Mohegan Magic Night #2
The second day in Uncasville was sunny and mild and I was dying to know what Keith and the guys might have planned for their leisure time. But since I didn’t, I planned to ‘see the sea’, meandering along the CT coast a bit.
Have you ever considered lobster ‘fast food’? I went to a really fun place in Noack, CT for lunch: Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough. I didn’t know what the name meant but knew I had to have fresh lobster while out east. Abbott’s is, as their website proclaims, “Hard to find, impossible to forget!” and they were right! I had to weave through the tiny side streets of this rural town, with each lane getting closer to sea level, until I finally found the Abbott’s parking lot. Although I arrived noonish - fairly early for “Sunday dinner” - the lot was already quite full. As I approached the colorful buildings I could see a long line of families on the ramps leading to the “Place your order” window. It turned out that what the “in the rough” means is that you order your lobster or other seafood at this window, pick it up at another, and then take your food to one of the many many picnic tables along the shore and out on the pier to eat!! The line moved quickly and in no time at all I had my tray with fresh clams on the half shell, lobster bisque and a gorgeous hot lobster sandwich - not the usual cold lobster salad roll, but a toasted hamburger bun piled high with large chunks of hot lobster that had been dipped in butter. Yum!! To indulge while sitting outside admiring the sun sparkling off the water, the brightly colored boats, the gentle, salty breeze was just a delight.
For whatever reason the Mohegan Sun Casino seemed more crowded on Sunday. When I arrived several of their lots already had their “Full” signs lit up and I had to go up to the highest level of the large Indian Summer parking ramp to find an empty parking spot. There were masses of people waiting to descend in the parking ramp elevator to enter casino. Dinner was more seafood (raw oysters and a spicy shrimp boil) at my favorite Mohegan restaurant, the Summer Shack.
My seat was just about in same spot as the previous evening (top row of the lower risers closest to the stage), but on the opposite side. I was pleased to see that I was on the aisle, so thought I could stretch out my legs a bit more. But it turned out the aisle was so busy that wasn’t hardly possible. After Jake’s set I moved up behind the rail above me to the area where 2 individuals in wheelchairs were seated, borrowing one of the folding chairs there so I could at least be more comfortable during the break. An usher must have noticed my knee was bothering me and asked if I wanted to sit there for the show. He got his manager who signed my ticket, approving my sitting in the ADA area. So I had a greatly more comfortable seat for this show, just a little higher up, in the area that Keith had said looked like the railing of a cruise ship the night before. (I was so tickled by my companions in the handicapped area - a tiny lady who looked to be over 85 who clapped along with Keith all night from her wheelchair and a young guy whose disability, perhaps cerebral palsy, made articulation difficult, but who managed to sing along with his favorites : )
Jake’s enthusiasm doesn’t lessen even when the audience in on the sedate side - he, like Keith, seems to put his all into his songs. He amused the audience with his interaction with one woman up front. I didn’t hear what she must have said to him, but his reply was “ I can’t make out with you right now - I’m in the middle of a show. Call me afterwards.” And then followed up with “You’re not drunk are you?” and went into his new song (one of my favorites) which includes the line “You only kiss me when you’re drunk.” : )
Once again Keith’s stage crew did some loud testing of instruments and microphones during the break - not sure why. This time I certainly couldn’t attribute it to not having enough soundcheck time since it was their second night here. The music during the break went a little crazy (almost like someone was spinning a radio dial) playing just a bit of a song then moving on to another. I knew this was not intended when, at one point, they played the first couple lines of Waylon’s song that would later be in the show.
Unlike last night Better Half was gone again this evening, but I didn't know the likely reason until later in the evening. Keith looked just gorgeous on the big screen during Only You Can Love Me This Way. Although his shirt this tour usually appears grayish, sometimes on the big screen it appears deep blue, bringing out his eyes. I didn't catch OYCLMTW but here is the big screen during Making Memories.
Tonight my new seat was on solid concrete floor, so I didn’t feel the movement of the risers like last evening. But I could feel Jerry’s bass guitar during some songs (when he came up on the right side stage) resonating through the arena floor and up my folding chair!
There was new rapid-fire strumming at the end of the Stupid Boy guitar solo tonight - a shorter version of what Keith does at the end of the Georgia Woods solo.
For whatever reason, they did not show the Without You video on the big screen this evening, but instead stuck to those beautiful close-ups of Keith = mmmm.
When Keith greeted us he called out “ Good evening Connecticutt! You guys are feeling good tonight - I can tell!” And then greeting each area of the arena, he gave the folks in the rear a big “Hello!!” and after getting a particularly strong response from the left risers, with lots of “Woo!’s”, Keith imitated them “ "Whoo! My kind of crowd over there! Whoo! I love you man!!” : ) He forewarned us “We might play a bit longer than normal tonight.” : ) “Slip in a song or two that we haven’t done in a while.” (Yay!!)
When Keith came out strumming in preparation for his little Silly Love Songs segement, he asked his crew to bring up the lights a bit. I thought perhaps he was going to say he wanted to see the audience, but - no - he said “I just discovered something on the stage which I am reluctant to pick up, but I’ll give it my best.” And proceeds to pick up a bra that someone had tossed up with the neck of his guitar. “Friendly crowd tonight Uncasville.” Keith says “I’m also pretty sure that I really don’t need one. But apparently someone out there is REAL comfortable right now.” That started a trend and by the end of the show no fewer than 6 undergarments had been tossed on stage.
Then off to the small stage - here is I'm In from the center of the adoring audience.
During Sweet Thing a little girl spontaenously (or with the urging of her parents?) jumped up on stage and started dancing to the song! Keith went along with it, sort of dancing with her with some major flippage, finished off the song and gave her a hug before leading her offstage. (I didn’t think anyone underage was even allowed into a casino venue!)
When it came time for the Kiss a Girl sing-off, an exciting new change!! Keith actually came up a bit into the risers on the right side of the stage to pick one of the contestants!! I was pleased that he did not just stick to the floor crowd - makes participating an exciting possibility for a larger segment of the audience. (double yay!!)
One gal completely lost the words after a couple lines (afterwards Keith told her she'd better never go on the Singing Bee, hee hee). Tonight Keith decided it was a tie between the other 2 contestants, so brought both of them up to the front mike for the final KAG chorus. Keith even backed off when the guy put his arm around the gal and they started sang a bit like a duet, without him, but then Keith wiggled his head up into that embrace to make it a trio again. He is having so much fun with this participatory segment and everybody seems to love it!
Keith went to the left risers for You Look Good in My Shirt.
And then, after You’ll Think of Me during the encore, RAINING ON SUNDAY!!! : ) : ) It almost seemed like it was a surprise to the band as well - they didn’t seem to know what what going on - they fussed with chords for a few seconds and Keith went back and said something to them, so maybe his earlier statements about playing an old song or two had been news to them earlier. I was SO happy to hear that song!!! But I was pissed that a good number of people had left before the encore and some continued to leave during the encore - so worried about getting out of the parking lot and home on a Sunday night. I hope this won’t discourage Keith from including special additions like ROS in the future!! Mohegan is not a typical crowd Keith - the Keith “family” would never leave. Who knows - we may have gotten even another extra song beyond ROS if it weren’t for those early leavers.
And, finally, after Better Life - you know the point where Keith holds up his fingers to indicate to Chris and the guys how many final guitar strums there will be? Well - tonight, a first in my experience, he held up 8 fingers and waved them at the guys a couple time, perhaps knowing that they might not believe their eyes - and finished a great night with 8 big strums! : )
He is so darned cute:
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