Fantastic show in Toronto

skcin · #1 04-06-2007, 11:26 AM

I'll get my minor disappointments out of the way first:

1) No cameras allowed - but the initial disappointment soon turned into relief. I didn't feel too badly, since I had gotten a good amount of video for the Cleveland show last fall, and let's face it - my pics aren't exactly stellar.

So it allowed me to just sit back, relax & enjoy the show itself without worrying about getting a great pic.

2) Did not get to meet LB after the show. We left right after Holiday Road, so we got back there quickly. BUT - this venue is a nice old theater in a long row building with narrow alleys on either side. We had no way of knowing which side he would exit from, and we obviously picked the wrong side. Didn't help that we were mislead by a crew member after we showed up there. We all had a feeling the guy was screwing with us, but we really wouldn't have had time to go all the way around to the other side. So that's life. We were a little bummed, but we're not crying over it. The stellar performance of the night far surpassed the disappointment of missing out on a photo opp.

3) The crowd. Hmmm. OK, they seemed really enthusiastic, cheering, yelling, singing along. Lots of head bobbing & chair dancing. But dammit, nobody stood up until GYOW. This ended up being to our benefit - more on that in a bit. Anyway, there were a few hard core fans (esp. a young man in the front row - it appeared that this was one of the best nights of his life) but generally, not a lot of energy.

Of course there were some rude fans too. 2 ladies ran up from way in back & tried to squat down in front of the stage very early in the show, but they were booted back by security pretty quickly. Another chick kept getting up from her front row far-right seat & walking toward the center to just stand there & stare at him (no clapping, cheering, dancing, singing....) but they kept sending her back too - she was blocking everyone's view. She did it, like, every 5 minutes or so, probably a total of 10 times. It was distracting. Also, a woman seated in the FRONT ROW who at first appeared to be a huge fan left in the middle of ISA to have a cig.

I get it if you really gotta pee, but to actually search through your bag to find a butt, put on your coat, walk out & smoke, then return in the middle of the solo?

I think she was pretty drunk, but still - it's ISA, for God's sake! Wow. Oh, and some ass yelled out "Hypnotized!"

OK, on to the good stuff:

The venue was quite nice. Small, older, intimate - I think there are about 1000 seats. Not breathtakingly beautiful, but it was a great place to see a show. I'd estimate that it was 2/3 to 3/4 full. Most of the empty seats were the rear of the balcony & a few back rows on the lower level. There were 2 empty FRONT ROW seats

right in front of Carrie & I, but we decided our seats were actually better because of the angle, so we stayed put. What we thought were our 3rd row seats actually ended up being second row, far left of the stage. Theresa & her husband were second row center.

The setlist was the same as it's been this leg. Standouts for me were Castaway Dreams (I forgot how great the harmonies are live - I felt a rush come over me when the guys' parts kicked in,) Second Hand News (sooo much energy,) It Was You (sooo much fun,) and I'm So Afraid. Carrie and I both noticed that he seemed to alter a few solos a bit, but damned if I remember which ones. I want to say Big Love was one of them - it sounded different to my ears, and a bit longer. Still not a fan of Under the Skin live, it sounds too muddled.

OK, so the benefit of everyone just sitting there was that Carrie & I definitely stood out & we were noticed by LB almost right away. We were dancing away, having a great time & he obviously saw us, particularly during Second Hand News - lots of eye contact, that little hand jerk/point thing that he does. Very f*cking cool.

It felt good to know that he saw us enjoying the hell out of the show. We stood for most songs, and gave him a standing ovation after every one. The way the seats were angled, we weren't blocking anyone's view at all.

When he came to the stage for the GYOW clusterf*ck

he went to the opposite side of the stage first, so we were able to get ready & into position. I don't think anyone told the poor security guy about this occurence, because he looked like he was about to have a heart attack. The guy went toward the center of the stage, which enabled us to scoot up front & over to the side. LB stepped back, spotted us walking toward the edge of the stage & literally walked directly to us & lowered his guitar so we could play.

Too.****ing.Cool. It felt like everything was in slow motion. I strummed a couple times, touched his hand, and moved back so others could play. Carrie played too, and also got a high-five from LB. Oh, and he sweated on her too.

I hope this shows up on vid - we got our cameras in despite them checking at the door, so it's possible. Time will tell.

As always, a great time hanging out with these bitches.

