MIB at Hyde Park for the Royal Wedding...

Ok, we know it was over 2 weeks ago, but its still all we can talk about throughout the events industry… MIB performing to 300,000 at Hyde Park for the Royal Wedding! What a gig....

We caught up with some of the band members to see how they're dealing with the biggest gig of their life... (!)

So, its been over 2 weeks now since the Royal Wedding Hyde Park event… have you recovered yet?

Russ: I think about it every day- it's like being one of the few people who've seen the Earth from outer space....

Rachel: Not really! I was really ill the following two weeks after the wedding so it still hasn’t really sunk in yet! Now i’m starting to see people again and they ask me what I’ve been up to...and I get to tell them that!!!! Its starting to sink in.....OH MY! What did we do!!!!!!!??????

Allan: I'm not sure i'll ever recover from that ! Everything in life is now about trying to re-create those moments on stage...which of course is impossible so it's a source of complete frustration ! 

Sera: The thing I've found funny is that I can't even construct a complete sentence about it... people say, 'how was it?' and I somehow utter out some random words that vaguely represent something to do with the subject...I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. It was just such an epic day. I can't believe it happened...it just feels like a dream.

Damien: It was all a bit hectic. That whole weekend was a bit mad for me. We were in Hyde Park singing to 300,000 people that afternoon. Then, in the evening I was singing at someone’s wedding to about 60 people and then the day after I was a singing Ice cream man… that perfectly illustrates what it’s like to be a ‘jobbing’ singer/ actor/ performer…

How do you think the band was received on the day?

Rob: Oh fantastically well and to be honest slightly better than I expected. Not because MIB isn't a great band, but because often people get easily distracted or look for a celebrity on stage to satisfy them, but I really think they just went with the music. When the band started up everyone just focused in and totally went with us, which was great. And it was the right kind of music for that point in that kind of day.

Rachel: Really well! On the day, I came off stage thinking ‘that was awesome!’ but what really made it hit home is watching all the youtube footage of people dancing and singing along! I did wonder what the vibe would be like further back but watching the video clips, they were loving it!

Russ: Like we were ROCK GODS. And of course we are.

Allan: I think this is best measured by the size of the conga line !! Epic ! 

Sera: haha, the conga was amazing...it made me start laughing in the middle of a song when I saw that. The whole thing was just so well recieved - not just us, the whole day. It was so lovely to have that many people there to celebrate William & Kate's marriage, being proud to be British!

 

How did you feel on the run up to the big day?

Rachel: I was really nervous and stressed in the lead up...its the biggest thing I have ever done and I didn’t really know what to expect...I think that is why it was so scary! But actually, as soon as I got to London on the Thursday and checked into the hotel I felt really calm. I just felt really excited but not necessarily nervous or scared. When I was there on the day, standing on that stage in front of 300,000 people waiting to start....it just felt like the most natural thing in the world!

Sera: I was similar to Rach..the few weeks before I was just a nightmare...I couldnt even hear the words 'royal wedding' without feeling sick! However once I was there, had met the clients (who were lovely), seen the stage etc I was fine...then, like Rach said, it just felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Rob: I did feel nervous but also fairly serene. I guess I just always fret a bit about remembering silly things and bits of structure etc, but it wasn't any more than usual. I also don't think you get the sense of scale until the actual moment - so ten minutes before going on I then felt incredibly nervous and a bit overwhelmed, but then adrenalin kicks in and you just go.

Allan: Extremely exited, proud, nervous... i went through just about every emotion there is i think. 

What did you think of the wedding?

Rachel: It was so beautiful! I came out of our dressing room to watch the wedding on the big screens and the atmosphere was buzzing! Prince William looked absolutely gorgeous and Kate looked stunning. Wow that dress! I found it all a bit too emotional actually and had to go back inside as I was getting teary and didn’t want to ruin my make up! DIVA! But I thought the whole day was spectacular and really well done. Like everyone is saying, it was very clear that they are a down to earth, fun couple who know how to party!

 Sera: I think I fell a little bit in love with Prince William that day! We were allowed to watch the big screens from in front of the barriers, which was so special. It was amazing to share that experience with 300,000 other people - what a gorgeous wedding!

Russ: Probably the best state event in the world in recent memory- no one does it like the British!

