|
|
 |
|||
|
PAGE 1
Mardi Gras Madness
PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGE 7
PAGE
8
PAGE
13
PAGE 14
PAGE
15
PAGE 16
PAGE
17 |
DAY THREE: by EnglishDave
After rocking upstate New York, the band (and some of their fans) headed on down to the Nation’s Capital for a sold-out Monday night show at the famed 9:30 Club. BTE again proved that they are a band that responds to an energized crowd as they took the stage amid the deafening screams of some 1,200 fans. Kicking right into "Recognize," the guys played their hearts out for the next 1 hour and 45 minutes or so. The setlist was the same as played the night before in Albany, except for an impromptu rendition of "Coyote" instead of "Beautiful Mistake." It’s pretty obvious the 9:30 is one of the premier rock venues in the country. Tom Drummond pronounced it the band’s favorite venue because there isn’t a "bad seat in the house" and they have so many friends in Washington, DC (and surrounding metropolitan areas).
Kevin Griffin thanked the fans for coming out on a Monday night. He claimed the spirit of Saint Patrick was responsible for pushing fans "on the bubble" to come out the show. But he again cautioned fans against drinking the green beer "because it’s the cheap sh*t!" The ethnic origins of the holiday also encouraged Kev to wax philosophical. He remarked how most Americans are "mutts" whose heritage is not unlike that found at the SPCA. Nevertheless, he recognized his Irish ancestry by wearing green (allegedly the toes of his socks!). He then told the audience how Tom was a proud Scot and "they’re the only group that drink more than the Irish!"
|
From a fans perspective, one of the nice features of the 9:30 Club is
the downstairs bar where the guys often hang out after shows. After the
show, Travis McNabb, held court in the bar for over an hour as he
explained his golf game (or lack thereof) to a rapt group of fans. Right
outside the club, Kevin and Tom hung out by the tour bus telling
stories, signing autographs, and answering fan questions. Kevin appeared particularly interested in the upcoming edition of the SERENADE and volunteered to take some fan questions. However, he specified that "boxers or briefs" type questions were OK, but the band drew the line at "thing or t-backs" which are apparently an essential part of Tom Drummond's wardrobe (according to KG anyway!!!).
Bottom line, how good was this show? Not even leaving my most prized live shows and my copies of Deluxe, Friction and HDYGG on the roof of my car when I got home could spoil this trip (and thank heavens I have backups). DAY FOUR: By Bolony7 & AmEmPbdy
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the 2nd annual 94.9 Jolly Green Jam." This welcome kicked off the Saint Patrick's Day celebration at the historic Norva Theatre in Norfolk, VA. By popular demand, local radio station 94.9 The Point brought back Better Than Ezra as the headliner for the second year in a row. The celebration started off with a bang when local favorite, Pete Francis, formerly of the band Dispatch, took the stage. Francis entertained the crowd with an energetic acoustic set, and tongue actions that were reminiscent of Michael Jordan in his glory days. BTE started their sold-out performance with a kicked up version of "Recognize," which whipped the already pumped up fans into a frenzy. The song has a special connection to the Norfolk area, which has a strong military presence. During a previous show in Norfolk, Tom Drummond shared with the audience the story of fighter pilots stationed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt writing him to let him know how much that song meant to them. They listened to it while they were in the ready room preparing for their missions over Afghanistan. Pilots from the Roosevelt are currently engaged in combat missions over Iraq (continued next page). |
||
