Los Angeles-May 26th 2022

What a day the LA gig day was. My first in 4 days of not having a TON of driving and such to do but instead, I could be more chill and relaxed. I actually slept until almost 7am (which is good since it was almost 2:30 when I got to bed!) and was able to go visit with Laura and her family a bit before everyone went off to work and/or school. It was a lovely day so I sat outside on Laura’s porch to type up my Oakland blog and saw 2 hummingbirds come aruond her flower bushes. 😀

Once that was done, it was off to a new donut place that Laura had reccommended when I asked her about the name of the place I went to 4 years ago while visiting LOL. She originally couldn’t rmemeber the name but told me of this other place called Oliboli. Expensive but good as they make them right there. I’m more of a cake donut person vs. a raised so I bought 2 cake flavors to take home with be but also bought a “banoffee” which was the raised donut with fresh sliced bananas, caramel drizzle and whipped cream. YUM! 😀  I also hit 2 Build a Bear stores as one had exclusives. BUT, I actually already had the exclusives thanks to a CA friend picking up and mailing to me about 6 months ago LOL. I just thought it’d be fun to get them stuffed at the specific store and also check for anything new (sadly, nothing). Made it back to Laura’s in time to visit and that was when she told me the horrible news about Andy Fletcher dying. OMG! Talk about a SHOCK! WordPress here doesn’t have a crying or super sad emoji but imagine one here as it’s just horrible news and such a loss! 🙁 It definitely put a weird and sad feel to the rest of the night. I wasn’t going to dwell on it but it was also something I couldn’t just shake off. Makes you think how fragile life is for sure! 🙁

Well, we got ready and then headed out as we never know how traffic is going to be and we also were doing a shuttle bus vs paying the INSANE $75 parking fee! The ride on the shuttle to the venue was great because the driver had ALL OMD playing! And not just the typical Top 40 hits but TELEGRAPH came on. Well done Mr. Driver! 😀

Many friends were going to be at this gig, some down in the pit (Kim, Marilyn, Jennifer and Bert, Elizabeth) some in seats like us (John, Stewart and Kim…ALL of which we were lucky enough to see and get to chat a bit before the show so that was great! 😀 ). I was worried we were going to be nose bleed seats but honestly, they weren’t horrible. I mean not front LOL but when I went online to get tickets, despite going on RIGHT at the time of sale, pits never popped up so….Laura and I made peace with it and were determined to make the best of it all and have fun. As she called us, “the ambassadors of the B section”. 😀

ItVB had their drummer again but I have to say, the crowd reaction was definitely lack luster. 🙁 I told Laura I worried what it was going to be like for OMD. And we soon found out…. Lights went down and tho people cheered, no one got up. Just like for the San D. show, everyone remained seated (no pun intended…well OK maybe a little LOL 😉 ) for Stanlow. Then a somber moment. Mr. M. said “so listen, there’s something we just want to say. I’m sure all of you have heard the terrible news of the passing of Andy Fletcher.” As he said this, a picture of Fletch and the years of life came up on the jumbo trons (oh, forgot to mention they played some DM music between bands too in his honor). The crowd cheered and also “awww”‘d to seeing that. Mr. M. continued to say that Fletch was the nicest person and part of an amazing family and band and their friend. He said they were sending their love to his family, friends and the band and  “We are going to celebrate him like how Depeche Mode would celebrate…with MUSIC. Let’s dance and party like it’s the Rose Bowl in 1988” Lots of cheers as it was very sweet. <3  They launched into Isotype so Laura and I immediately jumped up to dance but tho the FIRST section also stood, hardly ANYONE in our section did. What?! Come ON people! But that didn’t stop us and I turned to Laura saying “maybe Messages as it’ll be more familiar”. YUP, once Messages started, more stood. But honestly, it took all of that song too before majority of people stood in our section. Fuddy duddies 😉

When Messages was over, a crewman came running over to Stuart and Mr. M. said “Stuart, did you break the drums again? Just stop HITTING them”. Mr. H. laughed and said “yeah don’t hit so hard”. Then Mr. M. asked ‘are we ready to start then?” The crewman nodded but Mr. H. hit his “no” on the keyboard LOL. Mr. M. was like “we’re not?” and Mr. H. hit the “no” again LOL. But they were so off they went and despite Laura usually not joining in on the “yes, Yes, YES” bit, she said she would tonight and I told her we were honoring Mark not being there (he’s on vacation in UK). 🙂 HoM, at least in OUR area, had some bopping but not many BOUNCING and Laura leaned over and said “Andy’s got his work cut out for him tonight if he’s going to get this crowd going.” Mind you, I DID wonder what it looked and sounded like for them as, since they are getting the sound coming DOWN TOWARDS them, did that make it sound better?

When it was time for Mr. H. to come on down front and center, Mr. M. said “next is the sex God of the synths”. Lots of smiles when Mr. H. was done as he seemed really pleased and happy with the cheers. Mr. M. made a comment that back in the 80s, “there was a station here called KRock”. Big cheer and he continued by saying “they were the only station who would play us in the beginning” and Mr. H. agreed by saying “yeah, they were GREAT”. Mr. M. said “if you listened to KRock back then, you should know these next songs from Architecture and Morality”. Of course everyone did and I heard a couple “ooo” and “ahhh”s when JoA and MoO in particular started. I kept thinking “one final time to see these 2 amazing back to back songs. 🙁 So I soaked it up! When it was over and the crowd stopped cheering (which at this point was a decent cheer but honestly not as loud as some I’d heard), Mr. M. joked and said “the only bad thing about playing here is that I can see myself dancing around in these Jumbo trons” Mr. H. laughed and said “Just don’t look” and Mr. M. said “I’ll just pretend it’s someone else”. LOL

