August 16th 2003
Haghorst spektakel
Luckily we didn’t have to
wait too long after Veghel to see the guys in action again. This time
they played in Haghorst, a small village near Hilvarenbeek. We had made
arrangements with Jos Boekhout that we would be at the hotel around 22.00 p.m.,
so we could drive to the venue with the band and at the same time sneak our way
around any parking- and backstage problems. Bertrand van der Helst, the
organiser, had kindly given his co-operation to this arrangement. He would even
have some strong boys on hand to hoist me and my wheelchair on to the stage, so
that I would have the best possible place in the house. In all the commotion we
totally missed Bertrand, so we would like to thank him from this spot for his
hospitality.
Upon arriving at the hotel we immediately bumped into
Desiree (the driver). She was about to go to the venue for some last-minute
arrangements and we agreed to meet up with her and the band in the lobby at
22.45 to make our way to Haghorst. We had a drink and a bite to eat and then
John appeared, who looked happily surprised to see us there. He said hello to
everybody and then came and sat next to me for a quiet chat. Somehow he had
sensed that I was not my usual self and before I even realised I told him the
whole story of my illness. This surprised me, as I am not in the habit of
telling my problems to all and sundry. John listened and asked me some specific
questions. In the meantime the rest of the band had appeared as well, but I
didn’t really notice because I was so deep in conversation with John. We were
interrupted because it was time to leave and John said he would speak to me
later. We followed the bus in our own car. At the very first petrol station the
bus stopped, not to fill up the tank, but because Mick wanted to buy a little
snack for after the show. He reappeared with enough crisps and sweets to feed a
small army. Within ten minutes we had reached the venue. It was a huge tent with
a portacabin to act as a dressing room, but that was what we had already been
expecting. From the tent we heard an enormous noise, so everybody seemed to be
in the mood for a good party. The area between the tent and the dressing room
was full of humps and bumps, a real challenge for my wheelchair. Luckily John
called me in about five minutes after our arrival. He had written down a whole
lot of information for me and gave me a lot of advice on how to slowly change my
lifestyle. He also gave me a very inspiring explanation for my illness, which
will undoubtedly help me to bear it all. He made me promise to keep him up to
date and promised to go and look for some reading- and listening material for me
as soon as he got home. The fact that he took out so much of his time for me
right before having to go on stage showed me once more what a very special
person he really is! In the meantime Alan had been fooling around with Rob,
declaring that he had not set eyes on the video we gave them last time we saw
them. He later admitted that of course he had seen it and laughed himself silly
about a couple of funny elements we had added. The other band members also told
us that they had enjoyed the tape enormously. Mick went down on his knees for me
to have a cuddle and Alan and Mark also gave me a big hug before we were gently
booted out so they could get into their stage gear. When Mark made his
appearance we told him this was not the stylish Rubettes stage clothes we were
used to. Black pants, white jacket with red satin piping and the new t-shirt
made them all look like Spanish waiters. He did agree that it was not the
prettiest of sights, but all their other gear was at the dry cleaners. He
pointed out that if I wanted to go on stage I would have to go now, because they
were about to start. With me in the chair I was dragged up an awkward set of
steps. The rest was easy going, because they had created a ramp for me to race
up. For a little while I was feeling a bit uncomfortable, because I was sitting
in the middle of a spotlight looking as if I was the main attraction for the
evening. Luckily the band appeared and after that no one noticed me, so I could
sing along to my heart’s content. Only Mick kept joking around with me at
times. Once Alan came running up to me with a nasty grin on his face, scaring
the s… out of me, but he just made some funny faces and went back to his spot.
The hits and the soulmedley were a huge success with the crowd. Everybody was
jumping up and down and blaring along. Sadly, when Mick set in After the
Goldrush it went wrong again. The crowd had been boozing all evening and
they wanted to party, which is impossible with this number. I closed my ears for
all the background noise and enjoyed the song with tears in my eyes. The drum
act which followed was of course just what they wanted. I felt a bit sorry for
Mark. His drum kept sliding across the stage and he could not stop this whatever
he tried. The best part was the look in John’s eyes. This act is his baby and
he was so obviously enjoying every second of it. So were we by the way, they
could have gone on with it for ours for all we cared! When the drumact was over
Alan wanted to put his jacket back on, but he mistakenly put on Mick’s.
There he stood with his sleeves down to his knees!
Everybody in the band doubled over with laughter. They were obviously enjoying
this gig. After the Jukebox Jive they disappeared to come back for their
encore Sugar Baby Love. This meant we missed out on the Sha Na Na Song.
Later Alan explained that John was just too exhausted to do this song as well.
And it showed too, as he was pounding his kit I could literally see steam rising
from his back. When they finally left the stage Mick stopped to give me a very
sweaty kiss on the cheek. We left the guys at peace for a while to catch their
breath and change their clothes. This gave us the opportunity to have a chat
with some of you. It’s nice to notice that something of a group-feeling is
developing already among you lot. Our website is being visited on a regular
basis, by some of you even every day! Mark and Mick showed up outside after a
while to hand out and sign photographs. Mark asked if this particular photo was
already in our possession. This turned out not to be the case. When he asked
Lucienne if she would like hers autographed, she replied: “No thanks, I’d
rather have it without all this scribbling on it”. You should have seen
Mark’s face! Of course we have all sorts of stuff with their autographs on it,
but a fan who doesn’t want one is something of a freak in their eyes. When the
boys went back inside we were invited along for a drink. John was totally
knackered. He had wrapped himself up in a warm sweater and was lying in a corner
on the floor half asleep. The only thing that got him to get up was an
invitation for a group photograph with all six of us, but after that he
retreated back into his little corner. Rob discussed the setlist with Alan. It
is such a pity that the more sensitive songs are not really coming into their
own on a rowdy spot like this. He agreed with him and said he is vaguely
planning a sort of theatre tour. With Mick we went back in time a bit. He used
to play in the Tremeloes. One time they were having a brainstorming session
about a new single. Mick suggested recording Silence is Golden. By the time they
got round to that Mick had just left the band. I asked him if he didn’t find
that enormously frustrating. In his own philosophical manner he answered:
”That’s life, my gal”. I noticed that Mark looked very pale after his
Greek holiday. He explained he has a very sensitive skin and applied loads of
factor 39 everyday before leaving the hotel. One day he had missed a tiny spot
on his belly and he was complaining that it was still agonisingly painful (after
two months, mind you). Might he be just a touch oversensitive? After another
half an hour of nattering everybody was getting rather tired and longing for
their beds. We still had an hour and a half drive ahead of us, so it was time to
say our goodbyes. On the way back home in the car we agreed that the Rubettes
are a wonderful lot of guys and we feel rather privileged to be allowed to do
this website for them. Let October 18th come along!!!
Nannette