August 14-15, 1999: No Place Like Home

Concord and Sacramento, CA
Concord Pavilion and Hornet Field

There's no place like home.... 

Took the day off to recover (rejoice, reflect) from back to back to back shows this weekend. Friday night a friend and I went to see REM, and I never thought I'd see the day when REM had more lights on stage than Journey. Making a mental note for future tours, don't schedule a non-Journey show the same week as a Journey show... it just pales in comparison.

So on to the true reason for this post... Journey was home in the Bay Area once again. What a marvelous weekend. For starters, I want to publicly thank fellow-Joureyfester Leslie and her husband Todd for hosting a mini-fest BBQ in her back yard! She took me on my word that the various and sundry Journey-ers that I've met over the past year or so would not trash her home and welcomed the seven or eight of us with open arms. And it was so nice to see that the RawkDawg was housebroken.

After our lovely BBQ, we made the quick drive over to the Concord Pavilion for the evening's festivities.  This was a hometown crowd for sure -- we were told it was a sell out shortly before the show started (woo hoo!) When Foreigner hit the stage maybe 5% of the crowd was on it's feet dancin' and singing along. A "yo-yo" crowd if I ever saw one up/down/up/down.  They sounded better than when I heard them in Chicago, and Lou looks to have lost a few pounds in the intervening two months.

Then our boys hit the stage and the whole place was on it's feet screamin' and cheering. This was actually one of the older crowds I've ever seen at a Journey show. Or at least where I was sitting -- I felt like a babe in the woods compared to most of the folks sitting around me! Anyway, everyone was having a grand ole time, and stayed on their feet most of the night (sitting only for the intro to and part of "Open Arms" -- don't ask me why.)

As with all shows, there was the good, the bad, and the ugly. In reverse order:

The ugly: The Nazi ushers who were checking tickets every ten feet, which made it difficult to go visit with friends in other sections. Relax people, we're here to have a good time not live in a police state!

The bad: Jon had guitar problems early on and they continued off and on through out the show.

The good: Just about everything else. I knew Neal would be playing "Amazing Grace" beforehand, but was still knocked out when I heard it -- it brought tears to my eyes. That new verse to "Don't Stop Believin'" is great. We all know Steve's been singing "in your city" during "Lights" at every show, but damn it's so much MORE when it's the Bay Area show... Deen was amazing, and showed no signs that he'd hurt himself just 2 weeks ago. The banner for the Ross Valory Fan Club that was unfurled in one of the 2nd tier seats. Steve rubbing Neal's head as he walked by. Ross and his lighter for "Faithfully."

Sacramento was the next night and, I will have to admit, the Sac crowd for the SECOND time in a row was an even better crowd than the SF (area -- Concord's about 40 miles out) show. I like to think that's because all the folks who were born and raised in the SF Bay Area have moved to the less expensive Sacramento area. (That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.)

Sac was as enjoyable as Concord, with much the same good, bad and ugly as above. This time Jon had a problem with one of his keyboards and spent half the night fiddling with it when Neal was doing solos. The organizers of this event should be shot for poor planning for parking and gate entry. And more Nazi ushers... sheesh...

One of the highlights of both nights was Steve's intro to "Faithfully." He made a comment about how there are obstacles and changes of direction in every journey and that change isn't always easy and thanked the fans for welcoming him. That was classy, and I applaud him for that.

Over the last year or so, I've met so many nice folks from our virtual world.  From the gaggle of people I met at the convention last summer, to the various concerts, to e-pals from all around. And seeing that all those die hard fans were in the first 10 rows in Sacramento last night, well that was just awesome!

Now, just a few more shows before the guys get in the studio and get out that new CD!

June 4, 1999: More Tales from the 'Fest

Tinley Park, IL

New World Music Theater 

Prior to the start of the 1999 tour, a couple of folks from the Journey Digest organized "Journeyfest" which took place at the opening show of the tour in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park.  This is my post to the Digest about the weekend's events, which included a show by Kevin Chalfant, lead singer of The Storm. 

I can't believe it's over and I'm back home.

I know everyone's heard what a GREAT time we all had this past weekend... it was so sad to see it end.

Dan and Moni -- thanks once again for getting us all together. You put a lot of work into making a really terrific weekend for a whole slew of folks.

Jas -- yep, everyone signed your shirt... I helped Moni check folks in and that was part of my instructions to everyone as they walked on thru... "sign the t-shirts...one for Moni, one for the band, and one for Jas!" Wish you could have been there with us!