Well, needless to say the 2 deep cuts were bitter sweet as Mr. M. said “these songs are even more poignant. The first being about Ian Curtis taking his own life and this second one…” and he went to explain about it but talking about DM again I’m sure was hard. 🙁 When both songs were over, Mr. M. said “that’s the end of the sad and cultural part of the show “. yes, sad for sure. 🙁

Don’t go got people moving tho dummy me, I TOTALLY forgot SiL was next. Like other ‘last show’s’ on a tour, I tend to get a few pictures early on, grab a video and then put things away so I can just relax, enjoy and soak it all in. Well, because of this chilling, I didn’t have my phone ready and SiL started without me recording it. It was the ONLY song I think I still needed (not counting the major bouncing songs LOL) but alas I missed it. 🙁 However, part way thru I decided the heck with it. There’s no other song I don’t have and need so some is better than nothing” and grabbed my phone to record the last half of it all. Ah well LOL. I heard a lot of singing along to Dreaming and luckily the crowd around Laura and I were picking up but I told her from at least where WE were, it was the dullest crowd thus far. She said “this crowd is spoiled. Remember, we get EVERYONE playing here so…”

The crowd must have sounded great to the band tho because they kept waving at us, looking out in awe (tho in that aspect, I’m sure seeing The Greek SOLD OUT and full of lots of standing people would make anyone smile LOL 😉 Just before SotSS, Mr. M. asked if we wanted to come with them to the UK and do the festivals. Mr. H. said “yes please, come along with us” and Mr. M. said “and bring the weather too” LOL. Tho it had actually turned cold because earlier Mr. M. joked saying it was too cold to stay still. When it was time for Enola Gay, there was actually no intro, they just went right into it and it was another bouncing moment for me. Which was actually GOOD because when I bounced, I could SEE better. Sadly, tho I was happy that people stood for the band’s sake, it meant I had 2 tall guys staggered and a tall girlfriend/wife to one of the guys blocking me. To the point that I couldn’t see anything except Paul unless Mr. M. moved out to the sides of the stage. 🙁 But bouncing…I could see them all LOL. So I didn’t do a FULL bounce but for a good portion of what would normally be me just bopping back and forth, I did a mini bounce so I could see better LOL. 😉

Once over, the guys came forward and did their thank yous, waves etc. before leaving the stage. More cheers and I told Laura NOW the crowd was warming up. I also noticed a lot of flashlights again from phones. And when they came back on stage, Mr. M. said “wow, look at that. Stuart take a picture” so Stuart did. My phone was back in my purse that was hooked just right so I’d not bounce on it so I didn’t grab my phone as I figured by the time I’d get the flashlight on, they’d have moved on LOL. And yup. Mr. M. said “so this is the last show of our tour and I need to give some thanks.” He proceeded to thank ItVB for opening up and doing such a great job. The crew, the 2 drivers and LOL he even said ” and not to forget Maggie the dog” to which I yelled out “yeah MAGGIE! Whooo” 😀 Needless to say IYL went down so well because, um, well Hollywood song is going to be loved by LA LOL. 😉 Laura was sure everyone would know Secret too and she was right. And then…Electricity. Mr. M. said “so tonight we have been partying like it was the Rose Bowl 1988. NOW…can you dance around like it’s 1976?” The crowd cheered and he said “the 70s were a horrible decade anyways so…you can dance around however you’d like, just dance” and so one LITERALLY final bounce of full blast before it was over and they were saying their goodbyes again. Lots of waves, hugs to each other and back patting, thank yous etc and the guys truly seemed thrilled and relieved to have made it thru the tour and happy with it all. 😀

Once they were off stage, since Laura and I only had until 11:30 to get to the shuttle bus (it was about 10:45 at that point), we quickly made our way down towards the pit. I asked a guard if we were able to go down and she said yes so I found the gang and Laura and I did lots of goodbye hugs with everyone. Elizabeth wanted a big group photo so Laura asked a guard to take it which he did and then it was time to truly leave. We got in line for the shuttle about 11:10 and once the line moved, it got moving plus we had no traffic issues so we got back to her house earlier than expected. I got to bed and managed to get 3.5 hours of sleep before my early rise to head to the airport.

So…highlight of the night. This is a tough one as the final gigs are always bitter sweet. It’s sad to think it’s over and I won’t see many of my friends for who knows how long. 🙁 Plus, since I’m still not comfortable going overseas, I KNOW it’s going to be longer than my usual space in time before I see any OMD shows again. 🙁 But it’s also always good to get home, especially since I have my 2 fur babies waiting for me and I’ve been missing the shelter doggies. Our seats were far from ideal but my company was great and we know how to roll with it so we still had a lot of fun. So…I guess I will say seeing as many friends as I did as some, like John, Stewart and his fiance Kim…weren’t at any of the other gigs. PLUS, it’s hard when you’re at a bigger venue like The Greek to actually FIND people so it was great luck we all did! I guess it was meant to be that we all got together, TRULY together for one final horrah.

And now I’m on the plane typing this out. I was SUPPOSED to have done the San Diego blog but my brain is SOOOO Mooshy that I could barely remember anything and I forgot to take screen shots of the email I had sent to myself with notes of things that happened so…it was LA blog since I could see the list I had made PLUS it was more fresh in my head. A HUUUUUGE thank you to OMD for taking the chance and coming over to play for us! Even before it was great as some bands just don’t come here but now with the extra stress and logistics of Covid, even LESS bands are making it over ( can’t blame them. I’d not want to get sick in another country) so it means even MORE that they came over! It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for me with such wonderful moments mixed in with anxiety but this last bit was the most relaxed in terms of things (once I got going that is LOL) so here’s to things getting better and better and the WORLD getting better and better so that we can all do this again soon.