Chicago show 1…….

We arrived at the venue around 7:15 with enough time to wander around and take in the atmosphere.

The girls on the floor,                      Col, Ron and the Doc                    Greg, Suzanne, Col and Marcia

   

Everyone at the show was spread all over the hall, some on the floor and some in various sections around the side. I was sitting with Suzanne, Greg, Col, Ron, Marcia, Doc and a couple of others about half way back on the first tier. i went down on the floor to find people and hang out and stood with Jens, Philippe and Thomas for a while.

Went back to my seat and i watched peoples faces who hadn’t seen the show as they were watching the “homeless guy” wander around the venue and have his picture taken with people who really think there's a homeless guy got it! The guys from the UK and its all part of the show! he even has a paper cup to put money in that people hand him as he goes up and down the aisles with security getting into the whole theatrical event and pretending to move him along and get him out of the venue.Only Roger could come up with something like this for pre show entertainment!!

A lot of the people at the first Chicago show had not been in Toronto so this was their first experience of seeing the show, at the dinner we all had the night before it was so difficult for all of us that had been in Toronto to not talk about the show and spoil it for the others. A lot of people had not looked at pictures, videos, audio recordings or read the message boards so to them it was just like an opening nights show!

It was fantastic to watch Greg’s (whom i was sat next to) face as the show opened,  the whole opening track is full of lights, smoke, pyros, sparks and fireworks, its  kind of 3 minute BRAIN overload that takes a while to sink in after the track (In The Flesh) and just leaves everyone on their feet wanting more.

There were a few technical problems during the show that someone who hasn't seen the show wouldn't really notice at all, The plane at the end of In The Flesh wasn't released on the wire that sends it crashing down into the wall. for some reason. There were a few projections on the wall when they shouldn't have been and a couple of real small audio glitches along the way.

After the show people were as we expected, totally speechless, apart from Wendy who wasn't blown away as i told her she would be, this wasn't so the second night and it was just a case of her seats for the first night weren't that great. I managed to meet up with my great friends Chris and Meagan as we bumped into them at the exit.They both had the VIP package and had not been able to go to the pre show bar  due to having the VIP meal before the gig and me being unable to find them on the floor during the show. I also managed to meet up with another friend, Will Taber. Will and i had e mailed and traded recordings for 10 years or so and it was great to finally meet in the flesh and put a face to the text on a screen!

Myself, Meagan and Chris                                 Meeting Will for the first time.

   

We tried to find the shuttle bus to take us back to the bar however all four sides of the venue looked the same (as did the streets surrounding streets) so after walking a mile all the way round and not being able to find the shuttle we got a cab back and meet up.

The place was buzzing with excitement when we got back, EVERYONE was now able to talk about the show and not worry about spoiling it for the others. I think i heard every superlative possible, Amazing, Fantastic, Superb, unreal!! i myself thought the only word to describe is was OUTSTNADING!! something I'm sure Chris would agree on:)

Chris W and Marco                     Chris “outstanding” Manger & Gina   Kami and I

 

The party was still in full swing at around 1am when i decided to do the sensible thing and head back to my hotel, before going back though i managed to pick up  a great form of transport that's not gonna cost me much at all to travel round to the shows in, plus I'll be pretty fit by the end of the 3 months!! i got back to the hotel around 1:15 and fell right to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow!, Kim and Joe got back to the room around 3:30am and the three of us proceeded to snore through the rest of the night/ morning!