Carol -- I'm with ya girl! I can't think of a better bunch of ladies to ride to a biker bar with than the seven of us piled into Mary's van. Only next time, Mary doesn't have to drive, and I don't have to navigate!  (THE 294 to THE 290 to THE 90....see I can learn!) LOL!

Mary Ann -- next time I'm having YOU book my hotel room!

For the curious, no cans of whoop ass were opened, and -- hate to disappoint the Mikes, but no mud wrestling either! (Though I will admit I about fell over laughing when I passed a woman standing in line for food who was wearing a t-shirt with, I kid you not, a CAN OF WHOOP ASS on the back! I swear if I didn't think the woman would have thought I was totally insane, I would have snapped a picture!)

The show was amazing... and in the words of the other new song... we were "having a good time... such a good time" (catchy and very appropriate for the weekend!) Rocked from beginning to end, with people on their feet for nearly the whole show (why anyone sat down during the new songs is beyond me, but they did...)

I only have one complaint. I didn't realize that the word "Journeyfest" on the back of my t-shirt translated to "I'm a world renown expert on Journey, please ask me as many stupid questions as possible." I had SIX people ask me what happened to Steve Perry. Including a fellow who decided "Open Arms" was the appropriate time to pepper me with twenty questions about the last three years in Journey-land. (Where'd they find this guy? Was Tall Stories a cover band? What happened to Steve Smith? Who's on drums?) Fortunately, at the end of the show, all six of these unenlightened folks were converted, and the word "awesome" was uttered more than once. So a suggestion to you Dan, for any further t-shirts you sell, include a little note that reads "wearers of this shirt must be able to explain the current state of Journey in a hundred words or less and be able to refrain from thumping morons on the head."

To all the folks I met -- it was amazing to get to put some faces with the names. Wish I could have spent more time with some of you, and really wish I could have said good bye to the rest of you when it was all over. (And Pam, you're not nuts -- Convention 2000! the more the merrier!)* Journey fans are a GREAT bunch of people!

Set list:

Separate Ways
Stone in Love
Ask the Lonely
Having a Good Time (New)
Send Her My Love
Lights
Open Arms
Just the Same Way
Anytime
World Gone Wild (New)
Escape
Wheel in the Sky
Be Good to Yourself
Any Way You Want It
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

Encore #1: 

Don't Stop Believin'
Faithfully

Encore #2:

Only the Young
Chain Reaction

*2014 addendum: Pam you were nuts. After organizing all those JPPs, I was certifiable!

December 30-31, 1998: How I Spent My New Year's Eve

Sacramento, CA and Reno, NV
Memorial Auditorium and Reno Hilton

Steve Augeri and me after the San Francisco show Dec 29.

Okay folks, I'm sure you're all just dying to know how my New Year's Eve went. Well, you're gonna have to wait a minute, because I have TWO DAYS worth of stuff to tell ya! LOL!

December 30 -- this was the Sacramento show. I left home at 3:00 which would have given me plenty of time to get to Sacramento to meet up with Debbie S. and others for dinner at 6:00. Well, I forgot to grab the directions, so had to turn around and go back to my apartment (thank goodness I was only a few blocks away when I realized this.) Then I had to go drop off my rent check and get gas. Next thing I know I'm running about 20 minutes later than I had planned. So naturally, this is when I get stuck in traffic and it takes me an hour and a half to get TO the Bay Bridge (about a 15 mile drive). By the time I'm across the bridge it's 5:45 -- when I was supposed to be in Sacramento! I finally arrived in Sac at 7:00 -- highly stressed from the traffic and trying to read my map in the dark. Got to the Hard Rock and met up with Debbie and Katherine and the others. Had a glass of wine to settle my nerves and gobbled some Buffalo wings for dinner (I've been eating miserably lately!)

We head over to the show where we've got about 12th row seats over on the far aisle (Neal's side, again.) When we walk in we see signs that say the show is being filmed! Okay, so my mission in life now is to get a copy of that film. If the show wasn't sold out, it was pretty darn close. Loud raucous crowd. Another amazing show.

I spent the night at Debbie's and the next day we trek on up to Reno. After Debbie drops me off at my hotel, I catch a quick nap while listening to one of the local radio stations doing a "Best Albums Ever" countdown. Escape came up around number 20, naturally, this was just as I was leaving my room because Debbie's husband was picking me up.

When I got to the Hilton, I immediately ran into Kevin, which was quite fortunate since we'd forgotten to make plans to meet up and I had his ticket! (D'oh!) We grabbed some dinner (the first actual meal I'd had in days) and started to the pavilion around 9:15 or so.

