Well, Paul's birthday is 6 days away (at the time of starting this post) and he's already had his pressie. About 5 weeks or so ago I found out that OMD were going to be at the Auditorium on the 18th June, as part of their Greatest Hits tour - being 10 days before Paul's birthday, and as OMD are in their original lineup (who Paul last saw live in 81 or 83) I thought that tickets to see them would make a great birthday pressie for him. And I was right! Despite having fractured ribs (long story!) he thoroughly enjoyed it.

The doors opened at 7pm, although they let us in a bit early as it was starting to rain, and I headed straight for the queue for the standing area (I would only ever go for standing tickets since seeing DD at Sheffield Arena way back in 2004 - gosh... is it that long ago?? But with standing you have to be there early! Thankfully, the Grimsby audience is a bit slow to turn up, so 6:30 outside the Auditorium was early enough). When the doors opened, Paul and the guys (we took two of our friends along with us) were stunned at how fast I darted to the front. I was determined to get right in the front row - and I made it! Just! There was space for a little one (thank god I've not put on that much weight) right on the barrier, directly opposite Paul Humphreys synths!

Now, if you don't know me that well you won't know that

1. I had a huge crush on Paul Humphreys in the 80s
2. Paul Humphreys is one of my all-time synths/keyboards heroes, and probably the main synths player to inspire me learn to play the Piano, but always with a view to having a synthesizer of my own and learning to play that - believe me, there's a huge difference between playing a Piano and playing the synths!
3. I have a tendency to play Air Synths when listening to OMD's music - probably more so than when listening to any other band! Something you need to bear in mind for later on...

So, as you can guess, I managed to get into the perfect spot for me! My Paul was stood behind me (he jokingly said that as it was his present he should be in the front, but I did point out that I'm shorter and he could easily see over my head), and our friends were to his left. I got chatting to a lady next to me, who's about my age and had - like me - missed out on seeing all the great bands of the 80s because she was too young. It turns out that she'd also been to see DD in '04 but saw them at Manchester and was gutted when she later found out that she'd missed seeing the Scissor Sisters as support. Anyway, she'd seen OMD at Liverpool, and said they still had it. She told me a little bit about the support act, Lovers Electric, and said 'Don't laugh too loudly, but she brings on a little kids toy piano'. Weird, I thought.

About 8pm Lovers Electric came on stage. A guy and a gal from Oz. He carried on his acoustic guitar in it's case, she carried on a red vanity case - which was just like my ballet case from when I was a lot younger. As she opened it up she brought out this little red toy piano and attached a cable to it. Now, I know how this sounds... but you have to believe me, it worked really well! The music was a bit quirky, and they use a Casio MT (with equalizer no less... prompting a big 'wowie!' from yours truly in proper audience participation mode!!) which they picked up on Ebay, but it all worked brilliantly! They both have fantastic voices, and I really hope that they sell lots of albums at the shows. They need to get them out there another way though, because loads of people have been reluctant to leave their front-of-stage positions to buy a copy and meet them. I would've loved to, but there was no way I was giving up my position! Not after - well, let's just say a lot more than 20 and not many less than 30 - years waiting to see OMD! Check them out on You Tube, they really are great!

So, after their brilliant set, Lovers Electric left the stage and the guys all came on to make sure that OMDs kit was all ok. And that's when the fun started... first off everything seemed to be going well. The drums were fine - very loud bass drum, definitely audible. The Synths had a dust down and a wipe over... all the time I kept thinking 'I know you know what you're doing, but for god's sake don't knock a single dial or button' while the guy was cleaning Paul's synth! We spotted blue Listerine and what looked like Baby wipes on the side, my Paul's positive that Martin Cooper's synths only got a dust off, whilst Paul's got a dust and a clean with the Baby wipes!

The mics were fine (we were close enough to spot that Andy was written on one of the radio packs (if I remember that was on green tape) and Paul on another (on red tape)). There was no feedback, all was going well... until the guy who'd checked the mics did a second check on the drums, and there was nothing picking up from the Bass drum - it sounded to tinny! My Paul keep muttering, 'it helps if you switch it on'. Now, while they were trying to sort that out, the big screen at the back was being tested.

I've heard that it's not an OMD gig if something doesn't go wrong, but I didn't realise that included set-up! One of the panels making up the screen wasn't working, so there was a big black rectangle in the middle of the test. Now, if this had been at the bottom of the screen they probably could have got away with it, but it wasn't. I suppose it could have been worse, but not much! It was in the middle, about 3 blocks from the top... so really visible. Cue guy with a stepladder and a headband torch climbing up the back to fix it. The whole screen wobbled as he climbed up, and in the end we probably had a good 15 mins entertainment watching him try and fix it... dropping parts, nearly getting it, then taking it out again (to very loud boos from the audience - prompting the rest of the crew to come out to see what was going on!), then fixing it again, then moving it again, until eventually it was all ok and he climbed back down the ladder (to huge cheers). Meanwhile they sorted out the Bass drum (to more cheers). I would hate to be the crew member who had to fix that screen though... I have a funny feeling he probably got a lot of stick from everyone that night!

