This was the seventh and last date of Prides headline UK tour February 2015.
I was so excited to see Prides in Sheffield where I live! And to get to see my idol on Valentine's Day was a dream come true! I tweeted Lewis earlier in the day to wish him a happy Valentine's Day and he favourited my tweet! That was kind of him.
I met up with my boyfriend and a friend for some pre-Prides drinks in a bar near to the venue, but I decided to go and queue at my usual time of 5.30pm, as I hadn't noticed that the doors were opening half an hour later than the other nights of the tour.
So I left the bar and a minute later who did I see walking towards me... all of Prides and their team! I felt so embarrassed and said something stupid like "hi I'm not following you", which was probably the worst thing I could have said. And then I nearly tripped up.
While I was in the queue outside the Leadmill I saw a friend who I didn't know was going to be at the gig that night, so that was a lovely surprise!
When the Leadmill doors opened, I was shocked to see that it was the small stage! I am sure Prides could have easily sold out the main stage of the venue, it seemed a shame for them to be playing to a smaller audience. Although it was nice from a personal point of view to see them on the small stage as it meant I was so close to Lewis.
My twin sister came to the gig with me, which meant the world to me! Although she said she was only going to stay at the front with me for a couple of songs, she enjoyed Prides so much that she stayed there right till "Messiah", and she only went away then because she had to pop out for a minute.
Prides were so amazing! Nothing I say can do justice to how brilliant they were, but my friend Penny has written a lovely review of the gig, please read it here:
http://www.backseatmafia.com/2015/02/15/live-review-prides-leadmill-14th-february-2015
Here are some of Penny's amazing photos she took of Lewis during the gig:
Thank you Penny for giving me permission to use these in my blog.
After Prides had finished playing, I asked their tour manager if I could have Lewis' water bottle and he very kindly gave it to me. This was particularly nice of him after I stole Lewis' things at the Brighton gig, and in hindsight I did not deserve this kindness.
Prides came to the merchandise stand to meet fans, as always. I was so excited to introduce my sister to them! They were all really lovely to her.
When I met Lewis he gave me a hug and said Happy Valentine's Day! What a lovely thing to say to a fan, it made my life! I gave him a Valentine's card, but it wasn't a romantic card, obviously, I am not completely deluded! It was more just a thank you letter I'd written for him in a card I'd made. For the rest of the evening while he was meeting fans I could see him holding it. That made me so happy.
I showed Lewis my tattoo and he stroked my arm where it was. (I mean, because you could feel the raised area where the tattoo was healing.) He signed my tattoo appointment card for me too.
I was talking to Lewis with my sister, and I just kind of attached myself to him so I was stood hugging him and I felt like I could die there and then of happiness. Now I wish I had done. I don't mean that in a morbid way, but it was the happiest moment of my life.
When I was talking to Stewart, my sister said that I must be like a mascot for Prides because I'm at every gig. Stewart said I was like one of the family now. When I think of his words now, I cry.
Also, I didn't know this at the time, but at one point in the evening while I was talking to Lewis, my sister was talking to Callum and she said to thank Lewis for always being so kind to me. And Callum said "Why wouldn't we be kind? She's our number 1 fan". I can't even tell you what that means to me, especially now.
Later in the evening, I saw Lewis heading toward the backstage entrance, so I went to say goodbye to him. But the music was so loud he couldn't hear a word I was saying and I couldn't hear him. I didn't want the evening to end like that...
So I waited in the Leadmill to see if he came back out, but he didn't. I left the venue and was going to go home, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, as I never can after a Prides gig, and I knew I'd just be sitting up thinking of my idol being just a few miles away...
So I decided to wait outside the venue where Prides' van was parked, so I could say goodbye to Lewis.
I'm not sure how long I waited, but the time passed quickly and I actually didn't feel cold because I was wearing my two Prides sweaters.
Eventually Prides came out and Lewis gave me a hug and he thanked me for my card and said it was lovely. That made my life! He really is so kind. Then he said Happy Valentine's Day again.
So I'm really glad I did wait that extra time outside to see him. It was such a lovely ending to what I can honestly say was the best evening ever of my whole life.
Thank you Prides for all the lovely kind things you said to me that night, you made me so happy and I am so very grateful for everything. It was beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of.
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