Scenes From San Diego

News flash!! Missing catwalk is found and a good time was had by all!! San Diego was one venue that did not include a catwalk in the seating chart, but it was very much in evidence at the concert tonight. That convinces me that there will be one at every venue despite the seating charts – Keith talked about the set-up in several interviews and perhaps Ticketmaster just couldn’t figure out how to change the diagram for some locations. Tonight they did put a fence around the catwalk keeping everyone an arms length away and assuring that those with seats next to the catwalk were really next to the catwalk, so that many vary with venue.

Ipayone is a good concert venue – like the Mandalay the uppers are not very upper so there are no true nosebleed seats.

Same set list but the interactions between the guys changes each time and it looks like not all catwalk appearances will be completely predictable. Tonight Blacktop did not end on the catwalk like the previous nights – instead Keith moved between the two side extensions of the main stage, playing to the front sides of the arena. Other short trips down the walk (during WWWBM for example) had changed location too. Keith took time to talk about riding the cycles out to the ritzy Hotel Coronado in the morning and going to the Padres game in the afternoon and how it was perfect weather. The tour has a well-deserved day off tomorrow. The Wreckers mentioned that they would be enjoying it in San Diego at the zoo, but I don’t know if that means Keith and crew will stay as well. Do you think they all bus in a caravan or do the Wreckers do their own thing??

Well after tonight I would have to say that my own personal “what are the best seats?” consumer research, I would have to say my 6^th row, 2 seats from catwalk seat tonight takes the prize of the ones I have had (no big surprise huh?) I still aspire to move up thru those other rows 5,4,3,2, and 1, please, please, please. – row 1 one of the days, but 6 was pretty darn good. I could not even take pictures – I just had to keep my eyes on :”real Keith”. I was mesmerized. No need to look at the video screen until he moved to the small stage. I guess the perfect seat would be one that you could beam to whatever location necessary – front, back side, whatever! I also lucked out when he did his WWWBM guitar work right next to us on the catwalk.

One special aspect of tonight was helping someone lose their urban virginity. When I was picking up my will call ticketmaster auction tickets (which are only sold in pairs even though I didn’t need a pair) there was a woman there asking if there were last minute seats available (no). So she used my extra ticket. Well I then found out she did not really know much about Keith, had never seen him perform. But her friend had told her to go because she was having a rough time with a divorce and needed some cheering up. Well she fell for Keith hook, line, and sinker and left the concert saying something about how could any other man or artist compare to Keith. Another case of urbanitis, no doubt!

Here is something else that might give us some hope when ticket sales don’t go well for us. I chatted with all the folks around me before the show asking if they had bid in the auction like me, etc. Well the couple next to me got their tickets because they knew the Ipayone manager – no surprise there I guess. But the 2 gals in front of me in row 5 had an amazing story. They were from St. Louis and never planned to go to the San Diego concert, but a trip for another purpose brought them out. So they show up at the box office about 15 minutes before Keith goes on (they missed the Wreckers) – ask the box office if there are any tickets, and pay $59 for row 5 seats immediately next to the catwalk!!! We could only guess that will call tickets that were not picked up must be released at the last minute or something. So it can’t hurt to check for last minute tickets!

The number of cell phone lights glowing during the applause, yelling and screaming before encore has been growing amazingly each night. I don’t know if the word is getting out or what, but it is a more impressive sight each time.

Keith again orchestrated a cell phone light “Wave” but those Californians didn’t catch on as fast as the Nevadans (is that what they are called?). The first try was a pathetic failure and Keith concluded that the audience thought that they were supposed to wave bye-bye with their phone rather than “doing the Wave” hee-hee. The second attempt went much better.

Tonight YTOM was back in contention for the most moving song, but let’s face it -- Keith sings so many songs with such passion and conviction that there can be no single winner.

Back to the dark gray tee and dark jeans tonight. Longer teeshirt – shucks! But tonight, for some reason, it seemed his earrings were really swinging with the music, I had never noticed that before – made me wonder if they were new rings – but maybe I have been unobservant in the past.

I don’t think I’ve mentioned that Keith hadn’t hopped in circles the first two concerts! Instead he and the band had taken to leaping straight up and down at that moment like human pogo sticks. I kind of missed the circles although the jumping is kind of amusing. But tonight he both jumped AND circled, so maybe circles are back. A woman at the BSE did mention her fondness for the “circle dance” and asked if he would do it for us at the BSE. Keith said no, that was really a spontaneous expression in response to the music and he didn’t think he could do it just for show. But maybe that made him remember to circle tonight.

Once again the audience in San Diego made clear their resounding approval. I’ve been enjoying the arms-linked bow that Keith and the band do as the show finally closes. They look so good together.

BTW it turns out I stayed at the same hotel as the band (right across the street from the arena). But didn't realize it until too late when I noticed (from my 2nd floor room) Jerry loading his suitcase into a vehicle shortly before soundcheck time. I finally understood why there had been so many patrol cars hanging around the parking lot!