Tour memories Manchester

[Floz]

What follows is a series of personal accounts and newspaper reports, originally posted on GG............

From Rachel Gates on GG

*Reporting from Gareth studios,This Is Rachel Gates*

Last night Gareth took to the stage at Manchester Evening News Arena...In this Report I will Include my Full report But My Main Duty is to give you all FULL,FULL Details On the Performance!!!

Im quite Tired but I came here this morning because I wanted to give you all the details!

Here goes :

Thursday 4th March,The Day Id been waiting for to come. I had already been to NEC But because this time would be my last...This was the most special. I had to make the most of it.

I headed off on the Train to Manchester at about 12oclock,I wasnt planning on leaving that early originally but I couldnt wait any Longer!!

The Train didnt take too Long....(Wont Explain about the Actual Journey Dont worry!)

Me and My Mum got to Manchester Picadilly at 1oclock,Oh But wait....It was the wrong station! We were supposed to go into Victoria!!

So we had to Get a Tram upto Victoria which didnt take long.

Finally I saw the MEN!! WOOOOOOO!! Atleast I was now there!!

I went outside the Gates of the MEN and there were 2 other Fans (Nice meeting you Both)

....There was a Bus already inside the Yard bit and a few lorries and there was Vans going in and out for Drinks and Catering....Gareth Must have ordered!

But we didnt know whether GARETH was already in or not,The security said He was in there....But why was they waiting outside? Just for Fresh Air?! LOL

So we wasnt Tricked That easily!

Jess and Amy arrived then and they told us that Gareth wasnt there because That wasnt his bus,Might have been his Band bus or sumthing.

So we went away for a bit for a drink and to go the toilets and Jess and Amy had to go to the Hotel to Get Sharon and Yvonne and see whether Lauren had arrived yet.

So me and mum went Back to the MEN and waited....And waited.

Jess,Amy,Sharon and Yvonne Came back and we sat and waited for Gareth because we knew He would come at about 4!

There was more and more Fans arriving by the minute to try and catch a glimpse of MR GATES!! But My God he was cutting it short....2 hours almost we waited to Just see Him arrive!

Lauren had been driving up to Manchester and Had gotten Lost....Hunny You didnt have a very good day did you Darlin? But you got here in the end! (LOL at u Coming past and Beeping!)

And So did Gareth eventually!

We all saw a Bus turning the corner and we Just knew!!

And It was...When it went past we heard someone Banging the windows! Yes Gareth It was

So That cheered us up!!

Ill try and not ramble so Forgive me!!

We went into Macdonalds to have sumthing to eat coz we were starving!!!

We noticed that a Few of Gareths Family were there too,His mum must have been taking the Meet and Greets inside to meet Gareth.

Jess and Amy got to go in to see Gareth....Thank You Soooo Much for getting my programme signed!! Love yaz!!

I met with Lindsay Gates 4eva In Mcdonalds! Lovely meeting you too!!

PERFORMANCE REPORT

6.00ISH

THE DOORS OPENED A BIT EARLIER THAN WE EXPECTED,I MET WITH LINDA AND HER DAUGHTER AND A FEW OTHERS (CANT REMEMBER SORRY)

WENT IN TO BUY MERCHANDISE,GOT A POSTER COS ID ALREADY GOT THE PROGRAMME AND TSHIRT FROM NEC.

I WAS SEATED IN BLOCK A ROW D SO I WAS VERY HAPPY.

I MET UP WITH LOADS OF PEOPLE I HADNT YET MET REALLY INSIDE THE ARENA INCLUDING (SORRY IF I FORGET NAMES)

NADINE (GARETHSBABE) ,JENNI AND JAYNE , EMMA (MRS EMMA GATES),SNOWDROP,SENTIMENTAL AND HER DAUGHTER EMMA,I SAW DR FEVER BUT DIDNT SPEAK TO HIM BUT I STILL SAW YA!

THAT WAS IT I THINK....BUT THERE WAS LOADS OF PEOPLE THERE I WOULD SAY ABOUT 3/4 FULL?? ANYWAY I WAS HAPPY!

I WALKED ROUND A BIT,AND AMY AND JESS AND CO WERE IN FRONT ROW AND TOLD ME TO SIT DOWN

SO I DID....NOBODY WAS SITTING THERE YET AND WE THOUGHT THAT IF NOBODY COMES WE WILL STAY THERE! (WERE SO NAUGHTY GIRLS!!)

WE WERE WATCHING FOR PEOPLE TO COME....BUT IT LOOKED GOOD..THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST ID BE FRONT ROW!

