Los Angeles-April 15th

Today started off bittersweet as, even though I had one finale OMD gig to see, Greg had to go home 🙁 (he had booked a return flight before we knew the LA gig was Monday, otherwise he would have stayed another day).  It was a great weekend so sad to see it all end but it had to so after an early rise and the joys of LA traffic (still in Palm Springs so took awhile to get to LAX LOL), it was goodbye and then off to downtown LA.

So I know this is going to sound strange since SLC was less than a week ago but  after spending the weekend at Coachella, I was really looking forward to a ‘regular’ OMD gig LOL.  Packages originally weren’t up for sale for this gig but got added last minute so Mark and I decided to upgrade to Gold so we could see a sound check and Kim upgraded to VIP.  It took quite awhile before we were let in but once we were, it was just as strangely deja vu-ish as SLC had been as this was another venue from March 2011(though now named Ford Theatre vs. The Music Box)…and a special one for things that had happened so I couldn’t help but get a bit nostalgic in the lobby. 😳

I’d forgotten how fun sound checks could be and since the packages were added later, it wasn’t completely sold out so we had plenty of room to watch, take videos and pics etc.  I was thrilled to hear some of the new material played…intro to Metroland and also the full song of Night Cafe….and an added wonderful surprise…Old Faithful! 😯 😀 When we had walked in, they were trying some stuff with Mr. M.s newer bass (I say newER as it’s still from the 1970s :wink:) but apparently were having trouble with it so out came the good ol’ gal!  Maybe I should explain a bit about her incase there’s any new readers to the blogs. Back in 2011 when OMD first came to the states, the first night saw Mr. M. using a burgendy/red bass (I call it ’69 due to the year it’s from :wink:) but it gave him some trouble. The next night, the same thing happened that he made comment that though his stage guy had wanted him to use that bass, it wasn’t working so he was going to use HIS bass…and out came Old Faithful…and she carried him through the night. After a couple of cases of that (honestly can’t remember what the other occurance was but you get the idea) I nicknamed her Old Faithful because, well, it just seemed that’s what she was. 😀 And during that tour, to me at least, she kind of became like another Winston…another member of the band.  (He had her for the next NA tour and SA too)  Silly I know..but it’s the truth.  That’s why it was sad to see her replaced on the gigs of this tour but when Mr. M. joked to me that here comes Old Faithful I couldn’t help but throw my arms up in the air and whoo happily. Great to see her again…and….living up to her name. 😆 😀

Well, after sound check, as before on the previous NA tours, Mark and I got right into the line so as to get in first and stake spots. We were having other good friends coming so we wanted to be able to save them space. Laura (Elevena) was going to be here which was going to complete the bouncing sandwiche (though as it turned out, Mark ended up behind me by the time OMD came out so…), Jamie was here too along with Kirsten, John, Spencer, Jenny and Pat (though we only saw them before and after the gig..they didn’t end up by us). But one other person came who I had NO idea was going to be here and I swear,  it was like those TV shows where they pull something on you, then let you in on  it all and you’re like :shock:. I’m standing in the packages line and I look out at the line of regular ticket holders and see a familiar face..Charlie (had met him at first LA gig in March and he became part of the bouncing sandwich the next night in San D. LOL). I went over to say ‘hi’, then thought John was in the line too so started to walk down a bit when I see someone. It took my brain a second to process it since I wasn’t expecting it but there was Duncan (BlackPaperCrown). 😯 OMG, I nearly fell over! I said “OMG, Shut UP!” a couple of times and happily hugged him as he laughed and said “Well, you can come to Glasgow for shows…I can come to America for shows”. Can’t argue with that! 😆  I asked when he had planned on telling me and he said “Tonight! I swore Laura to secrecy but someone had to get my ticket for me”. YAY! 😀

When it was time to let fans in, a number of us had to yell out to the guards as they actually started letting the regular ticket holders in before us packagers 😯 but it was quickly corrected and next thing we knew, we were being scanned, bag checked and then walking in.  Mark and I nabbed a spot stage right and spread for Laura and Duncan while Kim and Kirsten grabbed center and spread for Jamie and I think John (oops, forgot to say Tara from San D. was with us too…got to enjoy sound check together but she ended up more center also so didn’t see her again until after the gig).  I looked around to see if I noticed any major changes to the venue now that it was under new management/ownership but nothing struck me.

Diamond Rings went down well as always and a new song that had been debuted in SLC was done again (he may have played it in San Fran too, not sure). It’s funky 😆  The show was a sold out show so the floor was quite crowded when DR were over and I made my usual toilet break but I managed to get back up and ready to bounce! 😀

We had a slight tease when the lights were turned off completely but no music started, then the lights were turned back on….hahahaha…but then a couple minutes later, lights off and the show started for real.  Being a first time gig of this tour for Laura and a first time gig anytime in America for Duncan, I was excited for both of them! Lots of clapping right off for Metroland which is always fun to hear and when it was over and they launched into Messages, it was time to really bop around.  I noticed rather quickly that we had some other guys who were really early to move with us off to Laura’s right…yay! There was also quite a few fans screaming for Mr. M. every time he’d come over to our side/off to my left. It was like on cue…he walks over…screams…he walks away. He walks over again…screams. 😆