We met up with Debbie and her kids and went inside about 9:45. Third row, seat 3. Oh yeah. Saved the best for last. Awesome seats. We wound up sitting right behind the couple from San Jose that I had met in Grand Rapids! Perfect -- they'd be standing so I could too! Plus I could tell them to move right or left if I was trying to take a picture!

The show started around 10:15 and was just awesome. At one point I look over at Debbie, who is sitting a row in front of me and a few seats over, and her daughter has a VIP badge on! Cool for her!

Towards the end of the show, the aisle started getting crowded with people coming up to the stage (security had been clearing the aisles pretty well up to that point) which made my view a bit more obscured. So naturally I went into the aisle and finally wound up standing on a chair for the last 20 minutes of the show. (I never do stuff like that!) They finished the main set about 11:55 and instead of going off-stage as they normally do, they stayed on stage and asked what time it was. After they determined that there were 5 more minutes until midnight, they launched into "Can't Tame the Lion," which I hadn't heard since Detroit/Grand Rapids! When that ended, the various wives/girlfriends/kids came on stage with glasses of champagne. We did the countdown thang, balloons dropped, confetti spilled. They played "Auld Lang Syne" and everyone sang along. They finished up with "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully" -- bringing some of the road crew up on stage at the end for a round of applause for them too.

After the show Debbie managed to sweet talk the security guy
to let all of us backstage with her and her daughter (who had the VIP pass).
I got my picture with Jonathan finally.

We hung around the casino for a while later and kept seeing various folks around -- Neal's step-dad Les came by a few times. Saw Neal talking with his mom and Les a little later and as we were leaving, saw Jonathan carrying his daughter over his shoulder to the elevator to (presumably) put her to bed. (There is a part of me that finds it very scary that I actually know what the family members of my favorite band look like!)

It's been an incredible few days. Well worth this flu I've gotten! LOL! (Heck, I'm actually feeling a WHOLE lot better right now!)

Set Lists:

SACRAMENTO:

Separate Ways
Girl Can't Help It
Lights
Of a Lifetime/Jon solo
Who's Crying Now
I'll Be Alright Without You
Open Arms
Love Theme from Spartacus
Fillmore Boogie
Just the Same Way
Anytime
Escape
Wheel in the Sky
Be Good to Yourself
Any Way You Want It
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'

Encore:

Don't Stop Believin'
Faithfully
Ask the Lonely

RENO:

Separate Ways
Only the Young
Stone In Love
Remember Me
Girl Can't Help It
Lights
Of a Lifetime/Jon solo
Who's Crying Now
I'll Be Alright Without You
Open Arms
Love Theme from Spartacus
Filmore Boogie
Just the Same Way
Anytime
Escape
Wheel in the Sky
Be Good to Yourself
Any Way You Want It
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
Can't Tame the Lion
Auld Lang Syne

Don't Stop Believin'
Faithfully

Viewing 1998 from 2014

January 22, 2014

As I've been pulling out these old tales of my early Journey adventures from back in 1998, I've had a big smile on my face remembering those times. All of those events are burned on my memory so clearly that even now, nearly 16 years after they occurred, I can remember the look, feel, and emotion of it all. 1998 was a huge year for me and kicked off a decade of amazing times and the start of many dear friendships.  

In 1998, I had no idea that it was just the beginning of what would become a massive roller coaster ride and an adventure of a life time. I probably wouldn't have believed it if anyone had told me about what was to come. Friends and family who knew me prior to these events can attest -- jumping on a plane to travel 2,000 miles to attend a concert by myself and then later driving up and down California to take in 6 shows in two weeks was a radical departure from my usual self. Heck, I barely mentioned any of these events to my co-workers at the time because they were so out of the ordinary for me and even I thought I was a little nuts. Things changed dramatically for me after that year. (I still think I was a little nuts and I know my old friends and family think I was a lot nuts!)

Still, with all the things that happened after 1998, I have consistently said that one show of Jon's at his church in Petaluma would have been enough. Since that night in March, I've seen Journey nearly 70 times in places all over the US (plus Canada and the Carribean Ocean), met all the significant members of the band save two (Steve Perry and Arnel Pineda), organized five fan conventions, and met hundreds of fans from around the world. Even with all of that, the feeling I carried around with me for days after that show in Petaluma was amazing and would have been enough. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade all the adventures I had over those 10 years for anything in the world, but that night will live forever in my memory as nothing short of magical.