The Bowie experience (Absolute Bowie)

My view from my original seat

One of the most annoying things about being a newer Bowie fan is that, since he's dead, I've never had the opportunity to see him perform live, and I never will. Obviously, this is a major first-world problem, but I always thought that, even though he was British, I doubted anyone would ever do a tribute to him or come up to the north of England if they did. However, as luck would have it, an advert came up on my Instagram feed for the Absolute Bowie tribute concert, and so I immediately wanted to go. A problem with this, though, was that no one I know really likes Bowie, aside from one friend and my boyfriend. So I asked my boyfriend first, and he said it was a major maybe due to his unknown schedule in the army, so I asked my friend. Unfortunately, she couldn't afford to go and wouldn't want to let me pay for her, and then she would pay me back. So I thought I'd kind of hit a wall there. Until I got to thinking, looked at the timings of the show, and decided that I would brave it and go on my own.

Being a legal adult and also wanting to practice being more comfortable spending time with myself, I thought it was a brilliant opportunity, and so I booked my ticket and trains ready for the big day. Since then, my mam has asked if I want her to go with me literally every time I bring it up. Whilst I appreciate the offer, I know she's only doing it because she feels bad for me, as she's one of those people who doesn't believe that someone can have a good time on their own without feeling and looking like a loser. She did a similar thing when I wanted to go to the Backrooms movie, and whilst I thought this would be a great experience for us (despite me wanting to go on my own), she was obviously bored and spoke loudly quite often. So I'd rather not have a repeat of that, as I want to be able to sing and dance freely. Not that I dislike my mam, but I didn't think it would be the space for her because she has claustrophobia, so would want to sit at the back, which would likely have a terrible view and also has no seats left (plus, I'd already booked my seat in the middle).

My day started off well - I got to the station early, so I had time to park my car on the other side and walk to the correct platform. I parked on the other side so that I didn't have to walk too far to get to my car whilst it was dark and I was on my own - and also so I don't have to spend so long in the cold!

When I crossed over, I was confused because the train was there and like ten minutes early, and normally trains to my station are, normally, about ten minutes late. Some guy who was lingering by the doors then started talking to me about how we can't get on or something? I couldn't understand him and also missed half of what he was saying as I had my earphones in when he started speaking to me. So I went up to the staff, and they told me that the train was meant to leave about forty minutes ago, but there were some signalling issues further up the track, so there were lots of backed-up trains. They were nice enough to let me on anyway, even though it wasn't my train. I felt so lucky, as after getting on, the train started moving! Then it stopped after about ten feet. Then it started moving again! I was happily texting my mam and boyfriend, relieved that my worries were behind me, and I would get there just on time!

I was so wrong.

The train stopped at Sunderland, and I found it weird that no one started getting on after people had finished getting off. Then one of the workers made an announcement that no more trains were going to Newcastle. So I asked her if there were any metros to Newcastle. Nothing. Nothing was going to Newcastle. This spiked my anxiety - I have been dying to go to this show for months, and I can't because of some stupid signalling issues? Just my luck! But then my parents suggested I get an Uber. He was stressing me out a bit, though, as he drove in the opposite direction, then stopped, so I worried, thinking I had done something wrong, but then he started driving to my pickup point, and I was so relieved. Now that I am typing that out, I wonder if he had someone else to drop off before picking me up, and that's why he went the way he did.

He was a really nice driver; he picked me up next to a Greggs, so he asked if I wouldn't mind if he got something, and also offered to buy me something! As much as I love Greggs, I didn't want to waste his money, as it was a no-outside-drinks-allowed type of venue, but I thought it was so nice of him to ask! He was one of the nicest Uber drivers I've ever had, and got me there right as doors had just opened! I got in easily; I basically had the restrictions memorised and kept my bag minimal. My seat was booked right in the back, but like right in the middle too! So I had a really good view. But then, I heard the workers speaking to people near me and moving them to different seats, so I thought maybe they were confused and in the wrong seats. But then they came up to me and offered to move me closer to the front for free, so I obviously said yes! I got such a good view - my seat row went from AA to, I think, E or F?

The show started slightly later than 19:30, but it was a great opening. I'm going to be honest and say I can't remember what he opened with, but just know it was good. I can remember some of the songs he played - for example, I was surprised he did All The Young Dudes - I know Bowie is the original, but to me, that's a Mott the Hoople song. The first half finished less than an hour later, as it was all of Bowie's 70s hits. Then the second half moved over to the 80s. The closing songs were Space Oddity (all the way back to 1969!) and Heroes, though he completely missed out the first half of Heroes, which confused me. I also can't remember him singing the last verse of Young Americans, which is my favourite part of the song! I felt quite silly halfway through the first part too, as I noticed that no one else around me was singing along, which, for me, was the whole point of me going! I can't understand people going to shows like that and NOT singing along! People were sat with stone-cold faces, like they weren't watching such an amazing tribute artist? Yes, I did continue to sing along, as I spent like £35 on a ticket that was not going to waste.

The show finished a bit before 22:00, but it was hard to get out as, for some reason, people were deciding to have reunions in the middle of the aisles. It was also disgusting the amount of plastic cups which were being left at people's seats - I always have the thought that if you can carry it full, you can carry it empty! It also confused me because when drinks are empty, you can stack the cups and carry them with you much more easily. It's obviously not as bad as leaving rubbish outside, but those poor workers! They shouldn't have to have harder jobs to make up for people's laziness.

I then waited in queue for about twenty minutes to get a photo with the guy who was doing the Bowie tribute - he was actually such a nice guy! Other than when he asked if I had seen the real Bowie live - surely I can't look that old? Unless I made him feel old because I replied saying I was 7 when Bowie died. I was really pushing it for my scheduled Uber home time, but he pulled up about five minutes after I got to the pickup point. Another canny bloke, he was a proper Geordie - makes sense since it was Newcastle.

the infamous photo

When I got home, it felt so relieving to have something to eat and do my whole bedtime routine. I didn't even have much makeup on, but I don't know how to explain it other than my face felt caked with makeup? I had a beautiful sleep, and when I woke up, the Absolute Bowie Instagram account had reposted my stuff four times - with two of them being the same photo! This surprised me, in all honesty, as I didn't think my photos were very good - my phone camera looks like found footage compared to my friends' phone cameras! But it felt like I had my ten minutes of fame. If a tribute artist for a dead singer can make you famous.

Overall, though, I thought the show was insanely good! For even casual fans of Bowie, I would definitely recommend this experience; he goes all over the UK and Europe - even recently doing an Australia tour! I would also say the tickets are reasonably priced for what you get - there were way more costume changes than I expected! He also sounded exactly like how I remembered Bowie sounding in his interviews; he really nailed it! He also had an amazing show presence and was quite funny. But obviously he would be good considering he's been doing it for twenty years - his vocals were insane!