Energy Stars For Free 2005

Westlife at Energy Stars For Free

As I remember it, I’ve heard about “Energy Stars For Free” before. But well, I didn’t really pay any more attention to it. But on 6th December I was sitting in the train to Bern, reading 20min newspaper. I had a feeling to switch to the “People” section first. No idea, my subconscious might had an idea. However, oh my goodness, in the big headline, huge and fat, already as a first word of the line Westlife got announced for the “Energy Stars For Free” concert.

First a shock. I really wondered for a moment how many bands actually were called Westlife. Then I came to the conclusion that it only could be THE one. Our guys from Ireland. First then “Ahh, I got to get tickets!!” and the shock about only being able to win them. The tickets couldn’t be bought. What was quite depressing. Oh dear, I never was that lucky to win.

My brain started rotating: what to do? I then told my friends the super-mega news. One of them mentioned later, that we’ve been talking about when Westlife might be coming to Switzerland only the day before. So I immediately told her.

Tickets winning mission

Back home in the evening I immediately checked the internet. Taking part in the competition, also via short message. But somehow the desperation was big and so I had the inspiring idea. A friend had told me before that she had won the Meet & Greet in 2003 via writing to the organiser. And a penpal kept telling me about free tickets, she kept getting. So there was only one thing to do: I looked up the e-mail address of radio Energy and wrote to them:

Dear Radio Energy Team,

First, hello
I can imagine that this might not be the first mail you get, but I got to tell this. My friend and I have read about the Stars For Free concert and what great acts will perform. But especially we’ve seen that Westlife will take part at this Stars For Free concert. We hardly can believe it!!! These were awesome news. We wanted immediately to get tickets, but … oh no, .. you only can win them.

My friend and I follow the career of Westlife already for years and we of course have been to their concert on 27.04.2003 at Hallenstadion. Since we unfortunately haven’t had the chance to see them back in Switzerland again and always hoped to see them again. And now… now they are really coming to Switzerland again!!! Wow!!! Of course we take part in the competition and so on, but… the changes to get one of the 13’000 tickets… we thought, maybe you’ve got 2 spare ones for two of the biggest Westlife fans!!! We might not know all the birthdays of the 4 guys, but we are in it with our fullest hearts. Their music is giving us so much. And so short before Christmas… it would be the nicest star on the top of the tree. It would be fantastic to see and hear them again live on stage.

We would be so incredibly happy, if we could visit the concert. Both of us would survive, not being able to go but this is such an unique chance. That’s why this big request. Many greetings and go on with this great music programme (esp. with the new Westlife songs) xx

I agreed with a friend about this. And now we had to wait.

The next evening I got home and checked my e-mails. Yes, there was a reply from Radio Energy. But well, hope was gone. Didn’t help. You could win this and that way, etc. Would have been too good. With big disappointment I kept scrolling through my e-mails, and wow, there was a second e-mail from Energy.

Immediately I had a look and the shock followed. I should send my mobile phone number straight away. But the problem was, the mail was sent at lunch time and it was evening. How stupid one could be. I should have sent my mobile phone number in my mail. I was so annoyed with myself. But then I still sent the number to them as I couldn’t lose anything anyway, and told them, that it wasn’t possible earlier. I had been at school the whole day.

Radio Energy’s call

I had barley sent the e-mail, when I got a call. Miriam, the presenter, immediately phoned back. What time I was getting up the next morning and if it was possible even earlier. She couldn’t promise anything, but they’d call me the next morning. Of course I agreed to get up by 5.30 am. Only after I remembered that school was starting later the next day. But whatever… ^^ Of course I was all excited then. First I thought it would bring bad luck, if I told anyone about, but I had to tell the news to my friend. So we waited impatiently for the next morning.

I couldn’t sleep half of the night. And already got up at 5.15 am to wait. Quite exactly at 5.45 am my phone was ringing. Oh dear, I was nervous. I answered. Reto, the presenter, was on the phone. And then he told me that he couldn’t understand me well. Shit. He asked for the home phone. Gosh, I didn’t know the number by heart so I started looking for it. I told him and he wanted to call on it immediately.

Oops, the phone was in the bedroom of my father and his girlfriend. Quickly, and as quietly as possible I went to get it (possibly didn’t work out too well).

