One On One Tour 2016 | Page 15 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

It was still very early when I got up on the 12th of June. My alarm was set for 6 AM, but I was up at 5. Too many nerves to lie in a bit more. After finishing all the things one does in the morning, I checked my bags to see I had everything and left for the train station around 8 AM, to start the Long, Long, Long journey to Landgraaf.

In spite of the alternative route, I had a fairly smooth and uneventful journey. By the time I got off the train in Heerlen and onto the one that would take me into Landgraaf, my jacket was beginning to be noticed. People would mention it behind my back or seek eye contact with me to comment on it, and as far as I could tell, the remarks were unilaterally positive. There were many Beatles fans on their way to Pinkpop and I’ve spoken to several, ranging from elderly people who were there when the Fabs were Fab, to a teenage girl who only discovered them a year ago. As far as excitement about seeing Paul went, though, there didn’t appear to be a very big discrepancy between the old-time fans and the new ones. Everyone was looking forward to it, and the atmosphere was buzzing.

Once at Landgraaf, I got the first real indication of how crowded it would get. It took me some ten minutes to even exit the station. It was warm and dry, and although it was rather humid and stuffy, I decided to walk to the festival terrain. According to the signs that were put up, it would be a 25-minute walk. I’d estimate that was about right. The adrenaline really kicked in by the time I reached the mass of people headed for the terrain. We were shuffling slowly towards the entrance. Soon, I’d find out which, if any, of the ‘forbidden’ items I brought were going to be confiscated. These items were:

• An Everton f.c. flag
• A sign for Paul to read
• Two permanent markers
• Some cough sweets and some chewing gum
• One serving of wholegrain biscuits to eat on the way home

One might wonder why these things weren’t allowed. I honestly don’t know. I can guess about the football flag – fans of rivalling clubs have been known to pick fights to the point of people dying. But then, I was never going to just wave it about. It was going to be used to draw Paul’s attention, hardly anybody else was ever going to even see it. The markers, I honestly don’t know. They aren’t allowed, so I stuffed them into the rolled-up sleeve of my jacket. The flag and sign were both concealed underneath my clothes.

Once I entered the 2-foot-wide lanes that lead into the ticket- and bag check, I noticed everyone had to open their bag. Now, I had two. I was carrying a small tote, in which I kept the things I needed to keep handy. I also had a small nylon rucksack – the kind that closes by pulling on the shoulder straps – in which I had secured a plastic bag. I kept the things that needed to remain dry and the things I wouldn’t need within easy reach in that one. I didn’t try to hide it, but I also didn’t take it off my back. Not that the lanes were wide enough to even take it off my back… Anyway, the biscuits were in there. The security man never even noticed it, though. He only looked into my tote bag and cleared me. So, I wouldn’t even have needed to conceal the other stuff. I could have just kept it in my rucksack and walk straight through security.

First order of business once on the premises was to get consumption tickets, and I traded in the first one for a small portion of chips, since I was famished. It was half one by then, and I had left home 5 ½ hours prior. I’d only eaten some of those savoury biscuits. Next on my to-do list was to get some merchandise. I ended up not getting as much as I planned to. I decided on a white One On One T-shirt, which has a lovely design in a red-purple-blue gradient, and a packet of patches, which were going out of stock. They’re really cool, and they include a red-and-yellow NEW patch, the Venus And Mars logo, a MACCA patch, the Ecce Cor Meum logo, and several others. It was a great find, and I’ll find good use for them.

I passed through the stand where free chilled tap water was being handed out and made my way towards the main stage, where the first act of the day, a lad called Douwe Bob, was being announced. Sat on some steps in the sun, thoroughly covered on suncream of course, I listened to the performance. I don’t generally hold Dutch singer-songwriters in a very high regard, since most of them are quite rubbish, but this bloke was very good. It was quite enjoyable, sitting there, listening to the music. It was still fun when it began to pour. I had brought a plastic rain cape, which I donned the moment the first droplets appeared. Good thing I did, too, because soon in came down in buckets. Drops so large, I thought they were hail stones. I kid you not, they were massive! In the span of a few minutes, more than an inch of rain came down upon the crowd, turning the terrain into a marsh. People were trying to avoid the puddles, even though there was no way to miss them. Others decided to just have fun with the water and stomp into the puddles. Me, I couldn’t help but be amused by it all. Rain , I don’t mind. Shine, the weather’s fine. And it was, later, when it became dry and relatively sunny again. Of course, I was sopping in my shoes by then. They were never water tight, and stepping into puddles which at times went 2 inches deep did the rest. I could literally feel the water slosh around in there.