 Damien: I loved the bit where they both got up to the front of the Cathedral, came together and, in Hyde Park, the sun broke through the clouds. That was the most magical part of the day for me… that and Rachael’s dress!! ;)

Allan: Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. We all perform at 100's of weddings every year so we've seen just about everything there is to see ! The things that stood out for me were just how well Will & Kate's character came through all the hype of the day... it could easily have felt too stuffy or too traditional, but i felt like i really got a sense of who they are as a couple. It's nice as a young (ish) person, to be able to feel like you can identify with our Royal family ! Something which i've never experienced before but can definitely say i can now thanks to Will & Kate. The highlight of the ceremony for me was the simply amazing choir music. I've never heard anything so beautiful in all my life as a musician ! Stunning. 

Did you enjoy playing to 300,000 people, or were you too nervous to properly enjoy it?

Allan: Loved every second........apart from the first 60 or so where i had to convince myself that I actually COULD play the opening Dmajor chord ! To be honest as soon as we hit the first chorus to "I don't wanna miss a thing" by Aerosmith..(our first song) I felt totally at home. I could also feel that we felt like that as a band and as a whole. I can't describe the silent communication that happens between musicians on-stage, but you can feel it, and you know when it's right, and when it is....300'000 people start dancin' !! 

Russ: I remember looking at everyone's faces on stage when we were about to play and they looked how I felt- like we were about to jump into the abyss of covers band doom....but once we cracked into Aerosmith it was like having a jam. In front of one of the biggest UK audiences of all time.

Sera: It was surreal, but I loved it. The coolest thing was looking out and seeing my band members up on that HUUUUGE screen! I kept thinking, 'Whats Jim doing on that big screen?' haha...oh yes, playing to 300,000 for the royal wedding...

Rob: Massively enjoyed it. After pretty much the first note I just soaked it up and loved it. If anything i was probably just a bit dreamy because i kept just looking out over the sea of people thinking, 'this is awesome... so many... so many'. And the atmosphere was fantastic, the crowd were with us, everyone on stage was having fun, it was lovely lovely.

Rachel: I absolutely loved it! It was a strange experience....as I haven’t performed to that large an audience before the sound took getting used to. You could see this mass of people but you couldn’t hear them. So you would see their hands go up and their mouths open but only hear about ten people in front of you....that took some getting used to but I absolutely loved it!

 

What was your favourite gig moment from that day?

Rob: I started singing 'everything i do' by Brian Adams and got a big scream from the crowd followed by some singing along. For a few seconds, I was there in Sherwood Forest playing guitar with Kevin Costner firing an arrow in the background.

Rachel: There was a moment when I shouted ‘everyone at the back lets see your hands up’ and literally all these people put their hands up in the air from really far back.....I would love to have seen my face because I literally went to burst into tears....I had to turn around to recompose myself!

Sera: Aside from afore mentioned 'big screen' moment...I think it was playing the first song - 'dont wanna miss a thing' was chosen by the audience to be the first song and what a great choice it was. It was really hard not to get all teary I must say... the audience were going mad singing along, and a lot of them were crying, all caught up in the emotion of the day (so I'm told - it wasnt that we were terrible I promise). It was just...a moment. I can't describe it...can't even think about it without getting all sniffly... Also, later on in our second set, we totally loosened up and just completely relaxed and had fun...I was loving playing a bit of percussion!

Damien: Singing ‘Greatest day’ and seeing that impromptu conga line form… what I loved was that so many people seemed genuinely happy to be there celebrating with us…

Russ: Allan's disgusting solo over the Wild Cherry standard- talk about re-invigorating a cheesy tune, he was all over it like a jungle rash! 

Anything you would have done differently?

Damien:  Drank less Red Bull!

Russ: Played longer...and LOUDER!

Sera: Umm...insisted that the day lasted forever? Haha... no, not really, it was just the most perfect day.

Rob: Got the call and response bit from Celebration right. What a plonker.

Is it a day you'll never forget?

Russ: It's the only day I can REMEMBER!

Allan: Absolutely! One for the Grandkids!

Sera: Never, ever will I ever forget that day! Lol and I won't let anyone else forget it either...videos, pics, interviews galore ;) 

Any messages for Will & Kate?

Rachel:  Congratulations and you guys rock! What a cool couple!

Damien: When you’re moaning about who does the washing up, just remember how happy you were on your wedding day.  

Is there anything that will top that day? Where to from here?

Russ: There's always something better round the corner or we may as well retire now. The Olympics?!

Rachel: Olympics please : ) and also a world tour would be nice......

Sera: YESSS to the Olympics! We've had all sorts of opportunities come in since then... some contact from booking agents in the US, Oz & Dubai, the single 'On This Day' is selling well, and the feedback we've had from people at Hyde Park has been so lovely... we love what we do, and every gig we do is special, so we're just honoured to have been asked to do such a fantastic event.

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