Finally, I met Yoko in person and saw her perform live on stage! The news came through that she wanted to come to Brussels and I couldn't believe it! I thought maybe thousands wanted to see Yoko! But there wasn't much publicity for her concert. Only very small ads in a music magazine and posters in Brussels.
On February 28..I took the day off and so did D.VanDamme (another IKer). We decided to go around 4PM to the Free University of Brussels where she would perform. After a long time of searching for the auditorium, we finally found it and walked in the entrance and saw some people making up everything on stage, and we saw the Blue Sky painting. It surprised me to see so much equipment.
We decided to come back two hours later and when we did, we could hear the band already rehearsing "Sky People", "I See Rainbows" without Yoko! And it was a surprise to hear such a very full, solid rock sound.
We searched for the backstage door and stepped in - very sneaky - and found our way on stage. We didn't even realize that we were actually on the stage until we saw someone playing a guitar. But soon someone came out to ask what we were searching for. And we said, "Yoko!" We wanted to give her some flowers. But the man said, "She's not here yet" with a very unfriendly tone. So we left, but heard the man say to another person, "keep an eye on this door here."
Around 6:30 PM, we saw a small car coming up with a Dutch number plate, followed by a very large Mercedes and I recognized Sam Havadtoy in the car. It was already dark so we ran like fools after the car - the last chance of my life to finally meet Yoko - and the driver didn't know where the backstage door was, so they drove back! and I saw Yoko in the car behind a suit that was hung up on her window and I shouted at her window - really like a fool I think - "Love from Instant Karma!" And she pushed a little bit the suit away and laughed and shook her head.
I really couldn't believe it was Yoko. I can't remember what all I said to her. "Welcome! Can I take a picture?" She saw my camera and took the time to pose for one picture. It was freezing cold and windy. She took the flowers we'd brought and then very quickly went inside, followed by a few of her people.
THE CONCERT
At exactly 8:30 PM, Yoko came onstage dressed in white. Everyone clapped. I sat in the first row and saw many security people looking to make sure no one took pictures. The stage was very low, only 20cm, and no fence because it was a very small place. Yoko could hear all what people said to her and it was great.
She started with "Midsummer NY", then "Give Me Something" and "Kiss, Kiss,Kiss". A medley of those three songs, but her voice did not come through so much on the first two songs. From "Kiss, Kiss, Kiss" on, she was in our ears! Everyone politely clapped, but no shouting.
She introduced "Walking on Thin Ice" with, "I'm so short, you know" and she makes the microphone stand even lower than she is! The number was really great. Then on to "Death of Samantha" - I loved that one too, but it could have been also "Death of John Lennon" with "what can I doooo."
So Yoko tells a story, asking first what the audience came for. Songs? Stories? Some people in the audience shout, "Songs!" Some shout, "Stories!" She says, "Well, I did ask for it." She started "Never Say Goodbye" after a story about Sean going to school and the fear she had. That song, performed live, sounded better than on the album. All the "It's Alright" songs had a fuller sound. At the end of the song, she did something from the old days - ah-ah-ah-ah-ah with something that sounded like feedback guitar.
Then she wanted to introduce the band members and asked, "Can we get light please?" No light! "Anyone out there? Oewowewoewow!" Light! Everyone laughed because she's really a very funny woman. The band got a big applause because they were very great and they really enjoyed playing Yoko's music.
Through the show, Yoko looked nervous because not many people joined in her music. Only the hardcore fans like me over here know her music and many people know her only as the widow of John. And they really did look at her the whole time like a curiosity. I think it was boring for her to perform before an audience that didn't join in much.
After many songs and stories, she says, this will be the end of the show. She said she wanted to do a song that was very emotional for her and for the audience too. And she asked, "Please sing with me"..but no one dared to touch that song. It was really surprising to hear Yoko sing "Imagine" so great! Great hand-clapping for her. Then she started "Give Peace a Chance" and eveyrone stood up for the peace anthem and she looked very happy when the audience sang and clapped hands. She motioned with her hands that the people could come closer, so a few people, including me, jumped onstage to be jumped at directly by the security people.
I hear Yoko still screaming, "No more war! War is over if you want it! East Berlin, West Berlin, closer, closer, New York, New Jersey, Paris, Moscow!" Before the end, she thanked us for coming while the musicians and audience still were singing.
People clapped hands for more. For me, it was a fantastic evening I shall never forget. Some people said afterwards that she should have played more music because she's a good performer and that she talked too much. At least they liked her music!
When we came outside the hall after 20 minutes, people were still talking about the concert. I think she stole many hearts. But then, the Monday newspapers! They really tore her concert down - said that she was singing false, like a cat, and if John were alive, he would have hit her for giving such a bad concert. How dare they! It made me really sick. Only one newspaper said that she was very brave to do a tour and that she was doing the peace work without John now. The critics go from bad to very bad. But even David Bowie's 1983 concerts were criticized.