Go to the show now if you don't wanna yadda, yadda...

We hard core types (Kim, Sam, Stephanie, Rochelle, Stacy and me) had a nice breakfast at Maggie Mae's, gabbing away until Kim pointed out that we ought to hit the road. Doors were at 7 pm, so he was absolutely right.

While the ride to Santa Fe was beauteous, it took longer than we expected. There was a nasty jam on I-25 just south of the Springs, which didn't help much either. I was relieved to finally get to the casino

Check this out: no alcohol. A casino with no booze. Whodda thunk it? I guess that's not atypical for casinos on Indian reservations, though...

Kim and Sam pulled into the lot just ahead of us and John from L.A. was already there. As we checked out the place, Tom and Robin walked in. Tom was with Allison - she must be a casino fan or something. :)

Poor guys. They reemerged from the stage area and went back out into the casino for a bit. When they tried to get back in, they got harassed. Tom was first. As he tried to go in, the security guard stopped him and asked if he had any reason to go in there.

"Um - yeah!" was all he said.

So then the doofus at the door asks for some ID! Kim pointed out that Tom looked a lot like one of the guys on the Cheap Trick poster by the door. After Sgt. Moe Ron studied the poster for a bit, he let Tom by...

Of course, we all waited to see what would happen with Robin...

Same thing. The security dude stopped Robin at the door. He smiled when Stephanie said, "Don't let him in, he's an imposter!"

From out in the "lobby" area you could hear Robin playing "Voices" on guitar. Pretty cool. Sometimes it's easy to forget that Robin's a very good player in his own right.

Shortly after that, Steph and I went to check into the hotel. We didn't have much time. As it turns out, we missed sound check and a chance to hear "Lookin' Out for Number One." Damn!

There was quite the line when we got back. Once again, everyone wanted to line up early so they could snag a seat 15 yards from the stage. WTF?! I still don't get it.

Anyway, the venue is usually a bingo hall: for the show it was a big, open space with chairs, then a dance floor area in front of the stage. I guess they use the stage for picking numbers. Whatever... There was plenty of space backstage and the whole room was kinda pretty - they had the whole southwestern motif going on... The staff had to do some bat wrangling when we first got in. Poor little thing. They caught it in a net and released it outside.

John Candis made some money at this gig - about $1000 on a slot machine right by his table! Sven wasn't as lucky.

THE SHOW

As usual, there was a dorky person doing an intro. Thankfully, he didn't scream "I WANT YOU TO WANT ME!" like so many emcees before him, but the old boy DID go on. I loved that Richard started his riff while he was still talking. A not-so-subtle way to make the guy shut up. Thank you!

Nash Kato played an extra long set which included my favorites of theirs, plus a cover of "Dirty Work" and Rick's request, "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon."

They were in high spirits and had fun. When they offered to take a request, me and some guy behind me yelled "FREEBIRD!!!!!!!!!" The bass player flipped us off and said, "There's your free bird." LOL!!!! Nash was ornery too - he told everyone in the sitting in the seats that he hoped they were "comfy." He and the bassist added later on that this was the most drunk they'd ever been in a dry casino.

I was actually sorry to see their set end. Hope to see them again some day. Aside from Ultimate Fakebook, they're the only opening act of CT's I intend to keep an eye on.

CT came on around 9:30. The stupid curtain almost took me out every time it opened or closed.

FASHION REPORT

SET LIST

RANDOM NOTES

Robin was standing onstage when the curtain opened. Not that I mind - but what's up with that? :) He usually enters after BEC & Tom.

Rick was obviously a little frustrated with the sound. All during ATAS he gestured off stage. At one point, he griped, "Could I get some more feedback up here?! Thank you."

After IWYTWM, Rick ran through his announcements while they fixed the lights. He got through everything and they were still basically in the dark. He looked over at Tom and told him to talk - he was out of stuff to say. Tom suggested that Rick should tell everyone he was completely naked... By now there were a couple spots getting some light on the stage. Rick asked if that was enough for everyone to see then decided to move on.

Bun E. seemed to take it all in stride. There was something wrong with his set up and then when the infamous lights out moment came along, he just walked off stage with a grin on his face. As they tried to move on to the next song, he yelled, "It's oh, so very dark back here!" LOL! Poor Bun E! Someone finally came to his rescue with a couple flashlights.

The lights came back on in the middle of IKWIW and despite the minor set back, they all looked like they were having fun. Before the lights went out in IWYTWM, you could really get a good look at Rick & Tom working together. Very, very cool - one of the main reasons I love the no barrier thing.

What with the casino being dry and all, Rick couldn't reenter with his usual Rolling Rock. He came downstage and handed Kim his cup of water instead and said, "Here, have some beer."

A fan had a necklace for Rick and handed it to him toward the end of the show. He put it on and said, "I won’t ask how I look." :) He added that he’s part Sioux and when we laughed, he smiled and said, "It’s true!"

POST SHOW STUFF

Got whacked in the head with the curtain again. Oops. Thanks to the security guard who grabbed my sign for me before it disappeared behind the curtain.

It took a tiny bit of groveling, but Sven gave me his set list with his guitar notes on it. Woo hoo! Seemed apropos since I got to hold Rick's mandocello for a bit.... When I made him sign it, he wrote, "Sven, The Road God. Lame Casino Gig." He quickly added that the CASINO was lame - NOT the venue. :)

Nash Kato & his band hung out after the show again. When he asked me if I'd be at the California dates, I told him that sadly, tragically, no, I would not. He suggested that if I hit it big in the casino, I could.

Hmmmmmmmmm...

It was not to be though. After dinner with John, Kim, Sam, Stacy, Rochelle and Stephanie, it was time to say goodbye. Hate that! It's always a shame when great trips like that have to come to an end…

Whew! Too much fun.

While I adore Santa Fe and the next day was fantastic weather-wise, I just had to go home. Fun is fun, but husband, dog and home sounded really good to me by then.

Thanks to all for adding to my "kaleidoscope of memories":

KIM: a pleasure, as always – mille grazie for the tapes!

SAM: all I can say is: "ol' Pickletub Delores, we used to call her!"

STEPH: thanks for spotting your absent-minded friend $ when she needed it - get well, girl.

STACY: thanks for the cocktail and the open ears. Tell Rochelle that her homework assignment is to watch some Monty Python. (Hope I spelled her name right!)

And, of course thanks to everyone in/with CT. I always think there's no way for me to love you guys more, but then you go and up the ante.

Thanks for reading... This is the babbling-est CT fan, signing off...

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© Copyright, Lisa Jebsen, 2000