THE SHOW STARTED AT 7.30 WITH THE GIRLBAND SKIN DEEP,I THINK THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD...THEY KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED BUT I WOULD BUY THEIR SINGLE SORRY

BY THE INTERVAL BEFORE GARETH CAME ON,NOBODY WAS COMING TO THE FRONT ROW!

WE NOTICED A FEW OF GARETHS FAMILY IN THE ARENA,AND ALSO KELLY AND HIS SPEECH COACH.

SOMEBODY TOLD ME SUZANNE WAS THERE,WHICH I THINK IS SWEET

8.30 - WE HAD MADE IT! NOBODY HAD CAME SO WE STAYED THERE!

LIGHTS WENT OUT....HE WAS HERE COMING ONTO STAGE PROBABLY....THE BUILD UP CONTINUED....THE SCREAMS WENT LOUDER....(WONT GIVE ANYTHING TOO MUCH AWAY)

I SAW HIM ON STAGE...MY HEART THUMPED AND I JUST WENT INTO A MAD SCREAM WE WERE ALL SO CHUFFED ON FRONT ROW THE MUSIC CAME ON.....HE SANG HIS FIRST SONG.

HE LOOKED GORGEOUS IN HIS BAGGY HOLEY JEANS! AND HIS JACKET AND BOOTS

DONT LOOK NOW IF YOU WISH TO NOT KNOW THE SONGS

- UNCHAINED MELODY WAS HIS FIRST SONG - THE ONLY THINGS I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS SONG IS,IT IS A VERY SPECIAL SONG TO PROBABLY ALL OF US AS IT WAS HIS FIRST SONG RELEASED. IT WAS A LOVELY SONG TO OPEN IT UP WITH FOR SURE

HE SANG PITCH PERFECT

MY STUPID CAMERA STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS LIKE NOOOOOO!! BUT I MANAGED TO GET A FEW

NEXT SONG WAS FOOLISH - WOW IS ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS ONE!!! HE REALLY GETS INTO THE GROOVE ON THIS SONG!! ALL IM GOING TO SAY IS THE BIT ON THE FLOOR

AFTER THIS SONG HE WENT FOR SOME WATER AND BEGAN TO TALK,FOR US FANS IT IS NERVE WRACKING TO WATCH HIM SPEAK AS WE ALWAYS WORRY....LAST NIGHT HE DIDNT STAMMER ONCE IF I CAN REMEMBER.

HE WAS FULL OF CONFIDENCE AND MAY I SAY....HES CRAZY!!

HE TALKED ABOUT HOW IT WAS GREAT TO COME TO MANCHESTER AS THIS WAS WHERE IT STARTED FOR HIM WHEN HE AUDITIONED FOR POPIDOL

NEXT SONG HE SANG AFTER HE TALKED FOR A BIT WAS FREAK MY BABY - ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVOURITES! HIS DANCING IS SO GREAT!! I DONT KNOW WHERE,HOW HE LEARNT TO DO THIS BUT I WAS SHOCKED AGAIN!

ANYONE EVER NOTICED THAT HE CANT KEEP HIS LEGS STILL ONCE?! LOL EVEN WHEN HES NOT DANCING,HIS LEGS ARE ALWAYS MOVING!!

NEXT UP AFTER THIS SONG HE BEGAN TO TALK AGAIN...FULL OF CONFIDENCE....EACH MINUTE HE GRABBED A SECTION OF THE ARENA IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND.

HE LOOKED VERY HAPPY TO BE THERE LAST NIGHT AS HE PROBABLY WAS FOR ALL ARENAS....AND HE WAS SLIGHTLY TEARY

HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS STAMMER AND HOW HE USED TO DO THINGS TO TRY AND GET HIS WORDS OUT WHEN HE WAS LITTLE SUCH AS TAPPING HIS LEGS,KISSING (AT THIS PART EVERYONE WENT MAD JUST BECAUSE HE MENTIONED KISSING!) AND ALSO TUTTING.

I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD AT THIS PART WHEN HE TOLD HOW HE WAS CALLED SKIPPY THE BUSH KANGAROO!! HE IS HILARIOUS

THE NEXT SONG HE SANG I FEEL WAS ONE OF HIS OWN PERSONAL FAVOURITES TO SING,SOUL AFFECTION - HE INTRODUCED THE SONG AS THOUGH HE WAS QUITE PROUD OF IT , THE SONG HE SANG BEAUTIFULLY AND HE WAS JUST FANTASTIC!!..I HAVE TO ADMIT BY THIS TIME I WAS PRETTY TEARY!

