February 27, 2005: National Center for Youth Law Benefit

Oakland, CA
Paramount Theater

The Paramount Theater in Oakland was a wonderful place to see my 50th Journey show. (Yeah, the number kind of shocks me too!) Last night's show was a make up date for a rained out event back in September. The show benefited the National Center for Youth Law, and Mary Valory was among the organizing committee for the event.

Those of us who held tickets for the original show and the people who purchased the $150 tickets when the date was rescheduled, were invited to attend a pre-show reception at the theater. When I arrived at 4:00 for the reception, I was given an envelope with a raffle paddle and a ticket for a free wine glass that could be picked up after the show. (Very nice -- it has the scarab on it in a turquoise blue color.) I wandered around and checked out the silent auction items, bidding only on the iPod that I figured I'd get out bid on considering the well-heeled of Blackhawk were in attendance. (I was.)

About 5:30 the whole gang who had gathered at the show went in to the theater for the auction -- complete with a real auctioneer. It was an incredible experience -- and WOW I was in a crowd with some serious money. There were all kinds of memorabilia, and the Journey stuff went very well ($3,000 for a platinum GH; $4,800 each for 2 autographed guitars, $1,000 each for 3 pairs of after show passes, $2,300 for a VIP package to any show on the 2005 tour.) The BIG ticket item was a custom motorcycle designed by Arlen Ness. It was in the lobby before the show and all the guys had signed it. A VERY cool bike, even to someone who couldn't care less about motorcycles like me. That went for $45,000! shew!

Because of the auction, the show started a little bit late, but it was well worth it. We'd all hoped for a little something new, but alas, it was not to be. The set list was much as they'd been doing the last year. Of course, being a hometown crowd, "Lights" got a huge reception -- particularly from the fans in the balcony, who were truly fans and not the hoi-palloi of the East Bay. The crowd was a bit yo-yo-ish, up and down all night, but there was a good representation of the die hard fans who were on their feet all night. Towards the end of the show things got a little interesting when I had a moment straight out of Frontiers and Beyond when, during "Separate Ways" I saw a bottle come flying out of one of the front few rows sailing straight towards Neal! Fortunately, it sailed past him and landed on the stage behind him, but wow, it was a scary moment. Fortunately, someone made up for that moment, by hanging a birthday present on Neal's guitar during "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'."

The theater is a 1930s art deco wonder, and both the lobby and the theater itself were dramatic. Watching the band in that environment was really just wonderful, and the place was full to the gills (about 3,000 people.)

After the show I picked up my wine glass, got my coat out of the coat check and started heading back to BART for the hour long train ride home. As I was saying my good-byes, I was handed an after-show pass. Well, okay, guess I'm staying a bit later than I planned! The after-show was held in the mezzanine of the theater and was packed with all kinds of people -- auction winners, VIPs who'd paid considerably more than $150 for their seat for the original date, friends and family of the band -- and, being a hometown show, it was a bit chaotic. Ross was buzzing about since this was Mary's event, but I did eventually manage to grab him for a few minutes to say hello. Deen and Steve were easier to grab for a brief chat, which was cool. Deen is looking and feeling much better (he said he feels normal again, so that was great to hear.) I tried to get a few minutes to say hi and happy birthday to Jonathan, but he was constantly surrounded by people talking his ear off, so I eventually gave up after a small group of us got things signed. I never did see Neal, but I'm sure he was there since others did.

I headed home MUCH later than I'd expected and am VERY grateful that my boss is on travel this week, so I can have a slow start to the week.

Guess this is it until summertime!

How long until the tour???

Set List:

Intro
Be Good to Yourself
Only the Young
Star Spangled Banner
Stone in Love
Wheel in the Sky
Higher Place
Suzanne - Deen vox
Lights
Walks Like a Lady - Ross vox
Chain Reaction
Voodoo Chle - Neal vox
-- Jon's solo --
Open Arms
Feeling That Way - Jon/Steve vox
Anytime - Jon/Steve vox
Rubicon
Escape
Faithfully
Don't Stop Believin'
Separate Ways
Any Way You Want It

Encore:
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

February 23, 2005: Smitty's Sheer Genius

Oakland, CA
Yoshi's at Jack London Square

Okay... I just HAD to post after last night's show at Yoshi's... Wow wow wow wow wow. I always love the opportunity to see Steve Smith play and even more the rare chances to see Vital Information because they're just such an amazing group, and last night was no exception.

Unknown to me, Vital released a new CD last August, so lots of the stuff they played was from that new CD. (Off to buy another new CD!) The whole hour and 15 minute set was incredible, but of course the highlights were Smitty's solos. The first solo happened about half way through the set when he got up from his kit and walked over to the center of the stage, sat down on the stage, and started beating on a clay pot with his hands. From my vantage point, it was virtually impossible to SEE what he was doing, but it sounded amazing. The second solo towards the end of the show just reaffirmed why he is one of the most respected drummers in the world. He did a bit of the hi-hat solo he'd done the last time I saw Vital and then went on to do some serious gymnastics on his kit. Hands and sticks were just a blur.

Towards the end of the show, I was thinking about just how amazed I'd been in Hollywood when he joined the guys for three songs (that, according to his on-line diary, he played for the first time in years that afternoon in sound check!) and why it was so impressive. His performances with Vital are much more complex than those 3 songs were, but watching Vital is such sensory overload for me that it's hard to focus on any one thing. With Journey tunes, I know those backwards and forwards, so I know what I'm supposed to see and hear which therefore made it much easier to focus on Smitty's playing in Hollywood. THAT was what made it such a "WOW!!" experience.

Alas, only had enough time to say "Hi" and "Great show" after the set last night and REALLY wished Yoshi's wasn't a 45 minute drive from my house and/or that it wasn't Wednesday night or I would have stayed for the second set at 10.