After spending a few days at home after the Vegas show, we ran to San Diego and met up with classmates of Steve's and BIG blues fans Terry and Silvia....... it was their Joe initiation....... yay.....more converts!!!! As if that wasn't fun enough, with a turn of luck, RICjunkie, aka Tom, was in Southern California for work, and was able to join us for this show AND for dinner too, so that we could really visit beforehand (his friend joined us too). It was GREAT to see you Tom. (He's a really SUPER nice guy if you people haven't figured that out yet).
Spreckels Theater is great...... set in downtown San Diego....... a lovely, historic piece of architecture just fancy enough without being over the top..... and yet, comfortable and almost cozy. We had terrific seats. Front row.... left orchestra.
The charming and talented Marianne Keith opened for Joe with a short acoustic set. This was the second time we've seen her start things off...... the first time was at The Coach House.
Here's a good one. I was walking thru the lobby, before the show began, when a man approached me and said, "Are you Libby??". Hmmmmm........ I'd never seen him before in my life....... and, as most of you know......not a lot of people know what I look like, so........ who could this be?? LOL. "Yes, I'm Libby", I admitted. "Libby, I'm Mark."......... It took me a second to figure out what he meant........
Mark joined the Forum many months ago, and yet, I think he never got around to posting once. He was in the middle of his waiting period when he contacted me somehow.....LOL...... I can't remember exactly how it happened..... He was at the Redondo show, and I was in Vegas when he wrote two days later after reading my review, I think (the first timely one I've ever written - LOL). Anyway, we bonded immediately, and chatted off and on for months.......and then he vanished. Turns out his computer had broken. Meanwhile, he had seen me in Redondo, shooting video AND stills at the same time (as I often do)...... so HE knew what I looked like and I had not a clue what HE looked like......so, he was anticipating seeing me in San Diego, and there ya go. Very funny and WONDERFUL to meet him..... I thought he'd fallen off of the face of the planet, so..... it's really nice to be back in touch with yet another GREAT person I've met because of Joe.
Here's the set list:
Ballad of John Henry
Last Kiss
So Many Roads
India/Mountain Time
Another Kind of Love
Sloe Gin
Great Flood
Lonesome Road Blues
Happier Times
Your Funeral My Trial
Blues Deluxe
Woke Up Dreaming
Just Got Paid
Encore
Ball Peen Hammer
Story of a Quarry Man
Asking Around For You
So incredible to be so close and see and hear ALL of the nuances of the entire band....... this run of shows was fantastic acoustically, from my seats, and thru my ears, at least. Joe's vocals were the clearest I've ever heard, as were Rick's vocals and keys, and Carmine's bass too. I've NEVER been able to hear so MUCH detail as during these three shows.
Once again, Joe played that incredible new intro to 'Woke Up Dreaming' and after the show, when Steve asked him about it, he replied, "oh...... that's just my feeble attempt at Flamenco". Uh huh. As if Joe is capable of doing anything feebly. Silly Joe.
GREAT to see Rocket at this show. It's just not right that we don't see you more often Rocket. We also ran into Ann at this show. She's a relatively new Forum member who's not quite comfortable posting yet. A HUGE Joe fan. We met her at Doheny first, then Redondo...... she came to Cerritos too. It's nice to see familiar faces at these shows and get to know all sorts of people.
So, Mr. "Mike14", there were 4 people sitting in the front row next to "your" box. I was the furthest from you..... next to the aisle....... wielding a couple of cameras....... and...... just after Joe shook your hand at the end of the show, he shook Steve's. We probably chatted with you after the show too....... Welcome to the Forum. I think it's just terrific that you went to such great lengths to see Joe. FANtastic.
And, PaulN, I would LOVE to hear that show. Drop me an email if you're so inclined. Thanks much in advance.
Welcome JenningsMusic, and WyattA, and Earl Weaver too. Glad you ALL loved the show so much. Wow, so many new Forum members, how cool is that. We were out by the bus too Earl, so, you probably saw us. I remember you.
Once again, a HUGE thank you to Joe, Bogie, Carmine and Rick......to Rachel and Warren.....to Dave and Aaron.........and Clancy too........ for EVERYTHING.
One show to go........... it's off to Cerritos next................
(sheeeeeesh....... I'm outta shape...... been awhile since I've posted this much - pant, pant......)
Libby
I know that Joe could play one of those kid's guitars with the plastic strings and make it sound good-
Bill S.