(HOPE NOBODY IS GETTING BORED?? IM TRYING TO KEEP IT INTERESTING AS POSS!)

AFTER SOUL AFFECTION,HE WENT STRAIGHT INTO JUST SAY YES WITH HIS DANCERS - THIS SONG ISNT ONE OF MY FAVES BUT IT DOES GET EVRYONE DANCING ABOUT AND GOING MAD!! AND I LOOKED AROUND AND THERE WAS LOADS WHO KNEW THE EXACT WORDS INCLUDING MYSELF! ....THE DANCING GOT BETTER AND BETTER AS HE WENT THROUGH THE SHOW AND I GOT MORE AND MORE FLUSHED!

NEXT BEFORE HIS NEXT SONG HE SPOKE FOR A LITTLE WHILE ABOUT HIS STAMMER AGAIN AND HOW HE WROTE SONGS AND PLAYED THE GUITAR AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS TO EXPRESS HIMSELF.

.....HE PUT THE GUITAR OVER HIS SHOULDER READY TO PLAY AND EVERYONE WENT CRAZY!!!

ENOUGH OF ME - HE SANG THIS SONG BRILLIANTLY,THIS IS ONE OF MY OTHER PERSONAL FAVES

HIS PLAYING ON THE GUITAR WAS GREATTTTT AND CAN I JUST SAY "YES YOU IDIOTIC PRESS WHO THINK HE WASNT PLAYING.....HAHA HE WAS!!" AND LIKE GARETH WOULD SAY "ROCK ON!!"

HE THEN HAD A LITTLE TALK ABOUT HIS DRIVING AND HOW HE HADNT PASSED YET," I FAILED ON TV" AND THE DRUMMER DID A DRUM ROLL....UUOOHH GARETHS GONNA KILL YOUU!!

GARETH WENT INTO A BIT OF A MOOD (ONLY FOR A JOKE) "WHAT YOU DOING MATE?? IF YOU WANNA DO THAT YOU CAN GO AND WORK FOR WILL YOUNG!!" AND MY FAVOURITE LAUGH EVER "MUAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" HIS EVIL LAUGH!!

BUT I THINK HE WAS AFRAID PEOPLE WOULD THINK HE DIDNT LIKE WILL SO HE MADE A LOVELY COMMENT ABOUT WILL.

HE WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE NEXT SONG WHICH HE INTRODUCED AS THE FIRST SONG HE EVER WRITTEN FOR AN ALBUM.

SENTIMENTAL - HE SANG ALONG WITH HIS GUITARIST PLAYING BESIDE HIM...GOD GARETH MADE ME LAUGH WHEN HE WAS LOOKING AT HIM PLAYING THE GUITAR AND HE WAS SAYING "OOOO THATS NICE..OOOHH WELL DONE" LOL!! HES GONE MAD!!

HE THEN WENT OFF FOR A COSTUME CHANGE AS THE GUITARIST CONTINUED TO PLAY WHILE GARETH RUSHED TO GET DRESSED!

THE LIGHTS WENT OUT,AND THE SUN CAME OUT ON THE SCREENS....IT WAS SUNSHINE

GARETH CAME THROUGH THE STAGE ON THE PLATFORM AND HE BEGAN TO SING SUNSHINE...I LOVED THE VERSION OF IT AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY CHUFFED!! I STILL COULDNT BELIEVE I WAS IN FRONT ROW!!

THE DANCERS CAME OUT TO DANCE WHILE HE SANG,AND IT WAS GREAT!

HE WAS WEARING HIS WHITE SHIRT AND JEANS AND LOOKED STUNNING

AFTER THIS SONG IT WAS PIANO TIME

THE KEYBOARD WAS BROUGHT OUT AND GARETH SAT AND PLAYED WHILE HE SANG A FEW SONGS INCLUDING THATS WHEN YOU KNOW (AWWWWWW!!) I CRIED ON THIS SONG!

THEN HE SANG TWO COVERS,HARD TO SAY IM SORRY AND OVERJOYED

THEN HE SANG HIS OWN SONG WMHWTS AND THIS SONG WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOU COULD TELL HE MEANT EVERYWORD.

GARETH THEN WENT INTO HIS ELVIS MODE!! "WERE CAUGHT IN A TRAP...I CANT WALK OUT" THEN WE SCREAMED "BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU TOO MUCH GARETH!!!

