"Going Back to Massachusetts"

Daughter Jen went for a run before we began our trip east towards Massachusetts. She warned me that Interstate 90 is pretty boring. But we did stop in Albany and shared a sampler of craft beers at the Albany Pump Station http://www.evansale.com/ (my kids are all into craft beer so I have been trying to learn a little about them even though I am not much of a beer drinker). And then we paused in Worcester for an early supper at the Armsby Abbey http://armsbyabbey.com . It was a beautiful day so we sat out at one of their sidewalk tables and I had fun trying their "top chef"- like dishes.

Our seats at the Comcast were a little bit better than the night before. We were still in the upper tier of seats but in the center and not as far away from the stage. But we were in the center of a very long row of about 40 seats, so I knew I would be staying put this evening.

When Keith came out he raved about how perfect a night it was and joked that they should open the roof. When he greeted each section of the audience he got out his big spotlight to take a look at the lawn crowd. Now that spotlit view that they show us on the big screens is complete with "binocular-like" views. Tonight Keith then turned the spotlight on Danny and asked him how he was doing : )  He said it was far too long since they played Boston and then gave a birthday shout-out to Carol and told her Al loved her - Al's crazy about you. Keith then went into his best Boston accent when imitating Al's warning before the show "Don't forget that happy birthday now or I'll come kick your ass!" " I didn't forget Al, so don't kick my ass Al!" hee hee       Keith went on to talk about how some performers liked the audience to be polite, courteous, well-mannered, well-behaved. This is NOT one of those concerts." As soon as he said that a red bra flew up on stage. Keith scooped it up with the neck of his guitar and went on: "I personally implore you to be as uncouth and unruly as this bra." (cheers from the audience) "   "Gives a whole new meaning to Boston strong now. I was going to ask who threw this up, but you guys are going to figure that out pretty soon. Oh God" and shakes the bra off his guitar with a funny grimace.

 Since we were in the upper level center section the second stage was not too far behind us. I thought we might have a decent rear view from our seats when Keith went out there. But I forgot about the basic physics of such a venue. When everyone stands up,  the audience behind you almost totally blocks your view of things that are higher up in the arena, so I ended up watching on the big screen. 
I don't think I've mentioned before that lately Keith has been switching up Once in a Lifetime, singing
"A sister comes along and she's got your smile" or tonight it was "and she's got your face, your pretty face"

I'm enjoying Little Bit of Everything. I wasn't very close, but here's the great extended guitar play that follows that song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhYh8UX1Y0w

Maybe I'm crazy, but tonight to me it seemed like Keith changed the settings on his guitar for Without You. It seemed to have a fuller, almost steel guitar like sound. Maybe it was just my center position this time... Here is my video  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDwAL8lIRcE      but actually someone else's captured the beautiful guitar introduction with much better sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztib3CMT_F

After several complex 'echo rounds' with the audience Keith has brought back that exceptionally long, complicated, almost African sounding, impossible-to-echo excerpt and is tickled when the audience still tries to provide some echo.

When Keith returned to the stage for the encore he was wearing a bright orange Boston Strong shirt and yelled out " Boston Strong!". He then treated us to a verse of the old Bee Gees tune Massachusetts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DYnSrpncnw  before going into Tonight I Wanna Cry. He again suggested the audience light up their cells to give a firefly like lighting of the arena.

As he left stage he tossed out not only his wristbands, but also stripped off the orange shirt and tossed it out as well. Someone will truly be looking good in his shirt (well, at least as good as you can look in a giant orange shirt : )