Dresden, being another new song, still had everyone dancing and since they have now dropped Radio Waves and replaced it with Tesla Girls, it was the first chance Mark had to do his “yes, yes, YES!” response back (and a great “no, no, NO!” from the crowd). When it was over, Mr. M. looked over to Mr. H. and said “ah, it’s going to be a good night…Paul’s already taken his jacket off!”. 😆  The call for ‘bad dancing’ was answered by quite a lot of the fans all around us and it was great to be able to do the little piano hand movements to the key part with Laura since she started it in the first place.  When it was over, hugs all around between Mark, Laura, Duncan and I. 😀

I’m not sure if Mr. H. had his daughter or any other family at this gig but he seemed extra happy and bouncy and when he came out and did FLaD, he nailed it.  IYL was it’s usual sing along and I heard Mark turn to Duncan and say “it’s funny how this song goes down so well here. If they did it back home…” and Duncan nodded.  That was when I realized that not only was he going to be experiencing his first American gig, but he was going to hear some songs he may not have  heard before.

Well, Souvenir was next and I forgot to mention…the stage was set up a bit different this time.  Everyone was still on their normal sides and spaces but Mr. H.#2 was up a lot higher and Mr. C. was up a bit too. Also, their platforms were pushed together so as not to really have much space.  During sound check, when Mr. H. asked if they could practice Souvenir, someone (not sure which band or crew member) said “where’s he going to stand?”.  Mr. M. then proceeded to go RIGHT up behind Mr. H. for a bit. 😆 He eventually went around and behind Mr. C. to walk up and stand on the high level of Mr. H.#2 and that’s also what he did for the show. Funny thing though…with Mr. H.#2 being set up so high, when Mr. M. would go back to get his water or wipe his face with a towel, he was reflected back on Mr. H.#2s drum….never seen that before but many of us have had ourselves reflected so I guess it was his turn this time. 😆

When it was time for JoA/MoO, hands were all up in the air and at the end, the cheering just kept going and going. I looked over at Duncan and he was cheering like the rest of us and seemed to be impressed with the crowd as was the band. Mr. H.#2 and Mr. C. had grins so wide and Mr. M. kept laughing while Mr. H. thanked us a few times….brilliant!  Mark leaned towards me and said “this is the best crowd,don’t you think?” I wasn’t sure at first but as the night went on, yeah, I’d agree.

Our System was next and I was kicking myself for not recording it since it’s one of Lauras favorites from the album (I think it’s one of all of us gang’s favs) but the lighting was cool as the rays illuminated Mr. M. I did however grab Kissing the Machine which found Laura getting a water bottle from Mr.M. and a little kiss blown to her during the “Kissing the Machine” line….awww. 😀

Enough rest after that so it was back to mindless dancing and when SMS came up, we had a nice strong congregation tonight! 😀  It was also another major bouncer LOL. Around the time of Locomotion, I looked around and up to the balcony….majority of the people were up!  The band seemed to really sense that everyone was having fun too…almost every time I’d look over, Mr. C. was smiling. 😀   When Enola Gay was finally upon us, everyone let loose and Mark grabbed my shoulders as he bounced so he basically lifted me higher….too funny! 😆  When the guys said goodnight, thank yous and waves, we watched them walk off, then we started the OMD…OMD…and many around us joined in…however, someone else started it further back and was a bit faster in pace and picked up more so we ended up scrapping ours and just joining in on theirs for one big communal chant. 😆  When the guys came back, Mr. M. said “ya know we didn’t play here in the states for about 20 years but it’s moments like this that remind us why we’re back.” Awww, YAY! 😀

When they were about to start WotMW, Mark started jokingly clearing his throat and getting it ready to ‘perform’ as he’s gotten the mic twice now but he got a break from this gig. 😉 However, the “hey hey” was great and Secret sounded wonderful…Old Faithful giving out a strong, throbbing (but not in a bad way) bass line. 😀 As Electricity began, I knew it was the last song I’d have with this  gang as I think we all knew so it was our final swan song and we bounced our heads off.  At the end, as we did last tour, we all pointed to Laura during the “Eeeeeeeee” ending (we’ve nicknamed her E on the forum so…well this is her song now 😆 :wink:) And then it was over.  Tons of smiles, sweat and OMG/whoo hoos came next and then it was the challenge to try and get the massive crowd of friends into one group photo…but Mark handed the camera to a guy that had been really enthusiastic (one of them on  Laura’s right) and he did a fine job! 😀

Laura wanted to get some merchandise and I think Mark hit the toilets as we all headed up the stairs.  I ended up running into two fans I’d met back in 2011, brothers Ceaser and Julius so it was nice to say “hi”…it’s really a small world when it comes to concerts. I recognized a lot of people  who had been to the other gigs in 2011. Great to see repeat attenders.

So, highlight of my night….has to be getting to enjoy the gig with Duncan (hahahaha, still can’t believe he came), Laura and Mark.  Not that it isn’t great to see all my OMD friends and that made the night too as some I was only going to see for this show 🙁 but I wasn’t next to them like I was the other three and we had a strong little group going. 😀  (Sound check was a close second though :lol:)

And now the first NA leg is over. Gosh, went fast though in some ways, Vancouver seems ages ago…time is funny like that.  I’ve got some sadness that I won’t be seeing some of my American friends again but tbh, none of us really knew if the band would even come back here again so not only was it wonderful that they DID, but it was great to see friends even if just for a night! 😀  There’s also excitement to do UK/European gigs and see that bunch of buddies so….as always, mixed emotions. But really glad there’s more gigs in my future, no matter where they are or whether I’m with friends or solo. 😀