GARETH WAS SO FUNNY BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS SCREAMING AND WOULDNT LET HIM SPEAK AND HE WAS LIKE SHHHHHH!! LET ME FINISH!! HE LAUGHED WHEN HE HEARD US SAYING "WE LOVE YOU TOO MUCH GARETH"

"WELL IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT THATS FINE!"

THEN HE SANG THE FULL VERSION OF SM.....AND EVERYBODY WAS SINGING ALONG THE BIT WHERE HE LIES ON THE FLOOR AND KISSES THE CAMERA OMG

NEXT WAS HIS BIG DRUM OFF!! WAHEYYYYYY!!

GARETH WENT TOTALLY MAD ON THIS PART!! FANTASTIC DRUMMER!!! HE DID A MASSIVE DRUM OFF FOR ABOUT 5 MINS....IT WAS LIKE LOOKING AT A TEENAGER IN HIS ROOM PLAYING BY HIMSELF! HE WOULDNT LISTEN WHEN HIS BAND TOLD HIM IT WAS TIME TO STOP...NOOOO BECAUSE HE WAS ENJOYING IT!

THE DRUMMER GOT A MASSIVE COB ON BECAUSE NAUGHTY GARETH WAS MAKING A SHOW OF HIM!! GARETH WAS LIKE "OH DONT GO WITH THAT PATHETIC HAT ON MATE"

"GO ON WE DONT NEED YOU,I CAN BE THE DRUMMER!"

"OH THEY ALL COME CRAWLIN BACK DONT THEY!?"

HE IS HILARIOUS!!!!

HE THEN WENT BACK OFF AGAIN TO GET CHANGED AGAIN FOR HIS NEXT SONG!!.....A VIDEO CAME ON SCREEN OF A KIND OF PARTY SCENE..YES YOU GUESSED IT "CLUB HOPPIN"

I LOVE THIS SONG ALREADY BUT I LOVE IT EVEN MORE NOW!! HE CAME ON WITH HIS WHITE TOP WITH THE BIG ORANGE 7 ON IT AND HIS BLAZER AND PANTS...HE LOOKED SCRUMMY!! AND HIS DANCERS DANCED AROUND HIM AS GARETH BOPPED ABOUT....THE AUDIENCE DEFFO LOVED THIS ONE!

AFTER THIS SONG HE WENT INTO ANOTHER UPBEAT SONG GROOVE WITH MEEEEE!! HE DEFFO LOVED DOING THIS ONE ASWELL,MAYBE BECAUSE OF HIS GIRL DANCERS ALL OVER HIM I DONT KNOW!

HE SANG IT BRILLIANTLY AND STARTED TO GET A BIT SWEATY!

BEFORE WE KNEW IT....THE SONG WAS OVER AND HE WAS BACK OFF AGAIN FOR ANOTHER COSTUME CHANGE! AGAIN!!??

GREASEEEEEEEE IS THE WORDDDDDDDDDD!!!!

O M G THIS WAS THE MOST GREAT PERFORMANCE EVER!!! GARETH CAME UP WITH HIS TSHIRT AND JEANS (I THINK) AND HIS GORGE SUNGLASSES!!! AND HIS OTHER DANCERS....IT LOOKED GREAT

HE SANG GREASE IS THE WORD....HE WAS BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!

....I LOVED THE PART WHERE THEY ARE ON THE SCHOOL DESKS.... I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE DANCERS!!! ARGHHHHHH!!

NEXT....AFTER HE HAD MADE THE CROWD WILD!! HE WENT INTO A BALLAD..I THINK I CAN SAY THIS FOR ALL OF US,IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL TRACK.

ALL CRIED OUT....HE SANG THIS WITH EMOTION....AND I LOOKED AT HIM FOR THE ENTIRE SONG JUST WATCHING HIM SING IT....I COULD TELL HE WAS EMOTIONAL FOR SURE AND LOVED THIS SONG.

I THINK IT IS VERY PERSONAL TO HIM.

SO AFTER A FEW TEARS,A WONDERFUL SONG....HE WENT INTO HIS ALBUMS TITLE SONG "GO YOUR OWN WAY" WITH HIM IN THE CENTRE SINGING AWAY AND HIS DANCERS DOING A VERY SLOW AND SEXY DANCE IN RED.

IT WAS A GREAT SONG

NOW WE ALL KNOW EVERYONE WOULD LOVE TO GET UP ON STAGE AND BE SANG TO BY GARETH....BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LUCKY SOMEONE EACH NIGHT WHO GOT THAT CHANCE.

