Skyradio gig Renesse (The Netherlands) 15.11.03 - By Cindy

On Friday we arrived about 18.30 at the hotel in Renesse.

Our friends already asked for a table for dinner so we had time to check in and check our rooms. It was a really nice room. But that is what you can expect in a hotel with 4 stars I guess.

Dinner was nice too. We had a table for 9 persons and after dinner the waitress talked to us and from then on we were the 9 from the table for the rest of the weekend. She was very interested in the fact that we were friends and had all won this weekend. She gave us some little more details over the weekend, but was surprised we guessed some of them already.

We were ready with dinner after 10 o'clock and went into the bar where the drinks where for free. After trying to keep my eyes open for some time I decided somewhere after 11 that I had to go to bed or fall asleep right there. It had been a long and busy day. My friend Lein went with me to our room. We talked for some time listening to Ronan’s album which had been waiting for us when we arrived in our room. It sounded so great. I think it is his best album ever! After 12 we really went to sleep.

At 8 the buzzer of the alarm went off and I got out of bed and under the shower.
Lein and I walked around the hotel a bit till it was time to meet up with the others for breakfast. We also talked to Diane who also was there.
When everybody was there we went to have our breakfast. You could choose between so many things. It was a really nice breakfast.

After breakfast we talked to Diane who had won a meet and greet with Ronan. We got our things from our rooms and put them in the car. Then we checked out and found out none of us had won a meet and greet. We were not happy with that at that moment, but later at the concert we were happy we didn’t win. Why not? Because if we had won, we wouldn't have had the place we had now, standing so close to Ronan. And from Diane I heard that the meet and great was so quick.

We walked around the hotel for a bit and then went in to see if we could wait in front of the entrance of the place the concert would be. We talked to the security for some time, but then they told us we had to go away, because we were blocking the way to the lifts. So we sat in the bar which was after the entrance and looked out if somebody would take our place, but the security was very strict and everybody was sent away.

We didn't go for lunch, because we were not hungry at all and wanted to stay close and keep an eye on the entrance. I did eat an apple.
At some point when it was almost time we went back and stood with the security men. There came some more fans, but not that many.

Just after the meet and greet winners walked past us and went into a room to meet up with Ronan, we were allowed to go to the place the concert was.
I still don't know how I got so quick down the stairs who where really small and dangerous. But In the hall I run to the stage and stood in front of the microphone a little to the right of it. I was just about 30 centimetres away from the microphone. All my friends were around me, which was great, knowing they had such good places too.

Then the waiting started again. I saw Anto walking over the stage and some time later the man from Skyradio told us we were allowed to take photos, but not use a flash, because that would let Ronan be blinded all the time.
Not that long after that the band came on stage soon followed by Ronan. Steve wasn't there. There was a new man in his place. (Later we found out his name, it was Milton)

When he came on stage Ronan was really close. It was almost scary. The first two times our eyes met I looked away very quickly. But after that I got used to being so close and felt more comfortable with it.
He started with turn it on. Which is a great song and he really liked it that we could sing along with him. At least the front row could sing it with him.
After that he told he was happy to be here and he liked doing a gig like this so small, but that it was a bit scary too. And that everybody also in the back had to stand up. Then he realised he made a mistake and that everybody was already standing. *lol*{mospagebreak title=Page 2&heading=Page 1}

Then he did lovin each day. And when I started to jump during the chorus he smiled at me as if he wanted to say: Ok I see that you don't only do that at my big concerts, but also here. *lol*
We were missing the special I need you here move. I was waiting for it.  When he didn't do it I gave a friend a look and Ronan had to laugh about that, as if he knew what we were thinking. I guess he did. The second time he didn't do the move put he pointed with his finger in the direction. After the song he started to talk to us again, but when the people didn't react quick enough he asked us if he was talking to quick. That happens sometimes he said.

The third song was if tomorrow never comes, everybody sang along which was great. He took off his jacket for this song, because it was so hot! It was a nice black jacket and under it there was a white shirt. He was wearing jeans (Diesel jeans for if you want to know) and a really nice belt with a dragon. But I didn't look at that to good, because I was afraid Ronan would think I was looking at something else. *lol*
After the song he said he just had an experience which made him remind of this song. He flew from Norway to Germany the night before and the landing gear of the airplane didn't come out and he was thinking of his life, wife, kids and the fact if he could make it to Holland the next day. (Those were his words.) He told us it was very scary.

The following song was First time and he told us he wrote it for his wife. It sounded really great. Ronan did look a bit surprised when we could sing along.

The fifth song was when you say nothing at all. Of course he didn't sing the whole song himself, but we had to sing too. And we did a great job. Before he sang the song he thanked the record company which he worked with for 10 years now and this team was the best he thought.

The sixth song was lost for words and he told us that there was one of his band members who was lost for words, because he had to many to drink the night before. It was Liam for if you want to know. During the song when he was singing I could hold you tight for hours he embraced his microphone stand so close. I wish I was that stand. *lol*

Song seven was this is your song.
He told us that he wrote it for his mum and that the band members asked him to do it on the last tour and he did. Like we all know.
But they also asked him to do it on the album and it would make a great single. But he wasn't so sure about the single thing.
He sung it so beautiful tears were almost filling my eyes and I looked away from him, before I would start to cry and make him cry too. You never know.
The sigh at the end of the song was so big. Like he would say with it that he was glad that he made it.

Then he explained that he heard that the next song was a big hit in Holland already some time ago. He told us he just found out. But it was going to be his next single he thought. It was she believes in me. A good song and it was the first time he did it Live.

Then he did Brown eyed girl and that was great as always and we had to sing the very difficult chorus lines...*lol* I was jumping and dancing like mad at this song. It is such a great song. Ronan had a great time during this song too. But he had the whole concert.

After the song he told us he really enjoyed it here and really loved it. You could see he meant what he was saying. But sadly he really had to go, because he had to get his flight and it was already time for the last song. I don't know what would have happen if there was no plane to catch. Maybe he would have done some more songs, because he had such a great time.
That last song was life is a rollercoaster. Everybody sang with him and while we sang the chorus at the end in between our singing he thanked everybody line by line, sky radio the record company and most of all us who were there!

Then it was really time to say goodbye. It had been so fantastic and I hope my photos turn out great. I didn't even have to use my zoom, because I already could only see his chest and head. *lol*

After the concert we asked somebody from the hotel to take a photo of us in front of the stage and she did. Then we went to the bar for a drink and after that we went for a walk over the beach.

When we came back to the hotel we went into the bar again for another drink. But soon after that we went home and we had to say goodbye to our friends.

(Click here for photos)