Ang, young Josh & Debs have just left to head home. Excellent weekend. To cut it short (
) Nik's set was over in the blink of an eye but it was so well received by the audience. I know it would be easy for me to 'big' Nik up but in all honesty, I think Nik was the 5th act too take the stage and his set was the first to see a standing ovation. All the acts though were well received to be fair but Nik's small setlist of The Riddle, WIBG and lastly IWLTSGDOM had people clapping, singing and upstanding. Boy George said by the end of the night that all the artists had said coming off-stage that it was a great crowd. Nik was in good humour (pretending to fall in the lake as he peered over the edge of the stage) and he said on approaching the mic something along the lines of "Well here goes another 15 minutes of fame"
Nik's music just lifts you and pride just pours out of you to hear him replicate the hits to such an enthusiastic crowd and you feel like bursting out "GO ON NIK, GIVE IT TOO 'EM!"
I tried desperately to record Nik but the bloody thing packed up on me each time I tried to video and it would cut out after 10 seconds more or less each time. I was FUMING
with myself for not taking the time beforehand to put aside new batteries. But the most annoying thing is the camera would record at least 1 minute of the other acts as I continued to test it to see if it would work. Really, really frustrating and I'm gutted because it would be so great to look back on however poor the quality. Ah well. I managed to take a handful of pics but they're only basic shots from a distance (see below).
Nik didn't wait around too long either after he came off stage and I spotted him from my seated position walking along the bridge which led the artists from the side-stage lounge area to the bottom of the incline from where the acts would be picked up and driven up to the top of the hill by a buggy. First thoughts were, I wonder if Ang and Debs have seen him leaving - stupid question because as Nik got to the far side, who was there just in time to meet him?...Ang, Josh and Debs
I could just make them out as they literally
flew out of the crowd at speed to shout him. Lovely pic they had taken too. I'd like to think Nik enjoyed himself and will come back to Scarborough but you could see the guy wanted to be away and back home and fair play to him. I hope he knows how much his appearance means to his fans, however short the set was.
Personally for me, the other act to stand out was Midge Ure. He was superb. By the time Astley and BoyG came on the crowd as per usual at these kind of events were up dancing and singing in great gusto. It looked to me like the festival was on the whole a success but there were some underlying issues, one of which I'll let Ang explain.
We had lovely bright warm sunshine to start the evening with only a scattering of showers later on which came and went and the cool North Sea breeze crept over the crowd from the back of us as night fell. A no expences spared firework display finishded the night off in style.
The weekend was complete being in the company of the lovely Ang and her little boy Josh sporting his Nik t-shirt and who loves his music, bless him and the the ever bubbly and excitable Debs HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISSUS
Both are just a joy to watch around Nik gigs. We've all had a right good old Nik chat and a giggle. I could finally bounce my enthusiasm for Nik's music onto people of equal enthusiasum. Also spotted Mike (mOOger) and his partner, nice to see familiar faces and we all stood and chatted for a little while which reminds me, why oh why do we never get a group photo taken!? It all adds to the experience and makes it extra special and me and my wife, Anita have thoughouly enjoyed ourselves. Thanks guys, thanks Nik.
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