As I write this is 1998: I suddenly had the inspiration to go back and dredge up my memories of this show. It was the first Moodies show I ever saw, and needless to say, carried a good deal of personal sentiment for me.

The lead up to this was like something out of the 60's. The year before had been frought with many many weird things in my personal life. I was a senior in Psychology this year at Cal State Hayward in California, and had really gotten back into the Moodies, after listening to them throughout the 80's...I finally woke up and realized they were still touring! Duh, I think it's time to see a show, Christie! Mind you, I am not one to go to live shows, as they rarely measure up to the recorded versions. Boy was I wrong this time!

Anyway, right after I bought the ticket, about $50 sometime in August (and was shocked at getting such a nice seat, like only 7 rows back on the left side); well about that time we got into conflict with Iraq and the whole Gulf War thing started to come down, so I was understandably jumpy and having flashbacks to the Viet Nam War. Spring 1989 had seen me in the revival of Hair at CSUH, and doing that had dragged me through a lot of pain, remembering the people who died in Viet Nam and how stupid it all was. (Hair happened to happen right along with Tienamin Square too, and too that was a painful flashback). I was in the Naval Reserves in 1990, and not thrilled at the propect of having to go shoot my fellow man if it came to that, not thrilled at maybe being the vehicle for another's demise. I distinctly remember calling the squadron and whining that they COULDN'T call me up, here I'd only been waiting 20 years to see my favorite band! The creep at the other end, drooling at the prospect of Arabic blood, commented "Well this is kinda not a time to think about that...." BALDERDASH!!!!!! OH if only more people liked music, and fewer liked getting into fights!!!!

So off I went by myself to see the Moodies. Wow. Cool venue. Nice night. Summer breezes. Found my seat, got comfortable. Flashed the peace sign to the guys at the vender stands, and bought the Fractal Video (sad face, no posters, which I really wanted!).

I was getting well oiled by this time, of course. The lawn was so nice I sat up there quite a while, chatting with some people, watching some smoke weed, drinking the cheap whiskey I'd smuggled in, and had poured into my coke in the bathroom.

The show started, the lights came up on the band, and I saw them for the first time in the flesh. It was the weirdest feeling: THEY SEEMED LIKE PEOPLE I HAD KNOWN AS FRIENDS MY ENTIRE LIFE. I think this is part of the secret to the Moodies, they immediately make that connection to the audience, and are part of your intimate circle of friends, just through their magical stage prescences.

Ray: was so handsome, he was on my stage side, and I definately made a lot of eye contact with him. Ray seemed a little jumpy, like he was afraid someone was going to do something bad to him. His weight was really down, looked very good.

John: was wearing a gorgeous blue denim jacket with the most outrageous fringe on the sleeves I have ever seen! He spent a good deal of time waving (slinging) this around, and it was very showey, and nice. I used to do drill team with fringe like that and it can be fun to play with on stage as you are dancing or moving.

Justin: I thought he looked like hell...but my eyes went to him a good deal, as I am so fond of his poetry and melodies, and feel that he is a kindred spirit indeed. His hair was VERY long, hanging WAY down his back, kinda long and sleezy. He glared and slouched a good deal of the time on stage, but was still a lot of fun to watch. I think he had a shirt with red/blue/green lightening in it on, with horses on back? This may have been another show though. For some reason, some of Justin's physical nuances really cracked me up and I laughed at his antics a good deal.

Patrick: not too thrilling, frankly. I panned past him and watched Ray and Justin, as they were a lot more interesting.

GE: did not see him, the stage was set up screwy.

BUVs: ditto as GE.

Bias: Got the impression he was groveling and scraping to Patrick's whims, as Patrick did a lot of gestures over to that side, like he was orchestrating the keyboard stuff. Bias was plumper than that he is now.

Stagecrew: had a wonderful show watching the stage manager cue up the lights with a Mac from my side of the amphitheater. This was almost as fun as the show itself!

IKYOTS: Justin was singing along with this, and suddenly I heard him singing in Spanish! WOW it was cool! I couldn't hear the words, and my Espanol is rusty anyway, but it was very neat.

Legend of a Mind: I don't remember the flute/keyboard solo being very long on this, and might be part of what was going on with the Patrick conflict. I was shocked the next year when I heard an extended version of this, with Bias.

End of show: two really funny things happened; Patrick after wiping himself with a towel, pitched the sleezy old thing into the seats, very close to where I was sitting actually. Several people around me said "YUCK" and jumped away from it. I think someone grabbed it up. Good thing it was not off Justin or John, as there would have been a riot fighting over it I suspect.

AND some broad (pretty actually) in the front rows pitched a rose at Justin's feet. Justin grabbed it up with a surly glare, and slapped in on the amplifier behind him. I about split a gut laughing. Few of you have probably danced or moved on stage, but I assure you, there is nothing more trecherous than slippery flower petals under your feet! Some of us found this out the hard way when we were doing Hair, and the memory sticks with me too from a few May Day dances as a child. The Moodies did their "bye bye" wave and walk around the stage, and for a few split seconds I made eye contact with Justin himself. Boy that was a thrill! (really)

At the time we had no idea there was conflict within the band, and that this would be Patrick's last tour. Well, at least I can say I saw him, and was not all that impressed. He did jump up and down like a jack rabbit during the curtain call. It kinda looked stupid. Hiring Gordo and Paul is the best thing they did if you ask me. They were great trade ins! AND I don't remember them doing a Dino Walk, but I could be mistaken, I was pretty looped by that time. A wonderful show. They all are!