Girls just want to have fun at FASTLOVE

Myself and my Saturday night company have an ‘unspoken rule’ that we never make plans after midnight. Our Saturday nights are pretty special in that we congregate in the local pub and forget the worries of the week and enjoy some chill and relaxed time. Sipping wine, beer, gin, or other, we know how to forget reality and smile. And we know not to make definite plans after midnight – just in case.

A few months ago, that rule went out the window. Someone mentioned Fastlove coming to Derry and suddenly we were all George Michael fans late that Saturday night. We decided there and then that we were going to go to the Derry show. I took the lead and went online (well after midnight) and booked the tickets. Job done.

On waking the next day we had no regrets. We had enjoyed the planning the night before. We were going to have a girls night on November 17th. We were going to go down memory lane and relive the ‘Wham and George Michael’ days.

And so on Thursday last we headed off like three teens. A wee tipple at the Millennium Forum bar was enjoyed on arrival. But then I looked around and saw that the majority of the people there were my age and older. What was I expecting – teenagers!!! This is going to be very reserved I thought. How wrong I was.

The cast of Fastlove took to the stage just after 8pm, and for the next 2 hours + we danced, we sang and we boogied like we haven’t boogied in years. The classic George and Wham songs just kept on flowing. We kept on singing – like the entire auditorium in Derry.

From Faith to Careless Whisper, Freedom to Wake me Up. Club Tropicana brought me right back to my young teenage self. Oh how I loved that song. But it had to be Last Christmas that had us all singing in unison. It was a stark reminder of the talent that really was George Michael.

What I loved about this also was that they were not trying to be George Michael. It was a genuine tribute to the music and the legacy of the genius he was. The female singers really bowled us over also. The band and Andrew Browning did George and his music justice at every turn.

We left the Millennium Forum on Thursday night making plans to do more nights like the one we’d just had. It was a school night and we were out enjoying life. We all went home that night feeling like our young teenage selves. Alas, on waking Friday morning I certainly had it confirmed that I was not that teenager anymore!!!

A genuinely great night was had. Fastlove is for absolutely anyone who enjoyed the wonderful music of Gorge Michael.

GMcC