Lake Tahoe, NV
Harrah's South Shore Room
Harrah's South Shore Room
Saturday was a long day. It was fabulous, it was exciting, it was very memorable, but it was a long day.
Getting ready Friday night to head up to Tahoe and see Steve Augeri perform with a group of veteran session musicians, I discovered I had left my cell phone at work. Great. That meant getting up at 6:15 so I could leave the house by 7, drive to work, get my phone, and bring my car in for an oil change by 8. The 45-minute oil-change, turned into a three and a half hour brake job, thus wiping out any chance of taking care of a couple of errands before heading to a birthday party for one of my closest and oldest friend's 5-year old daughter not to mention not being able to make an appearance at the party at all. Guilt trip galore.
Once the car is ready to go, I have just enough time to fill the gas tank and grab some water and trail mix at the gas station so I have SOME kind of food in me before making the 4 hour drive to South Shore. I picked up Leslie around 12:30 and we were on the road. I had expected that on the drive up we'd be listening to my beloved Giants playing the Phillies in the National League Championship Series. The game was supposed to be at 12:30 local time, but because there was no American League game the start got pushed back to 5:00. Great. Won't be able to listen to it, won't be able to watch much of it. Sigh.
Leslie and I made pretty decent time up to Tahoe, only hitting traffic in Davis, and arrived shortly before first pitch... uh about a quarter to five. We quickly checked in, freshened up and headed up to Darryl and Jenny's room to meet up with folks and some pre-dinner cocktails. It was fantastic to see Lorraine in from KC with her sister Karyn along with some of the local Nor Cal gang. It was also fantastic to see the TV was on and I could catch the first couple of innings. I warned the Journey buddies that I was not the greatest of company when my Giants are in the playoffs, so my frequent distraction and minor panic attacks weren't going to alarm anyone during the course of the night. (Conversely, it turns out, hanging with the Journey buddies prevented me from having the several major panic attacks, two strokes, and heart attack I would have had if I'd watched the game as I normally would have.)
Teresa and Jenn joined us and we all headed down to Cabo Wabo for dinner. We were met by Matt and his girlfriend, but unfortunately we weren't able to reach Debbie, Krystal, and Renee before dinner so had to wait until show time to see them. We were waiting to be seated at Cabo Wabo long enough for me to catch another half inning of the game and see the Jonathan Sanchez meltdown and subsequent tough-guy posturing by both teams. Not long enough though for me to see how the inning turned out (from all reports, it was epic!) You see, our group was too large for the main restaurant area where the TVs were clearly visible, so we were seated in the larger group area where there were NO TVs. Argh. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one at the table who was interested in the game (though I suspect I was the most crazed about it) and by peeking through the glass wall I could at least see some of what was happening on one of the TVs. Couldn't tell the score, couldn't tell the inning, but got a sense of who was up and, since the whole casino was packed with Giants fans, could tell if anything critical happened by the response coming from the bars. It also helped that Chris's husband Charles went out once and a while and got updates and that Matt had his iPhone and could check updates. The game was tied at 2-2 when we arrived for dinner, and remained so throughout.
Showtime was 7:30, so we headed up to the showroom around 7. Everyone got separated a bit as some folks had to go grab their tickets or freshen up, and I found myself alone at the big projection screen TV outside the South Shore Room with enough time to watch the bottom of the 6th inning. Minor panic attack, but my Giants got through it, game still tied.
Inside the venue, the whole gang was seated in the first 6 rows on the same side of the stage, and it was like you would expect at any Journey show pre-2006. Hugs and laughs and picture taking and just a grand ole time. When we asked a fellow sitting near by to take the group picture he asked "What is this, a family reunion?" We said yes. I turned my mind off baseball (mostly) and focused on the gig.
Now, when the line up of the show was finally posted, I looked at it and thought "who?" Aside from Steve, the only guy on the bill whose name I recognized was Mark Slaughter, but the resumes of each member was impressive. Between the 7 or 8 guys they had played with almost everyone in rock and roll. I had no idea what the show was going to be like other than a bunch of guys covering classic songs -- should be fun, and I get to see Steve perform for the first time in 5 years (something that shocked me when I realized it.)
