| Welcome to the DECEMBER Tour!
On The Road With MaggieMay... Some mornings you wake up and all you can think of is that first cup of coffee - hot, rich and brown, with just a hint of Bailey's Irish Cream. I tried to go back to sleep, but the call was insistent.  I
watched the bedside clock, hesitant to rise too early and wake the girls.
Well, that and the fact that coffee wasn't available until 7am. Writing
was a joyless chore that had to be performed amid a myriad of delightful
distractions. What do you write when you've experienced another excellent
concert? I've been reduced to fashion editor for The Moody Blues.
Sigh I suppose that's better than the post of gossip columnist! LOL I tore myself away from the girls, the Bailey's and coffee, and the Florida sunshine and left them to enjoy watching the manatees cavort in the marina below our deck while I made my music on my own kind of keyboard. We had a long drive to Melbourne and felt it wise to fortify ourselves with afternoon tea - salmon sandwiches, scones with currents, cucumber triangles, roasted red peppers on toast. I've often said it's a difficult job, but someone has to do it! Blueglow passed on her skeleton costume, but I wore the Halloween tshirt that I had brought: an Alice Cooper tshirt. I didn't try his makeup, but I did wear my new pair of bright green alien contacts. They were a big hit with the concierge who freaked with delight. The trip to Melbourne wasn't too bad, but then again, it seems much shorter when you sleep through it in the back seat. THE VENUE This was SueC's and my third trip to the King center. It's a lovely facility and one of my favorites, and not just because they feed us in the Crowne Room before the concert. Some venues, it seems, you have to fight at every turn. They're a mellow lot in Melbourne. Parking is easy and there are few hoops to jump through. Another geriatric usher checked us off the List and we relaxed with deviled eggs and shrimp in the Crowne Room. Various other fans who have figured out the way to the front were snacking and visiting there too. I wonder if fans of other bands go to the same efforts that Moody fans do to get their "fix". The King center, like Barbara B. Mann is on a community college campus. It's an attractive building fronted with a large ornamental pond. I can't really describe the venue, I just haven't SEEN a lot of it! Do they have a lobby? Probably. I don't know! SueC and I go in the same side door every time, take the elevator to the club room then trot down directly to our seats. <shrug> The venue itself seats 2000. It has a balcony (no boxes), an orchestra section and a three row pit. (There's no word that fills me with more glee than the word "pit".) I don't recall any ornamentation. The stage was a comfortable 3 and a half feet high, and while the stage seemed on the wide side, it must not have been very deep, because the Jays mikes were much closer than they had been on the two previous nights.  Their
mikes were about 5 feet from the stage edge, and the view was great.
Even though my seat was at least 5 feet from the stage, I could easily
see feet, and didn't have to raise out of my seat to see JH tap his foot
during The Actor. (That's my favorite part.) Got to check for
socks these days, you know!
The speaker arrangement on either side included a small front fill angled toward the audience, a large box and a large three set placed on it. There were no flying speakers at Melbourne. Security was present, more or less (young guys in gray tshirts), but I had doubts about their ability to work crowd control. They seemed more interested in discussing various female members of the audience than in watching the audience. Photography was discouraged at the King and the tv screen in the Crowne room listed a number of no nos: No photography, no food or drink, no cell phones. I'm wary of standard venue bullshit, but SueC asked a guard (forcing his attention away from gossip with his cronies, no doubt) and he also said no photography. Imagine my surprise during AYSC when I saw a flash to my left on the second row and glanced back, distracted, to see a gal almost dead center, taking photos with a disposable camera. Flash, then tttttsch, tttttsch, tttttsch as she wound the film forward. I could hear EVERY turn. I might not have noticed it during Singer, but I more than noticed it during Norda's showcase. grrrrrrrrr I've been very happy with the sound at the three concerts of the Fall tour. Most of the sound I have gotten has been from the stage, but it's been lovely and clear with little to no distortion. The only time I've needed ear plugs has been AT the stage during Question and Seesaw when John's new Ampegs have blown my hair straight back. I understand HE is getting them mid-thigh, but *I* am getting them full blast in the face. I love hearing the bass line, especially for Question (brilliant bass part), but they're overwhelming this tour. SueC has enjoyed it, and has expressed a new appreciation for John's musical talent. I imagine it sounds very well in the 10th row. <shrug> It's the price you pay. THE FASHION REPORT JL - White long-slvd shirt with ruffle, leathers, boots, 2nd half - Black long-slvd shirt with ruffle JH - Black long-slvd shirt, plain, black jeans, shoes, 2nd half- White cattleman's shirt GE - Jimi Hendrix shirt, black slacks, 2nd half - hula shirt Norda - Black skirt with ruffle, sleeveless striped top, boots. (Again, just gorgeous!) Bernie - Black low cut shirt, black slacks Justin must have been wary after last night's transmitter fiasco. It proves once again that BAD things can happen when you take your pants off! THE CONCERT The Moodies wowed another near sell-out crowd with an EXCELLENT concert. The 2003 setlist was played in its entirety with a 20 minute intermission. Perhaps this can be attributed to the fact that they have this particular setlist down pat - they've performed it almost 60 times. The setlist hasn't changed, but I'd say the summer break has done them all good - there's an enthusiasm and freshness in the concerts. : ) A few concert notes... We were treated to a smooth start and a good job on LtSY. No problems on Gemini Dream - a nice solid performance. I was happy to be able to hear JH's guitar work on that funky piece. I don't usually hear Bernie's vocals on Tuesday Afternoon; she was really turned up in Melbourne. The Gibson sounded fine on Tuesday Afternoon, very smooth, no obvious flubs. 
It was a good sign! English Sunset had another knock 'em dead jam.
Justin went with simple tonight in his introduction to The Actor: "This
is The Actor". It was a very, VERY nice job on The Actor. It
kinda grabbed you at Melbourne. John was ready to go for Slide Zone!
He leaned forward a couple of times like he was revving up his Harley.
Vroom! Vroom! And would he look good ON a Harley! It's
something to think about. Hey, he's already got the leather.
GREAT job on Slide Zone. The excited Melbourne Halloween crowd was
up at the drum crescendo for IKYOTS. In fact...everyone was
UP for IKYOTS! ; )
A powerful second half followed with the crowd on its feet for Your Wildest Dreams. The lights were blinding on ILS. TOSOL has been outstanding in each concert this tour and tonight's performance of it was electric. Higher and Higher was again (as it is again and again) fantastic. GE added a little something to his "It's called Higher and Higher" by flamboyantly acting out a major toke. LOL!!! Justin put out a great H&H performance last night. I'd say he's back in the saddle again. Still no ring for anyone that cares. He had no guitar problems that *I* noticed last night. It was a fine performance throughout. John's speech before Question has not included the name of the hosting city. SueC noticed it's still written on a paper at his feet. Question and SeeSaw went well (though when you hear an errant note in Question you certainly notice it now). An excellent concert by The Moody Blues! It was Halloween and a surprising number of concert goers came in costume. One couple down the Norda end were dressed as Austin Powers and his movie gal (seen later trying to finagle their way backstage), there was a hippie, a fairy, policegirl, a clown and... A TEENAGER! LOLOLOLOL We're on our way to Boca Raton. Please, God, don't let it rain. And please...let the Moodies play something, ANYTHING from "December". I promise to be extra good if they do! MaggieMay Snow had fallen, Snow on snow, Snow on snow on snow... Photos courtesy of SueC |
| Boca Raton |
