May 22, 2003: Last Minute Madness

Sacramento, CA
Arco Arena

Okay, I lied, but can I help it when a floor ticket pops up on Ticketmaster two days before the concert??? Yep, a fairly last minute decision to make the two hour drive to Sacramento for last night's show. Unfortunately, the drive actually took THREE hours since there is no good way to get from the SF Peninsula to Sacramento with out having to go through Oakland and the traffic disaster that is the East Bay. So despite leaving work at 4:00 I was a tad late for the show. Not too late though -- I pulled into Arco's parking lot a couple of minutes before the 7:00 show time, and by the time I parked, picked up my ticket at will call, and got inside I found I had only missed one and half songs arriving in the middle of "Keep Pushin'" (Gonna have to admit here I'm glad REO hasn't changed their set list yet -- didn't have to worry about notes for their set!)

REO was really on last night, though the bass was overpowering. My poor ears were REALLY ringing when they finished their set and that's the first time that's happened this tour! Perhaps it had to do with the venue or that there was a speaker suspended directly over my head, but my bones were rattling through their whole set! Kevin's mic sounded a little distorted too (though that may be a factor of "Echo Arena"), but overall it was an enjoyable set. And Kevin's talking was more amusing last night than before -- it's the same shtick, but it was livelier and I actually laughed at the Playboy mansion story!

Styx came on second, and I've gotta tell ya, the more I see these guys the more I enjoy them. (Thank goodness they're touring with Journey or I might wind up going broke trying to travel to Styx shows too!) They switched their set list up a bit and got me all confused! JY usually spends a little time chatting with the audience before "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" to give Glen Burtnik time to get out in to the audience, so when he started talking after "Lady" I jotted down "Kiss Your Ass" in my notebook and started looking around to see where Glen would pop up. Imagine my amazement when I notice Glen was still on stage and JY launches in to "These Are Times"! (Yikes... scratch out the notebook...) This was followed up by "Blue Collar Man" and about mid-way through the song I notice someone doing the "duck run" out from back stage and I think "oh man someone's having equipment problems, here comes the roadie!" The "roadie" stands up and it's Kevin Cronin joining in on vocals. The crowd went NUTS -- people who had been sitting down (yes hard to believe) were on their feet and going wild. Got me wondering if anyone would show up later during Journey's set. (No such luck.)

Journey of course was next and they hit the stage right on time (they had me a little worried after San Jose!) and opened with the Red 13 Intro then went in to "Separate Ways." Deen was just slamming on the drums during the intro -- amazing power there! I gotta say that the opening was a little disjointed to me, though "Separate Ways" got a much better response than "State of Grace" usually does. Still, keep "State of Grace" if the Red 13 Intro is being used -- it just sounds weird otherwise! Like the show in LA, the set list has changed from the first shows of the tour. Gone are "Precious Time" (waaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!) and the medley of "La Do Da/Dixie Highway/Line of Fire" (waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!) And in their place are "Chain Reaction" and "Higher Place" (okay that's cool) The reaction of the crowd to "Chain Reaction" and "Higher Place" isn't that much different than "Precious Time" or the medley though. I was the only person in my row (or the row in front of me) standing for "Higher Place" and a some of the die hard Nor Cal crew in the same row a section over were the only ones standing in THEIR row! I think I mentioned in the San Jose report that Jonathan's solo before "Open Arms" has changed -- another beautiful piece of work.

The show closed off in an energized fashion and when Jonathan pulled out the harmonica for "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" I was amazed. The fun part of watching him on the harmonica is the look in his eyes -- he is really concentrating on what he's doing! That was a very nice treat to add to an old favorite.

During the set I was amused by the little things that ran through my mind. It's funny what you notice after so many shows -- Neal making a face and cursing during "Don't Stop Believin'," Jonathan with an "oops" look on his face at another point, Ross standing with his neck askew looking like a deer in the headlights.... It's interesting noticing these subtleties. The show ended about 11:30 (which also threw me off since the shows I've been to so far all started at 7:30 and ended around midnight!) and it was time for the 2 hour drive home (accomplished in about 90 minutes due to some violations of the local speed limits!) For the ride home I popped Escape into the CD player and it hit me that there's one song that hasn't been played in AGES that needs to be rotated into the set list -- can anyone remember the last time "Who's Crying Now" was played??? My best recollection is the 1998 tour! That is really just too long!

Okay, this is really it for a while, though odds are there will be another show squeezed in between now and Chicago (I just can't seem to stay away....)


Set Lists:

REO:

Riding the Storm Out
Keep Pushing
I Can't Fight This Feeling
Don't Let Him Go
Keep on Lovin' You
In Your Letter
Take it on the Run
In My Dreams (acoustic)
Time for Me to Fly
Back on the Road Again
Roll With the Changes

Encore:
157 Riverside Avenue

STYX:

Too Much Time on My Hands
Grand Illusion
Waiting for Our Time to Come (new)
Lady
These Are the Times (new)
Blue Collar Man
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (new)
Fooling Yourself
Miss America
Come Sail Away

Encore:
Renegade

JOURNEY:

Red 13 Intro
Separate Ways
Stone in Love
Wheel in the Sky
Star Spangled Banner
Chain Reaction
Lights
-- Jonathan's solo --
Open Arms
Higher Place
Don't Stop Believin'
Ask the Lonely
Escape
Be Good to Yourself
Any Way You Want It

Encore:
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Faithfully

May 16, 2003: The Main Event Comes to Nor Cal

San Jose, CA
HP Pavilion

Well the second of my 3 shows for the summer has come and gone. (Heavy sigh) I must say after having the boys play "at home" towards the end of their tour every year for the last 5 years, I'm a little disoriented by this first week -- Home Town gig!

The show started right on time with Styx in the opening slot, which is an interesting switch from having REO open. Personally, the order of REO-Styx-Journey works better just because the excitement level increases (though anyone following Styx has a tough task -- they are just so blazingly energetic.) As was the case in Vegas, the auditorium was only about half filled when Styx took the stage with people trickling in throughout. The set list was exactly the same as it was in Vegas, and once again, having Glen Burtnik out in the audience for "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" was a brilliant move. These guys know that new material isn't going to get the same response as "classic" material, so finding a way to get the audience in to it is vital. After their set I nearly got hit in the head with a flying drumstick that some guy 3 seats over dived on and trotted off with. (Hey, I'm the one that nearly got killed....)

