Last night I discovered some footage on YouTube of Wham!’s ‘The Final’ concert at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 28th June 1986. I was 13 years old, and yet that day is imprinted so vividly in my memory, it could have happened mere hours ago. I can still re-access so much of that day, even of the evening before and the day after … the images in my mind are bright and clear. The sounds associated with the various times are loud and clear. I can remember also, smells, tastes, feelings, thoughts and conversations I had on that day….
It was such a special day for me. My best friend and I had ‘loved’ Wham! for a while by then, and were both devastated (as only 13 year old girls can be!) by the news we’d heard that February that Wham! was splitting up. Tears and heartache ensued… tempered only by the announcement that they would play one final concert at Wembley Stadium. We were determined we would go. Neither of us had been to see a concert before, and for it to be such a significant concert, made it all the more special.
I remember us getting up early on Sunday 18th May 1986 and queuing up outside Newcastle City Hall for tickets. I don’t think I’d ever before experienced the intensity of happiness I felt that morning when I felt those tickets in my hand … I could hardly believe that I was going to Wembley to see George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley!!! The six weeks until the concert felt like an eternity … & I’m sure our friends at school felt it too as we counted down the days!
I still vividly remember the excitement and disbelief of the night before … tea at my house, before getting the bus up to Newcastle to catch the overnight coach to London … a sleepless night!! Arriving in London at 6am, impatient to just get to the Stadium. And being almost overwhelmed by the size of Wembley when we did get there. Of joining the queues of people already there … despite the doors not opening until 2pm. It was a scorching hot, sunny day, and we sat on the steps outside the Stadium in excited anticipation. My friend and I wandered around a bit, and each of us still remember watching a George Michael look-alike sitting eating a banana … the surrealness of it obviously making its mark in our brains for us both to remember.
And then finally, the gates were opened and we were part of a mad crush to get into the stadium … followed by a mad rush inside the stadium and across the pitch to find some seats. The impatience setting I, just wanting to see George and Andrew on that stage in from of us. First though, we had to sit through Nick Heyward (of Haircut 100) and Gary Glitter, before FINALLY, at 7.30pm there they were in front of us …
Teenage girls’ dreams come true… And wow!! What a concert it was for me! I loved every single second and as I’ve already said, so much of it is still imprinted in my memory … and I’m sure it will be forever. As vivid as if it was yesterday. I can close my eyes and still see that stage in front of me, still see George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley on it. I can still hear the sounds of their songs, of George Michael singing, of the audience singing, screaming and clapping. And that’s mine forever … better than any DVD can ever be, because it’s mine. And as well as the sights and sounds I’d get from a DVD, I have my emotions and feelings attached to it … and that’s what makes it so real, so vivid, and so precious.
I have no idea what’s triggered this memory for me right now, or what caused me to think to search for this concert clip on YouTube last night. But obviously, something in my unconscious had stirred something up for me. I’ve not thought about this concert for such a long, long time, but something led me to it again last night … maybe time will tell me what that was. Or maybe not.
Some things, important things stay with us forever. Our memories are precious. They’re unique to each of us and no one can ever take them away. Even when we’ve shared experiences and events with other people, our memories are unique … and that makes them extra special. We can re-access them whenever we want to. They’re ours forever.
I have lots of precious memories. Many happy, many sad, many with all kinds of other emotions attached to them. But they’re all precious. They’re all special. And they’re all unique to me. And all of those memories are a precious part of me and the experiences that I experienced when I made those memories have made me who I am today … without them, who would I be?
Who would any of us be without our memories?
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