The Streets Oxford 2008

Oxford, England, 11 October 2008

October 10th 2008

I took the train from Haarlem to Rotterdam, Ozzy picked me up there. I stayed the night at Ozzy’s, we’re leaving tomorrow morning at ridiculous o’clock.

October 11th 2008

5 am my best friend Ozzy and I woke up, cos we had to get the train to Brussels at 7am. We are goin to a concert of The Streets in Oxford, we were traveling through Brussels & London.

I took a shower before I went to bed, so I didn’t need one in the morning. After we got dressed we went by car to the metro station, and took a metro to Rotterdam Central station, there we took the train to Brussels.

We arrived in Brussels at about 9am, we were supposed to have the next train at 10, but that one didn’t go after the fire in the tunnel last month, the next train would go at 11.50. Almost 2 hours later. Not good!! But we had extra time for the toilet and we got some food and coffee.

Finally it was time to check in. At noon we finally left towards England. We arrived on St. Pancras Charing Cross at about 1 pm (English time). Then we needed a metro to Paddington station for the next train. As we were 2 hours late we had to change our tickets for another train,

In Holland we would have had to pay for new tickets, but in England we didn’t have to. As it wasn’t our fault. At 2pm we got the train to Oxford, we arrived there at 3pm and got the metro to the Nanford guesthouse.

A man helped us, but he was kinda weird, and a bit freaky, cos he knew our name without us telling him (maybe he didn’t have many visitors? now I know Why… Article 1 & article 2), first he tried to put me and Ozzy in a double room, well I love Ozzy, but not that much, so sharing a bed with him is a bit too much and we booked a twin room, so could we please just have what we booked? but that was not a problem, he gave us another room, but we needed to go next door. The room was dirty! Very dirty; there were insects in the shower blegh!!! But the beds were clean I think, I hope. Luckily we didn’t have bed bugs.

Then I text Emma in which room we were staying. We found out that she was staying next door (where we were first). So we met up and I got my the Streets lighter USB stick. I love it, it’s really cool!! I needed an address in the UK for the delivery. So Emma let me use her address.

Then Ozzy and I checked in, cos the weird guy told us that we don’t have to check in before we saw the room. Then we went into town for some food, but we went to see where the gig was going to be first. We went to the Chicken cottage, I started with BBQ wings, but they were very spicy, I gave up, left them for Ozzy,  so I got sweet corn instead and chips and a drink. I saw Wayne, but I didn’t want to run over to him. I didn’t want to bother him.

We decided to go to the pub and sit next to the window so I could keep an eye on the boys. I’ve send a text to Emma (they didn’t come until later), that we were in the pub. I met Havva, with her boyfriend. I know her from MySpace. We were having a drink. Then Ted Mayhem walked by, and then Mike, and then Ted again.

So about 15 minutes before the doors opened we went to queue up. On our way to the queue we saw Wayne. He said hello, but I didn’t want to bother him and he said “Hey Tess” I was like what? You remember my me? How cool!! Anyways we had a little chat and he gave me a cuddle and a kiss on my cheek. He thanked me for coming over and he said that I’m a true fan. Aww I love Wayne, he’s so sweet!! He told us about an after party, but we needed Ted for that. Ted was goin to give us a stamp.

Then we queued up. We met a couple, he was funny and she was lovely. It was a very nice couple, but I didn’t want to spend the whole time with them.

We saw Ted, so I went over to Ted and asked about the after party and that. But he wasn’t goin to give stamps today. He said “don’t leave after the gig”. “ok I wont”. He repeated himself “Don’t leave after the gig!” Haha, no I won’t! I promise! Then we went to the stage. I was at the front again!! I was standing next to Havva. WOOHOO!!

There was a support act “The Metro’s” music was pretty good, but the sound was terrible, too loud!! After 9 songs they finished and it was finally time for the Streets. Finally they were there!

Mike saw me and we had some proper conversations, while he was on stage

Ted grabbed my hand and pushed a Bacardi & Coke in my hand

GOD I love Ted!! Cheers mate!! A crowd surfer fell on my head while I had that drink in my hand. that cost me half of the glass tho 😦 (Mike warned me)

Mike asked me if I came by plane, I said no, Then he asked if I came by train

And I nodded.