Time for the 20 minute change over (so a mad dash to find some water and visit with people -- it's getting ridiculous, every Journey show I go to feels like a high school reunion!) and we made it back to our seats with about 2 minutes to spare. (Boy, that timer sure comes in handy!)

REO took the stage and proceeded to perform the same set list as Las Vegas (with the same stories...) I thought they were a little tighter this time through, but I was able to recite Kevin's Playboy mansion story almost word for word with him -- after having only heard it once before! ACK! Their set is a bit more mellow than Styx, which is due to the different styles of the bands. I realized that I am forever going to get a lump in my throat during "Keep on Loving You." The last time I saw REO (prior to this tour) was during the "Volunteers for America" show in October 2001, and they did an acoustic version of "Keep on Loving You" that they dedicated to the wife and new born child of a member of the road crew for the Backstreet Boys (I think) who was killed in one of the airplanes on 9/11. I sobbed my way through that song that night, and that is the first thing that pops into my head now every time I hear it.

REO closed their set out (a minute early!) and on came the road crew for the next 20 minute change over. I went off to find my cousin somewhere in the crowd and spent most of the intermission chatting with her. When I figured there was about 3-4 minutes left, I headed back to my seat to have some water and sit down for a few minutes before another 80 minutes of standing. Took a look at the timer, and it read 5 minutes and counting. So I waited... and waited.... and waited... Yep, our boys were late! We noticed some members of the crew hovering on stage near The Whale and guessed there was some kind of technical problem with the keyboards.

Journey finally took the stage about 5 minutes late (which during a 4.5 hour show that started at 7:30 can be a big deal -- it was nearly 11:00 by that point!) A couple of songs in Steve apologized for being late though, which I thought was pretty cool. The set list was switched around a little from Las Vegas (including trading out "Rubicon" for "Ask the Lonely" -- as much as I like "Ask the Lonely" I wish "Rubicon" had stayed...) The crowd was definitely packed in for Journey -- seats near me that had been vacant for either Styx or REO were filled for Journey. As always "Lights" got a great response from the home town crowd -- there really is nothing like Journey singing that song in the Bay Area!

The 80 minutes flew by and there we were singing "Oh-Oh-Oh-OH" at the end of "Faithfully" as the guys left the stage (a la the 2001 DVD) and everyone wanting more. With nearly the entire Journey Past and Present committee was at the show together (we really missed ya Mary Ann!) we were able to get to visit with the guys for a little while after the show and finally have a chance to TALK to them a little about the Bammies Walk of Fame weekend. (We were all so busy that day we barely even got to say hello to them!)

JPP Committee & Journey
Back Row: Steve Augeri, Cheryl Simien, Neal Schon, Emerson Dong, Leslie Forsythe, Deen Castronovo
Michelle Murray.
Front Row: Ross Valory, Todd Forysthe, Darla Ellis, random dude who hopped in [Need to photoshop in Mary Ann!]

It was a pretty small group in the after-show, and we were about half of it so lots of time to visit, and we managed to get the ONE thing we wanted from the Walk of Fame weekend -- a picture of all us with the guys. Not totally complete since Mary Ann was missing and Jon ducked out on us [guess we'll just have to add them digitally!] but mission accomplished!

A quick fashion report (since it's been requested): Steve -- white leather pants, chocolate colored silk shirt; Neal -- Journey hockey jersey (very nice, must save money and purchase!) with a bandana tied around his head (a little weird); Jon -- tan suede (?) jacket (that was removed early) black and white shirt, black pants; Ross -- orange shirt over a black shirt with shoes to match; Deen -- red hockey jersey and an interesting pair of long black shorts that appeared to have buckles all over them!

Other notes -- The lobsters are multiplying around Deen's kit already -- including a huge one that was sitting between the bass drums. The arena was probably at about 75% capacity with only about half of the upper level being filled. Disappointing, but I would have been more surprised if it had been sold out -- an unfortunate reality I suppose.

Set Lists (in order of appearance):

STYX:

Too Much Time on My Hands
Grand Illusion
Waiting for Our Time (new)
Lady
Blue Collar Man
-- Lawrence Gowan solo --
Fields of the Brave (new)
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (new)
Fooling Yourself
Miss America
Come Sail Away

Encore:
--bluesy intro
Renegade

REO:

Riding the Storm Out
Keep Pushing
I Can't Fight This Feeling
Don't Let Him Go
Keep on Lovin' You
In Your Letter
Take it on the Run
In My Dreams (acoustic)
Time for Me to Fly
Back on the Road Again
Roll With the Changes

Encore:
157 Riverside Avenue

JOURNEY:

State of Grace
Separate Ways
Stone in Love
Wheel in the Sky
Star Spangled Banner
La Do Da/Dixie Highway/Line of Fire medley
Lights
 -- Jon's solo (sounded a little different!) --
Open Arms
Precious Time
Don't Stop Believin'
Ask the Lonely
Escape
Be Good to Yourself
Any Way You Want It


Encore:
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Faithfully

That's it for me until Chicago in July, so can't wait to hear from everyone else how the rest of the tour progresses!

May 10 2003: ...And Now The Main Event

Las Vegas, NV
Aladdin Casino 

WOW! That's the first thought that comes to mind, just WOW! Last night opened the "Classic Rock's Main Event" Tour featuring REO Speedwagon, Styx, and our Journey boys. I've got to say this is probably the most impressive FIRST show of a tour I've seen. The glitches were basically non-existent, which was amazing. All three bands put on excellent shows, and I had a WONDERFUL night.

REO opened the night and had the most reserved response of the night -- most people sat through most of their set. (Personally, I was up and down as of the three bands REO ranks 3rd for me.) The show didn't start "right on time" as promised by Kevin Cronin in the recent Rockline interview (which I didn't expect anyway) -- they took the stage at 7:30, a full half hour past the stated start time. They had a very cool opening video sequence before they came out which features pictures from all eras of the band and was a good energizer before they hit the stage with "Ridin' the Storm Out."

As I expected, Kevin talked WAAAAY too much. Just shut up and sing dude! But that was probably my only complaint on their set. And folks, be prepared... he's got a looooooooooooooooong tale about the Playboy mansion that since the video screens behind him were showing pictures going along with the story, it will be there the whole tour. (My personal favorite was the "blah blah blah" screen!)

Before the show started I noticed a red digital clock back by the soundboard and didn't think much of it until about half way through REO's set when I was surveying the crowd and noticed the clock was reading 45:15 and counting down. Yes folks, they've got a TIMER on all three bands!

