i usually travel down on my own but meet folk in london. i know so many fans there are always people i know. the front rows are just the same punters every time. i usually have friends to meet before going and stay with, but not all the time. it's been a long time since i've not had anywhere at all to stay after a gig, but in london there are probably all night cafes like mcdonalds or whatever so google them up. i was at a cool one once about 10 years ago after a prince party.

at hop park we didn't get out the car park until about 2am or something. another friend slept in her car and drove back in the morning when it was clear.

the last night of the o2 i didn't have a hotel booked but some fans were having a party at the same hotel i was in the night before so i was gonna hang out there in time for the first train back and left my bags there, but in the end, by the time the aftershow was over and we got out and i got my bags the tubes were about to start and i just travelled back home. it was a shite journey as i had to change trains due to works instead of just sleeping.

but in 1999 after TFI friday which was end of november, 4 of us slept in a car afterwards and it was freezing. then i got the train to newcastle for the tube and whilst we were lucky to go to the main show (prince recorded his bit about 2pm) it ended at midnight and we had to roam the streets on a saturday night for shelter, and the first train wasn't till 8am as it was sunday, and in fact i think there was a train issue and i had to get the bus part way and swap. newcastle was absolutely fucking baltic. i don't know how all them southerners get away with wandering about with belts for skirts and no coats

in glasgow after the garage aftershow it was about 3 hours wait for the first bus back (as the buses start earlier than the trains, take longer but you are out of the cold), and it was actually snowing a bit. but at least we were in the bus station, albeit full of weedgie junkies that look like the cast from the walking dead

and back then in those days mobile phones were scarce, laptops were massive and no wifi or 3G. although getting a signal in hop park was hard

but the at least at those shows they were announced in advance, we bought tickets and could plan. this time no-one has a scoob WTF is going on. i'm planning on going to all gigs as long as it's physically possible to get there, including just walking out of work if required. fuck work! load of over rated shite. you miss jeremy kyle every day and don't have much time to watch movies and play xbox. only good thing about work is free internet and coffee and biscuits. and holidays

Ellie said:

That was easier than Hop Farm? I just had a day ticket to that and booked a coach. Took us from London Waterloo right there and back. Had to get a short taxi ride home from there which was more expensive than the coach itself but it was worth it.

I had similar.

Came in from Poland to Stanstead or what the field is known as.

Then train to the City.

Store the luggage at st Pancras.

Train to Hop Farm.

See the show.

Coach back to London. That was amazingly quick w.r.t. check in etc.

ladymisskat said:

unique said:

3rd Eye Twitter just tweeted that Prince, Crew and Instruments are now in LONDON town, Ohhh the excitement!

3EG just tweeted to say that they are now in London!!!!

funkyhead said:

3EG just tweeted to say that they are now in London!!!!

One day late.

Just reading that on Twitter made me shiver!

That means they are within 10 miles of where I am sitting right now!

[Edited 2/4/14 4:11am]

SquirrelMeat said:

unique said:

i usually travel down on my own but meet folk in london. i know so many fans there are always people i know. the front rows are just the same punters every time. i usually have friends to meet before going and stay with, but not all the time. it's been a long time since i've not had anywhere at all to stay after a gig, but in london there are probably all night cafes like mcdonalds or whatever so google them up. i was at a cool one once about 10 years ago after a prince party.

at hop park we didn't get out the car park until about 2am or something. another friend slept in her car and drove back in the morning when it was clear.

the last night of the o2 i didn't have a hotel booked but some fans were having a party at the same hotel i was in the night before so i was gonna hang out there in time for the first train back and left my bags there, but in the end, by the time the aftershow was over and we got out and i got my bags the tubes were about to start and i just travelled back home. it was a shite journey as i had to change trains due to works instead of just sleeping.

