Detroit-March 14th, 2018
So…show #1 of Leg #2 LOL 🙂 I should probably put a disclaimer in here…This leg is going to be hectic as I’m working before Chicago and Milwaukee gigs and then driving up to MN with a friend so that’s that day. Staying up an extra day as said friend has never been to Mall of America so.. I’m going to try hard to somehow get Chicago up before I drive to MN but after that, no blogs until Tuesday night. 😉
Right…so Detroit. Unlike East Coast shows, all of the Midwest shows I’m driving to so I picked up a rental car that I’ll be keeping for a week and hopped on the expressway. Gotta say, I am always more in favor of driving NORTH vs. SOUTH so I don’t have to go thru Chicago (I live about 40 miles NW of the city) but…ah well. It wasn’t too bad. Had a few stops along the way (yes BaB related 😉 ) and arrived at the venue slightly later than planned to find a nice long line. Not surprising though. The last time OMD played Detroit was when they did their first NA tour in 20+ years back in 2011. It was in Pontiac at a place called The Crofoot. As we all know, Mr. H.#2 had a heart attack the night before the band was to return to Detroit back in 2013 so it was obvious by the turn out that the fans were thrilled to have the band back here finally! 🙂
Sadly, none of the friends I’d met that night in 2011 were able to make this show but a different friend I had meet a few months prior to OMD playing (and who was also with me when they DID play) was there. I wasn’t sure where I’d end up since there were easily 25 people in line before me plus however many packagers but…as it turned out, I got front row off to the side of Mr. H.! 😮 😀 Messaged my friend Mikel where I was and saved a spot for him. While waiting, I started talking to a nice couple standing to my right. Mary and Roger were both at the Pontiac show too and were to have been at the 2013 show. When Mikel arrived, he mentioned he had a photo pass and was hoping he could use it not only for GGOOLLDD (who he got it from) but OMD. (tho as it turned out, OMD was taking a night off from press so he wasn’t able to) He had seen GGOOLLDD a few times live so was familiar with them and liked them. I told Roger and Mary about the singer’s shoes and cape (btw, bought the shoes in silver. I saw they arrived when I got home today but no time to look at them but I WILL be wearing them to a gig at some point. 😉 😀 ) We got a new joke tonight too. And yes, I for sure like 2 of the songs now. Will need to record at least one of them LOL.
Being Detroit MICHIGAN, we got a special opening to the show…Precision and Decay was played due to the mention of Dearborn MI. ( I asked Mary how far it was from us and she said only about 5 miles). Nice personal touch there. 🙂 Then it was the normal start and into Ghost Star. Lots of cheers when Mr. M. turned around to sing and when it was over and more cheers followed, Mr. M. said “do you know how long we’ve been wanting to come back here? We didn’t mean it to be 5 YEARS!” More cheers to that and then Isotype started. Not too much bouncing to start and funny enough, when it was over and everyone was cheering Mr. M. said “You look frightened. There’s nothing to be scared of a bunch of old men playing synthesizers who are going to kick your butt.” 😀
Messages went down well but then before Tesla Girls, Mr. H. asked everyone to wait a second. “Technical problems”. All eyes were on him but it was only a few seconds before he could start the “No, No, NO’ and the song went down fine. When it was done, Mr. M. looked at Mr. H. and asked if there were going to be any other problems and joked that Mr. H. just stays back there drinking gin and tonics. Mr. H. laughed and said “if only” and then to us said “He doesn’t understand what I do back here.” Mr. M. laughed and said “I’m just the monkey dancing around out here, you’re the one cranking the wheel.” 😀 Love the banter between the guys. 😀
I saw more bouncing going on during HoM and then when Mr. H. came out to do FLaD, I heard a lot of singing along and once done, I think it was the biggest cheering I’ve heard from my stand point. Mr. H. had the biggest smile on his face and Mr. M. bowed down to him LOL. That crowd exitement continued for IYL. I don’t think the crowd was frightened anymore LOL. The whole band seemed really happy with the crowd response. Tho being on Mr. H.s side and thus pretty far from Mr. C., I gotta say, he seemed extra smiley today. 🙂
When JoA/MoO was finished, the crowd just erupted and the band stood for a bit soaking it up. Tho this was a smaller crowd than Boston, I think it was about as good taking into account size vs. sound. 🙂 But…everyone had been waiting 5 year so… 😉 I had told Mikel and Roger that there was going to be an older song they’d be really happy to see so when OAtTWM started, I looked over at Roger (Mikel had moved back a bit due to some fans pushing their way in 😕 🙁 ) and he was nodding his head like “YES!” Once done, Mr. M. said “this tour you’re all in luck. Paul sings 4 songs so he’s going to stay out front again.” Not having Mark to hide behind I just had to keep looking down and get thru it. 🙁
I’m trying to remember the name of their tech guy as Mr. M. introduced him to us but before Locomotion I believe, poor Mr. H. had some issues again so out came tech guy. After Mr. M. introduced him to us, he then said “he NORMALLY techs for New Order so…maybe that’s the problem. Did Bernard Sumner tell you to F*ck up our computers?” 😀 😀 Once he was done and it looked like they’d be starting again, Mr. M. joked and said “there is something about the rival between Liverpool and Manchester.” Mr. H. laughed and said “yeah, there IS.” Mr. M. shook his head, laughed and said “It’s going to be one of those nights.” It seemed to be but that was making it more fun really. 🙂
As it turned out, tech guy must have fixed the issue because the rest of the show went on uneventful of problems. 🙂 When it was time for Enola Gay, Mr. M. thanked everyone for being so wonderful and said it was their last song. It went fast as it so often does and then they were down in front doing their introductions and goodbyes to the crowd cheering. While waiting for them to return, 2 different rounds of OMD, OMD started..it was in the round LOL. 😀 But once we all got on the same page, it was probably the loudest OMD chant I’d heard thus far. 😀 When the guys came out again, everyone was smiles and waves to us. Mr. M. thanked us for being so wonderful and making the night a great one for them. He then said “see, there was nothing to be afraid of. We were wonderful, you were amazing…we’re great together and everyone is happy.” 😀 He must have been hot as he came out in just his T-shirt and during Secret, he came by the side of the stage by me and started waving his bass around to a bunch of very excited girls. 😀 Before Electricity, he said one more thank you and promised they WOULD be back. One final chance to bounce and then final goodbyes. Mr. H. also promised they’d return and told everyone to get home safe. Hugs to each other and waves to us, then it was done. What a great show! 😀
So…highlight of the night…I’m going to say the vibe from the band. They just seemed to be having so much fun and the banter was funny. 🙂 Next up…home town Chicago. 😀