Anyway, later than planned the lights went down, the screen went into action and the music began... we were treated to the title track from Architecture & Morality (which was nicely accompanied by arty Architecture photos - see what they did there?). After that the guys came on stage - well, all except Andy, who followed on a little bit later.

Unfortunately I have a confession to make here... I saw Mal Holmes and he's changed so much that not only did I recognise him, but for a few milliseconds I wondered what one of the roadies was doing coming on!!! How embarrassing! Anyway, Andy came on stage and the guys started the show with some of the A&M set - that was the arty & cultural part of the show, which I had no objections to. I think a large number of the crowd weren't expecting any A&M (other than the singles, of course), so were a bit thrown, but I threw myself into it... whooping and going barmy after everything! The guys caught me out though.

I didn't have my own digital camera available that night, so I borrowed one from a neighbour and had noticed that it had a video mode, so I decided that I was going to video 'Souvenir' (as that's my all-time favourite OMD song). They sneaked it up on me! And it took me a few seconds from going mental cheering that it was being played to realise I hadn't started recording! Still, I got myself sorted and didn't miss too much of it. I was really good and didn't have any camera shake, no singing either (although that felt really weird!). Paul sounded fantastic, although the mix on his mic sounded a bit low, but he's always had a quiet, although totally beautiful, voice. I was just so happy to have finally seen him singing it live! When they finished I whooped and cheered like a loon, stopped the recording and joined the applause. Unfortunately, I found out when we got home that the camera doesn't have a built in mic, so all I got was vision with no sound!!! Talk about frustrating! Still, the main thing is - I was there! He was right in front of me singing and playing, and sounding great!

Unfortunately it's now a week on, and I'm still writing this post, so I've completely lost track of what was played when! They played 'She's leaving', 'Souvenir' and went from 'Joan of Arc' straight to 'Maid of Orleans' from A&M and there were more tracks from A&M too - although I can't remember what. Part way through the A&M set Andy said for anyone who hadn't seen them before, they start off with the arty stuff then it all goes downhill from there. So when they finished the A&M set Andy told us that that was the end of the arty, cultural, part of the evening, and now it was going to be hits all the way.

As I've said, I can't remember the set list in order, but they played:

• Messages
• Locomotion
• Sailing on the seven seas
• If you leave
• So in love
• Pandora's box
• (Forever) Live and die
• Enola gay
• Talking loud and clear
• Tesla girls

Then for an encore they played:

• Walking on the milky way
• Electricity
• The romance of the telescope

and Paul thinks there was another one between Electricity and TROTT.

The lady next to me, who I think is known as striped-tomato on the OMD forum, and I were taking loads of photos. I took about 57 (I think), although only 12 were even half decent - I'm used to a camera which you can set to replicate different film ISOs and which you can adjust the shutter speed on etc to replicate an SLR more effectively, unfortunately the camera I borrowed didn't seem to have all those functions - but then again it took me about 15 mins to find the flash control on it, so it was probably me, and I'm not complaining as I could have been there with no camera - or worse still I could have not been there at all! Anyway, Andy noticed that we were taking photos and kept popping our way and posing for us - shame I was a bit slow with getting my camera running, I kept missing out on some great shots! He's a great showman, and if you've never seen them live you really have missed out. He does completely mad dancing (at one point he said "Still got no dignity, but I can't help myself"), and now I can see why he has described it as being like 'an epileptic windmill'! I've got a great shot where he seems to be vogueing on the left while the rest of the guys are playing. I'll pop the pics on at the end of this post!

As I've already said, I was bopping around, clapping, singing and generally being my usual excited self! I just can't help myself! I can't really remember just how nuts I was, but I do remember that I was really going for it during 'If you leave' - I kind of go into singer-mode and do all these hand things during the chorus ('I touch you once, I touch you twice')... exactly the same as Andy did! (which was a bit embarrassing, but there you have it!). After 'If you leave' Andy introduced 'Pandora's Box', and I went really nuts! In fact, I think I must've given the biggest reaction of the entire audience to that one! I never really thought that I'd hear that one live, and I've loved it since I first heard it. So I gave a really genuine, hearfelt, excited cheer! I was really bopping about during the chorus, too!

When Paul came down from his synths for '(Forever) Live and die' I was stunned, and ended up taking more photos than for any other song - although the camera shake on those was worse than any other shots! I guess I still have a thing for Paul... even though he's changed quite a lot. I never, ever, thought that I'd see him leave his synths for the front of the stage! And I never thought I'd see Andy on synths! Such a shame that I didn't get any decent photos. Had a chuckle the next day when I remembered that I did exactly the same thing on the trumpet 'ba-da's as Paul. Little understated motions, while Andy was at the synths doing big gestures!