but in 1999 after TFI friday which was end of november, 4 of us slept in a car afterwards and it was freezing. then i got the train to newcastle for the tube and whilst we were lucky to go to the main show (prince recorded his bit about 2pm) it ended at midnight and we had to roam the streets on a saturday night for shelter, and the first train wasn't till 8am as it was sunday, and in fact i think there was a train issue and i had to get the bus part way and swap. newcastle was absolutely fucking baltic. i don't know how all them southerners get away with wandering about with belts for skirts and no coats

in glasgow after the garage aftershow it was about 3 hours wait for the first bus back (as the buses start earlier than the trains, take longer but you are out of the cold), and it was actually snowing a bit. but at least we were in the bus station, albeit full of weedgie junkies that look like the cast from the walking dead

and back then in those days mobile phones were scarce, laptops were massive and no wifi or 3G. although getting a signal in hop park was hard

but the at least at those shows they were announced in advance, we bought tickets and could plan. this time no-one has a scoob WTF is going on. i'm planning on going to all gigs as long as it's physically possible to get there, including just walking out of work if required. fuck work! load of over rated shite. you miss jeremy kyle every day and don't have much time to watch movies and play xbox. only good thing about work is free internet and coffee and biscuits. and holidays

For The Tube I drove Cambridge to Newcastle and back all in the same day. No problem!

i don't drive though, and my friend was from cornwall and didn't drive either. we could have went home easily the same day after seeing prince, but we got to see the main show which was live on tv and i met paul macartney and shook his hand, and robbie williams in the bar at the hotel and spoke to beverley knight for ages about prince and met all sorts of other celebs and had a pretty amazing time. so whilst it was fucking freezing it was worth it to meet prince and a beatle in the same day (i was the guy talking to prince backstage - the warm up guy spoke about it, and then spoke to larry and prince when they came onstage)

udo said:

funkyhead said:

3EG just tweeted to say that they are now in London!!!!

One day late.

...who's a grump?

unique said:

SquirrelMeat said:

unique said: For The Tube I drove Cambridge to Newcastle and back all in the same day. No problem!

i don't drive though, and my friend was from cornwall and didn't drive either. we could have went home easily the same day after seeing prince, but we got to see the main show which was live on tv and i met paul macartney and shook his hand, and robbie williams in the bar at the hotel and spoke to beverley knight for ages about prince and met all sorts of other celebs and had a pretty amazing time. so whilst it was fucking freezing it was worth it to meet prince and a beatle in the same day (i was the guy talking to prince backstage - the warm up guy spoke about it, and then spoke to larry and prince when they came onstage)

Y'all have much better memories than me, I think alcohol has killed my powers of recall

I do remember that i took a flight from London to Newcastle that day and by pure chance Prince and the band were on the same plane. As i walked thru the plane to find my seat i saw band members and nodded to them or said "hi". The funny thing was Prince was sat in the very front seat and i didn't even notice DOH!!!! It was only when i was walking thru airport on arrival i overheard some employees chatting excitedly about how Prince had just walked past.

True story dat

hw3004 said:

udo said:

One day late.

...who's a grump?

Only being realistic while looking at the thread title.

Prince's formulation was less exact.

Also it's still vague when that album which the celebration is about will be released...

udo said:

funkyhead said:

3EG just tweeted to say that they are now in London!!!!

One day late.

Better than not at all

Ellie said:

I forgot about that fiasco. Yes, I remember being in East London at the time, tucked up in bed while other Prince fans were tweeting and posting away while still stuck in the car park

I think that was just lack of research...most people just parked at the Hop Farm, and that was always going to be mad. Half hour walk away, you could have parked and got back on the road alot quicker. We found an old gravel site right opposite the Hop Farm (think there was a pub there at one point) where they had set up some impromtu parking for £10. We parked there, walked over the road, and walked back afterwards....was literally home half hour after Prince finished.

