Belgium - March 8th 2003 by Dillon - Try To Shut Me Up Tour

[Sharifa]

Try To Shut Me Up Tour Review

Concert: Belgium

Reviewer: Dillon

Date: March 8th 2003



Ok The concert in Belgium was the only one that was on a saturday, so i bought a pair of tickets off the net and went over for the weekend. I'm glad to say that Avril mania has definitely hit Belgium and that she is absolutely worshipped over there. The crowd as usual consisted of 70% 16 year old girls !! Same the world over hey !
The gig had sold out about 2 months ago and because of this there was a huge amount of people in the street trying to buy tickets. Seeing as I had managed to get 2 tickets from the net in England, surely they could have managed to have got their own lol
The Ancienne is probably about the same size as the london astoria. The difference being that is has several levels that allow people to lean over the crowd from above, making a superb atmosphere. I think the crowd was about 2000.
For anyone going to any of Avrils upcoming gigs, you may well know that she is being supported by a Canadian band called OUR LADY PEACE. These guys are excellent and well worth getting there early to see. If you use kazaa, try downloading SOMEWHERE OUT THERE, just to get a feel of the band.
Well, they finished and after half an hour of anticipation the curtain went down and a mad barrage of lights greeted Sk8r Boi. I can't really remember the order of the rest of the songs but Avril was much warmer to the crowd than she was at astoria. At Astoria I felt she was very business like and didn't particuarly get too involved with the crowd. This time it was very different. The second tune which i can't even remember - too much adrenalin !! and maybe beer lol - Avril was hit over the head with a wooly hat as she was singing. Avril in reply just giggled - very cutely and carried on lol - at least proving she was singing live lol. She did actually laugh quite a few times on the night which was nice. Plenty of smiles to the crowd and lots of hand shaking. she has the cutest smile.
This time around she was also getting people on stage. A 29 year old belgian guy was presented a cake and was wished a happy birthday by avril. She announced that he was single, but then said he was too old for her !! I am 28. but i think this means i am okay lol
Next up she sang complicated and got a boy and a girl up on stage. Very nice touch and made their day. especially the young belgian guy who hugged avril for way too long lol. The set was pretty much off the album and ended with things i'll never say. She also sang I don't give a damn with the second line of the chorus being sh*t instead of damn - go avril !!. The only thing i didn't like was Mobile. A song i love. but was played with too much emphasis on the bass guitar. a small grumble.
Overall an amazing concert, Avril was amazing and warm, the band also very much the same. Avril wore a black t-shirt and looked as stunning as i had ever seen her. So that's the second time i have seen avril and i am seeing her again in Birmingham on the 20th March. I can't wait. One little note, there isn't a massive selection of tour memorabilia. And nothing reallt for the guys lol. Don't forgot that t-shirts work out about 20 pounds inside the concert. but you can always wait until you get outisde and buy a five pound one of a dodgy car salesman !! same goes for posters. !!
All the best
Dillon