Orchard theatre, Dartford – that names meant nothing for me before April 20, 2007. Now the hour spent there is one of the happiest and unforgettable hours in my life.

I go back to the date of January 17, 2007 when I received the e-mail from Kris and Pete (from the official Chris Norman fan club site) about the big UK tour of Chris. The decision was taken immediately – I can not miss it. I’ve got to go to see him on one of all these 34 concerts. It took only 2 weeks to book the flight tickets, to choose the concert date and to book a seat for it. And… the difficult part had started – to wait 3 months to the Big day.

Dartford is a small town situated on about 40 minutes by train from London. The Orchard theatre is located just in 5 minutes from the train station. So I was there about 2 hours before the start of the concert. I took my ticket from the box office reserved via internet. How disappointed I was when on the ticket I found only “Dennis L…” and nothing about Chris :((((. I travelled from Bulgaria not to have a ticket for this absolutely unknown for me singer but only for Chris and I wanted to have a ticket with his name but… Ok, let’s go to the important part – to see Chris.

I made a short investigation around the building and found the back door (Only for the Staff). I asked the guard there if Chris had already come and he told me – yes, Chris is here. So there was no more sense to stay there as it was clear that Chris will not go out at that moment and I went to the nearest shop and bought a bouquet of white flowers for Chris. There was a small desk opened just in front of the hall where from I bought Chris’s CD “Coming home”. At last the starting hour came and they opened the hall doors.

We (me and my friend) came in and took our seats. While I was waiting for the beginning of the show two usherettes started to talk to each other and to watch me very suspiciously. I was wondering what made me different from others and found that I was the only one who had brought flowers. To be honest, I enjoyed watching their embarrassment and confusion without knowing the exact reason for their worries. Later I found out that they had to watch nobody to break the concert order, but it seemed that from their point of view someone who intends to go to give flowers to the singer would complicate their duties.

At that moment I glimpsed George, Chris’s tour manager, who was passing through the other side of hall. (That was MY moment). I rushed to him and called his name through the hall. He turned out curiously (probably thinking “who recognized me in this small town?” :))) and unsuspecting that was not even a local girl but someone who had come from other part of the continent just for Chris). So, I introduced myself and told him that I had come from Bulgaria to see Chris’s concert and I would be very grateful if I could meet him personally after the show to express my admiration to him and give him bouquet of flowers. It seemed that George was glad to hear that and told me to be at the back door immediately after Chris’s perfomance.

7.45 pm. The lights turned off. Spotlight turned on the scene. CHRIS APPEARED. My heart turned over. Again this feeling, the same one when I saw Chris in Gleisdorf on 17 Feb 06 and on 6 Sept 2002 in Bansko (BG). Everybody who was in love ever in his life knows this feeling of heart turning over.

Chris said “Hello” to the audience and introduced the keyboard player Rob. The sounds of “I’ll meet you at midnight” began. He continued with the famous Smokie songs and my favourite one “Million Miles to nowhere”. It was really really incredible. Just acoustic guitar, keyboards and the amazing voice of Chris. I like it much more than the big electric concerts. I liked the song “Lost in Flight” very much, I heard it live for the first time. Fortunately the audience recognized the Smokie songs and sometimes they sang together with Chris, e.g. on “Alice”, “Lay back in the arms of someone”. Chris sang the last song “Don't play your Rock’n’roll to me”, thanked the audience and… disappeared. I was still totally obsessed by the influence of Chris’s music and still couldn’t take a breath.

The next part which promised to be even more exciting was coming. I rushed to the doors and run out of the hall. I reached the back door and just a minute later George opened the door and let me and my boyfriend in. George told me that Chris was to come within minutes and… the Maestro really appeared in the corridor, just in front of me. He was dressed in a light blue shirt and I thought again to myself that he looks younger and younger with each following year. I had promised to myself that I will try to be not excited too much in order not to forget all my questions to Chris and to talk calmly with him. I gave him the flowers and expressed my admiration to him and his music. I told Chris that I love his music since I was 14 and I consider his last album “Million Miles” as one of the best. We talked a little bit about his short concert in Bulgaria in 2002 and his recent gigs in Romania for the New Year. He saw that I was holding the “Coming home” CD and put his autograph on its cover. I said “Thank you very much, Chris. I wish you love and success”, we shook hands and … I had to leave. Probably I could talk with him more but I didn't want to bother him anymore as he could be tired. Just before I was to go out Chris said: “Enjoy the show” (as Dennis L. had to continue) but I told him that I was interested only in his part. I did not go back into the concert hall as I did not want to spoil my impressions, I needed only a fresh air.

Dear Chris, I am so glad that 25 years ago I discovered you for myself and fell in love with your music. You are not only the greatest musician and singer for me but you are very kind and decent man, having the best human values. I am really looking forward for your next concert that I will visit.

Just 24 hours later Chris was going to meet another his devoted fan who this time came from Russia :)) – Stranger, whom I'm very grateful to for this wonderful page.