A GIRL WAS PULLED UP ON STAGE LAST NIGHT....YOU DONT KNOW HOW MUCH I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO GO UP!!

HE SANG ANYONE OF US TO HER,SHE WAS VERY TEARY BUT HE HELD HER HAND AND MADE HER COMFORTABLE.

I LOVED THR PART IN THE SONG WHERE HE SAYS "SHE WAS KIND OF EXCITING....A LITTLE CRAZYYYYYY" I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT HE MEANS.

AFTER THIS SONG HE GAVE THE GIRL THE MOST BIGGEST HUG EVER AND SHE WENT TO SIT BACK DOWN.

HE WENT OFF....EVERYONE THOUGHT THAT ITD FINISHED FOR GOOD AS HE SAID SEE YOU ALL SOON....BUT THE MUSIC CAME ON....LIGHTS WERE STILL ON AND HIS DANCERS CAME ON....IT WAS SPIRIT IN THE SKYYYYY!!

HE WAS GREAT!!!!! AND OMG THAT BIT WHERE HE DANCES YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT I MEAN?!

EVERYTIME HE CAME OVER I WOULD WAVE AND BLOW KISSES AND I GOT A FEW BACK AND I ALSO HAD BROUGHT A THONG TO THROW ON!! AND I HAVENT GOT A GOOD THROW SO I ASKED SENTIMENTAL FROM HERE'S DAUGHTER TO DO IT! IT LANDED ON THE STAGE.....AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS HE ACTUALLY PICKED IT UP!! ARGHHHHHHH!! "WHO GAVE ME THIS?" I SCREAMED!! "MMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

I CANT BELIEVE HE PICKED IT UP!! I THINK HE KEPT IT TOO!!

AFTER SITS...IT WAS TIME TO GO

HE DID A LOVELY SPEECH...."AND NOW THE SHOW MUST END...."

I CRIED MY EYES OUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH SAY IT ISNT SO....HE SANG LIKE AN ANGEL AND I BAWLED!!

AT THE END OF THE SONG....PEOPLE WERE CRYING AND SCREAMING.....GARETH CLOSED HIS EYES AND DID A PRAYER I WAS SOOOO EMOTIONAL!!

HE HAD TO GO....HE BLEW KISSES AND WENT OFF THE STAGE.

I COULDNT BELIEVE IT WAS ALL OVER.....BUT FROM IT ALL I GOT A SIGNED PROGRAMME,HE TOUCHED MY THONG!,I WAS IN FRONT ROW! AND I HAD THE BEST NIGHT EVER!!

I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYONE WHO I SAW,THANK YOU FOR SHARING LAST NIGHT WITH ME.....I LOVE YOU ALL AND CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN!!

THANKS TO GARETH FOR BEING AN ABSOLUTE STAR!!!

NOW ALL I CAN SAY IS....BRING ON THE VID!!!!

Thanks for reading!! Hope it wasnt too long?!

Love Rachel!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Floz]

Liverpool Echo

There were no stupid mistakes for Pop Idol's Near-Miss-man when he took to the stage for his first solo tour.

Maybe because it was Manchester where he did his first audition for the TV Talent, which was to launch his Meteoric career, that Gareth gave it all.

From the first rich note of Unchained Melody, the spiky-haired singer showed everyone why he beat thousands of wannabes to fulfil his dream of pop stardom.

His voice possesses a startling range that can take him from the bottom of the scale right up to the ear splitting highs, and a versatility that soothes softly through the ballads, beats out to those blues and roars out rock.

Of course he sang his hits; Unchained Melody, Anyone of Us and Spirit in the Sky, the latter of which he offered as an encore, but Gareth strutted his way through a stunning version of suspicious minds, gyrating his hips almost as well as the king himself, and a well oiled version of Grease.

But it wasn't about the songs. This was about personal challenges, and for Gareth, the biggest was overcoming his speech impediment. Which he did!

Taking a break between songs he grinned: "I'm going to talk to you now. Why? Because I can!" And he happily chatted between sets showing a sense of humour and proving that at last the speech therapy is paying off. But then, this boy is full of surprises (and no I’m not talking about his affair with glamour model Jordan).

Okay, so he can write his own songs, but he can also play them too. Not happy with just singing the songs to which he'd learnt some very funky dance routines ("Can you tell I've been practising?") Gareth showed he's a very able musician, playing the guitar and keyboards with astonishing skills and the drums like a demon! He even showed off a magic trick he'd learnt.

