Is it possible for one individual to be so extremely hyped up on adrenaline
that they are practically floating?

The answer to this question is: Yes.

Monday November 1st and Melanie's London gig are responsible for this
feeling of complete and total hyper-energy. I was lined up with Chris
*Yes, THE Chris Coulson, Owner of 100% Melanie C* from 12:30pm and he is
testimony to the fact that I could NOT KEEP STILL! I had never been that
excited or full of nervous anticipation in my life. It wasn't helping that
I was going hardcore for the front row and so were all the other people
that were going to the concert. I knew one thing. It was front row or
bust.

During our 7 hour line up, we befriended three lovely girls who were also
hellbent on getting to the front to see Melanie up close and personal.
(Sorry). None of us seemed to notice the cold, rainy weather as the time
passed, all we wanted was to be at the front. It seemed like 7:00 would
never arrive, and it didn't help when people around us started to get
quite competitive for the front row. Okay, so I smuggled in 3 of my
friends so that they could also be at the front, but it just would not
have been the same if they hadn't have been in the front row.

Finally, 7:00 came, and after keeping us hanging for a few extra minutes,
the doors opened and me and my friends made a beeline for the front.

Mission accomplished, we could now relax and wait for MELANIE. After an
hour of some support band whose songs I could neither understand or hear
the lyrics to, the time that we had all been waiting for was here.
Melanie's band started setting up their equipment and then, Melanie
herself came out on to the stage to the sound of 2000 or so people
screaming and cheering like crazy.

She looked absolutely gorgeous. (Does this really surprise anyone?) She
was wearing jeans, her Nike trainers, and a black top with something
written on that I cannot remember. (I think I was just extremely
overwhelmed that I was not very many metres away from her) Her hair was
nicely geled and with her fringe spiked really nicely. She was an absolute
vision, I have to say. She gave loads of excellent photo opportunities (as
she always does), and she treated the crowd to her trademark sideglance
that makes anybody go absolutely "Ga ga". She was full of boundless
energy, jumping and dancing around the stage. She hit every note perfectly
and never once sang out of tune, even when she WAS dancing around like
crazy. The set song list was as follows:

"Something's Gonna Happen"
"Independence Day"
"Northern Star"
"Be The One"
"Ga Ga"
"Suddenly Monday"
"I Turn To You"
"Feel The Sun"
"If That Were Me"
"Going Down"
"Wannabe"
"I Wonder What It Would Be Like"
"Go"
"Closer"
Acoustic Version of "Going Down"

Okay, now I can go on with my review of her actually singing the songs.
FIRSTLY, Oh My God! Did she even hit one note incorrectly, or go out of
tune once? NO! There was a bit in closer where she didn't quite hit the
high note, and when that happened, she stopped, gave a little smile and
giggle and then went on to the next part but other than that she was
PERFECT!!!! THE WHOLE NIGHT was perfect!!!

She really got into the whole gig. Every song she sang, she sang with pure
enthusiasm. When she was singing "Feel The Sun" she seemed like she was on
the verge of tears, it was so beautiful. Not to mention the bit when she
lifted her top to reveal her Angel tattoo on the line "This angel's my
salvation" and the whole crowd went absolutely mental over it. She really
got into all her songs, and when she did "Wannabe" I was practically
exploding with excitement! She handled it really well, and I can imagine
it would be rather difficult to do a five part song as one person.

The song that really got me was "Closer." It has always been my favourite
track from the album, but when she sang it at the concert I was absolutely
mesmerised. I wonder who she wrote it for, though I do have my
suspicions...

The only song she sang that I didn't immediately recognise was "I Wonder
What It Would Be Like" which I hope is released as the B-side to the
Northern Star single. It was great, the whole gig was fantastic and I
honestly did not expect anything less.

"Suddenly Monday" went on a lot longer than on the album and she added
some "Nah nah nah's" to the end of it which made it even jazzier, and more
show tunier than before. I quite like the song as it is on the album, but
on stage it really worked well the way she did it.

When she sang "If That Were Me" she really got into the emotional side of
the song and you could tell she put her whole heart and soul into it as
she did with the whole performance. I guess because it is an issue she is
so emotional about.

Every time I hear "Going Down" I love it more and more and her performance
of it at the concert was no exception. She really got right into the song
and I felt this amazing rush of adrenaline as soon as the music started.
More fabulous photo opportunities as she bounced around the stage belting
out the song. I went absolutely crazy when she performed the acoustic
version as part of her encore.

I loved the whole concert, although that may well be an understatement. I
have never been so overwhelmed with pure adrenaline, excitement and ecstasy
in all my life. Being there was fantastic but being in the front row and
knowing all my friends were in the front as well...nothing compares to
that feeling and there is no way I could put in writing how I felt that
night. I am still on a high and I think I will be for a loooooooong time
to come. I cannot believe how wonderful I felt last night.

I must add something to this review. The crowd at the Astoria last night
must have been a 90% lesbian crowd and Melanie was playing up to the crowd
no end. That cheeky smile, that gorgeous grin, her endless bounding around
on stage and shaking that gorgeous body of hers around on stage...no one
can tell me she WASN'T playing up to the crowd. That made me love her
performance even more: the fact that she was putting on a performance with
a personal feel...in other words, it wasn't choreographed the same for all
11 of her gigs.

I want to do it all over again. I want to be in that crowd, watching her
put on the best performance in the world, and feeling the overwhelming
rush of adrenaline as she puts on a show only she knows how to put on.

Let the critics say what they will.

Melanie will just slam their fruitless reviews to the ground.