I planned my trip to the UK to see the concert at the Wembley Stadium for May 2nd only to find out 2 days before that the concert was cancelled. I couldn’t get a refund on my plane ticket anymore so I had to go anyway. (You can understand I was really pissed off and sad.) I read on the tatu.us forum that they were going to do a performance on CD:UK and that you could e-mail them and ask for tickets. I e-mailed them to ask for tickets for me, Stacie, and nuxx (it was more begging, because nuxx came all the way from Denmark and I from Holland) and I got a reply back that we were selected to be part of the audience. So my mood changed from really, really sad/pissed to happy again, at least I wasn’t going to the UK for nothing. And this is how my wonderful weekend started and the rest, as they say, is history.
Friday May 2nd 2003
I woke up way too early, Wackysag (tatu.us forum) gave me a 5 AM wake-up call from Australia which was a good way to start my trip to the UK. I dressed and left to Amsterdam, to the airport. I really, really hate flying and the fact that I was going to see Tatu on Saturday didn’t make it much better. I was completely stressed and almost had a nervous breakdown in the airplane but finally I arrived at Heathrow airport in one piece.
Chris (nuxx: tatu.us forum) picked me up from the airport and we went to Waterloo station to pick up Stacie (Sweetthing/Lenalookalike) and then after dropping my luggage at the hotel, we went to the Green Man Hotel to meet more fans.
When we arrived Jason was there too, and shortly after more people wandered in. I had a great time there, and I think the others did too. I actually signed a napkin for a devoted fan (little oz; sorry I forgot your real name, please forgive me) of my story and we cuffed Mad Debz to a tree, which was quite fun as well.
All of a sudden some of the group had decided to go the hotel where Tatu was staying and before I even knew what was happening I was already in the underground/subway and on my way to the hotel.
We arrived there around 8 PM I think (cant remember the time anymore) and waited outside for a short while. Stacie wanted to go in and book a room, or pretend to book a room to see Tatu and went inside. Jason went after her and I saw them talking for a little while, I noticed some security people around them and I suddenly saw Chris going in as well and thought, I have to go and see if I can help with anything. So I went inside and inside I heard we had to leave the place or get ourselves a drink. We decided to go for the drink, but before we actually ordered, Stacie and Jason had already left. From that moment on, things went very weird. Stacie suddenly came back to the bar (where Chris and I were) crying that she had seen Lena come in and she had hugged her. She was completely freaked by the whole thing. (Well of course, since she loves Lena and she hugged her, I can imagine.) Chris stood up and left towards the lobby again to see what was happening, and came back a short time later (while I was still trying to comfort Stacie) and told me he had seen Tatu and directed them to the bathroom. So Stacie stood up and walked to the bathroom, and I thought it would be a very smart thing to go with her (I had to go to the bathroom anyway) so there wouldn’t be too much trouble. So I walked towards the bathroom and saw Tatu walking out of there, I was sort of blocking their way (yea, tall girl, so that happens) and stepped aside to say sorry, Yulia said hi and thank you when I stepped aside.
At that moment, I saw Stacie bursting in tears again and went over to shush her again. We were told by security that we had to leave the building and I heard we had to pay for our drinks (though we hadn’t even had them) as well. So Chris and I asked if we could stay and have our drinks, which we were allowed to, and stayed in the building while everyone else was removed from it. We apologised to the security guy, asked if we could get a message (note) to Tatu, but he said that was really impossible, but gave us the phone number of the hotel and said we should just try to call them. Well we tried but we couldn’t reach them. We stayed there and had a great evening, having a few vodkas and having a midnight dinner at the hotel, all very posh and very, very cool. I can imagine why they would stay there.
Saturday May 3rd 2003
I woke up early today, and was sort of giddy, and really excited for the CD:UK performance. Chris picked me up at noon and we left towards Waterloo where the Studio’s are located and had a nice lunch. After that we went over to the Studios. We arrived at 2 PM and had to wait till 2.45 to go inside. I noticed the back baby Mercedes Benz arriving at 2.30 so they were there. (Thank God.)
When we finally got inside some guy told us that we had to cheer a lot, since there were normally around 200 people inside and now only 115 so we had to do our very best. We practised cheering (which was very odd) a few times and then the man told us Tatu were going to do three songs (which was much more than I had expected and he asked us what we thought they were going to sing. Well after some guessing we finally came to the conclusion that it was going to be:
All The Things She Said.
How Soon Is Now?
Not Gonna Get Us.
Then the band came on stage. I must say I prefer the band they had in the US instead of those weird guys, but well... and shortly after that, Tatu came on stage. Everyone was really freaking out and it was great fun.
They started singing ATTSS which was great (but damn that playback) and they didn’t really kiss, though every one went wild.
After that they started How Soon Is Now, which was very cool as well. At some point, Lena walked over to the front and started singing to me (and I yelled with her, of course) for quite some time. It was really fun and people around me kept saying, she fancies you, she fancies you. It was a blast.
They did ATTSS again and after that we had to do it once without the girls (so the guy who talked to us before was on stage and during the kissing part he and some other guy of the studio pretended to kiss on stage, which was quite fun) and after that they started NGGU. He said we could get cold because there was gonna be wind and smoke, but well I was sweating from all the jumping and yelling already, so I was very happy with the wind. They performed that twice as well and afterwards we were told it was a wrap and left the building.
I left for my hotel, because I had checked out and was supposed to stay at Stacie’s for another two days but I really didn’t want to go. I had such a great time that I decided to stay the last two days in London as well, even though I knew everyone was going home.
