An Audience with Joe McElderry – Lea Manor High
I took a half day at work on Friday so that I had enough time to get to the venue and catch up with friends. I got into work late, started to get changed and ready at 12.30pm and left I 1pm. In-between 9.30am – 12.30pm I did around 10 minutes worth of work, so was basically as useful as a chocolate teapot. I met a friend at St Pancras station and had a spot of lunch and a chat, well after I got slightly lost of course. Before we knew it it was after 3pm so we headed off to get our train.
We arrived in Luton around 4.30pm and went to a local pub to meet some other friends for more chat and food. We headed off to the theatre at 6.30pm and were pleasantly surprised at how lovely the theatre looked from the outside; it was also very impressive from the inside too. Bar and café, it was obvious that a lot of time, effort and money has been put into improving and growing this school into something really quite lovely.
The doors opened after 7pm and we went to take our seats, there was no stage just floor space. The seats were tiered and I really don’t think there would be a bad seat in the theatre; it was small and very very intimate. I was also happy with how the full the theatre looked after all the stressing on the thread. Without further a due I am Titch was introduced to the stage.
I really enjoyed Titch’s set, I thought her songs where very good and she is a talented and passionate songwriter, especially for someone so young. After a quick interval it was time for Joe so we all shuffled back to our seats in time for the main event.
Joe started off with The Climb, Jamie on the Keys, loved the “proving those haters wrong” bit, love a bit of feisty Joe. Also really liked Jamie coming in at the chorus. Next was Solitaire which was lovely as usual and so good with Jamie playing the piano. Loved the long note near the end.
Part of Me was next, when Joe had tweeted that he was singing Part of Me I had thought ooh god are we going to get an exclusive song and was a bit disappointed when he said it was a cover, but still excited of course. I couldn’t think of a Katy Perry song called Part of Me, but recognised the song straight away when I heard it, how did I not click onto what song it was haha. Jamie switched to guitar and Joe got up to bop around the stage a bit, but nothing like he used too, far more chilled. Loved the single ladies hand movement he did haha.
We were told there would be 3 Q&A sessions, there was only two, but I think Joe answered more questions than he was meant too and ran over so I was perfectly happy with the two sessions. I think there were quite a few good questions, very informative and interesting and it’s nice to get Joe’s perception of fame and how to deal with being recognised and so on. I think Joe’s growth both personally and professionally is clear for all to see, he has progressed so much, he is so much more confident, relaxed and comfortable on stage now, taking questions from an audience. 2 years ago I don’t think Joe could have done this; Lumley is the only other gig I can think of that Joe took questions, but sometimes it felt a bit scripted in terms of Joe’s answers. Now Joe is happy to answer any question, sometimes diplomatically, sometimes honestly but it always feels very natural and chilled out, no awkwardness or robotic answers.
It must be quite scary and nerve wracking to be performing in front of such a small crowd, all eyes on you, every move you make to be sruntized, critized and watched. I can understand why Joe made the reference to being stripped bare, musically he was stripped bare and to open yourself up to any questions is the same, Joe dealt with it all very well, including the Olly and Simon questions. Joe can even reference to private and personal feelings now like coming out and being dropped and he brushes past the subject in such a relaxed manner.
I find Joe’s attitude on his career and outlook on life in general so inspiring, fascinating and beautiful. He has such a happy go lucky view and it really is quite refreshing. I found it interesting and revealing that Joe admitted to being a bit like a rabbit in the headlights after he first won, he was so young and naïve then and now he realises how the industry work and how to deal with the press and being recognised etc. The question “Do you see the same Joe as before you entered the X Factor”, such a good question and such a good answer. Joe is as he said a stronger version of what he was before.
Joe has had his ups and downs in the past few years, his life has been turned upside down, he was given a glimpse of his dream then let down, but he didn’t sit at home and mop, he brushed himself off and tried again. He faced the haters and the critics and came back fighting, he proved himself to be the talented little star he is and as long as he keeps proving that he is in a good place. I just think Joe is in a very happy place right now and it shows. I loved the little bits of information Joe gave us that we didn’t know before, the little stories and just his answers in general.
Need You Now is my new obsession! I had never heard of Lady A before Joe tweeted about them earlier in the year. When Cheryl and Gary sung the song for the Jubilee celebrations it did nothing for me. When we discussed Joe was singing this song as a duet for the TCT ball I watched the original video on YouTube and loved the lyrics and was desperate to hear Joe sing the song. But we got one better, we got a solo version. As soon as Joe started the song I was just transfixed, I closed my eyes for about 10 seconds at a time to take it in. Joe’s voice is just so beautiful and feels like silk. Absolutely loved the collabation with Joe and Jamie, I think their voices blend together so well. Jamie’s voice is quite different to Joe’s in my opinion and Joe’s voice is very distinctive. Joe has said in the past he wouldn’t like to be in a band as you would have to rely on someone else for harmonies etc. and Joe’s voice being so special and unique could prove problematic if trying to blend with someone else, but I think it worked really well with Jamie on all songs, Need You Now being my favourite, I can only describe the partnership as being like a Twix a mix of caramel and chocolate, but it works so good together, (I love a good Twix). This is perhaps the reason why we have never seen Joe with backing vocalist before. Joe being the perfectionist that he is, it must be a big deal for him to rely and trust on someone to be his backing vocalist and play instruments.
