Con Blues – A Thread

Isn’t it weird how you do something for year after year, taking it for granted, and when it ends, you’re heartbroken, but after a while, life goes on…and then, a couple of years later, you get to do it again for just a couple of hours and you’re suddenly thrown back into it and realize how much you miss that time of your life?

For me, that was Convention Life. From 2011 to 2013, I went to 4 Conventions – 3 AECON’s and 1 Bloody Con, and I made memories I never want to miss, and friendships I never want to end. It was normal to go back every year to the different places, to freak out over guest announcements, to go skint by buying Photo Ops like there’s no tomorrow. But what I loved the most about it was the whole experience, the atmosphere you feel when you’re there. Even though there are exceptions, it all feels like a big family, everyone is there for the same reason, and even though you may not talk to most of the people, you all are connected in your minds and hearts, because you all share the love for the theme of those conventions. You have the time of your life, and just for that weekend, you forget anything you’re worrying about in your life, leave reality outside the doors.

And when it’s over, the “Conblues” sets in, even though you might not even be able to say why, because basically, what you’ve experienced was something good, something that makes you happy. You just want to go back and do it all over again, but knowing that you can’t right away is hitting you pretty hard, at the latest once you’re back home.

I haven’t experienced this in over 6 years – until two days ago, when I spontaneously went to CCXP in Cologne, only to meet one of my favourite actors for the past 10 years, Zachary Levi, for a short couple of seconds. And I have to say, I came back with more than what I went there for.

First of all – I met the damned BEST Cosplay I have ever seen in my entire life, and ever since, I just can’t seem to get the 5 guys out of my head:

As a huge Marvel fan, this “Avengers” group has rocked my world as much as nothing at such an event has ever done before, and the guys – all of them from Italy – are just mindblowingly good. Especially Marco Spatola, the one as Tony Stark is just…let’s just say I obviously am still able to become a massive fangirl 6 years on, with no sign of it fading away any time soon. Hell, I’ve printed the picture I took with them out and it now hangs next to my bed!  It shook me even more than the fact that after 10 years I finally met one of my idols, Zachary Levi – CRAZY.  By the way – I am even more amazed by that man than I already was before. He’s humble, kind, funny, a gentleman, and he gives you nothing but good feelings when you meet him. And when you’re anxious or nervous, it instantly fades once you stand face to face with that amazing human being. He just has this wonderful aura that makes you feel better and all warm and happy inside.

And even though I’m turning 33 in just three weeks, I’ve felt the Conblues set in the moment I waited for my train home after less than 3 hours at CCXP. Despite being there on my own, not being able to experience it with a friend for the first time since 2011, I missed everything about it already. The atmosphere at these events still feels like something else entirely. The adrenaline rush when meeting your stars, of getting in touch with other fans, and for the first time for me, also with Cosplayers of all kinds, the feeling like being in a completely different world for just a bit. I’ve been talking to a girl I met online when we both saw Zachary Levi was attending, and hearing my feelings about that entire day being redirected at me from her, all that shared love and happiness, is something I haven’t felt since my last Convention in 2013, and though it’s crazy at my age, I feel like I’m 25 again, when I first experienced it. It’s crazy, and weird, and I want to talk about it 24/7 right now. And despite the fact that a couple of years back I knew I was getting too old for these events, I know for a fact now that you’re never too old for them. Because once you’re back there, with all those fellow souls, it doesn’t matter how old you are, what you look like, the only thing that counts is the atmosphere completely taking you in and embracing you like an old friend, as if you’ve never been away.

See you June 25th-28th 2020, CCXP. See you, Gabriele, Marco, Michele, Matteo & Marko. Can’t wait to feel the same exhilaration all over again, there’s not much like it.

How did the Avengers phrase it?

“Whatever it takes.”

Queen + Adam Lambert Live Open Air – RheinEnergiestadion Köln 27.05.16

My 1st ever concert, and what a show it was.Pelting rain from the moment the supporting act (Larkin Poe) came on stage until the very end…but what is an Open-Air gig without rain? 🙂

There were surely a few songs missing that I would’ve thought of being put on their setlist, too (“Show Must Go On”, “(No-One But You) Only The Good Die Young”, to only name two amazing songs), but overall, the setlist done was perfect. It was all a big party as well as a lovely reminder of Freddy Mercury, who was inserted singing on the big screens during two songs, which made the entire crowd cheer even louder than they already did. The entire band made sure nobody would forget that we all wouldn’t have been there that night if not for Freddy.