So I checked in again, went out with Chris, we wanted to go to the Tatu hotel again, but it was already very late so we skipped that and had a nice evening.
Sunday May 4th 2003
I woke up around 9 and wondered what I was going to do. I figured I might as well go to the Tatu's hotel and hoped to see them once more before I went home. I packed my bag and grabbed the Tatu album, just in case.
I left and went to the centre again to see if there was anything happening there, but it was quiet around the hotel so I left again and did some sightseeing in the city.
At 5.30 PM I went back to the hotel again and this time there were a few people outside the hotel and a lot of security. I stared at it from a distance and when I saw what was happening I was too late to take a picture. Angelina Jolie was there and she was shooting something (video, movie or something), she was just leaving at the time I knew what was happening. I walked over to the small crowd and heard the word Tatu so I moved in. One of those guys walked over to me and asked me if I was a fan. I said I was and he asked me if I knew what had happened Friday night since there was so much in the newspapers. I told him what I knew (and he put it on cam) He told me he did some freelance work and asked me if it was okay with him if he was able to sell it. I didn’t mind.
I asked them if Tatu were in the building and he said they were, and they were coming out soon, so I grabbed my album and one of the other guys suddenly yelled; perfect, perfect. Now she has the album, they have to sign that, and we can get that on tape.
We chatted for a short while and suddenly (again everything went so quick) Tatu came outside with a bodyguard and started to walk towards Trafalgar Square. The freelancers ran towards them, and dragged me with them with a pen and my album. I walked over and asked if they could sign (but since I really had no voice left, I doubt Lena heard me) So one of the freelancers grabbed my album, jumped in front of her and said she had to sign it for me, since I paid for it. She stopped and signed my album and a few photos then they left again.
I went back with the freelancers and waited for Tatu to get back. One of the guys said I should have a photo with them, since he felt bad I couldn’t stay till the signing on Tuesday and I was here for a cancelled concert.
I asked him if he would take a picture if Yulia and Lena would allow it and he said of course.
Suddenly a new camera group came driving to the hotel and Ivan walked outside. He talked to them for a little while and the freelancers also went over there and suddenly gestured me to come.
The woman behind the camera explained to me she was shooting the life of Tatu for a DVD that would be out soon and she wanted some reactions from fans, and since I was the only fan around she hoped I would say something on camera. I agreed, made a statement and had to answer a few questions about tatu. She asked me why I was a Tatu fan, and I yelled “Because I am a lesbian?!” Then I said just joking, they are just amazing, music, the girls themselves everything (now I am really thinking, if I’ll be on the DVD, it will probably be just the Lesbian thing).
After the interview, she asked me if I was willing to help with the new video clip, that they were going to shoot on Wednesday, I said I couldn’t because I had to get back on Monday. She asked me if there was no way I could, but I really couldn’t. (I really wanted to cry.)
She left with the crew to see the girls and one of the crewmembers that was still there went over to me to ask some more questions. She heard me mention I had my own website and wanted the URL so she could show the girls when she was interviewing them later for the DVD. I gave her the URL and my email address and she said she was really going to show them, because she thought it would be important for them to see what fans do.
She left and a short while after the camera crew came back and went inside again. Another girl came towards me and asked me if I was a fan. She mentioned she was from Russia and liked Tatu a lot and we talked for a while. I explained my whole situation again and she asked me if I wanted her to say something to the girls in Russian. I said I wouldn’t know what and at that moment Yulia and Lena came back. I asked her if she could ask them if they would mind if I had a picture taken with them. So she went up to Lena and explained my whole story (In Russian). Lena looked at me, smiled and said: "Of course, I want that." She stood next to me for a picture. I thanked her and she said it was okay. Yulia had also heard it and she said (in perfectly good English!) she wouldn’t mind either. So I got a picture of her as well. I was shaking so badly when I was standing next to her. So when the picture was taken she said; don’t worry it's okay. Then turned and took a picture with the Russian girl, then left inside with Lena.
After they were in, the freelancers came to me and hugged me, I got some addresses from them and they were going to send me some of the things. I was still really shaking and they said they were very happy for me. I thanked them and went back to the hotel.
Monday May 5th 2003
Today was my last day. I decided not go to the Tatu hotel again, because I only had a few hours left, so I went to the centre did some shopping and went back to the hotel at 4 PM again to get my luggage and rest for an hour. My legs were aching badly from all the jumping at the CD:UK performance and from all the walking and waiting in London. Suddenly my Dutch friend called me and said she had to tell me something. Chris was just looking through our website and noticed a very odd thing. We had a visitor online from London UK on a VIP access. I was completely stunned. My days here couldn’t have ended better. I was going home, and just before that Tatu had been on my website to check it out.
I told her thanks and said I couldn’t believe it.
I left the hotel and went to Heathrow to get my flight home. I had really mixed feelings, I am glad I went back home, but I really wished I was able to stay for another two days to go to the signing in the HMV and to be in their new video clip. But then I think, ah well at least I made it to the DVD ;)
I had an awesome weekend, I met the girls, I met so many great people from the forums. I have to say you people are all great, wonderful and unique. I loved it. My impression on Tatu was a little less. I think they are great, of course, but I do think they really have the star sickness, but then I think more people have noticed that lately. They look like they are miserable or bored all the time, and I noticed some real arrogance on Sunday when they left the building towards some people (not even me, coz I couldn’t even speak properly) Don’t bash me, I love them, I really do... it was just something I noticed.
I want to thank everyone for the great time, especially, Chris, Jason, Mad Debz, Little Oz and a few ppl I can't remember their names from. Now I am back from my trip I shall start working hard on the story again.
Ciaoz,
Willow
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