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Easton
has all the charm that Schenectady is missing. SueC did a piss poor
job of printing our directions, perferring to moon over her upcoming vacation
in Cornwall and hoping that The Force will mystically guide us to the Moodies
next venue. She pointed out that we have not missed a single concert
because of her directions and also made a rude hand motion in MY direction.
(No one knows how I suffer!) It was very pleasant to drive up and down (and up and down) Easton's historic streets. There are lovely avenues lined with trees in bloom and one almost expects Colonials in knee breeches and long dresses with aprons and bonnets to appear at the doorways. I thought to myself that SURELY this very attractive and historic town has a bad section, and we found it: it was surrounding the venue! LOL How bad was it? Across the street from the venue was a business named "Pleasure and Pain". It was ostensibly a tattoo parlor. I wondered, since next door to it was another business named... Below the Waist. I'm hoping beyond hope that it sold lady's girdles! We lucked in to a fabulous parking place on the street across from the State Theatre in the seamy neighborhood and didn't know whether to be reassured or UNnerved by the sight of a rotund fellow wearing what looked like a school crossing guard's reflective vest. His said "block captain" and he was armed to the teeth with walkie-talkies. I considered slipping him a twenty to watch our car/luggage/laptop/cigarettes, but decided to leave it in God's Hands. The Venue: The State Theatre is as run down outside as its neighborhood and looks more suited to running adult films. However, the marquee had all its light bulbs, and said THE MOODY BLUES, and underneath hung a sign: SOLD OUT. (next to the American flag) The interior of the State Theatre is a great improvement over the outside. It had a wonderful heraldic theme with coats of arms, angels in military dress and two royal boxes whose doorways were decorated to appear like thrones. It took me a while to decide whether the two angels blessing the front of the stage were gal angels or guy angels. I was puzzled. However, SueC studied them with me and pointed out the muscular arms. It was the pectoral development which had thrown me off! The balcony had dragon designs on the front. Very cool interior. As most of the theatres post AC (Oakdale being the exception), the venue had a balcony and a large central lighting fixture, which in the case of the State Theatre appeared to be a restored, one of a kind, chandelier. The box office indicated that no tickets were available for the 6pm show, and a small number remained for the 9pm concert. I was only mildly surprised to discover pit seats had been set up. The word in the venue was that the promoter had personally kept the pit and had used some of the tickets for radio promotional contests, and had gifted the rest of the pit seats to disc jockeys and other music and radio business contacts. I had to know, and waylaid two front row ladies after the first concert and they were happy to share with me their "in": one of them had grown up in Easton and had called her childhood girlfriend who was coincidentally married to a local disc jockey. Those who continually call for new faces in the front row would have been thrilled, for the 6 o'clock performance saw a group of completely new faces. Those new faces didn't move, didn't clap, didn't stand until Question, when an irate group of traveling fans attacked them from behind with cattle prods. Well, we WANTED to! The Band seemed dazed and confused, and depressed as hell, and stared into the distance, seaching the crowd for The Lost Fans. The venue had a policy against any drinks being brought into the theatre. (I later saw that there was no policy against "drunks".) This was unfortunate, because it was very warm in the theatre. The venue allowed photos, but proscribed long lenses and flash. The setlist saw the omission of The Actor in the early show. The second show was the full setlist. Each concert was performed without an intermission. The Fashion Report: GE - Jimi Hendrix shirt, black slacks, Black shirt with pink and white design on the right chest second show RT - White long slvd collarless shirt, black slacks JL - White on white embroidered long slvd shirt, leathers, boots, Black, long slvd crepe shirt second show JH - White long slvd Oxford shirt, black slacks, PMS (policeman shoes), White long slvd, thin white shirt with breast pocket second show The Battle of the Buttons: JL maintains the lead in this area of competition, scoring three buttons for the second night in a row, in the second show with the black shirt. He's leaving Justin in the dust, and increasing his number of fervent fans by the hundreds! The Concert: The two concerts were lackluster. The Band seemed tired and "rushed", particularly in the first show. The Band was more enthusiastic in the second show, perhaps because the audience was more up for that one. The hall had a good sound, the balance was good. It seemed to me that the second concert was much louder than the first; ear plugs were a necessity. (comments on the second show, when all of us woke up) Drums were very heavy. Justin must have wanted the concert to move along, because he "tried" to end English Sunset a few measures early. Since John et al really wanted to finish it properly, JH went along with them. <snicker> There was a minor muff on lyrics for YWD. GE and GM omitted the drumstick toss, instead opting to toss them skyward. Gordon said today that GE has the tour cold and that HE didn't want to get it! Sue C INSISTS that I report that the Jays made it thru Gemini Dream perfectly without looking at their stage crib sheets. CONGRATULATIONS JAYS!!! WooHoo! It's proof Miracles Happen. An anonymous exotic traveling fan reports that disaster was nearly averted during YWD. When the drummers performed their auto drumtoss, Graeme missed his catch and the drumstick flew forward from the drumkit, barely missing BIG RED. The AETF said that it laid guiltily by the guitar and was subsequently discovered by Justin when he turned to change guitars. No one is to tell Justin what actually happened! Shhhhhhhh! GREAT TSIYE! No one grabbed at the lead singer's leg in Easton. No incidents of any kind. No teacup for us from The Great Raymondo in the first show, but we were blessed with it in the second. LOAM saw a new version of the flute solo (or a glaring error), where Paul ended his part early and Ray played alone. Since it was done as usual in the second, I'd say it was a goofup. Still no "crashing of the sea"! Question is just not what it USED to be. Sigh There are three concerts left (sob!) but I can tell the end of the tour is near because Justin needs a haircut! LOL!!! It's wildly amusing to watch his hair start short and get longer and longer as the tour winds down. It's long in the back now and flipping up. We'll start the hair watch all over again in Bristol. I can't wait!!! MaggieMay |