After a quick loo break, I went to the front section which is closed off from the rest by turnstiles. It’s an intricate system which registers how many people go in and how many go out. Once maximum capacity is reached, the turnstiles lock until someone goes out, which then enables one more person to enter. I chose the left-handed section, remembering Paul, Rusty, and Brian are usually standing on that side of the stage. I got in without issue and immediately found a spot at the front. It was around 2:30 PM then. I was all the way to the far left (right to those on stage), but managed to move in a bit throughout the afternoon. Never more than a few yards, though. I would’ve had to claim a spot an hour earlier in order to get closer to the centre.

It was a very long wait, and a very wet one, too. The music was fantastic, though. John Newman, who nearly didn’t make it due to missing the ferry (courtesy of 27 nude cyclists, if we were to believe him) is a bit of a chav, but he’s a fantastic singer and a great entertainer. I do believe I’ve become a bit of a fan. His songs have a very high singalong quality, so I was able to belt out the chorus after hearing it once or twice most of the time. This lad’s dance moves are something else. He does a mean MJ impression, but his shuffles reminded me of George’s crazy dances as well. Certainly brought a smile to my face.

Next up was Kygo. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of house/dance music, but this was different. For starters, he opened his first song on the piano (Paul’s baby grand, to be precise) and in addition to mixing his records, he played several different instruments during most of his songs. His music has a very cheerful sound, and it definitely got me dancing as far as I could on my tiny little spot in the quickly thickening crowd. For one of his songs, he was joined by Tom Odell, who’s a fantastic singer and who looked deceptively much like a young Matt Damon in his sunglasses. I wasn’t the only one who thought so; I could overhear some people wonder if it actually was Matt. If I remember correctly, it was during Kygo’s set that Eric Corton, a famous Dutch presenter and musician, entered the secured area between the stage and the crowd to interview McCartney fans. He spoke to a family from the USA, a woman who lived nearby, and me. It was quite a long interview, and it was loads of fun. They kept filming bits of my jacket, and we spoke about all sorts of things. At one point, he joked about Paul not even being the real one, and that was a great laugh. I went along with the joke, and he asked me if I would explain the myth for the viewers who were unaware of it, which I did. I even showed him my Billy Shears patch, which only added to the hilarity. I don’t think that bit was broadcast, though. The part where he asked me if I’d show what I brought for Paul’s birthday, however, was. So, I showed it on camera. I made a tie-dye T-shirt with a faded Union Flag pattern, on which I ironed a decal which says ‘100% Scouse – just add music’ as a bit of a parody on certain freeze-dried foods to which one only need add water. Eric loved it, and promised to give Paul a heads up if he got the chance to interview him.

If my outfit hadn’t already warmed people up to me, being interviewed did. People were complimenting me on my natural and cool behaviour, so I showed them my trembling hands. It was a very nice group of people, anyway. Whenever people left, they’d tap me on the shoulder and let me take their spot. So, by the time Lionel Richie took the stage, I was in front of the video screen and very close to the far end of the main stage. Lionel started his show at 18:25. There was about an hour between each show. By then, I was soaked. I had lost my cape sometime during the afternoon, having taken it off because I was sweating buckets. Of course, it began to rain again, so not only were my feet soaked through, much of my clothes were as well. It never dampened my spirits, though, and neither did the pain in my feet and back. I did get annoyed at a Belgian lady who was pushing into me very hard. She had one hand on the barrier, and she was pressed up against me so heavily, it was as if she was leaning on me. It was a drag, because it stopped me from being able to shift my weight. I endured it for one or two hours and then I politely alerted her to the fact that her pushing up against me made it impossible for me to move, thus giving me a fierce back ache. A women standing nearby nodded sympathetically, she obviously noticed the obnoxious behavior, but the perpetrator merely stated ‘but I’m not standing behind you’ and kept pushing me into the barrier. Sometime later, she did let go, thankfully. Shifting my weight, stepping in place and bopping to the music was crucial in keeping the pain at bay. As long as I kept moving, I was doing fairly alright. Of course, once I got into the music, I didn’t feel any pain at all.

