Birmingham review!
  Pat Healy

Hi Everyone!

National Indoor Arena Birmingham 1998

The Indoor Arena is a large venue situated on the banks of the canal
basin where the longboats sail up and down.  It is surrounded by lots of
restaurant, little quaint bars and pubs.  President Clinton came to this
part on the G7 conference and visited one of the pubs and said he liked
Birmingham very much.

Well the stage was in complete darkness the time was 8.10 pm precisely
when suddenly what looked like a lot of torches were being shone around.
They went out and the lights blazed up and 'Tell Me Why' was in full
swing (very dramatic opening)!

The set list continued pretty much the same as RAH and Sheffield until
we reached to acoustic set -
True Love
Can't Help Falling
In Love Moon River

this was a new turn of events (wonder if this is the formula for Spain)?
Rauls voice was incredible I thought I had heard the best but this was
something else.  The crowd went wild they loved it.

Raul announced this was their last show in the UK and everyone moaned
and he said 'thats the bad news the good is we will definitely be back'
'thanks for making our record such a big success and giving us a
wonderful year'.  Robert also said this when he introduced Raul for his
solo spot.

Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down was very good and I  wanted very much to
get up and dance but no one around me was up so I waited a little (Raul
said 'I you still out there Birmingham' and put his hand to his eyes and
looked about). Of course I was one of the first up dancing (I've got the
taste for it now LOL). All my friends said to me later 'I saw you up
dancing and jigging about on your own at the front' I said yeah well you
got to keep the side up you know'.  Everyone did get up and dance and
the place erupted and stayed that way to the end.  It was KEWL!
After the show I had backstage passes and took my friend Sheila to meet
the guys down in the basement of the Arena into a M&G room.
 
Very quickly the guys came out Jerry Dale first followed by Robert and
Nick. Robert said 'Hi Pat' and gave me a hug   (this is so nice when
they recognise you) Nick said 'Oh hi glad you got in ok'.  I had said
previously in Sheffield that it was a little difficult to get through
and see them.  Paul next who was nice and chatty.  Then Raul walked
through the door and my heart just thumped!!  He gave me a lovely smile
of recognition (oh boy).  Two girls by me asked him if he had got his
food ok they were connected to the caterers and Raul said 'oh yeah
everything was just fine thank you' then they left and I produced
another Beanie Baby Dog for Victor which Raul just loved and gave me the
biggest of hugs (hmmmmmm) then shouted to Steve 'Hey Steve look after
our furry friend'. Steve shouted he wanted Raul to circulate around the
room so he moved off. Robert came back to me and I said I was going to
see Trisha in November he said 'give her my love'  ohh poor boy they
seemed destined never to meet.  He then straightened out my necklace for
me (its one of the little gestures
Robert does so well don't you think).  Nick came back to me and I gave
him a hug and he SMILED.  Nick is very friendly guy when you get to know
him.
Jerry Dale came across and I asked him if he got his little red dog he
another night at Sheffield and he said 'oh was it you Pat' and gave me a
lovely hug and said 'I love my little red dog Rover thank you so much'.
Finally I met Jaime Hanna, he is so nice I asked him was he composing
anything just now, he said 'its very difficult on the road, but when I
get home I will' then asked me had I seen the RAH show on telly on
Saturday night' and I said 'yeah'  he said 'did you see the two ladies
who mounted the platform by me' (I must explain the second RAH show at
the end lots of people were invited on to the stage for the last number
AYEDIBMD)  I said 'yes I did' he said 'that was my mom and her twin they
came over for it'!  How lovely for you Jaime.
Ethen Allen of the Cheapseats was there and I went across to speak with
him.  He has been a fan of the Mavs for six years and is greatly
influenced by them. I said haven't they come a long and and aren't just
great'  he said 'how great can you get'! I echoed that.  I also said
Raul made my blood pressure go up and he said 'I'm not getting into
this' I said 'don't worry I behave myself' LOL.
I managed to have a final word with Raul about his digital video camera
that he was using at RAH (he stood on the stage and just videod the
audience and band, nice unique touch I thought). I said is it a Sony and
he said 'no its a JVC' I said it looks a smart little job'  he said
'yeah I have been using around a lot lately'.  'I had to lend it to the
BBC and they spliced footage from it into the show they televised'.  I
said 'yes did you see it'  he said 'no I haven't seen it yet, we were
out somewhere that night'. While we were talking Raul suddenly put his
arms around me and said 'oh thank you for my little gift'  I said 'you
are most welcome'.  Then I told him I had
e-mailed his mom and how I now knew how he got his lovely voice'  He
said 'oh no everyone will know'  I said 'oh she is so sweet, so very
sweet you mom', he said 'yes she is thank you'.  Then I finally said 'my
regards to Betty and take care come back to us real soon - love you'.
Raul gave a small bow.
Then I walked away saying goodbye to Steve who smiled and said 'good
bye'.  I looked back one last time and Raul was watching me (my legs
went to jelly) then left the room.

So the guys have gone to Spain now (they were leaving the next day and
were looking forward to two days off).  Badly needed I would say his has
been a killer tour for them and not over yet as Steve said they still
have a lot of work to do.  He was looking quite harassed I thought.

Sorry for the long post but I enjoyed every minute of this tour The
Mavs are just the best.
Pat.