So after about 80 minutes and 4 shirt changes for Kevin, REO wound up their set. (Of course, the timer had run out and they went about 2 minutes long... once again, shut up and sing!)

Then out rushed the stage crew and I gotta tell ya the fact that they actually were able to switch stages from REO to Styx in 20 minutes was VERY impressive. Both Styx and REO had risers behind the drum kit where various members of the band would appear through out the set. (Kevin Cronin and Neil Dougherty taking turns on a piano mostly for REO, and everyone but the drummer for Styx.) Though their stages were similar, they made enough changes that the look was different.

9:00 -- a giant carrot appears on the video screen (what is up with that Cyclorama cover anyway??) and the boys from Styx all appear standing on top of the riser and take the stage. The crowd kicked in gear when they started their set -- most everyone was on their feet for "Too Much Time on My Hands." As I think everyone knows, Styx has a new CD out (which I bought last week so I'd have some clue of the new songs and recommend -- it's quite good) so they played three tracks from Cyclorama which got a fairly lackluster response, though having Glen Burtnik out in the audience singing "Kiss Your Ass Goodbye" was an inspired move and got the audience into a song they had never heard before. (And damn is that man energetic, he was running all OVER the place.) Chuck Panazzo joined in for a few songs -- coming out towards the end of the set during "Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)."

Styx actually finished their set with about a minute and half left to go on the timer, and spent that time tossing picks and "Styx" beach balls out into the audience. (I think Tommy Shaw even signed a few things.)

Time for another 20 minute set change and Journey would hit the stage! The last time I'd seen Journey and Styx on the same stage was at Junefest in 2001 and that time Styx just blew Journey out of the water with their set, and after the high energy show Styx put on last night, I kept my fingers crossed that our boys would be up to following that set.

Out comes the crew and the set changed yet again. Deen's drum kit looks much bigger than past years and WOW the artwork on the bass drums looks great -- good job Christopher! Also looks like Deen's "mascot" for this year is some kind of stuffed lobster, which I noted was sitting on one of the drums towards the back of the kit.

10:27 -- the Red 13 opening starts and the video screen starts showing stars and galaxies and I'm on my feet in an instant! We know by now, of course, that "State of Grace" is the opening song and in my opinion is probably the best place to stick a new/unfamiliar song. The crowd stayed pretty well on their feet through most of it (though I did notice folks sitting yet again -- ah well.) Everyone was back on their feet for "Separate Ways" and stayed that way for much of the night. Unlike Styx and REO, Journey didn't utilize the wings of the stage as much. A little disappointing for me since I was sitting right next to the wing on Jon's side. The configuration of the Alladdin's theater is VERY strange -- all the seats are in a semi-circle so that the ones off to the sides are actually facing the middle of the theater and NOT the stage. Of course, if they were facing the stage, you wouldn't be able to SEE anything. Not a typical view.

They played a very tight set, which was fairly similar but not exactly the same as the show they just did in San Francisco. There are some fun moments in the video projection behind the band that I won't ruin for everyone, but there are a few cool things that I wanted to mention. For one, there was a camera SOMEWHERE above Deen and periodically the screen would show shots looking down at the top of Deen's head and (of course) his kit. (I noticed at least 4 video cameras going from where I was seated, so hopefully they'll save a lot of this footage and put it together in some form of DVD.) Another personal favorite moment of mine with the video was during "Lights" -- they had some SPECTACULAR shots of San Francisco and "the sun shine on the bay." I tend to forget sometimes just how pretty my hometown is!

During the "Star Spangled Banner" I happened to notice the shirt Neal was wearing (yes, you're gonna get a minor fashion report, but it is relevant) It was a Journey shirt with the current scarab version (the one with the Golden Gate Bridge in the body) but instead of the blue/red/yellow wings it had the stars and stripes as wings. I didn't take time to check out the swag table at all, but hopefully this is something that will be available for sale -- it looked GREAT!

The audience overall was pretty good, though the response on some of the less familiar songs in the set ("Rubicon", "La Do Da"/"Dixie Highway"/"Line of Fire") was pretty weak -- it was apparent that a good chunk of the audience didn't know these songs. Too bad, because they rocked!
 
Journey finished up their set about 11:45 (yes, also about 2 minutes over the 80 minute allotment!) and I was in that "good tired" mode after a good concert -- ears ringing a little, back and feet a little weary, but bubbling with that buzz you get from a good show.

Set lists in order of appearance:

REO:
(thanks to Cheryl for helping w/ song titles)

Riding the Storm Out
Keep Pushing
I Can't Fight This Feeling
Don't Let Him Go (following the Playboy mansion story)
Keep on Loving You
In Your Letter
Take It on the Run
-- exit for wardrobe change by Kevin Cronin --
-- more talking --
In My Dreams (acoustic)
Time for Me to Fly
Back on the Road Again
Roll With the Changes

Encore:
157 Riverside Avenue

STYX:

Too Much Time on My Hands
Grand Illusion
Waiting for Our Time (new -- I love this one)
Lady
Blue Collar Man
-- Lawrence Gowan solo --
Fields of the Brave (new)
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (new)
Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man) w/ Chuck Panazzo
Miss America
Come Sail Away (w/ Chuck Panazzo)

Encore:
Renegade

JOURNEY:

State of Grace
Separate Ways
-- Neal Solo -- Star Spangled Banner
Stone in Love
Medley: La Do Da, Dixie Highway, Line of Fire
Lights
-- Jon Solo --
Open Arms
Precious Time
Rubicon
Don't Stop Believin'
Faithfully
Escape
Wheel in the Sky
Be Good to Yourself

Encore:
Any Way You Want It
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

[Note how many more songs Journey was able to play than Styx or REO in the same amount of time!]

Until San Jose.....

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (the end)

The Ultimate Journey Concert!
Saturday, April 26, 2003

 

Saturday morning we moved in slow motion. We didn't have anywhere to be until the concert at 7:00, so we were going to enjoy a quiet day. Our attendees were off seeing the city, on what turned out to be a spectacular day (finally!) and we took our leisure and pretty much hung around the hotel. I took care of a little business by taking much of the money we had raised and depositing in the bank, but other than that it was just a day of reliving the previous two days over and over. We were all so proud with how things had happened and completely amazed by the reactions of the attendees.

During the reception Friday night, Michael Carabello had asked Darla if she could give him a massage prior to the concert, so she left and went over to the Warfield a few hours earlier than the rest of us. A short while after Darla had left, my cell phone rang -- she had seen a copy of the set list and called to let me know that my favorite Journey song was part of the set, "Mother, Father" would be played immediately after "Open Arms."

