Las Vegas, Nevada - September 20, 2008

Okay - sorry for the delay - wow - what a whirlwind tour we were on!!!!

and SO....... VEGAS!!!

This show was held in the Ampitheater of the architectural award-winning Clark County Government Center.  It's a beautiful facility, located just 2 minutes away from Downtown, where we were staying (not the strip which can be a NIGHTMARE of snarled traffic to navigate thru, but the ORIGINAL downtown casino area - Fremont Street, etc.)  Easy in, easy out.  We LOVE that.  The Ampitheater itself is made from gently terraced grass so that no one had to sit on a really steep slope.  You know, bring your own lawn chairs and/or blankets and prepare to have a good time.  This evening's performance was the last of this summer's free concert series.  How nice.

If you'd like to see it, here's a link for the Ampitheater - once you get there, click on the "About Us" and then, if you want, you can take a virtual tour:

http://www.accessclarkcounty.com/depts/ … index.aspx

We arrived early enough to plop down in the front row, but, after Redondo, and since we had politely left a path through which people could walk, we were a bit afraid that as the show began, people would end up wanting to stand in front of us.  Thankfully, that never happened.  Actually, I can't remember ever seeing a crowd that was more mellow, polite and happy with their circumstances.  I also noticed an absence of people shooting photos around the stage (except for me, once or twice), and the only people standing or dancing were on the sides or in the back.  Lots of room for everyone to relax and enjoy........ 

The weather, as I had anticipated, was EXTRAORDINARILY GLORIOUS.  Imagine the very BEST that a warm, but not at all hot, desert night has to offer......... and then throw in a gentle breeze.....  The wind had been HOWLING  when we had arrived at the hotel earlier - we were literally blown into and out of the hotel doors - I'm talking DANGEROUS wind........and so, I was delighted to find that there was NO wind, and hardly even a breeze to speak of at the venue itself.  Lucky us!!!!

How nice to sit in my favorite beach chair, and recline, and relax, and ENJOY my favorite band on such a magnificent evening.  And enjoy, we did.  WOW. 

Once again, we had the pleasure of meeting and sitting with such NICE people..... fans both old and new.....we met a mother (Shirley, also from Southern California), who has been a fan for a LONG time, and used to participate on the old Forum (I've encouraged her to come back into the fold), who was there with her daughter (Krisanne)....... and THEN we met....... a FORUM MEMBER....... yes....... I glanced in front of me, just before the show started, and there, chatting to someone nearby....... I thought I saw a familiar face......... could it be???  the one and ONLY????  I had to wait for him to stand up, turn around and face me....... and then, I said......... "Rocket???  Is that YOU???"  and he said, "Yes...... let me guess........ it's......... LIBBY!!!"  Yippppppeeeee!!!!  Finally!!!!  I can't believe we haven't met before this!!!  How exciting!!!!  What a nice man he is!!!!  Just a great guy!!!  HE was so HAPPY to be there!!!  He had just arrived with a couple of friends - all the way from San Diego......... actually, there were a LOT of people who had come a LONG way to see Joe.  NICE. 

I remain fascinated with the dramatic stage changes the guys endure each night.  How do Joe and Carmine re-establish everything every night........ the physical timing is completely different when you have to walk FAR to the front of the stage (and back) mid-song, as opposed to having it be RIGHT THERE.  This was a big stage - plenty of room to move.  The front edge of the stage was surrounded by shallow steps and then we all sat several feet back from those - so, as opposed to Redondo, where my camera was communing with Joe's guitar strings rather intimately, this time, even though we were in the front row, we were quite a distance from the band.  Just a different perspective, that's all.  It made for a more OVERALL experience...... I could see the WHOLE band better - take it ALL in more.  And Joe and Carmine, I have the feeling, ENJOY having a bit more breathing room...... walking room.......jumping room........... and room to ROCK - literally AND figuratively.

Also - it's been fun for me to watch Joe get up on top of different things occasionally this summer - Bogie's elevated area, etc....... but, on this night, during the first encore....... Joe got on top of the speaker in front of us and began.......One of These Days..........

I'd like to know who is dressing the band lately because, although they have always looked great, right now, they are sure looking MIGHTY FINE.  MIGHTY FINE, INDEED.  Lovely threads, for such lovely guys.  Very elegant without being stuffy.  Very, very handsome - each and every one of them.  (there you go ladies - that was for YOU.... )   

Here is the set list:

Spike Driver Blues  (interestingly - this is written on the set list as Ballad of John Henry -
                             maybe it will be called that on the album and we will all need to adjust.)
Bridge to Better Days
So Many Roads
India/ Mountain Time
Another Kind of Love
Sloe Gin
Highwater Everywhere
Your Funeral My Trial
Blues Deluxe
Woke Up Dreaming
Just Got Paid/Dazed and Confused

One of These Days
Asking Around for You

The sound, was perfect.  I mean it was just really, really, really great.  We loved it.  Joe, it turns out, was just coming down with/ fighting a bug...... but, of course, one would NEVER know that.  The consummate professional was on top of his game - as ALWAYS.  Night after night after night after night....... never less than 100%........ always giving his all.......... for all of US........ and the crowd LOVED IT......... LOVED IT..... LOVED IT......

I began to realize - in the middle of the show, that my fantastic run of Joe shows was nearing an end...... and I had to fight the emotion....... and remind myself of how VERY, VERY, VERY lucky I have been....... to have seen so many shows, to have been treated so kindly by Joe and EVERYONE around him.  EVERYONE.

We had one last show to attend ....... the next night........ in Flagstaff........ and then, it would be time to 'pass the torch' and allow some of the rest of you to take in the magnificence of this man, and this band, and this music.

  Libby