The band came out and everyone but Steve was on stage as they launched in to Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing." The Journey gang was up on their feet with applause while the other 250 or so people sat quietly. Yeah, looked like we were going to be the rowdy part of the crowd. As the band went into "Walk This Way," it was clear that each guy would be the featured singer covering songs from bands they had played with. Our little group was up and down singing and dancing along. As there were some vacant seats near the stage, people shifted around and just started having a grand ole time. We could see Steve sitting on a stool off to the right side of the stage waiting patiently for his turn to come out. Jenn, Teresa and Leslie, being in the front row could see the set list and gave those of us a few rows back a heads up when Steve was due out. Just before he was due out, Matt turned around and showed me his iPhone. Giants lead 3-2 in the 8th inning, Tim Lincecum on to pitch. Oh. My. God!
Steve came out about half way through the show and the Journey gang not already in the front row headed up to the stage screaming wildly. Matt showed me his phone again. Bottom of the 9th. One out. Giants still lead 3-2. AIEEEE! Steve and the guys launched in to "Separate Ways" and I started my series of concert calls to friends who couldn't make it. It was great to hear him sing again and our little group was joined by people further back in the crowd and we got the joint rocking. They followed up with "Lights" (good pick since Tahoe this time of year is filled with mostly folks from Nor Cal getting away for the weekend) and then finished his 3-song set with "Don't Stop Believin'." I made my way back to my seat in the 4th row and as "Sultans of Swing" began a guy in the front row and Matt both turned around and said "Giants win!" I responded by screaming wildly and completely out of context with what was happening on stage. Who cares -- joy and enthusiasm are great any time any where!
I did have to smile to myself at how fitting that DSB was the song I heard right before the Giants win. For those of you who haven't seen or heard, DSB has become a little of an anthem for the Giants. True, the White Sox used it first in 2005. True, the dreaded Dodgers play it in the 8th inning of every home game. But Journey is a San Francisco band and Steve Perry is a Giants fan and has led the crowd in DSB a few times in the last couple of weeks. Which has led to a GREAT DSB parody. It was great to hear it at such an appropriate moment.
The band rocked on, as did we, and more excellent covers were performed. These guys aren't big money rock stars, but they were rock solid musicians and did an amazing job covering everything. Steve came out again for the finale ("Any Way You Want It") which had everyone going nuts. A quick one song encore, and the show was over a little after 9. An early night to be sure. One of the guys (Mark Slaughter maybe?) said the band would be at Cabo Wabo after the show, so our little gang gathered together and headed back downstairs to the Cabo Wabo bar where we were periodically greeted with people randomly starting a "Let's Go GI-ANTS" chant. I made the appropriate hand clapping response every time.
We hung around the bar for a couple of hours and listened to the house band -- a fairly adequate group of guys and fine for what it was. One by one the "All Stars" made their way to the bar where they were greeted by a handful of folks (mostly our little group) for quick autographs and photos. The only fellow who didn't have a lead vocal during their show arrived just as the house band was starting a Tom Petty tune. He walked over to where we were sitting by a half wall behind the band, leaned over and said to the band "Lemme show you how it's done" and took on the first verse of the song. Steve took forever to arrive, but he finally did and most of our group got at least a quick hello. When the house band took a break, some of the "All Stars" took the stage and played a few songs. It was loud and goofy, but lots of fun.
When the house band came back, it was close to midnight, so we all headed back up to Darryl and Jenny's room for some more conversation. The party broke up around 2 and we made plans to meet for breakfast at 8:30 as Leslie and I had to hit the road by 10. Sunday morning came all too fast and it was nice to relive the night before heading for home. It was a wet ride and Leslie and I were pooped, but it was worth the trip. Steve Augeri and the Giants win the pennant all in one night. Yup, well worth it.
Set List:
Money for Nothing
Walk This Way
More Than a Feeling
Go Your Own Way
Amanda
Don't Tell Me You Love Me
Sister Christian
Separate Ways
Lights
Don't Stop Believin' (The Giants win the pennant!)
Sultans of Swing
Fly to the Angels
Tear It Up
Don't Stop
Sweet Emotion
Love in an Elevator
Any Way You Want It
Encore:
Smokin'
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