Always pays to check out a location thoroughly before travelling

unique said:

SquirrelMeat said:

unique said:

i don't drive though, and my friend was from cornwall and didn't drive either. we could have went home easily the same day after seeing prince, but we got to see the main show which was live on tv and i met paul macartney and shook his hand, and robbie williams in the bar at the hotel and spoke to beverley knight for ages about prince and met all sorts of other celebs and had a pretty amazing time. so whilst it was fucking freezing it was worth it to meet prince and a beatle in the same day (i was the guy talking to prince backstage - the warm up guy spoke about it, and then spoke to larry and prince when they came onstage)

I never got to speak to P or the band that day, but Matt Lucas did buy me a beer in the pub outside!

the pub next to the tube that was the VIP bit? how did you get in there? he wasn't famous at that time either, was he? it was long before little britain was on telly. he did that celebrity show where he dressed up as prince a couple of years previously tho. we went to the mal maison where prince and robbie williams was. i spoke to robbie at the hotel and maccas band were there too (no, not the beatles)

unique said:

SquirrelMeat said:

unique said: I never got to speak to P or the band that day, but Matt Lucas did buy me a beer in the pub outside!

the pub next to the tube that was the VIP bit? how did you get in there? he wasn't famous at that time either, was he? it was long before little britain was on telly. he did that celebrity show where he dressed up as prince a couple of years previously tho. we went to the mal maison where prince and robbie williams was. i spoke to robbie at the hotel and maccas band were there too (no, not the beatles)

Matt lucas did 'Shooting Stars' years before little britain so he was around, he used to be the guy playing drums 'George dawes'

Sitting down town central London at work and continously refreshing every possible link... I am not going to miss these shows! I am officially excited!!!

unique said:

fnksoul said:

unique said:

the pub next to the tube that was the VIP bit? how did you get in there? he wasn't famous at that time either, was he? it was long before little britain was on telly. he did that celebrity show where he dressed up as prince a couple of years previously tho. we went to the mal maison where prince and robbie williams was. i spoke to robbie at the hotel and maccas band were there too (no, not the beatles)

Matt lucas did 'Shooting Stars' years before little britain so he was around, he used to be the guy playing drums 'George dawes'

i forgot about that! i remember charlie chuck was up at the edinburgh festival and walked past me whilst he was wearing a charlie chuck t shirt!

also vic reeves and nancy his wife were right next to me getting into the mayfair club in 2002 at the failed afterparty.. remember on night out he did a cover of alphabet street whilst being rolled onstage on a brass bed like the start of the lovesexy tour?

SquirrelMeat said:

unique said:

The bounce just let me and my mate through. I asked nicely. Matt was sitting at the bar in his pink romper suit. He is a big Prince fan. I've always generally lucked out. Sat next to Bill Oddie at one show, George Micheal at another. Even got to have food with Wendy and Lisa. At The Dawn Kings Cross gig I let Betty Boo climb on my shoulders. I should have faced the other way!

the pub next to the tube that was the VIP bit? how did you get in there? he wasn't famous at that time either, was he? it was long before little britain was on telly. he did that celebrity show where he dressed up as prince a couple of years previously tho. we went to the mal maison where prince and robbie williams was. i spoke to robbie at the hotel and maccas band were there too (no, not the beatles)

Lianne La Havas has just tweeted about having her hair done for today.

https://twitter.com/liannelahavas

DaveT said:

I think that was just lack of research...most people just parked at the Hop Farm, and that was always going to be mad. Half hour walk away, you could have parked and got back on the road alot quicker.

Always pays to check out a location thoroughly before travelling

I had a 6 months pregnant wife with me for Hop Farm, so the car park was ideal for me. She slept while we crept slowly out of the car park.

Malloy said:

Who thinks there'll be a show tonight with tickets going on sale online this afternoon?

I cant see it, maybe early hours/late night if anything but i'd imagine they will have alot to sort out between now and then. who knows though.... Only Prince's team it seems

fnksoul said:

Malloy said:

Who thinks there'll be a show tonight with tickets going on sale online this afternoon?

I cant see it, maybe early hours/late night if anything but i'd imagine they will have alot to sort out between now and then. who knows though.... Only Prince's team it seems

I don't think so