much notice to anyone really especially when the terrible twins popped up again.  Where they show Joe on the screen, I kept screaming.  At the point where they show Joe's first audition pic on the screen, I screamed so loudly the man next to me, gave me the dirtiest of all looks, to which I said sorry and hide my on my mums shoulder out of embarrassment.    Then just before Joe came out, I manically jumped out of my seat.  I was singing along too Joe's bit, and really he should have just sang it on his own.  Then it was all over 

They all say bye and leave the stage.    I don't know what happened to the little chat with Jeff, but that never happened.  Olly spoke to Jeff so i felt it majorly unfair that Joe never had much of a chance to chat to Jeff or the audience.  Joe wasn't even the last to leave the stage I don't think, I think it was one of dumb and dumber boys, which isnt' fair as Joe is the bloody star of the show.

So in conclusion, a few of the acts were ok, a couple namely Jedward and Lucie were pretty bad.  And Joe was the best by a mile, even seating so far back you can still hear his amazing, clear, beautiful voice, wheras some of the others needed to be seen and in some cases not really heard. 

I would have liked Joe too do more songs, and get to chat to Jeff at the end.  I also would have liked Joe to be in the group songs, oh yes I forgot to mention "Wanna be Starting Something", would have been better with Joe.  Lloyd sung Joe's bit in wanna be starting something, (I know what you are thinking, lol Lloyd, yes Lloyd, obv it didn't have the same effect).

Gosh my hands are hurting, yes it was brillant glad i am going again tomorrow and Newcastle, with better seats yay. 

[PrincessBeccaLovesJoe]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVED reading that so much!!!!!!!!! Glad you had an amazing time, and you get to do it all again tomorrow!

[Tacom]

Wooohoooo!!  

It sounds like you are a fan of Joe  I refused to sit down  LOL

and I am sure your voice is not that bad Hubz LOL.. I do hope u will remember the DSB bit soon.. well you have a new chance tomorrow LOL

[Jen]

Yay! Brill review! Really enjoyed reading it!!!  Glad you had a great time! It's great you get to go tomorrow as well! x

[susiej]

Well Hubz, you have excelled yourself writing such a wonderful review, you really have.  I enjoyed every moment of reading it and thank you so much for sharing your experience with all the fans on this site.  Kudos to you 

[longlivegeordiejoe]

Wow Hubz I laughed so much whilst reading your review, especially at your descriptions of some of the, ahem, worse acts, lol. I love the way you went so wild when you saw Joe! I probably will too tomorrow, I hope I don't scare my sister, haha.

[emsylovesjoe]

Okay, Ive been waiting to write this review for some time now, and finally I can.

My friend and I made a poster - I wanted it to be for Joe, but she insisted we did one for all the finalists, as we met them all backstage at the live shows.



Here goes..

So we arrived there, all excited and nervous. (We thought we might have had a chance at getting backstage because my best friend, who I was with, is friendly with Lucie).

Anyway, I bought a Joe Tshirt and a programme. My friend thought I was mad spending £30 on merchandise haha.

So we queued up, had some food and then went to sit in our seats. WOW, was totally amazed at how close we were!! It really made me more excited for it to all start.

So we were sat in our seats, and my friend got a text off Lucie saying to meet Lucies manager at the interval and she will escort us backstage!! And so this really made us so excited and we got really into it and ready for it to begin!


PS - I have the order totally wrong haha sorry

The opening was very dramatic and serious. Joe appeared on a raising platform, and I don't think he was allowed to smile! He looked very grown up and serious with his arms raised up high!! Here, I noticed that he had changed his hair style!

The group song - I gotta feeling - was really good, and a great opening which really got us on our feet. Shame Joe wasnt in it, but glad they saved him until later on!!

First up was Lloyd, looking so different! Hair was shorter than the pics I'd seen from last week, and he was very stubbley! Growing up so much! Anyway, Ive never been too keen on Lloyds vocals, as I think he is quite a weak singer, but he did a really good job tonight with his songs, and worked well around the choreography. It was really nice to see him up there so happy having so much fun, and it mustve taken a lot of bravery to start the show, being the youngest one there!

