Hyde Park Report - The First Of Many

[Anonymous]

I can't believe I'm the first to post, maybe everyone is still on a high........

I got there at 5, had something to eat and a few drinks. At first, I didn't think that 10,000 people could fit in there. I still doubt it, but anyway.....

I took a bet with a bloke in the toilets as to what song would song Meat would open with. He felt that it would be No Matter What, I guessed Life Is A Lemon. We then took our seats to watch Kasim perform a few of his songs, including Mark Alexander on keyboards and John Miceli on drums. Now I've heard a few shameless plugs in my time, but Kasim, you scored a 10.

Patti then followed with a cover of Queen's "Tie Your Mother Down", with the whole band, which was superb. I couldn't hear what the other song was called exactly, because her mike went quiet but I'm guessing "Madeline". It sounded very good though. After her set, she warned us that "He" was coming.

And he came out to a 5min applause, working the crowd up, playing half of the crowd against the other. And he did start with Lemon, although his voice was a little shaky to begin with. Then following with a song from Testify, sorry didn't know the title. Then Lawyers, Guns and Money and then Tear Me Down. Tear Me Down was brilliant and I hope that it gets released as a single.

Dead Ringer was done with humour and passion, and the band were playing a blinder. Matt on guitar was phenominal, putting 110% into every note and chord. I Would Do Anything For Love got off to a slow start, mainly because Meat wanted absolute silence and wasn't getting it. So a few choice words were said with some witty put downs and the whole show got better after that.

If you are going to one of the upcoming shows, and you're female, make sure you are wearing an odd colour bra or something different. You'll see what I mean when you get there. Definately no panties, the band won't touch them.

They all sat around and tried to sing I'd Lie For You, until someone in the front row put Meat off and they sung Mony Mony instead. Pearl and Amanda sung together for Two Out Of Three, the singing gene definatley runs in the family.

I'm sorry if I'm getting the order wrong but I have a rubbish memory for things like that. All Revved Up was played and the whole crowd got behind that one. Paradise was superb, the traditional act was top notch and Patti could quite easily sue for GBH or Sexual Harrassment the way Meat was going for her. Don't blame him though, she looked beautiful, as did Pearl.

Bat Out Of Hell was the finisher and I love the way Matt plays it. He can play the bike solo better than Todd Rundgren. I was exhausted at the end just singing along and watching, God knows what Meat felt like.

But he came on for an encore, for the first time in 16 years, to play Jonny B Goode. I think it was because he enjoyed himself so much last night, and it showed.

Meat, we love you, come back soon. PLEASE!!! And hurry up with Testify, I'm getting impatient now.

[Steve]

So the gig was OK then?

[anne222]

Thank you soooooo much for your report. I now have to wait till Sunday but after reading that it will be worth the wait. I will remember to wear an odd colour bra :wink:
anne222

[Anonymous]

:D I attended the gig at Hyde Park and can confirm that it absolutely ROCKED !!!!!!!!!!

The only issue I would raise is about the first three songs. They were having technical difficulties all evening with the support acts and these continued when Meat came on. "Life is a Lemon" is supposed to be played a full volume to get everyone rocking but unfortunately the mikes kept cutting out and thevolume kept fluctuating that it sounded awful and there were a few people looking around wondering what was going on. Not until "Guns and Money" did everything get sorted andthe gig really started to take off.

Meat had to work incredibly hard to bring the audience round and boy did he succeed. His stage precence was superb throughout and he looked like he was really having a great time (as did the rest of the band). I did have a woman next to me with two quite young children and she walked out after about 30 minutes as Meat choice of language and antics (Especially the way he mauled Patti throughout Paradise) were more outrageous than I have ever seen in one of his live shows.

I can't wait for the supposed tour next year after testify is released especially if he does perfoms at indoor arenas as you get a much better atmosphere is an enclosed arena.

One last quibble. I can't believe that for an artist as popular as Meat that there were empty seats. Out of the five or six tiered sections at the rear of the seating, there were at least three of them completely bare. This is totally unacceptable and I hope that when he tours next year the same shocking scenes are not repeated.

[s]

i just have to say that well, what i was gonna say has already been said! essentially it was fantastic and he was fantastic and patti was possibly better (?) no what am i saying?? but seriously that girl can sing!! at points you couldn't hear him singing for the crowd yelling out every single word (or that could have been the dodgy mikes)! his stage presence is amazing, and my only complaints are possibly it wasn't quite loud enough, and meat should re-grow his hair. thankyou guys come back soon!!!!

s

[Anonymous]

hi guys,

I was there laast night and it was bloody fantastic! This was my first live concert ever, and I loved it, in Paradise, at the end, when Meat went Carrabean!

The magic moment for me personally was when he started doing DeadRinger. This wasn't on any known previous stlists, and I said to someone that it was a damn pity he won't be doing this.

So there you go.

I may post a review soon to KasimInfo.com.

Regards,
Danny

[Feleena]

:D I was at Hyde Park last night. The whole show was fantastic!!! I know I had a great time as I cannot speak today I have no voice left!!!! Hurry back soon Meat is all I can say. He was awesome and you can tell he had fun last night!!