Lionel was fantastic. What a great entertainer! He kept running from left to right and right to left, making contact with the audience and really drawing the crowd in. He, too, used Paul’s piano. He did the hits we all know and love, of course. How could I not belt along to Hello, Angel, Dancing on the Ceiling, Brick House, or My Endless Love? I’m not too familiar with most of his Commodores stuff, but I definitely loved hearing it. I took some pictures of him. Not sure how well they turned out, but there ought to be one or two nice ones. He really interacted with the audience too, especially the two blokes who were dressed up like him (including blackface), whom he called Lionel. He really seemed to love that, he certainly took his time giving them attention.

And then, THE wait began. I was about ready to drop by then, aching all over. I wasn’t the only one; people were dropping like flies. I had a clear view of the emergency medical team, and they were BUSY. I kept seeing people being escorted to safety, covered in mud after having fainted. At some point, I saw one of them run off with one of those portable defibrillators, and there was a bit of a panic during Paul’s set, when someone apparently seriously passed out. They ended up not needing the stretcher they ran to fetch, but it really looked like it was serious. Paul could see it from the stage, and I could tell it upset him a bit. He kept an eye on the scene anyway, and relaxed visibly once the crisis was over. I even needed the medical team myself, but more on that later.

Tension was really rising after Lionel left the stage, for more than one reason. Eric Corton had told me Bruce Springsteen was on the premises and was rumoured to take the stage with Paul. He’s got a concert here tomorrow. The crowd was buzzing with excitement. During the long wait, I got to talking with an elderly man. He loved how much I knew about the Beatles and tested me by asking what John did when they stopped in Arnhem, on their way to their first Hamburg stint. So, I replied he stole a harmonica. The man was very impressed. There was a bit of a group of people who’d connected by then. It made waiting that much more pleasant. I even ended up handing out cough sweets, which were accepted with great gusto. Of course, once the pre-show video began, it was every (wo)man for her/himself.

That pre-show video is a complete overhaul of the old one, which never changed for a very long time. Loads of new photos, most of which I’d never seen before. How many photos of John in drag are there, exactly? Because the one included in that reel was completely new to me and it clearly predates the one with Yoko. It also included many childhood photos, several of which are obviously from the same date as some of the ones that are out there. The format was completely new as well. Instead of scrolling from top to bottom, this was a cylinder which included all sorts of cool shapes and colours. I did miss the old image of the bass which explodes into a shower of white lights, but the one that replaced it is also quite cool. And then…. Paul was there.

Unfortunately, so was the camera rig. It was positioned exactly in my line of sight. I could see Rusty and Brian. I could see Abe and Wix. But I could not see Paul. Had I known they’d be on the left side of the stage (right side for me), I would have found a different spot. Of course, I wouldn’t have been interviewed then, but I think it would have spared me some heartache as well. Anyway, the show was great, and I could see Paul larger than life (literally) right in front of my nose on the video screen. He looked great in those same blue jeans he wore last week, and his trusted pink shirt. He came on stage wearing a long, dark blue coat. Like his usual concert jackets, only this was a lot longer. Paul, but the others as well, each wore a McCartney rose on their left breast. Paul ended up tossing his into the audience when he did his undressing bit.

Anyway, like I said, he looked great, and appeared to be in great spirits. His voice left a bit to desire, I’m afraid. It was quite raspy at times, and he lost control of it here and there. Then again, how he still manages to do those pitch-perfect whoops and screams in that high register is beyond me. Those still seem to come effortlessly. He sang quite well most of the night anyway. That’s to say, from what I could hear. The crowd, myself included, were singing along so loudly, we often couldn’t even hear Paul! The atmosphere was fantastic, and the new show is fab! The light effects, the imagery, most of it is completely new and it’s better than ever. The only real disappointment during the show itself was Live And Let Die . The fireworks were tame, to put it mildly. Even though it was outdoors and they could have made the crowd tremble (like Rammstein did the night before), the fireworks were maybe 1/10th of what they were in Amsterdam, which was an indoors show, not just in number of blasts, but also in power. The one at the end of the song, for which I stuck my fingers in my ears thinking I knew what was coming, felt a bit like a dud. Still, the song was great as ever. It’ll always be a favourite.

