BoyzLife 2021 was my first concert since before the pandemic began and actually on reflection BoyzLife was my last concert in February 2019…….kind of puts things into perspective with having to shield etc.
I will let you in to a little secret….I have a thing for Irish men. My Mum used to say she could never take me to Ireland as I would run away with the men. I’ve seen both Boyzone and Westlife every time they have been in concert, so I have been a fan since my early teens (that makes me feel old). I was never one for Take That or Backstreet Boys, so when BoyzLife formed with one fifth of Boyzone which is Keith Duffy and one fifth of Westlife which was Bryan McFadden it was inevitable I was going to become a fan.
Growing up my Mum had always tried to get me the chance to meet Boyzone and Westlife, but never quite managed it. I decided that since I hadn’t been out much since the pandemic began, I would treat myself to a meet and greet and although I am glad, I did and that it showed that sometime being a wheelchair user has it’s advantages it really wasn’t worth what I paid for it. I would hope that this is only because of Covid and the challenging world that we live in at present, but I am not sure as I don’t have another meet and greet to compare it to. That aside I must have been the most hated person in the room when we did the meet and greet. Everyone else had to stand at a distance from Keith and Bryan to have their photos taken, but as there wasn’t enough space for me to be in front of the stage, I couldn’t do this, so they had to come and stand at either side of me for my photo to be taken (see photo above).
After the meet and greet there was even time for a cheeky blue wicked before we started singing and dancing away to all Boyzone and Westlife songs that Keith and Bryan covered. It was a quick 2 hours, but an enjoyable 2 hours and for that time it was almost like we weren’t living in a pandemic. The concert was at The Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow which is a lot smaller that the SEC Hydro. This was probably a good thing just because I am feeling a bit anxious at the moment as I start to get my life back. Despite being an old building, it was fairly accessible and the platform for the disabled seating area meant that I had a perfect view and could take some really great photos and videos that I have shared on social media. Bryan McFadden even liked my Instagram post!!
As I mentioned previously sometimes being a wheelchair user has its advantages, but only sometimes and what happened after the concert proved this. Being a disabled person does not have its advantages when travelling on public transport. I had booked assistance for both journeys to and from Glasgow. The outward journey was absolutely fine, and all assistance was there as required. However, travelling home was a different story! Many people who go to a concert or any night out don’t have to give it a second thought when they decide to get the train home, but this is not the case for disabled people. I had booked the assistance in advance, but when I arrived back at Glasgow Central Station the assistance was there to get me on the train and the guy from Scot Rail customer services couldn’t have been any nicer. However, as he was just about to assist me to board the train the ticket inspector who would be travelling on the train advised him that he couldn’t put down the ramps to allow me to get off at Irvine. Why, I don’t know, if it was a health reason then fair enough, but in that case Scot Rail need to be looking at the assistance booked and staffing their trains accordingly.
Thankfully, Scot Rail staff at Glasgow Central arranged and paid for a taxi to bring me home, it’s their policy to provide this if for any reason they are unable to fulfil the assistance booked etc. Arguably some might say I travelled home in style in a taxi that I didn’t have to pay for, but I had to wait an extra 45 minutes for this taxi when I could have been on the train and home long before I actually arrived. Again, it’s sending the message that disabled people are forgotten about to some extent in society. I have since complained to Scot Rail and await a response.
However, despite this disruption to my night and the fact that it added to my anxieties about being out and about again I did really enjoy my night. The pandemic might have changed a lot of things, but at least I know it hasn’t changed my thing for Irish men!!
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