He explained that they’d make a recording. He’d call me again and I had to let it ring 1x. Said and done. He mentioned that he had just read my mail and started to ask questions about my fan being. How long I was following Westlife, why I liked them (really not only cos of the looks) and why I wanted to go there, as I sure had seen some shows already. All the questions made me even more nervous, but then the salvation. I had won 2 tickets for Energy Stars for Free. He asked me to cheer etc. Help, it was 6am, I couldn’t just scream. Well, maybe a little bit then.

I could have gone back to sleep for almost 2 hours, but I wasn’t able to sleep any longer. I was too nervous and excited. Saturday after I could go and get the tickets. Had to go to Zurich for this, what was quite a city walk til I found the building of Radio Energy. I was standing 2-3 times in front of it without realizing that it was the one, but then I got my tickets. And because other friends had won as well, we could go in a group.

Airport adventure

So our adventure could start. But it shouldn’t only start at 4.30 pm in the evening, but already in the morning at 10.15am at Zurich airport. It’s where we all met up. We went to the arrivals, where barely anyone was at this time. Only some minutes later the first people from London arrived. Westlife weren’t among them yet. We actually had no clue, when and from where they would arrive, but had an idea.

So we kept waiting for flights from London and Dublin. And barely arrived at the arrivals, we saw some Energy Stars For Free employees. This was a good sign. Where they were, we couldn’t be wrong. No one really told us anything – “I am not allowed to say anything” – but we were sure that we were right and the one or other clue we got after all.

After 1 pm Joana Zimmer and her crew arrived then, 20mins later also Simon Webbe (Blue). Then none for a while before an ESFF employee arrived and actually started talking. And esp. suddenly Dave, Westlife’s bodyguard, was standing at the arrivals and so it was clear.

All alone with Shane and Nicky

Shortly after Kian and Mark already arrived with their baggage carts. After they had put their luggage into the car, they willingly wrote autographs and took pictures with us. We kept waiting for Shane and Nicky then, who were to arrive from Dublin so. Because no ESFF people and no Dave were around then, we didn’t really concentrate on the arrivals and suddenly Shane and Nicky past us almost unnoticed. Far and wide none around to pick them up. So we were all alone with them and had all the time in the world to take photos and get autographs, before they got picked up.

Energy Stars For Free The Show

Admission at Hallenstadion wasn’t very great. Huge pushing and crushing, as if we were at a boygroup concert. The guys were almost worse than the girls. And because Baschi apparently still was soundchecking, we couldn’t get inside the arena. There were so many drunken people in the crowd, it was super annoying.

Actually I was totally standing at the wrong place then, at the catwalk, where Westlife later didn’t come to. Well, bad luck. At 6.30 pm Roman Kilchsberger and three other presenters started the show. The show started with Isabelle Flachsmann, followed by Joana Zimmerman. With all the pushing we hoped it would be Westlife’s turn soon, so we could go into the back after. But first Adrian Stern and Tamee Harrison followed.

I didn’t notice much of Tamee though, but that she sang “Wonderful Dreams”, the song by Melanie Thornton. It’s when I got goosebumps. Simon Webbe, Wire Daisis and then finally, FINALLY Westlife followed.

Oh my, luckily we didn’t know too many people around us. 😉 Rarely went crazy about something like I did for this performance. Westlife on a Swiss stage. Finally!! Finally after 971 days here again. With “World Of Our Own” they started, went over quietly to “Mandy” and continued with “Fliying Without Wings”, and they did wear off with “When You’re Looking Like That”. I totally love this song. And I keep seeing the guys in front of my inner eye, when they were in Oberhausen in 2004. Yes, the Turnaround Tour. It was so great. They went on with their new song “Amazing” and ended their show with their hit single “You Raise Me Up”.

We left the crowd, got something to drink and calmed down. The show continued with Baschi, but the most important just has been Westlife. After Baschi it was Stress. Wow, I mean, it wasn’t exactly my kind of music, but it was incredible how they did wear off. Amazing atmosphere.

t.A.T.u., who followed after, couldn’t even nearly top it. Not that many liked them. And honestly I also only waited for their song “All The Things She Said”, the rest wasn’t very spectacular.

But the final of the concert was the high point. Melanie C ended the show, what was genius. She was super likable and got great songs. In the end the presenters came to the front, wearing Christmas hats and even Mel C went along with the fun. With a rather weak try to sing “Last Christmas” it came to an end for good and we left to get home.