LA and Bakersfield shows

[dontlookdown]

Hey Y'all -
I had to miss the LA show (due to work sched.) and almost went to Bakersfield except Ticketmaster stopped selling tickets at 6pm that night and I was afraid to do the 2 hour drive without a ticket on the floor.
(excellent seats were still available the morning of the show)
So.......

I never got to see any reviews of either of these shows - maybe because the Penguin was down?

Anyone have any news to share. I know the setlist is still the same (which I find ridiculous - aren't they getting bored?) but I'd like to hear a review.


Cheers.

[EnchantedSLN]

I'm lousy with reviews, but I do have some photos from both evenings. Sorry to all who've already seen them. Enjoy http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/enchanted_sln

[golden braid]

Tiffany, your photos came out really well. I got a few good ones but that was it . What kind of camera do you have and what film do you use?

[Les]

Thank you Tiffany! (Nice to have met you & Anita at Bakersfield!) Those are great pictures.

[EnchantedSLN]

Hey Les!

Thanks, it was really nice to meet you too. By the way, I didn't realize the madnessfades.net site was you! It's wonderful... kudos!

[Les]

Aw, thanks Tiffany! I've neglected it a bit this week, so I better add something good really soon!

I can give a "sort of" Bakersfield review. I had a few Lindsey moments at the Bakersfield show, so that has kind of overshadowed all other memories of it. Hehe.

I drove up from San Diego and got there way too early. I figured, leave early and try to avoid L.A. rush hour problems, or get stuck in traffic and pull my hair out worrying that I won't make it at the start. Since this was finally my chance to be in the front row, I figured I'd take the former option of getting there too early. Being in the front row is really an experience to enjoy. My friend David said that there are two rows at a concert, front row and then everything else. Not that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed every other concert I've seen on this tour, but I now totally get what he means!

I was way over on Lindsey's side at the front. My personal highlights...during the World Turning drum solo, Lindsey was sitting on the side of the stage, as he does, and I had him to myself for a moment. So I took a modest little "Thank You Lindsey" sign I had made out of my back pocket and unfolded it and timidly peaked at him through the speakers and lights and showed it to him. He took a moment to read it and gave me the gentlest smile and nod and blew me a kiss. Aww. Okay, so that memory has overshadowed all other memories I have of the show...please forgive me.

There were two cute girls behind me working really hard on Lindsey trying to get his towel during that drum solo. When he got up, he tossed it to me! Mwahaha! But, I didn't keep it. I gave it to the girls behind me who wanted it so badly. I just figured, really, what am I gonna do with Lindsey's towel? Take it home and...ummm?? It was just the acknowledgement and the gesture from him that thrilled me, not the towel itself. So I figured I'd share the love and give it to them. During Don't Stop, I got a long moment of eye contact. It is oddly intimidating, but it's so nice that he makes the effort to scan the audience continually, trying to provide moments like that for everyone in the area. So the longer he looked at me, the bigger my grin got until he laughed and looked away.

It seemed to me like the Bakersfield crowd was a pretty good one, in size and energy, at least from my vantage point. Let's see, the show...of course you know the setlist. From the last shows I'd seen, in July, I thought Lindsey had changed up his guitar solos on So Afraid and Come, and even a few little flourishes in Gold Dust Woman. Stevie is definitely working the Gold Dust ending with more flourish than at the previous shows I'd seen. It's fun to watch Mick watch Stevie as that song ends. During, I think it was, GYOW, Stevie came over to our side banging her tambourine. She spent a few minutes playing to Sharon and Jana too, which elicted big smiles from them. Then she and Taku did this whole tambourine jam together, which was cute.

Being that close, you see some of the subtler interaction between them on stage. For instance, there are a lot of glances and smiles and little jokes between Lindsey and Mick, and also between Stevie and John. Just after Gold Dust Woman ended, Stevie was heading toward the back of the stage and John said something to her. She threw her head back and broke into a great big belly laugh about something. Funny to see.

Lindsey's "interpretive" dancing as Stand Back begins is a sight to behold. That has definitely expanded since the last time I saw them. I recall exchanging a few glances with Anita and we just cracked up.

Before the show started I had seen a large string of people coming out from backstage - all ages, races, shapes and sizes. Among them was a couple of women carrying a couple of cute toddler-aged girls. One of the girls was brown-haired and one fair-haired and each had a little ponytail on the top of her head. I wondered at the time if they might be Mick's twins since they seemed the right age. Then, just before Mick introduced the band, he said he wanted to take a moment to do something he doesn't normally do at that point in the show. He stopped to thank a certain doctor and his staff, who he said were all at the show. He said something about how 11 months ago he'd brought his twins to this doctor's office and they'd been wonderful. So all those people I'd seen before the show must have been that doctor and his staff, and those most likely were Mick's girls.

Standing next to Anita and Tiffany was great company and Bakersfield was just a great time!

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by Les
There were two cute girls behind me working really hard on Lindsey trying to get his towel during that drum solo. When he got up, he tossed it to me! Mwahaha! But, I didn't keep it. I gave it to the girls behind me who wanted it so badly. I just figured, really, what am I gonna do with Lindsey's towel? Take it home and...ummm?? It was just the acknowledgement and the gesture from him that thrilled me, not the towel itself. So I figured I'd share the love and give it to them.

I don't understand that either, I mean, you get the towel, take it home, then.... LOL I'd rather get a KISS (!!!!) on the cheek and an autograph....and of course photos to prove it all!!

Glad you all enjoyed the concert and GREAT pics!!

[AliP]

Hi Les!
Good review. That's so cool you were in the front row. It's addicting, now you can never go back! I got two towels from Lindsey and I sewed them together and made them into a pillowcase that I sleep on every night! bwahahaha! No, really I didn't do that, I don't even know how to sew. I put them in some plastic baggies and stored them away safe and sound. LOL! Thanks for the review! Ali