PIPS SPEECH

22/5/04- The Basement- Sydney- 1st Inaugural Australian Urban Fans Weekend

I would like to say a few short words to everyone here toniFirstly, I would like to offer a warm welcome to our Australian inaugural Urban fans gathering and thank you all for coming.
There are fans who have flown from all around Australia to be here this weekend, and some that only live 5 minutes from here. The miles taken to reach here tonight make no difference, their passion and loyalty to Keith seems the same wherever you go and wherever you have come from all over the world.
The Australian contingent of the Keith Urban family are a particularly special “LOT” in my books. We live vicariously with most of Keith’s performances, TV appearances and Award shows through our great mates from America and Canada and from the gift of technology and the Internet. Most days now before Keith has got back into his bus to wind down after a performance, we are seeing live shots on the Internet from his concert and voraciously reading lengthy reviews. We have made life-long friendships all over the world, which firstly were based purely on our common bond - the love of his music, now these relationships have developed into us all supporting each other in whatever path of life we walk. Our friendships are a monumental happiness to us all, and have enriched our lives in a way that’s SO HARD to describe to the unconverted!
With reluctance we realise, that Keith’s prolonged tours in the States are all for his career, but we secretly sometimes wish that Kenny Chesney would bump him off a tour, due to him no longer being able to cope with his jealousy towards Keith’s huge rise in popularity, or that Keith picks up some “Condition” that allows him “total rest and 6 months of Australian sunshine, time with his family and of course allowing him to perform for his loyal Aussies fans!”
We could all stand here for hours as Keith’s fans and wax lyrical. We don’t need to. His music ALWAYS speaks volumes when words are never enough! I mean where do you start anyway? A brilliant songwriter, a God given gift for playing the guitar like a demon, a voice like honey, and us Aussies have to claim this one - A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR!!! Keith possesses the total package!!
We would all like to give a special thanks to Keith’s Australian Agent, Rob Potts from Allied Artists for being with us all here tonight, he’s been a great support for us and patiently answer all our questions. We are eternally grateful for the voice of Keith through you in this country Rob.
Lastly, but as they saying goes, “By no ways leastly”, a huge thanks for the woman that is the only Australian to bring us all everything on Keith through her informative and special website. Her dedication, commitment and passion to expand Keith’s presence here in Australia is second to none. She is a household name all over the world and has become so popular now, that we have more Canadian and Americans visiting her site every day to find out more about Keith and about our great Aussie secret - “Teena”. On a daily basis, she’s the first to bring you the latest news on Keith via her USA site partner –Jodi! We all thank you so much for your time, we also hope you know that we appreciate everything your always doing for us and especially for Keith!!
On a lighter note- Keith if your listening to this SOMEWHERE,SOMETIME, we don’t ask for much from over here, but we have to ask you this – PLEASE – ENOUGH OF THE BLONDES IN THE FILM CLIPS!- its time for some Aussie brunettes and redheads!!!

Enough from me- please all grab yourselves a drink and enjoy! I would like to introduce you to some great friends or ours, Steve Passfield on guitar and Simon Watts on fiddle with a song that you all might recognise! Please put your hands together for him!!! Thank you.

As most of you know 3 of us flew to Sydney from Victoria...talk about 3 very excited passengers on that plane!!
We got to the Swissotel and met with Teena...and that was great!! Sat and chatted...had a few drinks to kick off our weekend and talked KEITH, (and were given goody bags!..talk about being spoilt!)
After checking in our luggage and confusing the poor guy in reception who actually said to us" I'm sorry, but I have NO idea who Keith Urban is..." Teena gave him a card for the website and got him up to date quick smart!
On Friday night we all met up in the foyer and it didn't take long for the fun to begin!
We did a little photo session...and as one person had to take pics someone was missing out each time, and some lovely young men came up and offered to take some pics for us!!! After they did that, Teena took thier photo. Deciding to have a little bit of fun with them, I said "Oh, by the way Teena runs a porn website, did she tell you we'll be super imposing your heads on naked mens bodies?" They were having a good laugh then Tee handed them a card with kumates website addy and said "YEAHH!! Here's the site address...check yourselves out on it next week"!! Those poor men!! lol
After some more drinks we headed to Chinatown for dinner and Pip and Teena showed us where to go shopping and showed us some gorgeous buildings. (I fell in love with that city this weekend!)
After dinner we went to a country theme bar...(it wasn't country music, but we all had a dance and some more to drink...etc etc) and had a bunch of fun. After a couple of hours we headed back and looked at "Keith stuff" and told of our Keith "experiences" like concerts, M&G's etc. Hearing everyone elses stories was great and then the "Urban models" put on a show for us!!
Anthony had some fantastic old tshirts from the Ranch days...and he has a tatt of Keiths love conquers all tatt over his b00b! Obviously the girls had a lot of fun with that...and I do believe there is some photos floating about
Pip had put on ALL her Keith tops...and peeled them off layer by layer...and I'm sure you can imagine the laughs we had while she was doing that!!
We had a ball in Teena's room...there was constant laughter the whole time and then we made some phone calls to the US! It was fun hearing thier reaction to us calling them from our weekend.
When things were winding down...myself and another Urbanite (Jules/ aka Lil Vegemite) decided that while in Sydney we really should act like Sydneysiders...and party!! So off we trotted to an Irish pub. Talk about wild!! While on the dancefloor I spotted a guy with "Keith hair"! I went up to him and said "OMG..you look so much like my boyfriend!" (OK...now I don't usually call Keith that...but I think that vodka has a tendancy to make some people go a little silly...I'm obviously one of those people!") We showed him the pic of Keith...and he said"Ahhh...cool..Keith Urban!!!" with that comment we grabbed him and took the poor guy out the back of the club, and said we need to take your photo!! He found it hilarious and was happy to have his pic taken with us..and he said "I've been told I look like Keith Urban before" So Jules being the fun that she is said well lets see if you look like Keith from behind!" Talk about funny! and better still he played guitar!! After getting home after 3am...and getting to sleep at 5am...we went and had breakfast with Tee and Anthony.
Saturday was hilarious! We had such a great time. We took photos at the opera house where Keith had a photo shoot last time he was home and then we went back and got ready for our BIG night!!!
There were so many surprises in store for people, it was so exciting!! Pip had a HUGE poster done of Keith from his Melbourne concert. A photographer named Graham Spillard took some amazing photos of Keith, and was happy for Pip to use his pic and he also made a montage for the weekend and sent it to her of all Keith pics!! (Check out his website http://www.spockman.com/ he has some great photos!)