Paul did one other thing I didn’t know he added. I don’t know if it’s a regular thing now, or he just felt like it, but he took a request from the audience before playing Something . The audience asked for Ram On , so he played that. It was a lovely surprise!

Sometime during the show, it might have been during Lady Madonna , I spotted Paul’s PA. The man has to have a name, but I can’t be arsed to look it up. He was standing a few yards from me, so I drew his attention and motioned for him to come closer, which he did. I explained I brought an early birthday gift and asked if he’d give it to Paul for me. He wanted to know what it was and said I could give it at the end of the show. He didn’t specify if he would come to collect it, or if I would be taken to give it to Paul, but I was happy either way. It was obvious there weren’t going to be any people pulled on stage, so I wasn’t going to get to be one of those lucky few, but knowing Paul would get the T-shirt I made for him was enough to make me very happy. I saw the PA walk past a few more times during the show, and then he disappeared, never to return. I waited and waited, knowing I was going to have to go sometime. The barriers were being taken down around me, security was all but gone, and I knew: Paul had left, and that meant his PA wasn’t even going to come and get that T-shirt. I didn’t know what to think. I was already a bit miffed that Paul stayed in one spot the whole time – only ever moving to switch to the piano which also was blocked from view. He didn’t read any signs or really interact with the crowd, other than having us do a series of whoops and mirroring some of the note sequences he sang. Perhaps he never walked around a lot, and I just didn’t notice in Amsterdam because I was looking down instead of up. But it was a disappointment anyway, I’ll be truthful about that. After all the time I spent traveling and standing on my feet, he never once saw me, not even in a casual glance (thanks to that bloody camera rig).

On the upside, Rusty did walk around a bit. Early on in the show, he looked in my general direction and I frantically waved, which he must have seen since he smiled in response. During the boys-only and girls-only part of Hey Jude , he was on ‘my’ end of the stage and he noticed me. I was being so swept up in the music, I kept singing even when it was the men’s turn. He saw that, and gestured for me to keep my mouth shut. Once the penny dropped, I laughed and clapped a hand over my mouth, which he mirrored. He was obviously having fun interacting with me for a few moments, and I loved it, too. Would’ve been better if it was Paul, but alas… Rusty’s pretty cool too.

Paul was supposed to stop playing at 23:45. He didn’t. He ended Hey Jude around midnight, and then he came back for the encore. So he didn’t finish the show until 00:15, meaning he played 2 ½ hours: 33 songs in total. Yesterday ’s set list:

1. A Hard Day’s Night
2. Save Us
3. Can’t Buy Me Love
4. Letting Go
5. Let Me Roll It (with long, Foxy Lady outro)
6. I’ve Got A Feeling
7. My Valentine
8. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five
9. Maybe I’m Amazed
10. We Can Work It Out
11. In Spite Of All The Danger
12. Love Me Do
13. Blackbird
14. Give Peace A Chance
15. Here Today
16. New
17. Lady Madonna
18. FourFiveSeconds
19. Eleanor Rigby
20. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
21. Ram On (improvised, not on setlist)
22. Something
23. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
24. Band On The Run
25. Back In The USSR
26. Let It Be
27. Live And Let Die
28. Hey Jude

Encore:

1. Hi, Hi, Hi
2. Birthday
3. Golden Slumbers
4. Carry That Weight
5. The End

Sometime during Band On The Run , I spotted Eric Corton again, who seemed to be looking for someone. I thought I’d be friendly and give him a wave, at which time he and his camera crew came over to me. Apparently, it was me he was looking for (see what I did there?) because he wanted to have another shot to illustrate how the evening progressed. I did my best to ignore the camera until the actual interview – if you can call two questions that – began, because I didn’t want to miss the show and I just wanted to belt along. He kept it brief, but did record – and broadcast – me singing…. Which I stupidly went and watched this morning….

