Photo with Jay Chou: A fan's experience in Shenzhen

This is Jay Chou fangirl, Elizabeth's story:

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The story started from the June concerts in Singapore..

I had obtained tickets to the first and third nights.  In order to be more economical, I decided to let go of my third night tickets to my friend. Boy did I regret it!! After watching the first night, I felt that I didn't reach the high, and wanted desperately to continue with the second and third nights, but tickets as all know were impossible to get by then. And especially when I saw the other fans' postings about their multiple nights, I really hated myself :(

I moaned and moaned about this to anyone who would listen, until one day my sister asked me if I wanted to watch the concert in Shenzhen! I quickly checked the calendar and after confirming it was already the school holidays, the decision was clear. SET to go! !

I owe a great Thank You to my sis and her China contact, who was involved in the China concerts production. In fact she also managed to get me tickets to the Chengdu concert 2 years earlier :)

After a few months of eager waiting, it was finally time! We managed to bundle the concert with a mini eating and shopping trip in Hongkong. But to skip the unimportant parts haha.. We were finally on our way from Hongkong to Shenzhen on the day itself!

We arrived in Shenzhen and tada! Checked into the same hotel as Jay! It was so exciting to see concert personnel wearing the opus tshirt walking around  the hotel and the vicinity.  My sister's ] friend met us, and explained a little about what was happening, and pointed out some of the people to us.  We saw part of the band, and also Jay's  bodybuilder buddies. Unfortunately I'm not really familiar with them compared to other fans; my eyes are only for Jay! :D

Pior to this, I wasn't really feeling anything different, just looking forward to a great time at the concert. 

UNTIl....

We were chilling out in the room after checking in,  when my sis suddenly asked me: 

"Hey, later on do you mind if we don't stay till the end of the concert?"  

I was staring at her blankly. 

She continued,  "Anyway it's the same concert so you already know what's there right?"  

I said., "Er ...but every concert is different and he sings different sings for the encore (a bit unhappy already)".

 My sis and her friend gave each other shifty eyes. Then she said, "Actually I didn't want to tell you and wanted to be a surprise,  BUT I'm worried you won't come with us later so have to tell u now. ...TADUM.... If you give up the encore and leave earlier with us,  you may get a chance to take a photo with Jay! !!!"

WHAT?!? I was stunned! ! Are you serious? ?? Don't joke about something like that! ! 

Well they weren't joking. 

If we left earlier, the friend will arrange for us to wait at the banquet rooms where the post-concert party will be held and when Jay arrives they will try to get us in together with the sponsors etc for photo opportunity!  The reason we had to leave early was so that we do not get caught in the exit traffic and then be unable to make it! ! 

Was there even a choice to be made? !? 

Of course to leave early! !

They followed up with disclaimer though that we were only trying for a chance, may not be 100% successful.. But a chance is better than none right? ? 

From that moment on my heart was jittery. My body couldn't stay still; my mind was in a blank most of the time. They were all so amused, they couldn't understand how I could be such a fan,  a mother of two.

Helllo, my boy is named Jay ok!! :D

We still had some hours to kill, so we went for some relaxing at the massage parlour. Well the others relaxed,  I was just in a daze throughout.  What was I thinking?  Can't remember. .maybe thinking of what to say or do when face to face with Jay? ?? Haha...daydream daydream. .

Finally it was time to set off for the concert.  It had been raining heavily throughout the day, but luckily started to taper off before the concert, and stopped totally just before it started. But due to the rain they couldn't set up the merchandise store,  so I couldn't get  stuff I didn't buy in sin. There were many illegal sale of pirated merchandise (remember this is China) but we must always support official goods right!

The concert passed by in a blur,  I couldn't really concentrate,  and too quickly my sis asked to me leave. .already?? I thought. ..I still haven't reached the high of the concert. . Think of what's waiting for u, she reminded me.  Ah.. Yes. . Once in a lifetime opportunity. .go go go.. All the time while leaving I was walking backwards so I could still face the stage,  till we were out of the stadium. . And after that, I was still singing along to the songs until out of earshot. In the car I found out that there is a special route that is reserved for artistes out of the stadium so they do not get caught in the jam, and that's why we need to leave before Jay or else we'll never be able to make it to the hotel before him. . That solved the mystery about how he can be so fast back at the hotel :p

After we reached the hotel, the friend brought us into the party area which was barricaded off;  there were a few fans gathered outside who were staring at us,  must be wondering who we were that we were privileged to go in :p 

We were brought around,  and the friend explained to us who will sit at which table. . 