After setting up the Basement "Blue room" a few of us met with Rob Potts, Keith's Australian agent. We were so greatful for him giving up his time to come and meet with us, have some fun and of course show us a dvd that Keith had done just for us!! He gave a couple of us a preview to check the sound etc (obviously we were NOT going top say no to that! lol) When Teena got a surprise to see that it was fantastic!! She had worked so hard with Pip to organise so much for the weekend, when she seen it we could see the tears!! The things he said were funny, and very thoughtful...we were all so excited by it...I think it was watched at least 10 times!
We also got to watch 2 amazingly talented men perform 2 of Keith's songs. Homespun Love and Walkin The Country. These guys were so good, we would have loved to have heard more! (Lucky we have them on video to watch again!) Teena also sang Walkin the Country with them which was great fun.
Pip did a fantastic speech...as did Teena (and I gave a short speech for the Victorian contingent) and they were given some thankyou gifts for all thier time and work they did. With Keith playing in the background we partied on (amazing how you can get a new lease of life even after only 2 hours sleep the night before!)

All up this was just a FANTASTIC weekend. In my (very unprepared spur of the moment) speech I said how even though it was a Keith Urban weekend..it wasn't just about Keith and his music this weekend...it was also about the friendships that have been formed, not just here in our own country, but with our Urbanite mates in the US and Canada and other countries. It was obvious we are all grateful for that, and I think (with the clapping and reaction from most) it surprised some people how much it means to all of us.
We can't wait til our fan club party.

Thanks guys for an awesome weekend!!!

As you know I couldn't make it Friday, so I was on the first bus out of my town Saturday & joined up with the guys Saturday morning for our Aussie Keith Urban weekend, & I tell you, I had the best time & it certainly felt everyone else did also.

After meeting at the Hotel, we went for a stroll down to The Rocks, which is on the harbour & took photos (trying to imitate the spot where Keith's shot was taken that Teena has on her site...mind you anyone trying to imitate anything related to Keith Urban have a hard time succeeding...in the nicest possible way, of course.... But fun trying...hehehe... (Next year must remember to use more blonde hair colouring!) . After it appeared the horse & cart, that use to stroll around The Rocks, seemed have done the bolt... , we took some happy snaps of our desired mode of transport... Than we stopped off for a drink in the pub on the way back to the Hotel, than some went shopping & others went back to the hotel & sat in the lounge & chatted over a couple of drinks... on our way back to the Hotel, we had the Govnernor General make an appearance... (yep happy snaps will prove that the Australian Govnernor General ( only 2nd to the Queen of England) made an appearance on the Aussie Keith Urban weekend...) ...hehehe.

Than it was party time...

I think it is pretty safe to say that for those of you unable to make it...we certainly ensured that we made up for it in having a great time & partied for you all.
The suprises were enjoyed by all, un be known to Teena, a life size picture of Keith as a display feature , & it was just gorgeous...really nicely done... happy snaps taken...
Pip had made a really nice speech about Teena regarding all her wonderful efforts & the appreciation the rest of us have of her & her efforts & than Rob Potts was delegated as the presenter of flowers & gifts, handed the flowers & gift to Teena & (un be known to Pip) a gift to Pip . Which of course... was a total surprise to Pip... see suprises happening everywhere... & still a big one to come...

We also had two gentlemen, Steve (Guitar) and Simon (Fiddler) join us as they played two of Keith's songs, & they were appreciated by us all. They even got Teena up to sing along with one of the songs... yep....photos of that too...

And than it was time for the biggest suprise of all ......We had been asked to gather around a tv set & there was a fantastic message from Keith. Something everybody present thouroughly enjoyed, & were touched by.... a part of the weekend that each of us present, will individually, very much treasure...and for each time it was played after that.
But the weekend was just fantastic Teena & Pip really out did themselves. So many surprises were recieved & given.