Anyway, the show ended, and I was sad, but I had to get home. Problem was, standing in the same spot for ten hours had turned my legs into porridge. I was feeling very wobbly, so I flagged down one of the emergency medical people and asked for some fructose tablets, explaining I was feeling faint. He ran out, what with so many people fainting left, right, and centre, but he soon returned with three tablets which worked wonders on me. I was able to walk properly, anyway. I was in a lot of pain, and not just physical. It only got worse when there weren’t any more buses to the train station and the taxis either grossly overcharged, didn’t accept a Maestro card, or both. I ended up having to walk back to the train station, but I was beyond knackered. I am a fairly fast walker, especially given my limited height, but I went at half of my usual speed. It just hurt too much. It was doable once I was going, but it just HURT. At the station, I had to wait for the train (last one) to arrive and I simply could not stand still. I had to sway or step in place, standing still was unbearable. I wasn’t the only one reduced to that state. At Heerlen, the last train to Eindhoven (or anywhere, for that matter) was waiting, due to depart at 2:05 AM. Railway police was handing out bottles of water, which I thought was very thoughtful, and I welcomed it with open arms, in dire need of some pain relievers.

It was one of those trains that stop everywhere, which meant the ride took twice as long, which I did not mind at all! The train wasn’t warm by any stretch of the imagination, but it trumped a windy platform. I was so terribly cold. The fatigue only made me shiver worse, of course. Those two just don’t go together well. I took off my wet jacket and put on the T-shirt I bought over the one I was already wearing, for extra insulation. Then I took off my wet socks and used my jacket as a blanket rather than put it back on. It helped, marginally. I had to get off sometime, though. With still 2 ½ hours to go until the first train north would depart, I found myself one of 50-100 people stranded at the station. It was draughty and cold. It’s quite open and exposed to the elements. I sat on the floor of the tunnel which connects the platforms to the exits for a while. Some people were sprawled on the ground, trying to sleep. Others were trying to just kill the time. Everyone was miserable.

Eventually, I made a wonderful discovery. I needed a bit to eat and the vending machines are on the platform. But also on that end of the platform was a heated waiting room. Well, heated… there are radiators, and they were on, but the windows were also at a crack. Most seats were taken, but I managed to find one. Most people were kipping, or trying to. When in Rome, right, so I closed my eyes and managed to catch forty winks. I think. I didn’t count them. I slept for about 15 minutes, and then again for a few minutes. It wasn’t much, but it was more than I expected. I never manage to sleep in such circumstances. Anyway, the train rolled in around 5:15, by which time the kiosk was open and I joined the crowd to get a coffee and a chocolate chip biscuit. I never drink coffee, but I needed something hot. It never tasted better. Between the semi-heated waiting room and the hot beverage, I managed to banish most of the shivers from my system. My train departed at 5:30 AM and I was home by 7 AM. Oddly enough, my body had all but recuperated by then. I was walking at my normal speed and ease, hopping down and running up stairs as if Pinkpop never happened. Yes, I was fighting back the sleep, and I could tell there was a certain heaviness in my back, but all in all I had made a rather miraculous recovery. I think the Skechers are partly to thank for that. Even though my feet were soaked and shrivelled, I didn’t get a single blister, and my feet didn’t hurt at all anymore when I walked the ten minutes home from the bus stop. Of course, when I fell into bed, I was instantly asleep and didn’t wake up for 4 hours at which time I got up. I kipped a bit this afternoon and I’m turning in early tonight. I have a headache, and my muscles are sore, but I feel quite good. And I’ve shed most of the disappointment, too. Now, I’m just looking back on one of the most incredible days of my life. I stood on my feet at least twice as long as I ever have before, and did it without too severe consequences. I mean, I’ve got a fever, I’ve definitely caught a chill. My lungs feel a bit off – I’ll have to keep an eye on it, having had pneumonia before. But considering what I’ve put myself through? Yeah, I Feel Fine .

P.S. I’ve got hardly and photos. It was raining much of the time, and since I had no clear view of Paul for 95% of the show, I didn’t bother. I got some of the video screen, although they have a weird perspective given my position in relation to them. I’ll see if I can find one or two decent ones.