We were in the room that Jay will sit at (together with Ms Q :p).. 

They teased me and asked if I wanted to hide under the table to wait for him. .haha..I was tempted! ! But I decided NO cos I'm not a stalker fan! ! :O

In the end we took a seat in the room just beside, the waiting time here was really unbearable.  The anticipation. It was driving me crazy. . My face was so hot from blushing. I couldn't respond to anything.  Suddenly I had a thought,  will I be able to get an autograph from him? ? And can I get the photo on my mobile?  To prepare for the chance I put a pen and the concert tix in my pocket,  borrowed a portable charger to charge my mobile so that it won't die on me at the most important time,  and entrusted it to my hubby to be the cameraman if the opportunity arises.  Yes, my hubby was with me, the poor long suffering guy seeing his wife mooning over Jay :D

Finally the concert staff started streaming in. Means Jay will arrive anytime soon.  My heart beat went up. . We went out and my sis and her friend went to greet the staff,  and most importantly the head organiser who was the one who decided to give us the photo op!! 

I gushed my thanks at him ha ha,  and found out from my sis that she had actually sounded him out at another event that he organised,  just wanted to get some concert freebies,  and he actually said if we are able to attend the concert he will try to get us the photo op!! Wow... so this had actually been in planning for so long! ! I LOVE my sis!! Kkk...

And finally. ..Jay was there! ! We were all gathered to a place to wait for our turn.  Our group was given 2 photo chances,  in whatever arrangement..it was unanimously decided to let me have a solo shot (haha.. my supportive family) and the other a group shot. I think I was hyperventilating,  my hands went cold but my face was hot..sadly the organiser told us. No talking to him,  no touching him, no personal photos,  only the official photographer. .. so no autograph and no mobile :(

In any case,  I was more than appreciative,  and our turn came almost at the beginning.  I went in first. . There he was in front of me! ! I was so starstruck. . He seemed to be glowing. . He didn't look tired from the concert,  he was smiling gently and looked quite pleased, his dimple was showing :) 

I guess he was happy with the final concert for 2013 :) I went to stand beside him,  I thought I was so close to him,  the photo was taken,  I said thank you to him,  and was guided out of the room. . The whole process maybe took only 10 seconds!  Then I rejoined the group and went in the second time for the group shot,  stood beside him again. I was really floating on air the whole time, not really aware of what was happening :O

Once our photos were done,  we were asked to leave the area because many others waiting to take photos. Actually I felt a bit bad for Jay because he couldn't even get to rest after the concert and had to stand there for so long for all the people to take photos. But I guess this is part of their celebrity life :(

Since we couldn't do anything much there already and Jay would be busy with photos for some time, we couldn't get near him after that, and we didn't feel right to stay on with the rest of the people to enjoy the party as it was so obvious we didn't belong :p 

We decided to leave and go for our own supper. And that was the end of my close encounter with Jay!

We left Shenzhen the next day back to Singapore, and the following two weeks were spent anticipating the photos. I finally saw the organiser posting their group shot on their FB page early one morning and immediately texted my sis to ask if she received our photos,  they were supposed to send to her :p

But she hadn't received yet. . 

In the end she got it a few days later when I was in Japan for our family trip,  and that day happened to be my birthday! ! So she posted the photo on FB as my birthday present! ! Haha.. and that is the photo on my FB  profile now :D

The funniest thing after seeing the photo.was the distance between us! ! Everyone asked why I didn't stand nearer to him,  or even try to hug him! ! 

 Kkk... Firstly if I had tried to hug him I may have been thrown out of the room and lost my photo chance. .. Secondly I really thought I was very close to him already! ! It must have been his aura. . Touching me even at a distance! ! Haha..

Well. . This was really a dream come true. . My greatest Thanks and love to my sis and her friend. . Sadly the friend has quit so no more of such opportunities,  it was really once in a life time chance :p

Now I'm looking forward to Jay's 2014 concert in Singapore. Maybe this time I'll have the chance to take a group photo with him and the JMS members! :) 
Keeping my fingers  crossed!