Close Encounters of the MLE Kind

Just got back from my 7th show this tour! I just never get tired of it... I am an ADDICT! Gonna try a little review. Wont be as good or as detailed as Camille's, but will try to put in what I can remember.

It was at the Arena Theater, a theater in the round. The stage is a circle that revolves around. All the seats are good seats, but the front row seats are better than the GA front of the stage spots!! The only bad thing is that when it revolves around, you get the BACK of the "stage" view.. the back of the drum set and all that tech crap, and everyones backs. But the good part is that those backs have nice butts attached to look at too!

Anyway, since it was reserved seating and not GA, I took my old man husband. He is a sitter, not a crazy standing dancing arm waving fool like myself. He enjoyed himself even so!

We got decent seats, about 6 rows back, on the end. I was happy with that so I could dance in the aisle, which I did ALOT. It wasnt sold out, and there looked to be a bunch of empties. Lots of kids there too! Lucky Lauren said she would be there so I was looking for SECRET AGENT shirts, when up the aisle walks a cute little thing with a Secret Agent shirt on and I grabbed her and said ARE YOU LAUREN? It was and we chatted. She was FRONT ROW and I thought she was gonna pee her pants she was so excited!

So the show started about 710p, with MLE and the band running down the aisle and up to the stage... Lucky started us off! Rocking as always. But wait...who is that guy playing the bass? That is NOT Mark!!! WHASSSSSUP???

So here I am singing my heart out, and an usher comes up with a couple and asks me what section I am in. I tell her D, she says E I say NO. An USHER put us here and said it was D. SO they walk away. Then up comes a big brawny usher and says GIVE ME YOUR TICKETS. I say, listen I just went thru this with the other lady. We are in the right seats, D, FF, 13 and 14. He says this is E and points his flashlight at the floor RIGHT BEHIND ME that is a HUGE E. Ooooooops, my bad.

We'll move! So I tell him we were seated in the WRONG section by the dopey ushers who had no clue where anything was. But then we got to our REAL seats and they were better anyway, had a better view, if thats possible!

MLE as always is gracious. She talked about just being here a few months ago, and how it was hotter then than now! It's that el Nino or Nina or Nana or Nene. She cracks me up.

I didn't take notes, so I can't tell you the set list, but I am sure someone will. I can tell you that I held up two signs for my concert buddies. One said "A'Dam ROCK'D Hi from Camille Deb Bitey Rhondda and Kerry" and the other said "Hi from the RED BEANIE GROUP A'Dam Rock'd"; at different times MLE acknowledged and smiled and Philip gave me a thumbs up!

So Kenny was having problems with his drums. Whatshisname, his roadie guy, had to climb up and help Kenny do whatever needed to be done. And when he hopped down, he knocked over this HUGE box and it fell on the audience! Man, if that was me, I would be UP ON STAGE with MELISSA! THis one lady just shoved it off her and popped back up! I was impressed! Later Kenny was telling Philip about it, and it was funny watching him, acting like he was going to fall off the back of the stage.

The new guy, I think his name was David Sutton, was okay. He had to look at his papers the whole time, and everyone kept having to help him along when it was his turn!!! MLE kept saying that he looked like the guy from INXS. I didnt think so, but hey, whatever. Later, when they did their solos, Philip started off..."duh duh duh, da da da da da" the lead in to INXS song, I think its called "You're one of my kind". MLE started cracking up. And then at the end they did it again. David was blushing and shaking his head!
MLE didnt give much explanation for Marks absence other than saying he just couldnt be there.

MLE did her solo, and did a special request for Royal Station 4/16. Seems like she's been doing that a bunch lately. She clipped on her harp (after a few tries and Chainsaws assistance!) and did a beautiful job. They brought the keyboard out and I thought for sure she would do Meet Me in the Dark, but nope, it truly was my LUCKY night and she did The Weakness in Me, even without me asking! I LOVE THAT SONG, and am still in heaven from her doing it for me in Amsterdam.

During This Moment, I alone on my side stood up and swayed. Alone. It just does not have the same impact as with a whole crowd. But I felt good and right doing it! I also at that time looked across and saw Mare, with her trademark red shirt on. With her arms wrapped around her friend from Houston (sorry cant remember his name, but he was the sweetie who gave me a pick at Numbers, thanks!!), and they were swaying!!!! Most of the crowd stayed in their seats, or just stood there. NOT theme dance stalker groupies like us, I guess.

Eventually she got to Secret Agent (my namesake song) and I was praying that the stage would be my way so I could waggle my fingers at her. And again, LUCKY night... it was! She was looking the other way when my line came up "Confessional lips PROFESSIONAL FINGERTIPS", when she suprised the crap out of me and WAGGLED HER FINGERNAILS! HEY YOU COPIED MY MOVE! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

I am in heaven. Then she came around closer to my way and I waggled my fingers at her, and she saw me and opened her eyes real wide and smiled with recognition. It just doesnt get better than that. Thank you to my concert buddies who have enabled me to be recognized!!!

Oh yeah, and Lucky Lauren fainted.

Well, she ALMOST did, when MLE gave her a pick. The only one I saw her give out. I swear, Lauren looked like she could die right there, and all would be right with the world. Good for her.

So what else happened... not much that doesnt happen every time. She rocked, she rolled, she screamed, she sang her heart out. I thought the crowd was rather, um, shall we say, uninvolved for the most part? Pretty tame with not a lot of crowd involvement. I was very disappointed that we all didnt scream out LETS ROLL.

And during GIANT it seemed like I was one of only a few sing-screaming IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAY AM A GIANT.

But it didnt matter, because I had a great time.

The ride home of course was filled with songs from Lucky, and talking about Lucky, and MLE and Philip and Kenny and the show. My husband just laughed at me and asked if I was gonna be able to sleep tonite. I just explained that MLE is my Cocaine.... my addiction. He was very happy that I allowed him to be part of my little secret world.....

.......

I think thats about it. Just a blast as usual.

Cant wait to see her again... couple of weeks in RENO!

Again, thanks to my concert buddies for getting me hooked. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

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It's a deception to perfection......

Kerry