Post Kylie thoughts

Kylie came to Greece. At the announcement so many people were happy and passioned to go. You see big pop names never come to Greece, maybe we had in the past U2, Sting, Rolling Stones, Nick Cave, Scorpions, James…  but no real pop stars. For so many reasons noone was willing to take the risk… Two years ago they said Jennifer Lopez was coming over, I bought the tickets but it was cancelled, with no real explanation. Suddenly the ghost of a Michael Jackson cancelledconcert 20 years ago returned. The same summer Ricky Martin was about to come, normally no-one cared to buy a ticket so another cancelation. But then Shakira came to save the summer and to prove that a big pop name can attract attention. Not that our stadium was full, only half of it was open and still you couldn’t say it was crowded. At least the concert took place.

Last year some great surprises came. George Michael, Sugababes, Pink, Avril Lavigne all of them were coming to Greece. Finally big pop names in a summer in Greece. George came and attracted a lot of people, though I am not sure if things on sales were that good as expected. For the Avril Lavigne show I have no idea, I didn’t care to be there. Then cmes the Pink-Sugababes double act that was actually cancelled while people were there. Things looked bad right from the start: Just the previous day at the same festival James, Air, Tori Amos and the greek Matisse made the whole area shake all over. You didn’t even need to go with friends because you could meet them there! And then at the day with Pink and Sugababes half of the area was closed. They didn’t expect as many people  probably. The greek opening act started normally, and then Sugababes came on stage one third missing. Unfortunatelly the newest member of the group was ill. No problrem though, until at the end of the fifth sng they said goodbye… only to be followed by a voice announcing that Pink ws also sick and she couldn’t be there. No matter what they say if you were there at the James concert you knew that Pink and Sugababed had sold one third of the James. Amos’ tickets.

Something is wrong with the pop crowd in Greece. And this year I was convinced that something is wrong. Kylie Minogue was announced for the 22nd of May. I bought my tickets, friends of mine bought tickets, we went there and had great fun. Kylie was sweet, the show was more than good, I screamed my self out while she was singing Your Disco Needs You and I Should Be So Lucky. What an energy in the crowd what a great night…

And then you learn that only 7000 people were there…

How the hell do we expect to see more big names? Of course you cannot say that things were perfect for the show. If you live in Athens you needed 40 minutes to get at the concert place. The outdoor Terra Vibe couldn’t support one of the seven acts, so we missed the Naughty Manga Girl part… Of course this acceptable objections, you could hear excuses like: you park too far, there is grass on the floor, it will take you ages to leave afterwards etc.

Yeap people had great reasons for not be there, but at the end I am so happy that the concert took place in Terre Vibe. The sound was great, the view was nice, contrary to the cassandras it was not that hard to access it, or leave from there. Plus with 7.000 tickets in any other place the show would have been cancelled (thankfully the company organizing it owns the place so the risk for them was smaller).

Pop crowds in Greece have no idea about concerts, I don’t know why. You don’t miss a chance to watch a big name like kylie, neither because her last album didn;t sell as well, so she is in a decline that’s why she comes. It’s not like her career ended and she  revived suddenly.

You don’t miss a chance like that because she doesn’t sing right next to your door. Friends of mine drove 3 hours to come to Athens and all around Europe people even go to the next country if they have the chance. Rock and metal fans on the other hand are ready to travel around the world.

You don’t miss the chance because there is ona act (aka four songs) less in 2 hour and a half show (we missed 30 minutes ok). You can enjoy the rest 2 hours (Madonna’s concerts are 1 hour and a half) and not feeling cheated.

You don’t miss the chance because you are going to be tired when you get home. I am sorry but when you return home after a good concert, with your legs hurting, full of sweat, your voice almost lost, it is such a welcome tirness that you feel. It’s such a sweet and great emotion that pop fans so rarely get to live in Greece. Even if you have to wake up early the next day, you don’t care because you danced your life!

So when Kylie concentrates 7000 people, how can I hope for another big name soon? Rumors say about Madonna, but after that my hopes are less and less. I remember reading back at the years of Ray of light that they were concidering that, but someone said “She doesn;t have the crowd in Greece to support what her price is”. The problem is that even if she came you will hear excuses again and again and reasons why you should not go. And it’s going to be expensive. So even if she attracts twice or three time the people Kylie attracted still it is too risky. The problem with the pop fans in Greece is that they are not that many, and the ones that exists are not that concerty.

I just wished that we one day learn to appreciate concerts and that we would actually go there than just buying them on DVD.

Goodbye Kylie, thanks for coming, i just wished that the warm crowd under tha stage made up for all the absences noticed!