We got lost on the way, so we were late to The Old Nick - sorry if anyone was waiting to meet up. And as always, a fabulous concert. Good times.

#1LiddyBuckFan · #2 04-06-2007, 11:57 AM

Fantastic review!!

Can't wait for tomorrow!!!

gretchen · #3 04-06-2007, 12:08 PM

Yay!!!! Someone got his sweat!!

Wonderful review. I can't wait until Chicago!!!!!

skcin · #4 04-06-2007, 12:13 PM

^Um, yeah.

Not exactly the biggest thrill of Carrie's life.

Livia · #5 04-06-2007, 03:41 PM

Great review, Paula! Glad you gals had so much fun.

I think from now on, we should all refer to it as the "GYOW clusterf*ck."

Like Stevie's Edge walk.

Amy Y · #6 04-06-2007, 05:22 PM

I was ticked off too about no one standung until GYOW. Like, wtf? He was awesome all throughout and deserved better energy from us. I was absolutely floored with World Turning, especially. People should have been crazy nuts over that. I loved Shut us Down so much. I can't take his vocal falsetto in the recorded version, which is a shame because I love the guitar, but both sounded just beautiful last night.

I love how I'm So Afraid changes over the years. His approach now compared to The Dance seems more meditative and humble.

He made me like Not Too Late last night. Again, I think it had to do with how he sang it.

I have much more to say about it, but basically, I loved the show. It was my first time seeing Lindsey live and I was very happy.

skcin · #7 04-07-2007, 08:49 AM

^ I agree. I was never a huge fan of Not Too Late until I saw him do it live. It's simply amazing. Glad you had fun - where were you sitting?

AliceLover · #8 04-07-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

^ I agree. I was never a huge fan of Not Too Late until I saw him do it live. It's simply amazing. Glad you had fun - where were you sitting?

Same here with Not Too Late. I love that one live, but I think Under this Skin is GREAT live. That, Castaway Dreams, and Shut US down....HOW COULD YOU MISS THAT? Anyway i hear he farts around backstage and doesn't come out for like 45 minutes after the show is over.

skcin · #9 04-07-2007, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AliceLover

Same here with Not Too Late. I love that one live, but I think Under this Skin is GREAT live. That, Castaway Dreams, and Shut US down....HOW COULD YOU MISS THAT? Anyway i hear he farts around backstage and doesn't come out for like 45 minutes after the show is over.

I took a chance, didn't pan out. Everyone I've talked to said that he jets out of the venue really quick.

Oh well, either way, it was colder than a witch's tit out there, I wasn't going to stand outside all night. I can only hope that LB will get over the fact that he didn't get to meet us.

AliceLover · #10 04-07-2007, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

I took a chance, didn't pan out. Everyone I've talked to said that he jets out of the venue really quick.

Oh well, either way, it was colder than a witch's tit out there, I wasn't going to stand outside all night. I can only hope that LB will get over the fact that he didn't get to meet us.

The guy at the T-shirt stand says he flys on a private jet and leaves quickly, but at all the shows I went to he stayed at the venue for like 45 minutes after the show.

LindseyChick · #11 04-07-2007, 05:48 PM

Paula!

Thanks for the excellent review! We were at the Old Nick! The menu was great!

As for the concert, I had a good time. I kept standing up and Stan kept telling me to sit down, but there were a few other people standing up, and I was like, WHY? what about them.

During the GYOW clusterf***, see, I didn't know that was gonna happen, but someone walking up from the right side kinda motioned "come on" and I did. Got right up to the stage. I did touch his guitar, couldn't reach the strings. I was on cloud friggin' nine.

Better than that, BEST OF ALL, towards the end, when he went down the line shaking hands, started at the left moved towards the right, and I was thinking please don't stop. He did get to me. So, yeh, I grabbed his hand and he grabbed mine. Our eyes met. His hand was kinda cool, not sweaty or clammy. In whatever way our hands clasped, my fingers were able to stroke the base of his palm. The man has soft hands. And he must've been thinking, this chick would do ...NO, he must have been thinking, this chick is a big fan of mine.

All of that in 5 seconds. Seriously, I remember it like it was right now. I will NEVER forget it.

Toronto is a very nice city. It makes me think about the human race. Everyone gets along, does what they have to do. And I got to TOUCH LINDSEY THERE. Well, not THERE, but there.

Sharon