Adam Lambert
That damn hot limelight hog! What a man! He did more than great. Although he surely does not hold the notes at the end of “Somebody To Love” as Jeannine Michele Wacker in the Musical “We Will Rock You” does (but maybe that is just the way he decided to do it, to give the song his own special note, which is nevertheless great!) , his voice is absolutely phenomenal and harmonizes so well with the music and the voices of Brian and Roger. His stage presence is worthy of being in Freddy’s place; he catches the audience with just a smile, or a wink, or even just saying “I’m so queer!” when playing with an umbrella in the rain of Cologne (“My feathers!” was his explanation, regarding his black costume, done with loads of  feathers). There were high notes that would almost make your ears bleed, both because they were perfect, as well as belted out. Adam also absolutely knows how to play with the audience, to find the balance between letting the crowd wait and cheer for him, Brian and Roger to come (back) on stage, and making them cheer, scream, whistle and clap even louder as soon as the next song starts. I’ve always dreamed of one day seeing him on a stage, and it was definitely worth the wait.

Roger Taylor
Without this man, Queen wouldn’t have been the same. I can’t believe where he, being his age, gets the power of doing a drumming solo stand-off with the other drummer, Rufus Tiger-Taylor – his son – the way he did – and always smiling while at it! At about the middle of the concert, he sat on his drums, starting slowly, alternating with his drumming partner, each of them trying to exceed the other one’s drumming set. And Roger surpassed any expectation I’d ever had. The rate at which he kept playing for minutes, over and over again, surely made the crowd’s heads spinning, and when, towards the end of his drumming stand-off, he and Rufus fell into a joint rhythm that made the floor rumble, the audience was in his hands. It was all topped when he sang “These Are The Days Of Our Lives”; that song has always made tears well up in my eyes, and hearing it sung by the man himself who’s largely written it, was a spectacular feeling. His voice is so smooth, and at the same time, somewhat “raw” that it’s a shame he only sang that one song and part of “Under Pressure”.

Brian May

Everyone in the audience that night – and probably all over the world, – will agree that this man is a total LEGEND. That man is 68 years old and he plays the guitar like a young God. His guitar riffs…I have never heard anything like it in my entire life. I had once seen him shortly, doing the guitar solo in “Bohemian Rhapsody” on stage of the Dominion Theatre in London, in the musical “We Will Rock You”, so I knew what he was capable of. But what he presented the audience with that night was absolutely out of this world. It’s the longest riff I ever witnessed anywhere (it was about 10 minutes long!), but Brian made it feel like it was just a few seconds, and he ended it by introducing “Tie Your Mother Down”, which had all the crowd on their feet. He also had everybody hung on his lips when, sitting at the end of the stage, with a member of the crew holding an umbrella over him and his guitar, he sang “Love Of My Life”. This was the first time I experienced a full stadium – or a room – singing together with the performer at the top of their lungs. And Brian definitely enjoyed it, given the huge smile plastered on his face afterwards. It gave me goosebumps how suddenly, almost everyone around switched on the flashlights on their phone in the dark stadium, swaying in the rhythm of that heartfelt song. It was short, and over way too soon, but you could see and feel that it was one of the most magical moments ever. It was like Freddy was around, just by belting that ballad out loud and lighting up the sky.

Bottom line: Adam, Brian & Roger were on fire. They were turning the stadium into a big party with their rock anthems, swayed with everyone during the ballads, and throughout the entire gig, the audience was in the palm of their hands with their unique voices and stage presences. And once again, Adam Lambert proved that he is worthy of currently being in the place that Freddy Mercury made so unforgettable for all the fans of Queen all over the world. He may not be among us anymore, but these three men – Brian, Roger & especially Adam, made and make sure that nobody ever forgets the legend that was Freddy Mercury and Queen.

What an incredible and unforgettable night it was. Thank You.