Danyl got everyone going, he has a great vocal and really adds his own personal touch to the songs. He sung 'I get by with a little help from my friends' and dedicated it to his fans, which I thought was really nice. He started with 'Purple Rain'.. And also did 'Man in the mirror'. He, of course, was fab!

I noticed Jamie was quite emotional on stage. I think he was really pleased to be back in London, in the same arena where Bootcamp was held. It must have brought it all back for him. Ive never been the biggest fan of Jamie, but he really had the crowd singing along to 'Sex on fire'. He then had them sitting back down when he sung 'Hurt'. Haha thats only because its a slow and emotional song, but he really let out all the emotion in the song and connected with the audience really well.

Stacey - what can I say!? Does she ever disappoint? No! She sung 'The Scientist', 'Wonderful World', 'Queen of the night' and 'Who wants to live forever'. She, as usual, sung really well, and added in some fun Stacey-talk at the end when speaking to the crowd! Her and Lucie performed a duet which was really amazing!!


Olly was great fun. He sung 'Superstition', 'Twist & Shout' and 'Fool in Love'. He did really well and together with the fun dancing, he was very entertaining, I still dont think the voice is all there, but he has a good side of his voice which I really like.


Jedward - as usual - were a laugh, but so much fun. I dont know how theyve done it, but theyve transformed me. Ive met them several times, and every time I see them, they are the sweetest boys, and I couldnt not dance along to them, they got the crowd going and were so much fun!

The birthday girly Lucie was fab. She looked like she was having the time of her life on that stage. She performed 'Sweet Child O Mine' and 'This is me'. Both songs she did really well. I felt quite emotional for her when she sung 'This is me', because I was backstage with her that week on the X Factor, and it was the week that she got knocked out, and I remember her being so nervous on the Saturday evening. But anyway, despite how I felt, she was really great!!!

Anyway, the order here is messed up, but at the end of Jedwards 'Ghostbusters', my friend and I got up and headed to the front, by the stage. This was very close because we were only about row 10 of block A3.


Backstage
At the front, by the stage, we stood by the backstage door waiting for Lucie's manager, Sarah, to come and get us. We walked through the curtain and saw Lloyd carrying boxes around, and he looked up at us and smiled. We kept walking and following Sarah, until we saw Edward, who ran right up to be and almost suffocated me in his huge hug! I'd seen him the week before in Manchester, and they knew me from the early days of X Factor 2009 and backstage in November. And so we got a pic with Edward and had a little chat.

We then kept on walking, and stood outside the 'meet & greet' room, where the competition winners went. Lucie walked towards us and we gave her the present and card, and she hugged us both and was really sweet. She remembered us, of course (or she wouldnt have invited us backstage LOL). And then she had to go and do some 'Meet & Greets'..

Danyl came out after that, and was chatting to us because he remembered us from backstage and other times, and me from Manchester the previous week. He said to us "are you girls coming out with us after this?"!!! I was standing there like 'woaaaah, did he just ask that!', but yeah he did, and in the end we didnt go out with them because they were going to a club for Lucies bday, and we were underage to go clubbing...etc..

Next, I am standing in the corridoor with my friend , Lucie had come back from her meet & greets, and all of a sudden I see a door open, and someone say "SH*T" really loudly! I look to the side to see Joe walking towards me, and embarrassed for swearing, but the door hit him haha!!

He was surprised to see me backstage (again), and because Id only seen him on the Friday night (night before), he knew I was at the tour. I had another really nice one on one chat with him, where he was really serious in thanking me for everything.
He was saying like "Emma thank you so much for that DVD, I know you sent it me in December, but I havent thanked you properly, and I want you to know that I watched it over and over again with my mam over Christmas time, and I really appreciate it, and all the support you've shown me". And I was like, ahh ur welcome Joe, and then we just stood there chatting for a bit, had a photo... He was in trackies and a hooded top, and Lucie was saying like "Joe, you're not really dressed for the occasion are you?", and he laughed and said "Well I'm not on yet, so I want to be walking round all comfy, not like Gaga!!". This made me laugh so much haha, he loves Gaga!!
Anyway, after that, I gave him a letter, and he asked where I was sitting and that he would look out for me and give me a wave if he saw me!



(His new hair, I think it suits him so much! I told him to keep it like that!!)

After that I saw Stacey and Olly, and then we headed back out to our seats!


...... Now, Ive listed all the performances except someones? Yeah thats right.


Joe came on stage after we watched a video of his X Factor journey. He started with 'Dont stop believin' which got the crowd singing along and standing up for him. He then spoke a bit and then sung 'Love Story' which was amazing!! He then continued with 'Sorry seems to be the hardest word', 'Shes out of my life', 'Dont let the sun go down on me, and then lastly, 'The Climb'. Every one of the songs he performed, was done effortlessly and sounded amazing. I videoed some of this and took some pictures, and at other times I just stood there singing and shaking with pride!!

After that was, 'You are not alone', which was really nice, they all switched parts and were different to how they were on the charity single, which was nice to have a change.. Joe came on towards the end of the song and finished it off amazingly. He really was the star of the night..
Just as that song was finishing, I looked up at the stage to see him looking at me trying to get my attention and waving! I smiled and waved back and gave him thumbs up, he then winked back and walked offstage!

And the lights came on......

The whole of the tube journey home, I was annoying my friend so much, talking about Joe's performances and how amazing everything was. But we both agreed that it had been a truly sensational night, and I would go again right this moment if I could. The memories of that night will last for a very long time, and the pride I feel for Joe right now makes me want to laugh and cry. He has done me so so proud, as he has done many of you proud.

Amazing night! More pics to follow once I upload the rest!

[Hubz]

AMAZING NIGHT EMSY.  Wow you had brillant seats and got to see Joe backstage again, so lucky.

It is really lovely that Joe takes the time to really speak to his fans, and thanking your for the DVD you gave him, really lovely that he actually watches / reads all the messages he gets.

Thanks for your review, great read.  Obviously you got a bit more up close and personal then the rest of us lot, thanks so much for sharing.  I agree with you about the whole being so proud thing, I found it slightly emotional reading your review, which is rather strange.  But anyway yeah loved it, glad you loved the show, how could you not.  Please upload more pics when you can.

[susiej]

It was certainly worth waiting for Emma - fantastic review.  Lucky girl meeting Joe personally so many times *not jealous* 

It sounds as if you had a really exciting and eventful time.  Love Joe's new hairstyle 

Thank you so much for writing such an indepth report, loved reading it.

[Tacom]

WOW  Amazing Emma!  It's an awesome review of a night never to forget!

It is so nice that Joe thanked you for the dvd, and made sure where u were seated just to give you s special wave.
You are a really lovely girl and it could not have happened to someone nicer...well except me of course LOL

Great..Awesome!

[AJ94]

wow what an amazing review Hubz no wonder it took you so long to write it pity that your seats weren't that good, but you have got excellent seats in Newcastle glad to hear that Joe was perfect as always anyway thanks for posting such an excellent review Hubz, I have enjoyed reading it very much

and an amazing review from you too Emma loved reading it sounds like you had an awsome time you are so lucky meeting Joe and the other finalists that many times, but as Tacom said, it could not have happened to someone nicer   I have to say I'm slightly jealous though . lol

[PrincessBeccaLovesJoe]

I loved your review Ems! And I agree, I got quite emotional reading that you were emotional and proud of Joe! So glad you had a good time, it was definately worth the wait!

[emsylovesjoe]

Also - thank you guys for your comments about my review. I wanted to ensure that I wrote as detailed review as possible so that those of you who were unable to go, could really feel as if you were there.

Not sure if this has been posted before or not. It was on 20th March in the evening (night i was there)

Sorry if its been posted. Great video, superb quality.

X Factor Tour, O2 - Joe McElderry - The Climb

That wink at 1.56 is precious haha love it. And just seeing him so happy is amazing