Kansas City-May 8th 2022

Well, Laura and I woke and had a nice relaxing breakfast at our hotel before getting on the road for the 6.5 hour drive to KS.  We hit some bad storms so it took a bit longer but luckily we had allowed some extra time so it was all good. 🙂 I did a quick run to a Build a Bear Store as I had a KS exclusive to get stuffed and then it was back to get Laura and down to the venue. Free street parking which was great! 😀 Christine was going to be at the gig again along with the “KC Gang” of Diane, Monica, Sunshine, Janine and Madison (along with Monica’s mom this time since it was Mother’s Day here in the states). But I was happily surprised to see my friend Kim (not same Kim who was at East Coast gigs LOL) there too. We had met at an Adam Ant show back in 2019 but it was in St. Louis Missouri so I was thinking she was from there vs. Kansas City MO. My bad LOL.

First venue that required proof of vaccination so they did that early and then let us into the venue, separating us into 2 lines so that us with Early Entry would get in first. We could hear ItVB sound checking and all the songs sounded fine so it seemed their amp problem from last night was fixed. 🙂  Once doors opened, KC Gang headed towards Mr. H.s side and it seemed like the venue was, er, lopsidded as they had a section blocked off so only 2/3-3/4 of the stage was open to us. Turns out that’s the “handicapped” section…cool! 😀 Laura and I ended up smack in the middle  then with Kim on my other side and a guy we just met called Brian next to her. All good. 🙂  While waiting or ItVB, Laura noticed we were in line well to get our pic in Stuarts drum reflection so we did…a bit distorted but WE know what we’re looking at LOL.

So in the MN  blog I mentioned about the ‘last song from ItVB” I had wanted to record. OK…so mind you, I had not looked them up before so when I  first heard them in Brooklyn, I liked 3 songs more than others and the final 2 had picked up a bit in pace with the last one being one I wanted to record. Tried to get it next night but got Peaches instead as THAT had been their last song played that night. 🙁 I had thought at that time “um…that’s not the one I wanted”. So for the next couple nights I tried to memorize which songs came when despite them mixing things up a bit and I still found 3 I wanted but in the back of my head kept thinking “I could have SWORN there was some other song I wanted to record”. Well Laura had done her research prior to the tour so she was looking at the set list and was like “ooo, they’re doing Neverminders at the end.” Since I have no idea the names of the songs AND I’m behind in uploading vids so hadn’t looked up titles to the 2 songs I got the past 2 nights, I was like “that’s nice”. Well…guess what Neverminders was…yup, the faster song I had heard VERY FIRST NIGHT 6 gigs ago but since I didn’t KNOW that, I didn’t record it. 🙁  Seriously, I’m having more trouble with this band LOL. I also mentioned it was Mothers Day so ItVB’s son came out and gave the mom a bouquet of flowers. She loved them. 🙂

When it was time for OMD to come on, the crowd got quite excited and once Stanlow was done, they showed OMD some love. Isotype went down well too and after more loud cheers Mr. M. said “we played to 2000 people in Chicago a couple nights ago but you’re louder.” (ok spoiler alert as I’m just going to post this here vs at the end. At TIMES they were louder but at other times they weren’t. Best way to explain…Chicago had a steady 9-9.5 cheer going vs. KS had a sometimes 10 cheer and sometimes more like 8. Smaller crowd which could be seen as more impressive but also tiny venue so sound is condensed. SO…I personally would definitely not say KS beat Chicago but I’d say they were as good as us. 😀 )  Anyhoo…they went into Messages which was fun and then when it was done, Mr. M. looked at Mr. H. and said “Paul, how are you and Martin doing not being up on the stands?” I then realized oh yeah, they’re on the ground LOL. Mr. H. said “it’s OK but I feel so low down and now you’re not looking up at me.” Mr. M. laughed and said “I still look up to you”. Awww 😀

Kim and Laura joined me for the “yes, Yes, YES” with Mr. H. which has become a really fun ritual LOL and then it was time for HoM. Mr. M. headed over to the KC Gang, said hello and that “you know we came here for you girls. And Monica brought her MOM” then pointing to her he said “you’re the only one here that doesn’t have to bounce to this next song.” LOL. 😀 Off went a lot of us bouncing around and there was a great cheer when it was done. Mr. M. joked at the KC Gang saying ” I saw a lot of fanning over there. Either it’s really hot in here or it’s menopause.”

The trio from A&M commensed next and all 3 songs got a ton of loud cheers. The band, like in Chicago, seemed really surprised and thrilled with the crowd reaction and cheers. This was the first time they had played their OWN show in KS (not sure if they came when touring with B-52s or Barenaked Ladies, I just know no OMD tour had hit KS yet) and everyone in the room was for sure grateful! 😀 When things settled down, since Mr. M. was tired and sweaty at the end of windmilling thru MoO, he went over to the KC Gang area and they fanned him off with their hand fans LOL.

The deep cuts were next and some guy to the back left of me kept yelling out various band member names. He had yelled out Paul during FLaD, Andy I think during Messages and when they all came down to the front for the more striped down songs, he yelled out all their names LOL. Once the other instruments were put away and Don’t Go was played, lots of singing along and Mr. M. told the crowd after “you also win for the loudest Don’t Go” OK, I will agree on that bit LOL. 😀  The bopping and singing continued and suddenly Mr. M. went and got one of his water bottles and gave it to someone but pointed to someone slightly further back. I wondered if maybe Monica’s mom but couldn’t see her very well (later Laura confirmed yes, it was to Monica’s mom. Sweet 😀 )

Lots of us in the front bowing for Mr. C. and Stuart during SotSS and that guy yelled out both their names again LOL. When it was time for Enola Gay, there was a lot of bouncing and when the guys came down to the front to say their thank yous, they had very pleased smiles and appreciative looks on their faces. Lots of thank yous, waves etc and Mr. M.  started bouncing up and down yelling “hey, hey, hey” to the beat of EG so us fans just joined in LOL. That quickly  changed to the OMD chant (but some were chanting OMD HEY, OMD HEY LOL) and continued until the guys came back.  A THIRD night of “2 shirt gig” LOL and then more teases about whether or not they would play “that song” of IYL that of course finds them playing it LOL. When the story of Secret being pulled off the radio for IYL came out, I heard someone yell “SECRET!” so yup, that went down well too LOL. And then it was time for the final bouncing session of Electricity. Fun but always bitter sweet as then it means the show is done for good. 🙁 But what a great night for the guys AND us fans! They were elated, we cheered and cheered and I am sure no one left there unsatisfied! 😀

So…highlight of the night. Hmm…kind of hard to think of a specific thing tonight.  Especially since it was the last of my 7 gig run and almost the last GA show where I’ll be up front. I guess I’ll say a couple things. 1 being getting to have Laura with me since it’d been 4 years since we got to bounce to an OMD show together and the night before we had been standing in different spots. And 2, the crowd was fun and enthusiastic plus it was nice to see Kim again. I guess that’s kind of 3 things LOL. Ah well… 😉

What a great 7 shows! Normally I’d be super sad to go home and have it be over for 2 weeks but as earlier mentioned, I’m still not fully comfortable being maskless at a gig so I was kind of glad to be getting home for a few days where I’d have no pressure if God Forbid I started showing some symptoms. Sad I know as that’s not at ALL how I was back on tour in 2019 but…times have changed and so have I unfortunately. 🙁  BUT, I also made it thru all 7 gigs without catching Covid in the middle so I’m SOOOO grateful for that! Fingers crossed I stay healthy all this week/weekend as then I’ll book my flight to CA for the 3 CA shows I have tickets for. 😀