Billy Connolly Live at Waterfront Hall, Belfast

...say that l witnessed Mr Billy Connolly live in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

We bought our tickets back in May for £33 plus £2 credit card booking. At the time it this price of £35 did seem overly expensive, but after last night l consider the price worth every penny spent!

I have long been a fan of Billy, having all video’s he has released, therefore when l heard the Big Yin was playing 6 nights in Belfast – ...
...the audience.

Billy played continuously for 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a lot longer than expected. He had no support acts. From the moment he walked onto the stage until his standing ovation l had a big wide grin plastered across my face. He really did not need to speak – he had the audience in convulsions of laughter by simply standing with a quirky look on his face!

The gig took the usual Connolly stance, ... more

Last night l had the most hilarious night of my life. I am proud to say that l witnessed Mr Billy Connolly live in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

We bought our tickets back in May for £33 plus £2 credit card booking. At the time it this price of £35 did seem overly expensive, but after last night l consider the price worth every penny spent!

I have long been a fan of Billy, having all video’s he has released, therefore when l heard the Big Yin was playing 6 nights in Belfast – how could l resist?

As l said the tickets sold out I hours, but luckily we have a friend who works at the venue and therefore we were able to pre-book the tickets.

Billy’s stage backdrop was a simple screen, which covered the stage. It was orange in colour and covered in a plethora of words. These words included:

 Exploding Ambulances
 Grey Public Hair
 Multiple Orgasms
 Army Beds
 Chip Shop

These words were all in differing colours and as the stage lights changed colour differing words or phrases became obvious to the audience.

Billy played continuously for 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a lot longer than expected. He had no support acts. From the moment he walked onto the stage until his standing ovation l had a big wide grin plastered across my face. He really did not need to speak – he had the audience in convulsions of laughter by simply standing with a quirky look on his face!

The gig took the usual Connolly stance, ramblings, ranting and getting side tracked. Billy leapt and bounded across the stage. I’m sorry l cannot repeat any of his jokes but l really cannot remember most and indeed they included a lot of swear language! His comedy took a Connolly look at life – from his meetings and letters received from fans, to supermarkets and new technology, to the Northern Irish quirks and the situation. At one stage he was imitating Sean Connery and l lost it! Tears were streaming down my face and l was in pain from laughing so hard!

During the performance he regularly targeted audience members! I was dying to use the loo, but there was no way l was taking the chance of being ridiculed – because of this it made laughing even more pained!

His touring is taking him the out and about in England and Ireland, but most dates are now sold out, except Plymouth where there are limited tickets available. His tour venues are:

 The Point Theatre, Dublin – Aug 27 – 31 & 1 September
 The Waterfront Hall, Belfast - 4-9 September
 Newcastle City Hall – 11-14 September
 Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London – 17th September – all proceeds of this gig will go to charity
 Manchester Apollo – 19-22 September
 Sheffield City Hall – 25 – 28 September
 National Events Centre, Killarney – 4 & 5 October
 Bournemouth International Centre – 7 & 8 October
 St David’s Hall, Cardiff – 9 – 11 October
 Plymouth Pavilions – 15-17 October

Billy Connolly Facts

 He was born in Glasgow on 24th November 1942
 He left school to be a Glasgow Shipyard Welder, and he was later in the Territorial Army, Parachute Regiment.
 Music was his first career but it eventually took second place to his comic career
 His acting and film career have gone form strength to strength and he has worked with the likes of Richard Burton, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Dame Judi Dench.
 Billy is married to Pamela Stephenson (of Not the Nine O’clock News fame), and has recently become the proud grandfather on 18th March 2001 to Walter Valentine Connolly Wilkes, by his daughter Cara Connolly.

I would thoroughly recommend to anyone who has the chance to go and see this man live – he really is a comedy God. I loved every minute of his performance and as they say laughter is the best form of medicine!

This has been his first tour since 1997 and he has plans to do a tour of Scotland in 2002.

For more information on Billy and all recent news and events check out the official web site on http://www.billyconnolly.co.uk

Heather 07/09/01
 

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