Hard to believe this is all still relatively new to him, Gareth played the audience like a seasoned pro; loving and lapping up every second as four year olds to 54 year olds screamed, whistled and cheered.

Truly an entertainer, the boy was born to perform! 9/10.

[Floz]

Gareth Gates @ M.E.N Arena

Helen Tither: Manchester Evening News

"ROCK on, Manchester!" Now there are three words you never thought you'd hear from the cherubic, choirboy lips of Gareth Gates.

But then, if you are as cynical and jaded as me, you probably never expected him to play the guitar, drums and keyboard and sing his little lungs out for two whole hours.

The truth is, it would be so easy to shoot Master Gates down in flames. I mean, he's a Pop Idol loser, he gives Darius a run for his money in the schmaltz stakes, and he insists on a ridiculous mullet haircut.

Syrupy

In fact, after his syrupy image was somewhat tarnished following that infamous fling with glamour model Jordan, his career was going only one way. Down the pop plughole.

However, and it pains me to say it, his 15 minutes may not be up just yet. Not judging by this sterling effort anyway.

He danced, he sang, he rocked, and he banged on his drums - and boy did those teenyboppers love him for it.

Every word he uttered saw ecstatic screaming and waving of fluorescent bunny ears - the only nasty incident being a scuffle between fans over his on-stage cast-offs. Which stewards broke up. Honestly!

That aside, things flowed seamlessly from rock to acoustic smootch, via some funky disco numbers, and he really did put in a cracking effort. At times it was Justin Timberlake-esque but that's no bad thing.

And, believe it or not, there was barely a cover version in sight - obvious exceptions including Unchained Melody.

However, he was best when steering clear of the schmoozing and trying his new funkier material instead.

I'm not quite eating my hat, but his career's not ready for the Pop Idol graveyard just yet.

[Floz]

Link to comments sent in about MEN concert

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/entertai...?story_id=83225

[Floz]

From CatGates - about the meet and greet

Hey all!

Arrived back about an hr ago after a longggggg uncomfy coach journey...but it woz SO worth it!!!

I arrived in Manchester at about 2pm & my Mum & I looked round the shops for a while. Then, at about 4:30, my Mum & I were told to go to the rear of the building because Gareth was late apparently. I saw Gareth's coach arrive but didn't see him but took a pic anyways! I saw Rach, Jess, Janice, Bella & Alban (I think - were u with ur Mum? lol) but was too shy to come up lol! The meet was delayed till 5pm-ish. I was so nervous and excited! When the time came we were let into the back of the arena where we could hear the Foolish sound check & were given these gold meet & greet bracelet things. We were then led to a VIP lounge place to wait for Gareth (on the way we saw his dressing room lol). His table was set out at the front & I was sooooooooo nervous/excited!!! Suddenly the door opened and Gareth walked in with Kelly. Everyone gasped. He was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO gorgeous, wearing ripped jeans, a t-shirt and coat and he sat at his table. He didn't seem real to me LOL! Everyone started to take loadsa pics of him sitting at his table & he looked quite embarassed & looked to the side of the room. I was so nervous & kept putting off going up LOL! But anyways, eventually my Mum dragged me up lol! I went up to him & gave him the jigsaw piece & he went oooooo is this the last piece? & I go no there's 1 more! He seemed well happy bout the jigsaw lol & smiled at me *melts* lol. He started tlkin to me about the jigsaw and stuff (lol everythings a blur - sorry!) I also gave him my fanbook & a ggates message & he went to sign the blank piece of paper lol so I gave him the Fanclub CD Rom & album sleeve & asked him to sign them instead plz, & he was like oh of course sorry! & I was like awww bless it's ok!!! I'll post them up later!

Then he got up to get his picture taken with me! Awww I could feel him right nxt to me & I could feel myself going BRIGHT red Lol howwwwwwww embarassing!!! Then my Mum told me to check that the photo came out but it didn't!!! So Mum asked Kelly if I could get my pic taken again & she said yeh after some other people. So we went back up...I was soooooo embarassed by this stage! & Mum told Gareth that the photo hadn't come out & he said awwwww didn't it, do you want another one then? & Mum was like yeh plz if you don't mind & he said no of course not & smiled & put his arm around me again (@ least something good came out of it lol!!!) He was absolutely GORGEOUS & was such a lovely person! I never thought it was possible before but I now love him even more lol!!!

I'm still in shock lol & keep looking at the autographs & photo! I still can't believe it!!! Lol ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! An absolutely amazing & unforgettable experience!!!