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January 2006 - part two Diary 2 Belgium Guess who’s back? Yes it is I! Your friendly Super Hero. Belgium Man. Or as they locals like to say BM;-) just kidding. Well, a lot has happened since last we spoke. The concerts here in Antwerp have been amazing. Wow! They really know how to put on a concert, and the beer is off the hook :-) We are performing in an arena that when will hold 12,500 people after the stage is built. We are doing 10 sold out shows. Yikes! Maybe they will hate me, after all. I am on stage with one to Belgium’s biggest stars. Natalia is great. This woman can sing and dance with the best of them. And it does not hurt that she is also very beautiful. It is very hard to do my job some nights. We are dancing face to face and it takes all of my concentration to not get lost in her eyes. Natalia is a very nice person and I hope we are friends for a long time. Now, back to me :-) I am playing for The Pointer Sisters and Natalia, the show will run about three hours. I am use to this from The Noisemakers shows, so the time is not a problem. But, I am not use to the physical part of this show. I am running around the stage on almost every number. And this is a huge stage. This is really a work out. It feels like playing a game of basketball when the show is over. I have to confess, I was scared the first night. I mean, there are 12,500 fans at the arena to see Natalia. What are they going to do when they see me running around her. The energy of the crowd is amazing. They are doing the wave as we hit the stage. The band plays an Overture song first. A little George Duke number (thanks to Steve :-)). And then BAM!!! POW!!!! It’s show time. We start the first song. And it is on like donkey kong. The lights flash, the crow explodes and Natalia is on stage attacking the songs like a lion on the prowl. Picture a 6 foot blond in 3 inch heels in total control of the audience. I am running around trying my best to help geek the audience and I hope that I give Natalia a foil to play the lyrics against. After 4 or 5 songs, N. brings out The Pointer Sisters. They perform a few songs together, and then Natalia leaves the stage. The Pointers will now do five or six songs before ending the first half of the show with Natalia and The Pointer Sisters singing the final two songs together. There will be a fifteen minute break. I am soaking wet. But, every part of my body is alive. This is the s--t! I think to myself :-) The second half of the show goes about the same. Only The Pointer Sisters start the show off and Natalia comes on later. And once again they finish together. We all take a bow and we are finished. Now, there are some things that I want to have you see about this show. We have fire exploding from 4 sections of the arena, we have fire dropping from the top of the stage. There is a huge screen behind the stage so that everyone can see a close up of the show. There is also a runway that the singers use to go out into the middle of the fans that are on the arena floor and, a smaller stage is set up out in the middle. Whew! To watch the crew put all of this together was amazing. It’s really funny for me to watch how people react to this nut with the bass guitar trying to get them into the groove. I will do almost anything, with almost anyone;-) I go after the cable girls on stage, the camera men and women. I will jump onto the sub-woofers. It’s nuts. And, it almost always works. The will start getting into it at some point. The group of musicians that were chosen for this concert, are great. I hope to work with them again at some point. Tom-piano, Tom-guitar, Leenert-guitar, Steve-organ/keys, Ricky-drums, Guy-percussion, Martijn-trumpet, Jeroen-trumpet, Nicosh-Trumpet, Lode-trombone, Dieter-saxophone and last but not least Wieste Meys on saxophone and arrangements. This is a great group and I am blessed to have met you all. We also had a great group of back-up singers. You did not think that I would leave you out did ya? Wendy, Vivica, Nina and Stef. Yall! Can sang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-) We had a great time and it just seemed like the right people at the right place. And, thanks for making my M.D. duties easier. You better give a brother a call if ya get to L.A. The crew was crazy good also. Man! That had me hooked up and ready to go before I knew the songs. Hilko, Alain, Marcel, Herman…..Ahhh Damn! I know that I am leaving someone out. It’s my Old Timers kicking in. Please forgive me. You are all great. Antwerp is a great city. I had a chance to walk around. There is this amazing art on the buildings. And, we got here just in time for the annual sale. That’s right, everything here was on sale. From 20 to 50% off. I am in heaven. Shoes, shoes, shoes… Some of you may know. But, I have an addiction to shoes. I have slacks that I will not wear until I find the perfect pair of shoes to match them. Yes, I need an intervention :-) I went shopping in Antwerp and almost lost my mind, as well as my wallet. I did not know that Antwerp was the diamond capital of the world. I had to stop shopping, this can be dangerous. :-) There is so much to remember, I hope it all comes back. There are going to be more stories from this trip. I just wanted to give everyone an over-view. I had a great time there. But, I miss my Mini Cooper. I need to get back to some sunshine. Look out L.A. here comes Big Poppa! :-) If you don’t know, you better ask!
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