The concert took about an hour and after that, the after party. Magic Mike came on stage and started DJ-ing.

And the other boys joined him. After a while Wayne saw us and waved.

and walked over to us. He gave me a cuddle and I got a photo of us. The first photo was, from Emma, Wayne & me, but Emma didn’t like herself in the photo, so I cut her out, no offence Emma, you know I love you 🙂

Ted came over with his girlfriend and Chris Brown. Chris said “You facebooked me right?!” yes, I did. And I got a photo of us as well. He was lovely!

Then I had a conversation with Ted‘s girlfriend (she was his girlfriend back then). She told me that I was a lovely fan, and that all the guys told her. I wasn’t crazy or scary as some other fans, but lovely. Aww that’s nice to hear! And good to know. 😉

Emma and Jenni went back to the guesthouse.

After a while Magic stopped DJ-ing and the academy turned into a club. Then I noticed Kevin.

We had a little chat. And then he left. Ozzy and I decided to have one more drink and then go back as well, but then Magic stood in front of me. He said hello to me and I got a photo of us.

And then he left, so did we, back to the very dirty guesthouse. I also had a huge headache, so wasn’t too good.

The next day, 12th of  October 2008

I woke up at 7.30am, and couldn’t sleep anymore. Why? It’s way too early! I didn’t have to wake up until 9am. oh well, what to do now? Want to take a shower, but I don’t want to wake my mate Ozzy up. My headache was gone now.

Ozzy woke up at about 9am, I still needed to take a shower, but I saw dead incects in the shower, no way I’m doing that…

And we left the guesthouse at about 10.30 we checked out and went into town for breakfast. Then we bought shopping stuff for the train journey home and got the bus to the train station.

Emma & Jenni arrived on the train station at 12.10pm. We said goodbye. We will see them next week in Nottingham. Our train leaves 30 minutes later. I text my mum to say I met all the boys except Mike. She was happy for me, but felt sorry for not meeting Mike.

Then it was time to go to the platform we sat down and joined the sun. Then I looked around and saw someone, who looked very femiliar. Then he looked up and looked at me.

OH MY GOD!!!! It’s Mike. He looked at me and I waved at him, he waved back, but he was with his girlfriend, so I didn’t want to bother him/them. At least I got a wavey 😉 It’s not like it’s on a day of a gig… It’s his day off and he was with Claire. I told Ozzy, “Look there is Mike”. Ozzy looked up and said “where?” “There! He’s reading the newspaper” I said. “Oh yeah, well even better” Ozzy said. “He’s coming this way.”

OH MY GOD! Mike is coming over to me. Stay calm! We had a little chat. I told him that I’m coming back next week to Nottingham. Then we wished each other a safe journey and he gave me a cuddle and a kiss on my cheek. And we both got on the same train.

How fucking cool is that?! I couldn’t believe it… that I met Mike on a train station in Oxford. OMG!!! We booked this train 1 month ago… How many trains are going from Oxford to London, a day? We could have been in a train earlier, with Emma and Jenni… or a train later… Now I text my Mum to say: Nevermind, I just met Mike on the train station in Oxford, we are in the same train. She was very happy for me.

In the train, I sat down, needed to calm down. My heart skipped a few beats. I could recover. I was a shocked but very happy. I couldn’t stop smiling!!

I wanted to drink some champagne, Ozzy said that he spend all his money, well, because he paid for me as well, i still had some cash left, Just enough for 2 glasses of champagne each. We drank some champagne to toast on a brilliant weekend and meeting Mike. I got to Ozzy’s home at midnight. I went straight to bed, cos I had to wake up early in the morning for work. (After work I go back home to Haarlem).

WOW what a weekend!

On September 15th they released their new album. Everything is borrowed:

In the meantime a few more videos have been released.

On September 4th 2 videos. I love you more (then you like me). I got a message from Mike’s cousin, if I had seen the video and if I had seen him in the video.

And Flip of a coin (filmed by fans on their gig on August 24th 2007 in de Melkweg in Amsterdam, I wasn’t there).

And Everything is borrowed was released on September 12th 2008.

And on September 19th 2008 The way of the dodo has been released: