Eternal Refuge

Well - you have been warned ... Long rambling posts to follow .... Feel free to ignore, but I want to remember as much of these days as I can.

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I left here at 6.15 on a cool foggy morning, and drove to my brother's house.  Tim lives in Exeter, so i was leaving my car there.  He drove me to the coach station on his way into work.  The coach left right on time at 8.20am.

I snoozed part of the way up - and listened to my mp3 ... nothing James, as I was shaky enough already!  As I got into Victoria I sent a text to xheartrockx  as we were arriving at roughly the same time.  I had actually got the international coding wrong, so she didn't get it, but as I joined the queue for train tickets, guess who was next to me?  Hugs Sway!

So we got our tickets and headed towards Picadilly.

Once there we checked in, only to find we were in the same room - well, for the first night.  As I had booked the 2nd night as a cancellation I had two different rooms!  So we got organised and headed straight out for Union Chapel.

Not too much of a queue - but there again, people do come and go a bit.  I joined the end, and was soon joined by 2 ladies (Karen & ?), and then a few minutes later by Catherine, who had come down from Scotland.  Needless to say we chatted - about .... James!!!!  It was great to meet them - and lovely to no longer feel a "Newbie".

Over the next few hours I was able to chat to ukchrisp  , aa_eve_aa  , cryssiemarsters  , jamalov29  , Bluehourmagic, as well as others that I never got to know their names.  Lovely to see friends in person - as well as know we were all there for one reason ...!!!

Slowly the seconds ticked away - and we started to move foreward.  The weird thing is that I couldn't wait to be there, yet, in some ways I knew once there it would soon be over.

The 4 of us sat about 6 rows back on the right, with GreySunrise sitting on the same row.  I spoke to pne or two other people I knew, including someone I had met on my first ever trip (yet still don't know her name!) and hawera 

Then the lights started to change - and the gig started ...

There were 2 support acts - the first was Smoke Fairies. They were very haunting blues style, with close harmony between their 2 voices. The other amazing thing about them - their figures! But they certainly have talent - and hope to hear that they have gone far.



Then Blue Gillespie came on. I will admit my heart had sunk when I saw them listed, as I had been completely in-impressed whe I heard them in Cardiff. However, they have gone accoustic now - and although not a group I could listen to (other than as a support for James) I was impressed by how they had changed and developed. Still don't like how Gareth sings - but that is personal choice.

 


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Now - we just have to wait for James - !!!!!!

While that was happening, GreySunrise had told us about the dog-tags/badges/mirror package available. And, although I had promised myself I wouldn't spend more money (that I don't have anyway) ... well, couldn't resist!

What can I say other than - wow !

I suppose I should say more - How about - ONE AMAZING EVENING !!

I know that he loves this venue, and having been the last 2 years, the accoustics are great. I always feel sorry for his support acts, as when James walks on stage, the atmosphere becomes completely electric.

He loves singing, that much is obvious - and as you wath him, you see both memories flit across his face, as his songs areall written about specific people and events. As you watch him you can see a lot of happy memories tied up in the words - as well as hopes and longings.

On ther songs, you can also see he enjoys playing to hs auience - the grins and smirks are great fun.

One of the many reasons I am a fan, and sped money I don't possess t see him, is the individual contact he gives us - and you see this as he is singing, he watches the audience, and catching eye contact with us ... and for those few seconds, you just know he is singing to you individually.

Here is a copy of the set list, that I managed to photograph, and behind the cut are a few thoughts on some of the songs.

 


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I am afraid that I find myself unable to remember any individual thoughts, as it was just such a beautiful evening - he was in such great form, and I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did.  I had my 2 favourite songs, he caught my eye a few times, and I managed to get some pictures.





There will be more pictures up later this afternoon!

I warn you now, that I have uploaded them at a larger size than normal - so if you are on dial-up, beware!

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If you want to see the rest from this evening - then there are more here - http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r305/Debris4spike/James%20-%20UC%2009/?start=0

If you use any, please do credit.

Well, I did warn you I would ramble!

As I was leaving Union Chapel (in a complete and utter state of James-Fog) I managed to focus enough to see deborahw37  and then as I was walking towards the tube I saw spikereader  ... So it was great to be able to see them both, as they have been great friends over the time I have known them ... Always good to be able to give and receive a hug in person - *hugs* you both again.

I then went back to Picadilly - hard to use the underground when you are floating - LOL

As I expected, I couldn't sleep .... even though I had walked around the shops and seen the statue of Eros!

The following morning, I then had to check out, and leave my luggage in storage.  xheartrockx  had suggested I leave it there, but thought that would end up confusing us both ... in the end the place worked out everything for me, and waived the storage fee.  So that was fine.

Then for the rest of the morning, I walked around some of "my" London.  I had hoped to meet up with dragonflylady77  but however hard we worked it, this time, it wasn't to be!

So, form Picadilly I walked down, via the Crimea Memorial to Trafalgar Square - so that I could also see my old college building.  from there I walked to Leicester Square, and up Shaftsbury Avenue and into Foyles (where all my college books had come from) ... Then I had coffee, and walked onto The Drill Hall ... arriving there about 3/4 hour early.  I had time to buy some water, and then joined the short queue ready to go in.