I think Joe and Jamie have a really fantastic partnership and I really look forward to hoping seeing Joe working with Jamie in the future. Joe sung the majority of the song with his eyes closed in that “zone”. I felt the song could have been Joe’s; it could have been written for him or even by him. Joe made it his own in every way you can. I cannot even really find the words to describe how I felt and feel now listening to Joe sing this song other than gorgeous and perfect. Goosebumps(licious). Joe singing this song with Jamie on piano was the best way of showcasing Joe’s voice at it’s up most beautiful and passionate moments and to show off the lush lyrics. I have always adored watching Joe really get into a song, get lost in and let the passion pour out.
Back to the music and the next song was Dance With My Father, I loved the other acoustic versions of this song and it was certainly no different. Joe sung Someone Wake Me Up before taking more questions. Was good to hear Someone Wake Me Up again, it had been so long, also interesting that Joe said it was the song Joe enjoyed recording the most and that he should have put the song in the set list. If You Love Me was after Q&A, I loved the fact Joe mixed a bit of Teenage Dream into the song, I love it when artists do mash ups and blend songs together. Was good to see an acoustic version of If You Love Me, Joe encouraged everyone to sing along and asked Joe to sing a line after him, another thing that I love. Superman lastly, another song I love from Wide Awake and really suits this kind of laid back setting, was lush.
Then it was time for Jukebox Joe Part 2. The first song request was Imagine, and this was my favourite from this Jukebox Joe, the improvement in Joe’s voice from when he first sung this song at Judges Houses was incredible, it was like velvet. I would love to hear a full length version of this. Ah was stunning, even them few seconds I was mesmerized. Then Telephone was good to hear a bit of this song after so long.
Someone asked for Fix You and Joe asked if we would prefer to hear something new, to which everyone got begging for a clip of a song on the new album. Despite the fact that fans were then chanting for 1 line, Joe gave in and said he would give us 2 lines. Done!! Think Joe was bursting to give us an exclusive, and from what we heard it sounded fantastic and makes me even more excited for the next album. Crazy in Love followed then Mysterious Girl; Joe laughed but took on the challenge, even though he couldn’t remember all the words. The “Move Ya body” little rap was hilarious. Listen was next and even though Joe was saying how this song is rift crazy, from the bit he sung he did a flipping good job - lovely, lastly Love On Top, it was Beyoncé crazy haha.
So it was the end, or so we thought. A girl appeared from the top of the stairs singing happy birthday presenting a cake to Joe. Joe looked generally shocked, but in a good way. Joe blew out the candles making a wish to a number 1 album. Then another chorus of Happy Birthday started with the fans, everyone was on their feet and Peggysue and Jennywren went to the stage to give Joe the joe-nuts cake.
Then it was all over! We had been told Joe would do a meet and greet and the first 5 rows should be seen first. I got in the queue with Jenni, there were already quite a few people there. We waited our turn. Joe asked what we thought of the show and I told him I loved the Lady Whatits song, (I cannot say the name), Joe looked at me laughed and said in a very convincing cockney accent, Lady Whatits, was funny. I also said how I love the acoustic sets, Q&A’s etc and Joe said he did too. I grabbed one of the signed cards on the table, the hoody one and Joe signed my ticket without me even asking or giving him the ticket, he just took it out of my hand. After JT took our photo with Joe he started playing with Jenni’s massive phone and said he wanted one.
After we had seen Joe, me and Jen sat around while Joe saw everyone else. How fantastic of Joe to sit there for 1 hour and a half, smile and meet every fan that queued up, Joe had a very long journey home and he had a early start in the morning, so it was good of him I think to see everyone.
Lots of fans were leaving the at the same time as Joe and a few people got more hugs and byes outside before Joe headed to the car. At which point I realised I had left my jacket in the theatre so went running back inside to beg the security guy to check the theatre, which he did very reluctantly. When I walked out of the theatre I couldn’t see my friends and panicked they had left without me. I was running along the grass/pavement, I car beeped as he drove round the corner and I saw some fans waving, I wondered who it was in the car. As the car past me I heard a little voice saying Bye, it was Joe. I looked round to see the windows down and Joe smiling out the car, I said in a rather camp voice, oh hello, bye and waved like a crazy women. I got to the end of the street to find my friends waiting there by the car.
I stayed the night at a friends and was fully entertained and laughing my head off the whole night. We didn’t get to bed before after 5am and got up before 10am for a lovely cooked breakfast. After breakfast we watched Blue Peter then had a lovely walk round the village where I tried a few cheeses, cooking oils and ate a lovely carrot cake. Then I set off on my journey home that ended up taking around 3 hours due to replacement buses and maintenance work.
Final word(s) on this gig is, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Everything I have always wanted from a Joe gig, just Joe and an instrument sounding like heaven and some comfortable, relaxed laid back chatting, it was absolutely perfect and despite the fact Joe didn’t actually sing that many songs, I in know way felt short changed. The show was magicient and I really hope he does shows like this in the future and soon. Ps. I am actually now unhealthy obsessed with Joe’s version of Need You Now to the point that I think I need to be surgically removed from clicking replay on YouTube.
My playlist
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A935BF32C61DC6D
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