Basically, I was a complete loon! My Paul and I sort of did a little dancey thing to 'Locomotion', maybe we should've practiced, but we had fun! I keep smiling whenever I listen to that now though, because I can picture Paul Humphreys playing the steel drum solo on the synths... I don't know why, but that had never struck me before! For 'Talking loud and clear' Andy sat on one of the monitor speakers at the front of the stage, facing our way, and I got some nice pics from that. My Paul did a scarecrow thing behind me, as the song is affectionately called 'The scarecrow song' after the video (dunno why we bother, as that's about as long as the real title!).

I think I got most embarrassed during 'Enola Gay' though... well, I think it was during that, it could've been earlier, but Paul said he remembers particularly 'Enola Gay' for this! At one point I suddenly became aware that I was playing Air Synths... now, as I've already mentioned, I tend to do this a lot with OMD songs, mainly because Paul H is one of my heroes, and when I get a few moments to myself (which isn't very often) I like to get the cds out and pick out some of the synth parts to some of their stuff. But, I now seem to have a habit of just playing air synths as practice - if my hands aren't busy doing something else (and sometimes, like now, I find that typing while listening to OMD is a bit touch and go, as my hands start going in to synths mode!). The thing is, I seemed to suddenly realise that I'd been playing air synths for a bit and suddenly realised that Paul Humphreys was right opposite me and could actually see me... playing my dodgy air synths! I think I suddenly developed a 'deer in the headlights' look, and very quickly looked away and stopped myself. Talking with my Paul the next day he confirmed that I was indeed playing air synths to 'Enola Gay', and the reason I'd got so embarrassed was because Paul Humphreys had indeed spotted what I was up to, looked straight at me, and smiled at me! I thought it was my imagination, some sort of defence mechanism telling me to stop being such an embarrassing idiot... but it seems it was real! Part of me thinks that's pretty cool - because not many people play air synths, so it's a different way to be noticed, and it shows that I'm into my synths too - but part of me is so embarrassed by it! In a way I wish we'd stayed after the show to see if we could get to meet the guys, but having been spotted playing air synths I'm quite glad we didn't! The trouble is, I can't help myself.. I just get into the music and that's one of my ways of appreciating it! Odd as that may sound.

Anyhow, the concert was amazing! When they came back on for the encore I was over the moon that they did 'Walking on the milky way', although part of me wishes that Andy had come over our side at the end, as I always, always, always sing the female vocal at the end - always have, always will - and apparently he does try to get someone to sing it! Maybe next time? They followed Milky way with 'Electricity' which was really cool to see live, and finished the set with 'The romance of the telescope' which was the b-side of 'Joan of Arc'. At one point early on Andy turned to the others and said 'See, it's not so scary!', and he also told us at another point that they'd never played Grimsby before, and that they would definately have to come back! Guess who went nuts!! Yep... me! Here's hoping!

So that was it... I think it was about 11:15ish when we left. We were amongst the last to leave the auditorium itself, and if it had just been Paul and myself, and if he hadn't had fractured ribs, we probably would have stuck around and hung out at the 'back doors' to catch the guys. With his ribs as they were, although he would've loved to stick around he didn't feel well enough. Bopping with fractured ribs is not a comfortable, or sensible, thing! Plus, we had lifts home to sort out for our friends who came with us. Frustratingly I've now found out that the guys are more than happy to sign things for fans who take the trouble to wait after the show, or are outside after the soundcheck - and that includes Paul, who I had thought would not have been comfortable with that whole aspect of things. Still... I guess that's something we can do another time. As long as they stick together and tour again!

Next day Paul and I were still so hyper from it that we wanted to see if we could go see them again soon... as it turned out the next nearest concert was at Nottingham on Thursday 21st, but that was a bit too early for us. Paul is talking about trying to get tickets for the final concert, on the final day of the Summer Pops festival in Liverpool, but I doubt we'll be able to get those...

The most important thing though is that we both really enjoyed ourselves, the guys were brilliant, and I've now seen OMD live... the real OMD too!

I have to admit that I've been on the OMD forum since the concert, and I was really disappointed by the comments from a couple of people who went. They basically said that the Grimsby audience were rubbish, and didn't deserve an encore, and that the place was half empty and no-one was dancing... to be honest, I wondered if they'd been to the same concert as me! Each to their own I guess, but I got the feeling the guys enjoyed themselves. Unfortunately those comments have now led to the rest of the forum basically slating Grimsby, and saying things like 'as Grimsby showed if you have a flat audience, you get a flat performance'... but I didn't think we got a flat performance, and I didn't think we were a flat audience! Only way to find out would be to ask the guys, but they seem to be steering clear of that thread - and as it's taking forever to get my account activated I can't get involved!

I promised some photos, didn't I? Well, here are the best of the ones I took:

Not great, I know... not a patch on my DD ones, I'm afraid, but still some reminders of a great night!