The 3rd of August and I’m walking to the hotel The Backstreet Boys are staying in, called "Kämp". I’m thinking that it’s a dead-expensive hotel, if a glass of water costs 22 marks (about 4 dollars. I’m not quite sure). I got in front of the hotel and saw my friend Terhi there. I walked to her and we started talking about everything. She told me she met Guy Walker and showed me the autograph. We made a joke out of his name Guy Walker. Terhi is a huge Star Wars fan and if Guy would say "My name’s Guy Walker" it would turn out as Skywalker. Get it? Anyway, we walked to the Backstreet Band-bus and saw Guido there. He was SOOOOO adorable!! I was worried that Tommy hadn’t brought Guido to Finland at all, since he wasn’t at Tommy’s keyboards the day before. But there he was, in the flesh! :o) The other fans were looking at us a bit confused, when I started telling Terhi how cute he looked. They must have thought I was talking about Nick or Brian.
We walked back to the front of the hotel and saw a huge crowd around someone. Terhi said that it’s Guy so I went to ask his autograph and got a picture with him also. Terhi asked if the others were coming out soon. Guy told us they were sleeping, though it was in the middle of the day already. I had a gift for the Backstreet Band, but Guy told me to give it to them later, ‘cause he didn’t want to drag it around. He had asked Terhi before, if she’d saw him when he fell down from the stage last night. Terhi said that we were on Mindi’s side, so we hadn’t seen anything.
As we were just sitting on the chairs in front of Kämp, a white van drove really fast from the parking-place of the hotel. All of the fans started running and screaming after the car. Me and Terhi started laughing. It was some of the Backstreet Boys. A few minutes later, another car drove out, and more of screaming. The cars were driving really fast and I was afraid if someone got hurt, but luckily no one did. Terhi noticed that Bubba was eating in the café with Swoop and some other dancer, which name I don’t remember. Terhi went to ask Bubbas autograph and got followed by ALL the other fans. I’m sure Bubba got a little mad, because he really was trying to eat. When I finally got to him to ask for his autograph, I said to him that I’m really really sorry about this, and appoliged for all the fans. He said it’s ok, and when I asked, if I could take a picture of him, he smiled to me and even showed a peace-sign to me.
Then we went back to the Backstreet Band Bus and the driver Popper came there. We gave Popper our gifts. Terhi had one for Howie and Brian and I had one for the band. We asked Popper if we could have a picture with Guido, but he didn’t let us, he just turned Guido to our way, so I took a picture of him. Another one. If you look at the picture carefully, you can see that Guido is smiling. :o)
Then finally Louis came out and I got a picture and his autograph. He was really funny. After him came Guy again and we asked if he got hurt very much, when he fell last night. He showed us his finger, where was a really nasty cut. We told him to get better soon (*lol*) and that hopefully he can still play tonight, since on that day was the second concert.
Then finally came Dennis and Mindi. Everyone attacked Mindi so I thought I’d go to Dennis first. He remembered me and Terhi from last night, see before the concert, there was something wrong with his keyboards so he came onstage. We waved at him and I got a picture of him then too and he signed that one too. I forgot to ask what was wrong, so we’ll never know. :o) I got a nice picture of him after all that.
After Dennis, I went to Mindi. She was really nice. I had taken a picture of her from the concert last night, so she signed it too. I didn’t get a picture of her, where she’d look into my camera, but I guess it doesn’t matter much. When she looked at the picture, she knew right away that it was taken last night. I think she had most of the fans attacked on her, because everyone recognized her, since she was the only female.
After that, I walked back to Dennis, and noticed Popper was right next to him. So I called out "Popper" and as he looked at me, I snapped a picture of him. He refused to sign any autographs so I didn’t get his auto. :o( But he was fun though.
Then AT LAST Tommy walked out with a keyboard straight into the bus. There was about five fans in front of me, but I still was the first one to get Tommy’s autograph. Then he said that they were in a hurry and that he had no time to sign any autographs. Terhi started saying "Please Tommy, please!!!" so Tommy took her pen and said "What the heck!". Me and Terhi were the only ones to get the whole bands autographs at the hotel, so I feel kinda proud of meself. :o)
Then they drove away, and I thought that was the last time I see them. BUT, after the concert, I went to the backdoor of the concert-hall, and got the chance to say goodbye to them. They ran to the bus, but I put my hand out, and they all slapped it and said bye, and Dennis even said take care. Popper was about half asleep, so I didn’t bother to say anything to him, though I did TRY to talk to him, but he tried his best to ignore me. :o) (POPPER: It’s ok!! (o: ) That was the last time I saw them, because they left the hotel at 6 in the morning, so I had no chance in seeing them again. It was great to meet them, though some of them in a run. They were all really nice. If you have the chance to see them, do that, ‘cause they are worth to see.
Hope you enjoyed to read my experience of the Backstreet Band.
Take care, peace out, Maiken
