Wembley Arena, London, England5th October 1997 |
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We arrived at the arena about 2 hours before the doors were due to open - a few people milling about, mainly ticket touts, so we grab a cup of coffee and hang about, only to be treated to the sounds of ani's soundcheck wafting through the walls. 20 minutes passes quickly, the next hour and a half doesn't.
Once inside we discover just how far away from the stage we are. The arena seats 12,000, and there are just four rows of seats behind us, so it's back downstairs to hire a pair of binoculars.
The arena is gradually filling up as the opening act, C&W singer Dana Gillespie, takes to the stage for short set.
Ani, dressed in blue jeans, green vest and with short purple hair, is greeted with quite a warm reception, and immediately opens with Little Plastic Castle ( "way by far the cutest" ). There's not much talking between the songs, a piece about thinking the venue would be more like a stadium, and how in the USA all she sees is a black pit with exit signs, but here it's a pit with "Way Out, Way Out, Way Out" all around.
After 'The Slant', someone in the audience yells something out: "What's that ... I'm full of shit ?" say's ani, "I love you too", and then just starts "32 Flavors". I just hope the heckler was listening close enough to hear the lyrics;
"cause someday you're going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just ....... said"
Applause and cheers. The song says it all.
Do Re Mi and Not A Pretty Girl are performed solo, with Jason and Andy being introduced before an excellent Shameless. Much applause, but no encore.
Dylan ? The times, they have a changed. I'm just glad I didn't pay to see him.