We knew many of the fans were going to get in line by 5:00 so they could be right down on the front of the floor when the doors opened at 7:00, but none of us particularly wanted to stand in line for 2 hours (or longer) so we didn't head to the theater until shortly before 7:00. We stood in line and were harassed by the usual batch of homeless people selling newspapers and the like -- a sad but typical fact of shows at the Warfield. Once we got inside we found that Darla had grabbed a table for us right above the main floor. A perfect spot for me with my photo pass -- no heads to shoot through! And was I ever glad to have that table -- the place was packed and I was too wiped out from the previous two days to even consider doing battle on the jam packed floor.

We had known for weeks who the special "friends" for the Journey and Friends show would be. I had been amused by the speculation that had abounded on the Back Talk forums -- most of which concluded that "Journey and Friends" would be like the "Friends and Family" show in Santa Rosa the previous year, where the "Friends" were the fans. Boy, was everyone in for a treat!

If you look closely, that's Aynsley Dunbar on drums

The concert kicked off and everyone went nuts as "Red13/State of Grace" opened the show. Three songs in, Deen got up from his drum kit to allow Aynsley Dunbar take over the skins for "Wheel in the Sky."
 
The crowd went wild. I did my best to take pictures of this historic moment -- Journey's original drummer back on stage with the band for the first time in over 20 years! Alas, the drum kit was huge and Ross kept getting in my way (yo, Ross -- Move OVER!) so all the shots of Aynsley are fleeting at best.

Steve Augeri singing his heart out

After Deen resumed his position behind the drum kit the show kept rolling on and hit the audience with another amazing surprise -- a medley of tunes that hadn't been heard live in years. "La Do Da"opened and then it faded into "Dixie Highway" which morphed into "Line of Fire." My jaw just hit the floor and the crowd ate it up. Things slowed down a bit then as the band went into "Lights" (always a huge favorite in San Francisco.) Then Jonathan started his solo that warned me that "Open Arms" was next. Time to grab the Kleenex and take the deep breath to prepare for what was coming next.
 

Jonathan Cain on the harmonica for "Precious Time"

When the first note of "Mother, Father" hit, my eyes welled up immediately. Cheryl had placed her hands on my shoulders, and that was about all that was holding me up at that point. As the song continued I was just overwhelmed by emotions. This is a song that has long had a very deep personal connection for me and to hear it live was completely beyond my ability to cope. Singing along was next to impossible and tears were just streaming down my face as I sobbed through the song. Towards the end of the song, when I was at a point near dissolving into complete hysterics, a shoving match broke out on the floor in front of me. It was over quickly, but distracted me long enough to get some composure while I sobbed through the finale of the song.
 
I have seldom been such an emotional wreck in public, much less at a concert, and had to recompose quickly as Jonathan Cain picked up a harmonica and Journey launched into "Precious Time." Talk about a gear strip! I went from sobbing to shock to excitement in about two seconds! Drying my eyes quickly so I could actually see to take pictures, I hopped up and fired off a round of film.

Chepito Areas and Michael Carabello join in

The set list continued to surprise and amaze with "Rubicon" and, during the first encore, "We Will Meet Again." When the band left the stage after that first encore, Neal said to the crowd "Stay where you are, we'll be right back." This is when we looked around at each other -- we knew what was coming. Michael Carabello and Chepito Areas were going to join the band and cover a couple of Santana tunes and "La Raza del Sol," just as they had done eight months before at the show in Konocti where the Bammies Walk of Fame plaque was announced. It made for a very circular moment for us. As had happened at the earlier show, the crowd went wild as the band launched in to "Black Magic Woman" with Neal on lead vocals. "La Raza del Sol" was percussion perfection as Deen got to jam with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Michael Carabello and Chepito Areas. Closing out the second encore with "Everybody's Everything" with Jonathan on lead vocals was an amazingly energetic jam.

And they weren't done!

Sammy Hagar joins the fun

We were on our feet throughout the encores, and when the band left the stage after "Everybody's Everything," I looked at Darla and said, "Oh my god, this is the best show I've ever seen AND we know what's next!" What was next shook the walls and blew the roof off the Warfield -- Sammy Hagar came out on stage with the band as they launched into a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll." The place went nuts. It was truly one of the most amazing things I had ever witnessed -- after over two hours of high-energy rock and roll, everything went up a notch and the magic was palpable.

Take a bow boys

After the concert no one wanted to end, we trooped back to the hotel and after closing down the bar in the hotel with a bunch of the attendees, we invited people upstairs for more talking and reliving an amazing weekend. This was another one of my personal highlights because again I was able to sit and visit with people in a way I hadn't during the chaos of the weekend. Stories and histories and memories poured out of everyone and we talked ourselves raw.

Mary Ann had a ridiculously early flight, so we stayed up with her until it was time for her shuttle to the airport and so we said our final farewells around 3:00 in the morning. Sunday morning broke and it was time to pack up and head for home. We met what attendees there were for brunch in the lounge of the hotel and talked some more about what a magical weekend it was.

In the end though, the one thought that kept running through my head, and still does, was "We really did it!"

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (part 8)

The JPP2003 Reception
Friday, April 25, 2003

Our cocktail reception wasn't scheduled until 8:00, so we had a little bit of time to recover from our hectic morning and afternoon. Back in the committee suite, we celebrated with wine and chocolate and babbled a bit for the video camera. The thought that kept running through my head was "We pulled it off." I had seen everything we'd planned unfold more or less as we had expected and was amazed that we had actually done it.

The reception went very smoothly. We set up tables for our silent auction items and a display of the two raffle items. Journey (and Journey-related) music was played over the PA, and the fans came in to sit back and spend some time visiting with each other and reliving the day. As has become habit at these things, I was the emcee for the evening. Everyone is their own worst critics, so I'm not going to dwell on all the things I should have said and done in that capacity (and believe me, there are many) but I had to laugh that every time I was planning to give my welcome speech, something interrupted the moment. First I had to make an announcement about the auction. Then Aynsley and Margaret Dunbar arrived and I had to introduce them. Then Michael Carabello and his girlfriend Rebecca arrived and I had to introduce them. By the time I was ready to give my welcome speech the evening was half gone and we had to start paying attention to the auction and raffle.

