Hey kittens, today’s blog post is super exciting and one that I’ve been dying to share with y’all… My night at the #P4UBloggerEvent watching Katy Perry’s The Prismatic World Tour in Manchester. Luckily, I did manage to upload my vlog of the night onto YouTube on the same week, but for more information and pictures (especially for all you Katy Cats), keep on reading…
A few weeks ago I got one of the most amazing invites I’ve ever received – an invite from Phones4U to come and watch pop princess and world superstar, Katy Perry, from a private suite at the huge Manchester Arena. Wow, how could I turn that down? I cleared my calendar and was there, expecting the night to be amazing. And, well, I was certainly not disappointed.
Arriving outside the venue on the Wednesday night, I was greeted by the absolutely lovely ladies from Phones4U who gave me my VIP ticket and showed me up to Suite 16, one of the boxes at the Manchester Phones4U Arena. Walking in, I was overhwhelmed by the effort that had gone into the suite – the decorations, catering and entertainment were incredible, way above what I expected and just extra bonuses on top of the fact I would be watching world class superstar from the comfort of a private box!
With champagne flowing, a fridge of drinks that you could help yourself to (dangerous, but I didn’t abuse the system) and a huge buffet spread of hot and cold snacks for us to help ourselves to, I felt hugely spoilt. The cherry on top of the cake (quite literally) however, were the amazing desserts provided by Charlotte O’Toole (also known as Bake-O-Rama, head pastry chef at Northern Quarter eatery, Home Sweet Home). They were a spectacle – think glitter, cut out Katy Perrys, rainbows and cats, all on top of delicious huge spongecakes. They really did taste as good as they looked! We lovingly nicknamed them ‘Cakey Perry’. I’ve never been to a gig and been able to sit down and enjoy a drink and slice of cake before, so it was a real treat. I guess you could say I was able to have my cake and eat it!
Phones4U also provided us with all we needed for a Katy Perry inspired makeover, with glittery nail art and manicures provided in true California Gurls style by Ashlie Guthrie and make-up artist, Fankie Noone, on hand to give us bold lips and big eyeliner. Although I didn’t have time to get my nails done (I was too busy enjoying myself), Frankie did freshen up my face with some glittery eyelids, graphic winged eyeliner, and classic Katy Perry bold red lips. I was ready to party!
Support band, Icona Pop, warmed up the crowd with their chart hit ‘I don’t care, I love it!’ and as I watched them from our row of private seats outside the box, I reflected on how lucky I was. There were only three other (very lovely) bloggers there – Terri of Hello Terri Lowe, Katy of The Quick Red Fox and Frances of Frances Cassandra – and I felt so humbled to be invited. It was just a bonus that the other girls are so darn lovely!
Before long, it was time for the first lady of Pop to take to the stage, and opening with ROAR, she did not disappoint. Her voice, dancing, personality, costumes and props were just too much! Despite not classing myself as a true Katy Perry fan before, I am definitely converted, and didn’t suffer from not owning any of her albums. In fact, I think there were only 2 songs I hadn’t heard before, which is pretty impressive and shows the reach of her music!
Over all, I was SO impressed with Katy’s performance! As someone who is used to attending small, independent gigs, this really was something very different for me – Katy put on a MASSIVE show! The sets, costumes and special effects were incredible and Katy herself seemed lovely. The highlight for me was when Katy appeared with a pint of beer and the crowd chanted at her to ‘down it, down it’ – classic Manc audience.
As a blogger, I’m lucky enough to be invited to a lot of events, but this really was a night to remember. Phones4U put on an incredible, memorable night and it’s right up there with some of the best experiences of my life. I’ve never been in a box before so that in itself was an amazing experience, but the whole party, live concert and Katy Perry themed festivities were really the cherry on top of the (Katy Perry themed) cake! I feel so grateful to have been invited and I only hope Phones4U put on more events (and they let me come to those ones too – fingers crossed!). Thank you so much, Phones4U.
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.