COI Birmingham, AL | Golden Skate

COI Birmingham, AL

childfreegirl

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
I went to COI in Birmingham this past Saturday. It was my first COI, although I've been to three SOIs. It was a great show. I came away thinking that it was worth the $112 for on ice seats next to the tunnel. It was really cool watching the skaters come out and skate around for a minute before taking the ice. We could also get a look at who was next - somewhat distracting, but cool. The lower sections were only about 1/3 full in an arena that seats 11,000. This is probably b/c COI did four Georgia shows, the nearest one being only two hours away in Columbus.

I'll just post general impressions (and not necessarily in order).

The opening: I liked how each skater skated to a different piece of music for their intro. SOI dosen't do this and I really thought it highlighted each skaters personality.

Kwan - skated last and got the biggest applause by far, although not as much as I would've thought. Really good though for the size of the audience, if that makes sense. I have a new appreciation for her after seeing her perform live for the first time. Although she is not my number one favorite, I can appreciate her more, like Mathman said I would. Her edges and her knees are really nice. The only skater I have seen live that I think is better in that respect is Yuka Sato.

Irina - good program, lots of energy.

Timothy - I was not hugely impressed, although I agree with my brother that I'd like him to make that into a short program.

Elvis - a good Elvis program. Some fans a couple sections to the right of us had a Canadian flag and he took notice of that and really liked it.

Sasha - great

Victor - so-so

Surya - I agree with others who said the music didn't suit her. Parts of it did, but parts of it didn't.

Rudy - typical Rudy program to disco music. His ability to do what he does with two fake hips is amazing.

Dan Hollander - not really my cup of tea, so to speak, but I was amazed at what he could do in a fat suit.

the acrobats - again, not my cup of tea, but the audience liked them

T/M - beautiful - I could tell why they're World champs

Weir - Wow! My comment to my brother at the end of that program was "Now I'm offically a Weir fan".

A/P - surprisingly to me, got the biggest applause except for Kwan, certianlly the biggest applause to that point in the show, and on the introduction at that.

Jenny Kirk - wow, she's a knockout in person! I think she really should've continued with pairs. She just has that look.

P/T - definately need more polish. There are a lot of second tier pairs that have more polish, IMO.

Amber - was Amber, nice but not too memorable

O/L - I loved it!

And the best for last: Stephane Lambiel - I can definately see why he is World Champ. Absolutely exqusite and what a hottie in person. He's cut his hair since World's and WOW! :love: :love: :love: :love: Where's that drooling icon? We seriously need one of those. That was my absolute favorite performance of the afternoon.

The finale was awesome, espically since we were at the tunnel end. We didn't pay much attention to what was going on at the other end at times, since the skaters congregated there when they weren't at center ice. We got to see Amber and Elvis dancing together - a nice looking couple, btw. All kinds of stuff was going on on our end and we had a perfect view of it.

But this was the absolute highlight of my whole day: Before the final bows, Stephane was skating around down on our side of the end. My mom stuck her hand out for a high five and he gave her one and shook my hand and my brother's. So now I've shaken hands with two World Champions - Stephane and Todd fr SOI a couple of years ago. And now I have a new crush. He is so much hotter in person.

Overall, I was dissappointed in the lack of people there. One reason, like I already mentioned, was the four Georgia shows - Columbus on the 12th, which was only about 2 hours from B'ham, Agusta on the 13th, Macon the day before, and Atlanta the day after, plus Pensacola, FL tomorrow (which is actually closer to me by 1 1/2 hours, but little bro lives in B'ham so we didn't have to pay for a hotel room).

Also there was a health fair in the same complex at the same time, which drew a lot of older people who would've otherwise brought their grandkids, and there was another event in town of some sort.

I kinda doubt they will be back to B'ham next year, but I hope so, even if I'm still broke fr Nats by then. I don't know about forking out what they want for tickets though. I may just go to the scrapbook convention in Jax next June instead.l
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
That was so cool about Stephane. He wasn't in the show here.

Johnny Weir seems to be winning over audiences everywhere with his Unchained Melody.

Her edges and her knees are really nice.
Oh those knees.:love: And don't forget her fingertips. Did you notice how she always holds each finger at a diffferent level (middle lowest and pinky highest), so that from every viewing angle you can always see separation of the digits. :clap:

MM:)
 

childfreegirl

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
Mathman said:
That was so cool about Stephane. He wasn't in the show here.

Oh those knees.:love: And don't forget her fingertips. Did you notice how she always holds each finger at a diffferent level (middle lowest and pinky highest), so that from every viewing angle you can always see separation of the digits. :clap:

MM:)

I'm really really glad that Stephane and TPTB thought enough of us lowly Southerners to include him in the show down here. We didn't get Kimmie or the GurshGons (who I really wanted to see), or any of the other guest skaters, but Stephane made up for that. :love:

And no, I didn't notice her fingertips. I was too busy looking at her knees and edges. I'd love to just be able to stand up and move around on skates without clutching the boards. I always lock my knees, which I know is not good.
 

2ndmark

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 19, 2004
Thanks for the report. Glad to see B'ham got COI. I live in Dallas and its skipped us the last several years.
 

icedancer2

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Oooh -- I hope Staphane Lambiel shows up in Portland, OR next week! I would LOVE to see him again!!!

WEre Tanith and Ben in Birmingham? I don't think you mentioned them in your review.
 

childfreegirl

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
icedancer2 said:
Oooh -- I hope Staphane Lambiel shows up in Portland, OR next week! I would LOVE to see him again!!!

WEre Tanith and Ben in Birmingham? I don't think you mentioned them in your review.

Yep, they were there. I didn't realize I'd forgotten them! I loved their program. It made me wish I'd seen it in competition.
 

MinnMan

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Thanks for the report

Thank you for the report. They would not come to Minneapolis or St Paul. The closest we had them was Chicago. I decided I was not going that far this year. Last year we did. We stayed in a downtown Hotel near where the north and south Chicago river meet, on the 21st floor. I got the tickets and my Doctor friend had to pay for the hotel. So I do not know what it cost him.

However, after a 500 mile drive home it was 3:00 a.m. Monday morning. Therefore, I did not think it was worth going 500 miles.

I am glad that you had a good time. Did you get to meet the skaters after the show??? That is the fun part for me. But is Chicago there are 300 to 400 people down in the area and that is a mess.

MinnMan
 
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