So... What next?

Time is around 16.00 on a very sunny wednesday afternoon and I have only JUST made it for my flight out of Athens and towards Barcelona. This was the closest call ever. To give you an idea, when I entered the airport terminal and hadn't even started running towards the check-in desks yet, the notice boards had already announced the final boarding call! I'm surprised they let me onboard.

So, that's it when it comes to my being in Greece this time round. Even though I managed to do something which I never imagined it would be possible in this little time I had here, it was a tiring few weeks and in fact, my only work-free day during my stay was the tuesday after the opening night; day of the depeche mode concert and only hours before I'd leave the country. Couldn't wait for this! Besides, this was one of the reasons why I came here specifically these days in the first place.

It was 4 of us driving to the concert area: Danae, who came from Giannena for this, Alex, Paulina from Argentina who also arranged her travel dates for the concert and myself. The drive to Terravibe in Malakasa is neither short, nor easy. Not only do we need to drive well out of the city, but parking there is incredible. Thousands of cars spread out as far as 5-6 kilometers from the concert. All we can think of though is "DEPECHE MODE", so it's well worth it.

Thousands of people are loitering all around the large green area in front of the huge stage where depeche mode will perform, straight after Motor and Puressence. As scheduled the first two come out, to warm the crowd up and to set the atmosphere for the featuring artists. And after that, we wait for the big name. They seem to be late though...21.30 and they're still not out. People start getting frustrated and express it either be shouting and clapping, or swearing at the organisers. Others just wait patiently.

And then it happens. The music stops and two persons no one had seen before come out on the stage to announce what? Yes, you guessed it! That the concert is canceled! Dave is ill they said! He wanted to perform and went all the way out there but the doctor told him not to at the last minute they said! They had to take him to the hospital but the whole thing may be rescheduled for tomorrow they said! Please leave in an orderly manner they said!

If the crowd was annoyed before, now they were driven up the wall! People were throwing bottles, breaking parts of the screens, swearing, booing and arguing! Obviously nobody believed them! Do they really expect us to believe that it was only at 21.30 that they decided he was not well enough to perform? So everyone had to spend all the money they spent to buy tickets, water, food and get there for what? For nothing! And we're not even talking about people that drove from Athens. People had drove there from all corners or Greece and even from abroad (Argentina for example!!)! A whole lot of frustration because someone is not responsible enough to do what they are supposed to do. That being, depending on the scenario, either the artists who got too drugged up and were not in a state to perform any more, or the organising company who knew from well before that Dave Gahan was ill, but decided not to say anything until the very last minute so that they would not miss out on a big part of the revenue from food and drink, tickets, advertising etc.

A huge dissapointment, especially considering that this was one of my main reasons for coming to Greece these specific dates and had no choice but to leave the following day, as it was scheduled. Of course with the other guys we made the most of the rest of the night, but this is simply something that we lost and cannot regain. Anyway... The trip goes on... On spanish ground for the next few days.

M.