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Re: Roger Last Saturday At Konocti Harbor



<Kathy looks out from under the HUGE pile of backlogged e-mail and decides
that she's never going to find a shovel big enough>  Ah well, I'll answer
this one.....

At 04:22 PM 08/11/98 -0700, Beau McCrury wrote:

>I wanted to report a bit on Roger and The British Rock Symphony show this
>last Saturday up at Clear Lake (Konocti Harbor).

I enjoyed your report alot.

>Briefly the venue itself is very nice.  Konocti Harbor is along one shore of
>Clear Lake, a beautiful location and there is much to do for the entire
family.

The little I saw, I must agree.

>It has very nice indoor and outdoor accommodations for seeing all forms or
rock
>and roll entertainment, apparently this is what they mainly cater to.  As a
>musician friend of mine once said, 'this is where all the old rockers go
to end
>there careers'.  I don't know about that but there are what seems a lot of
older
>acts coming to the place.  Hazel, my girlfriend and I even took in there spa
>which was pricey but worth it.

I'm sorry that I didn't get to meet Hazel.

As hot as it was during the day I was *astounded* how cool it got evenings
and even before the sun went down there was a nice breeze off the lake.  I
must say that IMO it was the nicest outdoor venue I've been to.  Even
Chastain in Atlanta which has wonderful atmosphere was miserably hot and
there wes little if any breeze.  I am glad though that it didn't rain as
the audience is completely uncovered.

>Met a bunch of people from the lists for cocktails.  This is a very fun time
>since at least for me Who fans are far between.  FYI, the first time I
ever met
>a real die in the wool Who fan in the flesh was last November and I've
been at
>this fanaticism for over 20 years!  I guess I should get out more:)

<giggle> yup.  Sorry I missed the coctails.  I had forgotton where the
gathering was and knew that people I'd be looking for would be up front and
was depending on someone else for my ride to the ampitheatre so I hoped to
connect at the show, and what do you know I did. :)

Just out of curosity, what was the event that you met the "die in the wool
Who fan" at and is it somone we might know?

>The show itself used the outdoor amphitheater.  As reported earlier the first
>half of the show is without Roger and considering this I thought the BRS
did a
>very nice job on there own.

I am continually amazed at the trashing I have read, both on list(s) and in
reviews.  These kids (I can say that as I am old enough) worked their butts
off the entire tour and every show gave their all just like a certain Rock
and Roll icon does...guess they had a good role model.

>It truly was an absolute thrill to see Roger come
>out and do his thing in the second half.  As always he gives the audience
all he has.

At one show he commented...(don't ask me which one I couldn't remember w/o
reference to tapes) that even though he was doing a short show (and thus
had felt that he *could* do all those shows in a row) he was finding it as
strenious as the 2 1/2-3 hour Who show he had done the year before.

>Unfortunately, and this may be due to this being the last show in the
tour, I 
>found him not in good voice.  He had difficulty with the high notes and his
>voice seemed overall tired.  At one point he strapped his acoustic guitar 
>around his neck and proceeded in about a five minute monologue before
playing.  One point 
>that he touched on was to the effect that when your twenty five you sing that
>way because you can which becomes more difficult for him now at an older
age.  IMO
>all this being said I found Roger very entertaining and still a very capable
>singer.

His voice held up very well on the tour but by the end it was showing some
wear.  And the extra songs were *such* a thrill.  He really started to let
go and do things not on the set list at Tunica (Memphis suburb) where he
did I'm A Man and Born on the Bayou.

>After the show some of us listers found out where the after concert party
was. 

Actually this was more than the average after concert party-that happened
every night <G> (but Roger didn't attend those) this was the end of tour
party.  I also think that it was the party that the people paid $900 to be
at.  

>Eventually the ones who stayed long enough all got in. 

I was very glad to see that everyone *did* finally make it in.  Could you
enlighten me (privately if you like) how the rest of you did get in?  AS I
was otherwise distracted<G> I really didn't quite notice, did some of the
gang give up and leave and not get in?

>At a couple of points I was standing only about six feet from
>Roger and was able to make a couple of comments in his direction, but being
>that he was busy with the rest of the listers with autographs and answering
>other questions, my remarks were largely ignored.  (I was feeling a bit
beside
>myself at this point in my evening consequently I wasn't as perhaps
aggressive enough >for him to take notice of me or anything that I did or
might say.) 

Even if he didn't actively acknowledge your comments I'm sure that he took
note (presuming he could hear them<G>).  He is very aware of what goes on
around him or so I've found.

>I was served the best screwdriver I ever had in my life there (vodka and
orange >juice), 

I noticed that the girls from the orchestra had a bottle and were
soliciting orange juice from bartender.

>much of this drink being around since this is what Roger apparently drinks. 

Interesting, that I didn't know.  Though that night wen I saw him he was
drinking white wine.

>After being given my drink I maneuvered myself near him again at which point
>I said 'Thank you very much for the drink Roger'.  He said nothing to me
but he did
>glance up at me and in that moment of eye contact what I felt he conveyed
to me was
>'Why the hell did I buy YOU a drink' immediately following hise glance
seemed to say
>'what the hell, it's too late now.'  Oh well.

Don't put yourself down like that Beau.

>Actually once he saw me come in to the party I had to get help from a
couple of people
>in keeping him off of me.  I mean, these Who members just can't seem to
keep there >hands off there fans:)

<snicker> 

>After a while longer the fortunate few listers who were allowed in left
the party, >(actually we were told it was time for us to leave).

I *hated* having to deliver that message I hope you know that.

>A few of us walked back to the public bar and had a
>nightcap and basically just went WOW. 

I wish I could have joined you but I was at the mercy of the people that I
was sharing a car with <sigh>  You can feel that you didn't miss much as
Roger left almost immediately after.  Thing was, if you had walked slowly
he would have caught up with you since he didn't wait for his car and
walked back to his room.

> For many of us this was the most exhilarating Who experience to date.
Unfortunately >my own personal story is nothing but many were able to
>have very nice exchanges with Roger, having autographs signed and pictures
taken.

Now it must be said here that I didn't voluntarily go over there for a
picture.... though I must admit that Monica (the singer) didn't have to
tell me twice. <G>  I had had my picture taken with him earlier in the tour
and didn't want to impose but when she asked and I told her that, "No not
tonight, but earlier in the tour." and she insisted I do it again and
literally took my camera from me I wasn't going to complain.  

BTW, those that are interested, I have posted both of my photos with Roger
on my web site along with some of the tale how they came to be....and those
of other Who related encounters I've had.  I finally wrote up a narative,
one less "under construction" link on my page (I think I'm down to only 2
now<G>)

>Everyone, I do apologize for the length of this post but I had a real good
time and >I'm sure this opportunity that I had won't happen to me again for
a very long time if 
>at ever.

I'm sure it will.  And this post isn't overly long (and as I've made it a
bunch longer responding to your points<G> I certainly can't complain)

>Okay enough annoyance and harassment for one sitting.

pffft!

>Beau (I thought he would never end) McCrury

<snicker>

Kathy
If you like Roger Daltrey visit my homepage: http://woof.simplenet.com/Roger