I had not long got there, when guess who arrived - James .... Yay, he looked happy and spoke to us all, so I said "Hello", at which he turned in my direction and grinned a "Hello" in return ... swoons!!!!

And so - time to go in!


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Pics of London to follow soon!

I have already posted some pictures of an intensly pretty subject ... so here is one I took about an hour ago as i went to visit a disabled patient.

The house was built by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney in the 19th centure, and behind is the equally Victorian Parish Church.

I went to college between 1979 - 1983 ... and for 3 of the 4 years, this was my college building -



So, for those 4 years this was the part of London I knew - and I haven't been back since!


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I don't really have time for this, as I am trying to get my weekend sorted out.  However, toe nail varnish is the only make-up I actually wear, so I couldn't resit this when I saw it on tamakin  s journal!

Your Toes Should Be White

A little funky and a little fresh, you're constantly evolving your flirting style. Your ideal guy: A witty brainiac with hottie potential Stay away from: Overly dorky guys who become obsessed with you

The afternoon started on time, and we went into a bar area, where we could buy the Cap't John dols if we wanted. I am saving my money, so i was a good girl!

We then went into the theatre - and imagine my shock ... second row ... centre! I knew the seat allocation before I went in, but somehow I presumed I would be at the edge! I was sitting next to a lady who introduced herself from CDS (LateStarter) and another lady, whose name I promptly forgot!

As we had gone in we were given a goody bag - with a signed picture of Piccolo, a Battlesat Galactica Mousemat (I am old enough to love the original series), and a quiz. There was alaso a timetable, and about 3/4 of the bags had a magazine (but not me!)

Then Steve came and explained how the day was going to go.



Then it was time for the James-Fog to attack .... OOooops, I mean it was time for the photographs! Steve explained that we would all get one picture, and if we wanted any more we could buy up to 3 pictures ... So, bang went my theory of not spending any more money! Guess who bought some more pictures??? Yes, the easy option is that DJ can now go without his next set of shoes, I'm sure he wont mind, as it is all in a good cause!!

The order was roughly in the rows we were sitting in - and during the time they were showing "Teachers" on a screen.  This was apparantly filmed at The Queen Mary.  As well as seeing that, it gave us all a chance to get to know new poeple, and ctch up with friends.

Then it was our rows turn ... and we made our way downstaires. 

As ever, struck dumb by the lovely man!

I was lucky - a hug, then a picture, and he held me while the photographer checked the picture, and found it needed to be taken again - so the hug tightened, before it was time to leave him again ... with a whispered "Thank you" as all I could manage!

I then went up and bought the new tickets for the second oppertunity of pictures - well, this one may not have come out .... Although, here is the proof that it did -



We then went down again, and this time I managed a "Hello" as he gave me a hug, before I had my 3 pictures.  He is so patient, and caring - and great to have that oppertunity of being near him again!

Now it was time for the actual "Class" itself.

The session started off with James talking about his changes from Theatre to film acting, and the difference between the two mediums - and how he is unhappy with his original scenes in Buffy, where he feels he over-acted. However, Mr Marsters, there is much I would disagree with you about - However that is one thing. Spike needed to (and did) make an entrance ... then to watch from the posturing drama of a master vampire to an adoring partner of a sick lover, in a few seconds of film ... That is acting, the best you can get!

He talked about objective and obstacle ... I wish that the afternoon had been videoed as I would have spent more money and bought it! Although not an actor (and no way will I ever be one!) ... I do play in an orchestra, and a lot of the points James was making about focus and working with the rest of the cast through a scene made a lot of sense.

We all did a warm up session - neck relaxation exercises, which I can say are some that I am now going to prescribe to patients. They are great, and easy - and I hadn't heard of them ... so YAY - James helps an osteopath with her job! Gareth then did a voacl warm up exercise - and it was fun to watch James trip over the lines ... but sadly annoying to hear Gareth forget what he was doing ... and then have to finsh with the F word ... I'm sure that word wasn't in the original version!

They then gave us 2 scenes -

One of Spike and Giles in The Yoko factor, and the other of Ianto and Capt Jack in Kiss Kiss bang Bang.

To watch Spike emerge in front of my eyes was a treat to behold. Both scenes were played the same way - firsttly in the traditional style, as we had already seen on TV, and then in an over-acted style, making both scenes camp and ridiculous.

Kudos to James - he knew all his lines, Gareth ahd to had the script for the Buffy scene.

It was great - again, I would love to have a video and see them again. Both scenes were special moments in the stories, but to see them badly acted was tremendous. I have a feeling the next time I see either episode I shall be drawn back to this afternoon. How they held it together at the end was great - as the audience were in histerics wacthing Capt Jack and Ianto flirting ... so, both actors get points for that.

My opinion of James acting went up even further after these dispalys,a nd I was pleasantly suprised at how Gareth performed (as my least favourite of the Torchwood actors).

We then had an acting Q&A, with both of them answering a similar amount of questions.

 

More photos will be up in a minute!

This is all under a cut, as it is "just" a selection of 10 large photographs that I took of James in the class and the Q&A.


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There are a few more available here at my photobucket account