Then I got hijacked. I had just made an announcement about when we would be drawing for the raffle when Rob took the microphone and he and Tom Perez proceeded to thank the committee and present us with plaques of appreciation. I was stunned, as were my fellow committee members. We'd already received many many gifts and this was completely unexpected. Then, before I could say thank you on behalf of the committee, we were hijacked AGAIN. Julie Skene and Renee Ballentine ALSO had put together framed certificates of appreciation for our work. I had known in advance that Julie wanted to say something at the reception, but I had no idea what was planned.

Sufficiently surprised and remarkably thankful, I took the microphone again and turned what had been my welcome speech into a thank you speech. I felt it was important to recognize the people who had made it possible for us to keep pushing onward when we didn't know what we were going to do about a variety of issues that popped up on us. I honestly don't know if we would have been able to pull it all together if we hadn't had the constant encouragement of our fellow fans. The emails and messages we received while we were planning the event were inspiring. People were really looking forward to the event and we couldn't let them down.

Raffle winners Rob Rennert and Chris Waleszczyk

Soon it was time for our raffle drawings, and Jeff, having been away from a microphone for far too long, took over some of the emcee duties. I must say, he did a much better job than I as he can easily integrate his humor into what he is saying. Something must have been in the stars that night because when we did the drawing for the autographed leather jacked the winner turned out to be none other than our volunteer jacket model-Rob Rennert!
 
I'll have to admit, the committee was really thrilled that Rob won such a cool prize -- he did a LOT of work for us. Next up was the guitar that everyone was hoping to take home with them. We asked Deen's mom Kay to draw this grand prize and then we tortured the attendees by reading off the numbers one by one rather than the name that had been written on the back of the ticket! (Actually, there was a good reason for this too-it would have taken me twice as long to attempt to pronounce Chris Waleszczyk's last name!)

After more mixing and mingling and photo taking, we closed the silent auction and announced the various winners for the night. With all the incredible donations we received we were able to raise $1,000 for the Okizu Foundation. Way to go Journey fans!

The reception wound down by 11:00 and people scattered to the winds. The committee cleaned up the items we needed to take back upstairs and headed to our rooms for a much-needed drink and wind down time. It wasn't to last long though -- Leslie had invited a few people back to our room to visit. Darla, Mary Ann, and Emerson went back to their room and Cheryl, Leslie, and I visited with our guests. As tired as I was, I was the last one to fade out -- Cheryl and Leslie went to bed and I stayed up talking until after 2 in the morning! This was actually one of the best times for me -- throughout the day I had been rushing around making sure everything was going well and really hadn't gotten much of a chance to visit with anyone, especially the many people I hadn't met before.

Once everyone left and I crawled in to bed I was able to realize just what we had accomplished. Exhausted but happy I drifted off to sleep, but not before noticing Cheryl was muttering in her sleep. Ah, sweet dreams.

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (part 7)

Hard Rock Café
Friday, April 25, 2003

Leslie had gone ahead to the Hard Rock Café with Emerson and Rob so that they could videotape the arrival of the band and the fans -- I don't think they expected us to arrive almost simultaneously! The scene at the Hard Rock was organized chaos. Fans who had heard the band would be at the restaurant had descended upon Pier 39 and the JPP Committee had the unenviable task of telling them they couldn't come past the barricades that had been set up for the JPP group. This was not set up as we had hoped -- our original plan was to have the donation of the guitar in a private room. That The Bone had been announcing that the "fan club" was going to be at the Hard Rock didn't help matters either. I had to turn away at least four people who said, "I'm a member of the fan club" (at least one of whom produced their fan club membership card) and explain that while the organizers of the event were members of the fan club, it was not a fan club sponsored event. People were running everywhere and I looked around and hoped things would go off smoothly.

About 2:15 Dennis appeared on the small stage that had been set up in the restaurant and re-introduced the band who then joined him on the stage. Neal presented manager Dan Godfrey the autographed guitar and boom; it was over in a flash. Hmm… not quite what I had anticipated. Then suddenly I heard the microphone come to life again -- one of our attendees, Vincent Price had asked Dennis for the microphone to say a few words of thanks to the band. It happened so quickly and unexpectedly that no one managed to get it on videotape! The guys then scattered about the restaurant and started mingling with the fans. This was the meet and greet to beat all meet and greets!

Neal donates a guitar to the Hard Rock Cafe
photo courtesy of Toni Peterson

In the original scheme of things, we had planned to raffle off the guitar from Gibson at the Hard Rock Café and have the winner get the autographs personally and a photo with the band. This was obviously not going to happen in the scenario as it played out. That meant the JPP Committee had to get that guitar signed before the guys disappeared for rehearsal! Holding a fistful of silver Sharpies and trailed by Emerson and his video camera, Cheryl and I set off to get this guitar signed! First up was Ross, and while Cheryl was having him sign the guitar I was able to talk briefly with his wife Mary. She had been very impressed with the event and the program that Rob had put together for us and asked for more copies. I told her to check with JT, since he was supposed to have extras, but if he didn't have enough for her we'd be glad to get some more to her. (Which we eventually did when the tour began in Las Vegas a few weeks later.)

Finding the rest of the guys was like a life-sized game of "Where's Waldo?" -- they were scattered all over the restaurant surrounded by fans. Gregg and Herbie were half hiding in an alcove near the kitchen, Jonathan was cornered by the bar, Deen was pressed up against the stage, Steve was surrounded by people, Neal was over by the entrance, and no one could seem to find Aynsley! One by one they signed the guitar, some with confusion about why and what it was for, others with big smiles and hugs.

We'd gotten the guitar signed by everyone but Aynsley, so I stopped for a few minutes to grab a couple of the appetizers that were being passed around and to grab a sip of champagne. It was amazing watching the crowd mix with the band-everyone was all smiles and chattering away over the blaring music of the Hard Rock. When someone finally put on Arrival the place erupted. Singing and dancing from corner to corner.

Someone had finally spotted Aynsley in a booth eating lunch with Neal and Michael Carabello, so I grabbed the guitar once again, found Emerson and made my way over to the table. I apologized for interrupting their meal and asked Aynsley to sign the guitar. Neal looked at me rather puzzled and said he'd already signed the guitar. I told him I knew that and that it was Aynsley we were looking for.

Mission accomplished, I went and sat down for a few minutes to catch a breather and just watch the chaos unfold in front of me. Things had settled down a little, though Steve and Deen seemed to still be surrounded by fans and they had to be starving. Cheryl took it upon herself at this point to find one of the servers and told him to make Steve take a break to eat. (That would be all we need-Steve faints from hunger and can't perform the next night!)