Cheers

Feleena

[Meatles]

The reason for there being empty sets was because of the reserved seating for the OIFC fan club members. I was surprised myself to see that in Sarnia Ontario there was a full house at the arena of 4000 and the concert was under promoted!

[LucyK!]

I was there too and I don't think there's really anything left to say! Fantastic! Absolutely amazing! Aswell as the songs being outstanding as usual, great to see tha tthe big guy still has that sense of humour! ( Trying to silence us lot - and he managed it! ) We even managed to get a wave from him while the support group were on, so thanks Meat!! :D

But a huuuge thank you also to all the people I met from the MLUKFC! Many of you I'd met before and it was great to see you all again, and being able to match a few more names to faces kinda helps me to know who I'm talking to! lol

Thanks to Feleena, still the batty lady I remember from last year! Alex and Tom, brilliant to see you two again - cheeky as ever! Ewan, what can I say! Amazing to see you again, definately worth the wait and all those frantic emails! And nice on for putting up with me for the entire show - getting that seat was unreal! Anne and Diane, lovely to see you again! And to all those I met for the first time - Rainer ( just as cheeky as he is on here! ), Michael, Sue, Greg, Donna, Ankie, Thea and Susan - I've seen most of you making appearences in the MLUKFC Newsletter but it was just brilliant to see you all in person adn match a few more names ad faces! Hopefully there'll be many more chances to do it next year too!

[Anonymous]

Well my voice is getting back to normal, I did wonder yesterday if I could talk normally but found after an attempt that it really did hurt too much! I ended up whispering for most of the day. I haven't screamed myself that hoarse at a concert before - but the pain was worth it, just to see Meat Loaf live!

I was sitting 18 rows back, to the left as you look at the stage, just in from the aisle. And what a view! I've never been so close to an artist, and never one as good as Meat Loaf.

I can't remember the whole playlist, please forgive me but I was too busy enjoying myself to write down the songs! But when he sang "I'd do anything for love" - I was in tears. Mainly from the way he was singing (and Patti, of course), but also because I just never believed that I would be so close to such a great man, watching and listening to him playing songs I've only ever heard on my stereo.

I didn't think I'd ever get to see him live - so to see him on Wednesday has totally blown my mind. He's a consummate artist and plays the audience with the same love and attention that he plays his songs. Watching him calm the audience down before singing "I'd do anything for love" was both funny and touching - the way he wanted silence, and kept stopping and starting, pretending to walk off and then coming back as the audience screamed and cried for him. Wow. Words fail me.

And to see Pearl and Amanda both singing backing vocals for "2 out of 3"...

It's kind of scary to realise that Meat Loaf has been singing and performing for longer than I've been alive - but I guess that's one of the things I love about him so much - his music is timeless, classic rock, and holds the love of his listeners. I can't see any current "new" acts making it as he has. To be loved for over 25 years by so many thousands, to have the fans flock to your concerts for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their hero... (or twice-in-a-lifetime for some posters I've seen!)

Hopefully it won't be too long before I can see him again... I'm tempted to move to the US just so I can jet around seeing him a little easier... maybe I could become a roadie...

I've loved Meat Loaf for about 8 years, but it feels like he's always been a part of my life, like I've always known and loved his music. Like I was born loving the music. I'm sure there's a great many people out there who know exactly what I mean!

His style, his music, his family being on stage - the band... Just - wow.

And nice plug there by Kasim - I think I may be buying a new CD soon... as well as "Testify" of course!

Never, ever, stop rocking!

[Anonymous]

:D

MEAT LOAF WAS FANTASTIC!!!

Never seen anyone do a standing ovation when an act comes ON, and then are still standing at the end! Incredible (my first time :oops: ).

Cant wait for testify, songs sound great!

[ChoccyBat]

Su - I do know exactly what you mean - because I pretty much WAS born listening to Meat! In 1980, back when Meat was really hitting it BIG over here, my mum and dad had just bought a new car, the first they ever had with a tape player. And the one tape that was always played was Bat - of course! Well at the time mum was about 2 months pregnant with me, and every time they went to the pre-natal classes and to the hospital, it would be Bat on the stereo. Now, 21 years on I'm getting extremely excited about seeing Him for the first time ever, in Liverpool on Monday. Mum still says she can't believe that I'm going to see a man live in concert who she listened to while pregnant with me! Like you say, I can't see anyone in 21 years time going to see a live act that are in the charts now - the man is a legend!

When people ask me why I love Meat (and Jim's) music so much, I often think back to those days - in the 21 years since then I've got a degree, learnt to drive, fallen in and out of love, so much more and yet am still crazy about the same music I was probably conceived to! (Haven't actually asked! 8O )

I've managed to get half a day off work on Monday to get ready, but there ain't gonna be much work done in the morning - lets get ready to rock!

[Anonymous]

I gotta say the show was great, but i think he played too many old songs. He should've played two other songs from "Bat Out of Hell II", a couple from "Neighbourhood" and at least one from '98. I was excited when he started "I'd lie for you" but then ... i was really disapointed. Please MeatLoaf don't do that again and sing the damn song on the next tour!

[Darth Mole]

I went and had the time of my life, it was good to see so many people from all different ages.