Satisfied in Sacramento!

>Another night of thrills and chills! Three times this evening I had full body goosebumps (and it wasn’t because of the temperature!!). You might think I would react less during my 4^th show this week, but when the opening beat of OIAL sounds and a 10-12 ft high platform holding Keith rises out of the rear stage, showing him, legs spread, and his guitar, in sharp silhouette against a bright white background, and then that silhouette slowly strides down the platform ramp towards us, I got hot and cold and weak in the knees all at once tonight. It is not until he bursts into the OIAL chorus that the lights suddenly come on to reveal Keith in full color. Whew!!

I’m sure the board members who had front row seats can provide the most detail and I’m anxious to read their reviews. I think the day off did Keith good – I thought he looked more rested around those baby blues. Wonder how he spent his leisure time…..

I’m also anxious to hear from those who had BSEs today. Don’t know if it had anything to do with the BSEs or not, but for some reason a bank of about 20 stadium seats were set up between the tour buses. Odd, huh? Made me wonder whether they could have done an outdoor BSE. Could the Arco Arena not have an appropriate little room? Or was someone else getting a little outdoors show?

Another revelation concerning concert tickets today. Since in San Diego I had talked to those 2 gals who got 5^th row tickets at the last minute, I checked with the box office in Sacramento several times today, hoping that I might luck into such a situation. The nice guy who helped me told me that such a thing might have occurred because they don’t know the exact number of chairs that will fit with the new stage until it is set up. It sometimes isn’t completed until 5:00 or 6:00 – at that time they might find that 18 seats fit rather than 16. Well, no floor seats ever became available today but I did luck into something almost as good. I stopped by the box office at 5:00, showed them my current ticket and told them I was willing to buy another ticket if it was a better seat. They found me a better seat and simply exchanged my old ticket for the new ticket!!! Who knew they would do such a thing!!! They put me in the third row of extended risers at the end of the arena (in front of the regular risers – the coveted immediately courtside seats in basketball season) which were about 10 ft. from the small stage!! So I got to experience yet another perspective on the show. Of course I couldn’t see the front stage as well, so often relied on the video screen, but I got a pretty close front view (instead of butt view) of the 3 songs that they did at the end of the catwalk plus a couple shorter visits Keith made down the walk at other times.

Although Keith and the guys put on a wonderful show as usual, I thought the timing and staging was a bit different, sometimes rushed or a little off and I might know why. I think they were recording video footage tonight. Immediately next to my section were 2 huge video cameras as well as some photographers with the really, really long lens cameras. Now others who have sat in the back can correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think these guys were at the other concerts. Perhaps that is why they changed some of the lighting and background (for instance not starting the Faster Car video background of fast cars until the song was half over). And the scheduling was tighter – I think the Wreckers may have sung one less song, so they finished at exactly 8:00 and Keith came on at 8:35 and sang until 10:40 or there abouts. Security was initially a little tighter too. I was ready to rush to the edge of the small stage as the audience has done in each previous show, but the ushers would not let me. (A little later people magically appeared around the stage so they must have given up). And apparently someone (from Keith’s team??) was going up in the nosebleed seats (yes there are really high seats at Arco) and bringing people down to fill in some of the empty lower seats. They brought down about 15 teenage girls to fill in the rest of the extended risers by me. That’s terrific for them, but I think it may be for the audience shots on the video. Anyone new to the show probably wouldn’t even notice these little things. No signs were read tonight.

The cell phone light game is one of my favorite points in the show. Again they looked incredible tonight and the cell phone light “Wave” went off very well, delighting Keith.

He says “ God – I really love that” as we finish the second wave around the arena, then followed with “What can I say – I’m twelve years old!” hee hee

He jokes “Here you paid all that money for tickets and YOU are the entertainment!”

A favorite catwalk moment - he comes down to the end of the catwalk (where I was seated) for the end of Better Life - the final high energy audience participation song of the night - and does that rocking guitar solo. And - just like in the Better Life video, down in that drainage canal in L.A. - finishes with a mighty kick to the microphone stand - sending in flying a good 10 feet. It disappears into the depths of the small stage. (Yes the small stage has depth. When you first arrive you may think you are looking at a solid circular stage at the end of the walk, but it is actually a tarp-covered circle. When it is time for the short set in that location, the small stage actually rises up from under that tarp, fully equipped with Chris's drums and stool, Keith's stool for MMOU, and microphones for all the guys.)Keith must have to aim that kick carefully not to send that mike stand into the adoring faces ofhis fans!