We had told the buses to return by 4:00 so we could depart by 4:30, but it was now only 3:30 and other than grabbing a few nibbles to eat, there really wasn't much else to do at the Hard Rock. We tried to find the buses and did manage to get one back a little earlier than planned, but in the end we all wound up leaving Pier 39 on the same schedule we had started with. The ride back to the hotel was more subdued than when we had left-everyone was just a little overwhelmed and wiped out from all of the events of the day. And we weren't finished yet!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
After all was said and done, I went back to the Hard Rock Café and got pictures of the guitar mounted on the wall.

Close-up shot of the guitar hanging on the wall

Plaque under the guitar.
Text reads: "This Gibson Les Paul Guitar was donated to the
San Francisco Hard Rock Café by Journey after their induction
to the Bay Area Rock and Roll Walk of Fame."
(Hey, close enough)

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (part 6b)

Photographs and Memories

A few pictures from the 2003 Bammies Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Journey members and families listen to the induction speeches

Deen Castronovo says a few words 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neal and Ross goofing off during the speeches

Gregg Rolie's turn at the mic

Another shot of band members with family and friends listening to the speeches

Jonathan Cain addresses the crowd

Steve Augeri gives his thanks.

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (part 6)

Bammies Walk of Fame

Friday, April 25, 2003

Friday morning. This was it. This was THE day. Everything that had transpired over the previous sixteen months had led up to this day. As tired as I had been when I went to bed Thursday night, I didn't sleep much-the anticipation was too great. Leslie, Cheryl, and I were up at 7:00 and started getting ready-taking turns showering and grabbing breakfast and going over our assignments for the morning. Leslie would be the driver for the day, transporting the team over to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium (heretofore referred to as "the Civic") for the set up. Cheryl was responsible for making sure the backstage area was ready to go (including providing drinks and snacks-quick run to the store!) and would head over with Leslie. I would remain at the hotel with Mary Ann and Darla and finish checking in the last of our attendees and wait for the buses to take us over to the Civic Auditorium. Around 8, we called the other committee suite where Mary Ann, Darla, and Emerson were going through much the same process.

One of our concerns was how were we going to "hide" the plaque until it was officially unveiled. We had been told that the staff at the Civic would put a board over the plaque Wednesday afternoon and a "decorative" covering would be needed for Friday morning. What we learned was that the board had never been put over the plaque-Rob and a couple of our attendees had walked over on Thursday morning and took a sneak peek at the plaque-it was there for all to see with nothing but a sawhorse over it that had been placed there while the cement was drying! We managed to talk the convention services at the hotel out of a black tablecloth and Cheryl put it in her bag to take over to the Civic. (It turned out that it was unnecessary-someone had provided a small box to cover the plaque.)

A little before 9:00, Mary Ann and I were back in the lobby with the last of the registration materials and Leslie was making her first run over to the Civic-dropping off Cheryl, Caryn Sinagra, and Michelle Aheron who were preparing for the band's eminent arrival. Leslie returned shortly to pick up Rob, Emerson, and Jeff so that the video equipment and barricades could be put in place for guests.

While Cheryl, Leslie, and Emerson were over at the Civic preparing for the 12:00 ceremony, the JPP attendees started gathering in the hotel lobby. The people who had arrived late Thursday evening or were just arriving that morning slowly made their way through and got their registration materials. The hotel staff was excellent about making sure we had everything we needed-including sending the head of security over to ask when we were expecting the buses to arrive and load so he could make certain there was space for them to park.

Some of the gifts from our attendees

As had happened much of Thursday, the JPP attendees began showering us with gifts. Chocolate, flowers and potent potables were the most common. (I guess everyone took me seriously when I said I really needed a drink!)


We had most people checked in by 10:15, so I began another series of rides in the elevator-31 floors up and down-toting a variety of items that we wouldn't need on the buses. Meanwhile, several of our attendees went hunting for umbrellas-it had been raining off and on all morning, and raining steadily. I held my breath a prayed it would stop before noon.

The first bus pulled up shortly before 11:00, and I went out to meet the driver. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle, but the sky was still very cloudy. I talked with the driver and confirmed that he was indeed there for our group and asked when the second bus would arrive. He told me that he was the only driver-there was no second bus! A minor panic ensued on my part. I knew we had ordered two buses-I had personally written the check just a week before to pay for two buses. Where the heck was the second bus?? The driver got on his phone to the bus headquarters and I got on my phone and called Darla who had taken the last box of things upstairs. I told her to find the bus contract in my file and bring it downstairs. I had sixty-five people in the lobby and a bus that held forty people-I had to have that second bus!

Crisis was avoided again when the second bus pulled up about five minutes later, and it was time to load up. In the process of bringing all the items back to our hotel rooms I had accidentally left the checklist of attendees in the box of things I didn't need. It was too late to go back and get it, so I took a quick count of heads on the two buses and asked if anyone knew of anyone who was missing. No one was reported missing, but we did almost leave with out Deen's mother and sister! (Ooops!) Fortunately they arrived just as we were closing the doors to the buses, and no one was left behind. Mercifully, the rain had stopped, and except for a light drizzle part way through the ceremony everyone would remain dry.

11:15 and the buses began the short caravan from our Union Square hotel to the Civic Center. I called ahead and let Leslie know we were on our way. Leslie asked me if I had a copy of Arrival or Red 13 with me, I said I didn't but when I posed the question to the bus several people responded that they did-great, more music for the pre-ceremony! The lead bus was taking us down Polk with the intention of turning left on Grove Street and dropping us off right in front of the Civic. One problem with that-we had closed Grove Street in that direction! So we had to take a detour and come around the block and exit the buses across the street.

Everyone got off the buses and, in true San Francisco fashion, walked right across the street in the middle of the road! Cheryl and Leslie had made sure there was a special "reserved" area for the JPP attendees-front and center! I marched up with the group and got them to the right spot and then went into "promoter" mode. Part of the arrangements with our sponsors was to have fliers distributed at the event, so I recruited a few volunteers and started handing out program fliers and other promotional material as promised. This meant I had to cut across the stage from time to time, as there was a flurry of activity going on all around me. I was able to stop and take a look out at the crowd and I was thrilled-the turn out was fantastic and everyone was very excited! Standing on the stage also afforded me a great view of Gregg Rolie hopping out of his limousine and ducking in to the Civic! The cheer from the few people who saw him was music to my ears.

