At this point, after breakfast, my dad suggests some sightseeing so we actually went to Tokyo Tower, which is supposed to be decently close to the Hamamatsucho station. Beware, when the Japanese say something is only 5 minutes away, prepare to walk for an additional 15. Ugh! Also, they probably won't tell you there's an incline, irrespective of walking time. (Keep this in mind when you see pictures of me in the afternoon from the hotel, I look like I just ran the marathon!) It ended up being really hot, and when we got back from our morning excursion, I know I looked terrible, I wanted to take a shower and a nap. But no dice, the maids hadn't done up our room yet, so it was a mad dash for me to quickly take a shower, get dressed, and pop on over to the hotel by 3 PM. After getting lost from the Toranomon station and finally having to ask a local where the hotel was, I finally made it.
I finally got to meet Tina in person, and got to meet Michelle, one of Nancy's friends from New York. I seriously look like a lobster for this picture because like I said, it was hot and very sunny (and if you know me and my health problems, I am *really* quite sensitive to sunlight, super-sensitive! I hate being me sometimes). So Tina tells me I'm in luck, because the boys were supposed to leave at 2 ish for the Forum for the soundcheck, yet the only person down in the lobby at that point is Warren, and they've decided to leave about now, about 3 PM. I start squealing and almost fainting when I see him pass. I am warned that some Japanese fan has been practically stalking him and wanting pictures with him, so Warren is not good to approach at this point. I instead opt for people-watching instead. Tina tells me about these people who have camped out since the previous night for a possible glimpse of Duran Duran, and every time the doors open, they jump up because they *thought* they'd seen a Duran.
Sure enough, eventually Nick and Simon come down via the elevators. Suddenly a huge mob appears, a flurry with items to be autographed. A surprised clerk comes out of the lobby store and asks what's going on, then starts looking shocked after Tina tells her that Duran Duran is staying at *her* hotel. Tina goes into ecstasies after seeing Nick wearing his "zipper pants" and takes a picture with my camera. (Heehee Tina :-) Nick is wearing all black. Simon is wearing his "Close Up" shirt - white shirt, red sleeves, big heart on the back. He ends up wearing this for the Forum concert. Tina encourages me to go ahead and try to get something signed, as I brought a couple of my CDs for this kind of moment. I pull out my copy of the Wedding Album after I see someone getting a vinyl copy of "Big Thing" signed and carrying it off as if it was a Van Gogh. But I can't push my way through the crowd - the last thing I want either of them to think is that I am a pushy Japanese fan! No, I can't be pushy. I want to make sure the two of them know who I am, who I'm representing, and definitely that they knew I came all the way from the States to see them for the first time.
I must be on the side, camera hanging from my arm, mouth gaping open because after all, Nick and Simon of Duran Duran are only a few steps away from me! Unable to speak. They're still signing autos furiously - I ended up not getting an autograph at all, but that's okay in the long run. Tina snags some pics of Nick's zipper pants with my camera - they are available in the June 17th folder here.
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Dave, the very large and burly head security guard comes over. I'm worried he's going to whisk them away for the soundcheck. At this point
a couple people have gotten pics with either Nick or Simon. I haven't worked up the nerve to get over there
and make something like that happen. Dave walked closer to me - I guess he could tell I was in a state of shock. He asked, "hey, would you like
a picture with Nick?" I manage to eke out, "yeah, that would be great!" and he takes the camera from my shaking hands. I stand to the left of Nick, while he's signing something
for someone else. Dave asks Nick, slightly exasperated, "Nick, you think you could smile for me?" Nick finally looked up, saying, "I think so!" and grinned for the camera. I thanked both of them
quickly, because soon after, Dave grabbed Nick's arm and whisked them off to the Forum in a van. Meanwhile, I start
walking around like a statue because - OMG! I got a picture with Nick Rhodes! I was *standing* next to Nick
Rhodes and Simon LeBon. OMG!
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Okay, so meanwhile I'm freaking out. You probably would be to, so stop snickering! We headed off to the Forum by taxi,
after trying to explain to the taxi driver and the head bell captain where we were trying to
go to. I think they finally got the picture when I kept yelling, "Yurakucho station!" Hahaha.
Didn't get a chance to take any pictures of the inside of the Tokyo International Forum b/c I figured I had
to strategically hide my camera or else I might never see it again. And that would have incurred major parental
wrath.
Tina did though - you can see her pics from the concert on the 17th here. The doors were supposed to open at 5 and the show was supposed to start at 6. It ended up starting much later than that - probably close to 7 PM. Before they officially opened the doors, the three of us hobbled over to the merchandise booths. Tina bought a bunch of stuff including CD singles (I think the CD merchant was about to have a heart attack on the number of "Last Day on Earth" singles she bought; I eventually bought one two nights later at the Virgin Megastore in Shibuya, down the street from the Shibuya-AX) and those Pop Trash Christmas ornaments. I just bought a Japan-only tour t-shirt - I was too excited to look at buying anything else! Also, I surreptitiously finagled some extra flier packs (even though we were only supposed to get one apiece - shhh! |  |
 | Here's a pic of Simon from the show. It's basically the only good concert pic I got all night. It kinda sucked that for this show, there was a security guard standing
right in front of us (because we were right next to the aisle). At least we were right in front of Nick and
got a good view of him during the concert. Simon was wearing his red "Close Up" shirt as you can
see in the pic to the left. Warren was wearing his normal skin-tight, sleeveless attire. Nick
was wearing an amazing looking purple suit, with blue shirt, red tie, and a yellow rose on his lapel.
The show was amazing. I almost cried. ALMOST. Here it was, my first ever Duran Duran show and I had a fabulous time. What a blast! It helped tons that we were in the 3rd row - I still can't believe Nick was right in front of us. I just about died every time he looked in our direction. I was confident he glanced over and smiled at me a couple times, apparently my winking had paid off. I've decided by this point that I have been completely spoiled and I'm never going to be able to sit in the nosebleed section again. |
| Some highlights of the show:
|  |
We try to get into the post-party but fail to as our supposed "ticket" into the party leaves us (a girl named Sabrina, she's from Italy). Interesting trivia fact - she is the girl in the rainbow backless shirt at the beginning of "Notorious" during the UK Storytellers show. So we go back to the hotel. I crash out on a bed because I realize I have a jackhammering headache and I'm exhausted. I'm actually feeling quite dizzy at this point - I already was feeling slightly ill during the concert. The guitars had been rigged up so that you could feel the vibrations in the floor. Maybe I'm just not used to being that close up to the stage. Eventually though, I make it to my feet and head out to the lobby to get a taxi. On the way there, we run into a rather distressed Warren. I say hello, and he says to us, "I can't find a decent thing to eat in this place!" I can't help thinking, "spoiled rock star!" (I love ya Warren, I do!) Another missed opportunity to take my picture with Warren - but I can't even think, my head is doing one of those Excedrin numbers. I stumble into a taxi, take it over to Shimbashi, and then take the train back to Shinagawa, back to my hotel. I take a shower and gratefully fall into bed. I don't sleep very well that night - I keep waking up, thinking that the phone is ringing and that it's a certain somebody on the line...
click here for episode 4
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