erilyn | Melbourne concert (includes photos and videos)

Yes, I suck, but I've finally done it *g*.

Some related links *g* -

alasen's Melbourne photo posts - 1, 2 and 3, and my Melbourne soundcheck post.

+ Photos zip (91 pictures) - 96 meg
as before, I've only deleted the crappiest ones, so very mixed quality. I've been including everything cause I figured people who were there might want them all.

We encountered more lying signposting as we tried to find our way to our seats (Melbournians obviously enjoy confusing people). This time, we were on the opposite side to where we'd been in Sydney, very end of the third row, right hand side (as you face the stage). Lex and I were seated when some girls came along with tickets for Sec A Row C Seats 3-4. Which were

indybrat and

not_nele's seats, they were just still coming in. Fortunately, the security guard quickly pointed out to them that their tickets were for Row CC, but for a moment, I seriously thought we were able to have a problem. Again, as we were at the end of the row, we had security right around us, so my videos are short (and badly filmed at times, which I'm gonna blame partially on my paranoia about not wanting to look like I was fiming).

At the beginning of the show, Keith was videoing the crowd, and Lex and I couldn't help waving at the camera. Again, they didn't let the rows further back go forward to the barrier, and this led to a distracting yet bitchily amusing situation. There were two girls, one tall and one short (and younger). Not sure if they were sisters or not, but they really wanted to be in front row or something. They complained to the security guards (multiple times). I think they tried complaining to the bodyguards. They complained to the security guards' boss. Got them nowhere. I don't think they enjoyed the concert much, the taller one in particular was standing with her arms crossed a lot of the time, just very negative body language/attitude overall. We weren't trying to watch this little melodrama, but they kept distracting us and we couldn't help it. No idea what their problem was, they were second row, and if the shorter one was having problems seeing, she could have taken a few steps to the right and not been behind anyone. The whole thing was really strange. The other interesting fan that was spotted was the girl in the first tier on the other side who was wearing the most glow-in-the-dark pink tshirt I've ever seen. It was like a disembodied shirt when the lights were down, dancing away.

The crowd was even louder in Melbourne, and the guys really looked like they were enjoying the show. There were lots of woo's during the songs (or maybe we just noticed it more, after a long discussion of Nick yelling woo on "Now or Never" *g*).

Just when you think you're getting used to the pyro, they go and add fountains of flame at the front of the stage during the opening. Glad I wasn't front-row, we could feel the heat enough as we all leapt in shock.

In the front row in front of us, there was two ladies in wheelchairs. The guys paid extra attention to them, especially Howie and Nick, one of them (Howie I think) being so adorable and coming back when he realised he'd only said hi to one of the women. But just generally, we got lots of our corner time from the Boys. Brian waved at Dani again, he so has his favourites ;)

They were all totally adorable, lots of cute interaction and face pulling. Howie jumped on Nick's back again (but over the other side of the stage). Brian was touching Nick's throat while Nick was belting something out at one point. Brian hit tennis balls into the crowd (Rod Laver Arena was where the Australian Open had been held the week before), then did a Leyton Hewitt impersonation (yelling and pointing at his head) before saying "but I'd like to see him sing I Want It That Way".

Random fun with microphones.

At one point later in the show, they were passing a picture around on stage, which turned out to be of a crew guy mooning the camera. Kevin started to explain how you could tell the guy was from Tennessee (I think), which is possibly more than we needed to know about Kevin's extensive knowledge of asses. Or not.

There was this incredibly adorable bit right in front of us where AJ and Howie were joking around, then started to sing into each other's microphones.

Howie was in top form, lots of hipwiggling, salsa dancing and strange dance moves involving his knees. The drawing strange shapes on his chest during Shape of My Heart was one of my favourites though.

During Siberia, Brian and Nick were singing to each other. I know the Boys sing to each other a lot, but there was something about the way they were singing and the lyrics that really got to me. And made me think of every story where Nick was in love with straight!Brian.

During INBYH, I was wondering what was going on, as it was getting towards AJ's glory note singing at the end, but Kevin hadn't picked up the coat and started to move towards him. AJ paused, but then instead of the end of INBYH, sang a bit of Lay Down Beside Me!!!! I nearly died of glee, but managed to (badly) video this - good sound quality though. He then finished the song afterwards.
+ Lay Down Beside Me - 6 meg

We were very put out by something though. While we were shopping the previous day, we'd tracked down the largest pair of granny panties we could find (size 26 I think) for

not_nele to buy (

girl_clone must also be mentioned as one of the non-present instigators of this *g*). We spent a fair bit of time examining different underwear, to make sure we had the biggest beigest ones possible. We had to buy a two pack, but we decided this was good so we had a backup pair. We practised throwing it around

indybrat's house, to make sure we knew the most aerodynamic way to roll/tie them up before throwing.

not_nele moved to the end of the row as we came up toward Nick's interlude before JWYTK, so she could toss them on stage for his talking about why people scream for AJ. And did I mention they had "Nickers for Nick" written on them?

Then what happens? THEY DIDN'T DO NICK'S PART!!! He just picked up the guitar and said "This one is Just Want You To Know" and went straight into the song, bastards.

AJ went into the crowd during JWYTK, right past us, and slapped Lex's hand!
+ AJ in crowd - 2 meg
+ AJ going into crowd - 3 meg

Couple of crew guys, dressed up (badly) and invaded the stage during JWYTK. I'm sorry about the camerawork.
+ JWYTK - roadies - 5 meg

Nick cracked up about something in Drowning, to the point where he practically missed some of the singing I think. Not in these though.
+ Drowning - 3 meg
+ more Drowning - 3 meg

During CBTY, Brian went to do camera tricks with Howie, but Howie was onto him and dodged out of the way.
+ CBTY - camera tricks - 3 meg

Nick blew Howie off *again* during the dancing on the stairs bit in QPG. Bad Nicky.
+ Quit Playing Games - 5 meg

In a brief crossovery moment, when they did the band introduction, they specified one of the guitarists as "from the Justified tour".

When they came out singing Weird World, AJ was on Nick's back!
+ AJ riding Nick - 1 meg
+ Weird World - 3 meg

Someone passed AJ an Australian flag.
+ AJ with flag - 3 meg
He eventually managed to get it displayed well on the stairs, but only with Brian's help and some water bottles. Also, they got the crowd to do the Aussie Aussie Aussie chant again.
+ Aussie Aussie Aussie! - 2 meg
Around here,

not_nele did a great throw and got the nickers on stage, but alas, it wasn't to be.

Near the end they brought all their crew and staff that they could up on stage at one point, to pay them tribute, and the Boys went around thanking them. Very sweet, but unfortunately, one of the roadies picked up the giant panties as they left the stage, dammit!

My camera was giving me low battery warnings, so I switched it off for the last two songs. Also, so I could focus on just the show and soak it up.

During Everybody, I got a big shock when suddenly AJ was shirtless! As I later figured out from the video here, I spotted him just after he had stripped off, but I was confused (but happy) at the time *g*. Also during Everybody, one of the musicians came and joined the Boys in dancing, he wasn't bad!

And then our last Boys concert (and the last one on the Never Gone tour) was over. It was an absolutely incredible time and I totally would do it all again...and the fun was not over quite yet. But that'll have to wait for another post ;)

ETA: new icon from

hnix, from the picture Lex took at Sydney :)