Dennis Erokan welcomes the band.

Close to noon, I had finished distributing fliers and went to take up my position (cameras in hand) next to the media pit-smack dab in front of the podium. I wasn't going to miss a single expression on anyone's face by being stuck in the back! The crowd was really humming by this point and "Higher Place" was blaring from the PA (okay, so we had a little music, but it wasn't live music so I don't think we violated any permits!) and I started dancing along. When I looked up I could see Deen's mom rocking out to the side and caught her eye. We both smiled-this was a good day!

The Lobster (aka Paul Wells) makes his comments

Dennis Erokan came out and the ceremonies got underway. One by one the band, along with their families, came out and took the stage. My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to explode and the crowd let out a huge cheer. There they were, on the dais with their wives and children-that was what hit me the most. I expected to see Neal, Jonathan, Ross, Steve, Deen, Aynsley, Gregg and Herbie up there. I didn't expect to see their families there also, at least not on the dais with them. Wow, this really was a big deal!

Cheryl and Darla representing the JPP Committee

The ceremony opened with a seven minute recorded introduction produced by local DJ Paul "The Lobster" Wells (with some help from VH1 and Behind the Music.) The guys sat there and listened as the history of Journey unfolded-it was hard to believe that 30 years had passed since Journey formed. Darla and Cheryl were up next-they'd volunteered to say a few words to the crowd (after some convincing from Dennis that at least one of us should be part of the ceremony.) All I can say is I'm glad it was them and not me-I probably would have gotten sick on Ross's shoes! I could tell Darla was nervous and I kept sending good thoughts her way so that she could make it through with out getting sick on Ross's shoes! Cheryl spoke next and I would have sworn that's what she did for a living. (It was later that I learned she had been nervously pacing up and down the hallway inside the Civic only moments before!)

Steven Seaweed

Up next were two more long-standing members of the Bay Area music scene -- Steven Seaweed, a DJ from 107.7 "The Bone" (formerly known as KSAN) and Joel Selvin, music editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. Both spoke to the history of Journey in San Francisco, having witnessed it from the very earliest days.

Joel Selvin

Herbie Herbert was our next speaker, and it was wonderful hearing about Journey from the perspective of the man who created the band around Neal Schon. Herbie is truly an old San Francisco hippie, and I've got to say I'm fascinated by how he got so much accomplished with that kind of sensibility. And, of course, the image of Herbie and his "wayward children" is too priceless to ever be forgotten.

Herbie Herbert talks about his "wayward children"

Mayor Brown was due next, but as is typical, he was running late. Dennis took this opportunity to make a few more comments, including a quick introduction of each of the guys on stage. The roar that went up when Steve Augeri was introduced sent chills down my spine. It was unbelievably loud-the loudest of all the cheers that day. Dennis then ran through the list of Bammies that had been awarded to the members of Journey. It's impressive, but I was particularly amused by the sheepish grin on Jonathan's face as Dennis read off the five "Outstanding Keyboardist" awards he had won.

Ross Valory addresses the crowd

Dennis stretched for as long as he could, but the mayor still hadn't arrived, so Ross and Neal each took a turn at the podium to address the crowd. I could tell they were in a bit of a state of amazement that this was actually happening-the sincerity in their comments was apparent. It's hard now to recall what was going through my mind, everything was happening so quickly it seemed, but I stood there watching and listening and beaming with pride. I felt like a proud parent-there were "my boys" finally, finally getting the recognition they so long deserved in their hometown! It was unbelievable.

Neal Schon takes his turn at the mic

Mayor Brown arrived and gave an invigorated speech. He's a politician's politician and can rally a crowd like no one I've seen. Whether or not he was really at Winterland on New Year's Eve 1973 is irrelevant, you believed he was truly there! (My compliments to his research staff!) Mayor Brown then presented the band with their "Walk of Fame Day" proclamation.

San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown

Now it was time to unveil the plaque and as everyone got into position, I was nearly knocked over as a couple of video cameras (presumably belonging to the band) came flying over my head. I ducked down into a squat behind the rope to let the camera guys through and then watched as the guys stepped down from the dais mere inches in front of me! Of course, the view I got was from the rear, but I can't really complain too much about that now can I?

Herbie Herbert accepts the
"Walk of Fame Day" proclamation

Once the plaque was unveiled and photos were taken, the guys stepped back to the dais and one by one Aynsley, Steve, Gregg, Deen, and Jonathan each said a few words. Deen's comments touched me the most-he was near tears and my heart just swelled a thousand times.

Journey members past and present
and the Bammies Walk of Fame plaque
photo courtesy Caryn Sinagra

And then it was over-the speeches, the planning, the months to get that darned plaque in the ground. It was done! I looked around for a minute and then burst in to tears! Oh my god, we actually pulled it off! How on earth did we manage to do it? I never thought I'd see the day, but not only had I just seen it I had planned it! I can't remember a time I'd ever felt so proud or that I had really accomplished something.

After a couple of minutes to recompose myself, I got back in to planner mode. Where were my attendees? Where was the rest of the committee? Have we cleaned up enough? Is someone putting the barricades back? What time is it? I scrambled around checking things out while the guys took time to sign autographs and pose for pictures-everyone was getting a chance to talk with the band! Fantastic.

Journey members past and present at the Bammies Walk of Fame Ceremony
L-R: Steve Augeri, Gregg Rolie, Aynsley Dunbar, Deen Castronovo, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, & Ross Valory

Dealing with a large group of people and several different things happening simultaneously is rather like herding cats-just when I got two where I need them, three more dashed out in opposite directions. I kept walking up and down the street trying to make sure I had everyone on the bus and all the items we brought with us that we needed to bring back. The buses were mostly loaded when I went looking for Jeff, who had been taking down the barricades. Once found I hustled him to the bus and made sure everyone was on board. Then we saw the limos loading-oh no! the band was leaving before us!

January 2002-April 2003: Behind the Weekend: Journey Past & Present and the Bammies Walk of Fame (part 5)

And So It Begins
Thursday, April 24, 2003

The alarm goes off-same time as any other Thursday-6:30 a.m., time to get up and start another day. Of course, it's not any other Thursday; Journey Past and Present 2003 starts today. I crawl out of bed already feeling a little sleep deprived. Wednesday had been a hectic day of last minute details. I'd also picked up Rob from the airport and took him to dinner at Pier 39 as part of his compensation for all the hard work he'd done for us designing artwork, which meant I got home from San Francisco a little later than I had anticipated and I just couldn't go to bed without attempting to start packing for the weekend. But, no rest for the weary-it was time to get things rolling and try to get up to the hotel by early afternoon (I knew already that my original goal of noon wasn't going to happen.)

After a quick shower and breakfast I start running down the list of things that need to be done before I load my car for the trip to San Francisco. Most of the "goodies" had been put together on Saturday and stuffed in to my trunk, but I still had a TON of stuff in my living room that needed to be packed up. Better start with the clothes for the weekend-except for one new outfit, I hadn't even figured out what I was going to wear!

Once the overnight case had been packed, it was time to get the JPP supplies together-tickets (check), key chains (check), name tags (need to make a few more-check!), pens, paper, markers (check, check, check). One by one the supplies and items I was responsible for bringing (which was pretty much everything but the T-shirts and AV equipment!) were put in a box and I could load the car. The big surprise is that there weren't more things to load out! I had anticipated needing to bring 4-5 boxes out to my car, but it was just two, plus the big box that held the Gibson guitar that had been donated for us to raffle off.

It was nearly noon by this point and I knew I'd better have lunch before I loaded the car and drove up to San Francisco. So another quick bite and I'm off. A brief stop at the grocery store to pick up some supplies for the suite (and a birthday cake for Leslie!) and I'm on the road by 1:30.

By the time I had left I had already spoken with Leslie, Cheryl, and Darla at least twice each. Leslie had made it to the hotel by noon (with the box of T-shirts) and she and Rob went out and scouted for a place to bring the group for our informal dinner. When I arrived at the hotel it took the bellmen 10 minutes to unload all the things from my car-there were about a dozen boxes and assorted sundries that needed to be brought to the room! I stopped at the front desk to get my room key and headed up to the thirty-first floor to meet Leslie and Rob.
 

The JPP Commitee (and friends) getting things assembled.
From L-R: Jeff "RawkDawg" Barnes, Mary Anne Bohne
Michelle Murray, Rob Rennert, Leslie Forsythe,
Cheryl Simien. Kneeling: Emerson Dong & Darla Ellis

When I arrived, they were just finishing folding the T-shirts for the goodie bags. I snuck the cake in to the kitchen area of the suite (thank goodness Leslie was busy when I walked in!) and waited for my bags and boxes to arrive. Over the next hour or so, the rest of the committee arrived, as did two more of our indispensable volunteers-Leslie White and Jeff "RawkDawg" Barnes.

With so many hands in the room, finishing the goodie bag assembly was fairly quick work, if somewhat chaotic as the room was a frenzy of activity. All the activity was a bit noisy, but when there was a knock on the door we all stopped to see who it was. Strange, there wasn't anyone at the front door. Then we realized that the knock had come from the door to the adjoining room! Lo and behold when we opened the door there was Michelle Aheron (augerifan) who was sharing the room with Caryn Sinagra (Journeycat)!! Well woo hoo-friends we won't have to worry about keeping awake with our chatter!

My cell phone would erupt every 5 minutes -- someone new had arrived, someone was lost, and the questions started pouring in. We were all in a fairly jovial mood -- okay, we were a little bit silly -- so after the tenth call in less than an hour I answered the phone laughing "JPP nuthouse, this is Michelle." I about fell over when the voice on the other end of the line replied "Hello? This is Margaret Dunbar, is this Michelle?" YIKES! Aynsley's wife had called to let us know they would be attending the reception at the hotel Friday night. I frantically waved everyone to be quiet while I tried to recompose myself and switch into a more professional mode. Why is it when ever you're goofing off something important happens??

Soon it was 4:30 and time to start heading down to the lobby to meet up with everyone who was going to dinner. This is when it began to feel real-35 people waiting in the lobby ready to head to Tony Roma's for dinner and kick off one unforgettable weekend. And not everyone had arrived yet!

We marched ourselves over to Tony Roma's a block away and took over the back of the restaurant. Fortunately, Leslie and Rob had warned them in advance that we would be coming. Unfortunately, they only had one waitress for the whole lot of us!

Dinner at Tony Roma's

Once we were all seated, someone requested that people introduce themselves to the group since nametags had not yet been distributed. I started the round and by the time we were finished I was laughing to myself-it was like an AA meeting! "Hi, my name is Michelle and I'm a Journey nut…."

More of the gang at Tony Roma's

Dinner was ordered and much talking and laughing ensued. One of the highlights of the evening was when Deen's mother, who was part of our group for the weekend, pulled out baby pictures and started passing them around! (Awwwwww!) As is typical of any fan gathering the chatter around the table was almost exclusively Journey related. It never ceases to amaze me just how much grown adults can wax poetic on their favorite band!

Handing out goodies at registration
photo courtesy of Susan Ulm

After successfully paying the bill (with no major hassles or shortages!) and not totally driving other customers out of the restaurant, we trekked back across the street to open up registration. Our original plan had been to have registration in the second floor lounge, but due to an event occurring at the hotel (Ted Turner was addressing the Commonwealth Club) we were moved to the third floor to set up. I spent a lot of this time riding up and down the elevator getting things from our suite and bringing them back to the registration table, but after the initial rush of people I was able to plant myself at the table and assist the rest of the committee for the check in.

Keep looking for those goodie bags
photo courtesy of Susan Ulm

People remained in the registration area for a while - visiting with friends new and old and looking through their goodie bags. Soon people started to break off in search of other things to do, while Cheryl, Leslie F., Leslie W., Mary Ann, and I remained to keep the registration table open until 10 p.m. Darla and Emerson had left to pick up one of the attendees who had flown in to the San Jose airport.

By 10:00 everyone who was coming in on Thursday had checked in, so we packed our things and headed upstairs to the suite. Time for a little break for the committee-and to break open a few of the bottles we'd brought. We all felt good about how things were going to this point and ran through the names of the people we had met. We were all tired and ready for bed, but we couldn't go to sleep just yet.

Just a couple of bottles of wine

Once we had returned to the suite it was time for a glass of wine and to work on the speeches that Cheryl and Darla would be giving the next day. They had both jotted down some notes and I had passed along some suggestions, but the fine tuning still needed to be done. After the first draft run through, we sat around making suggestions and wordsmithing ever so slightly-without a thesaurus on hand we had to come up with all the different ways to say "celebrate" without actually saying "celebrate" ten times! Finally happy with the final results around midnight, we forced ourselves to stop talking about how things had gone thus far (very well) and about what we expected for the next day (is this really happening?) and headed off to bed.