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Date sent:        Sat, 14 Jun 1997 14:35:51 -0400
From:             Jeff & Shirley 
To:               Constellation
Subject:          KR: St. Petersburg Dogstar Show (sorry...LONG)
Send reply to:    Jeff & Shirley 

Hello Garden!!

Wow....well as someone  here in the garden stated earlier on...I am no
longer a DOGSTAR virgin!!  I attended the St. Petersburg show last
night at Jannus Landing....and outdoor venue....that rocked!! I'm going
to try and keep this short...but it will be hard. Lots of different
thoughts on the evening......

I must first describe Jannus Landing....it is a courtyard in the middle
of four old brick buildings in downtown St. Petersburg. So...as Silver
Jet described it...."It is kinda like playing in Pirates of the
Caribbean at Disneyland" DOGSTAR came on earlier than expected...about
9:20 p.m. and played for an hour and 10 minutes. As the lights dimmed
for the guys to come out...shrieks rang out when the guys appeared on
the stairway above the stage...and within one minute...they were on the
stage. This was my first IRL sighting of Keanu...and I was in AWH 
I'm sure I just stood there with my mouth wide open.  I think my husband
had expected more of a vocal response from me....but I was literally
speechless!! (I was probably 15 feet away from the stage and the stage
was a raised stage...about 5 feet up ) Keanu looked SO beautiful and
more importantly, he looked so HAPPY!!! Smiling...making lots of eye
contact with the crowd....even smiled when the first bra went flying up
on stage, brushing against his spikey hair.  There were other
articles of clothing that eventually made it's way up on stage as
well...but I don't remember them getting as close.

Other items thrown on stage included little love notes and flowers....to
which Keanu picked up the flowers himself.  Later....he took one of the
flowers and threw it back to the gal that had originally thrown them in
the first place....BUT...someone else next to her caught it.....SO....
Keanu pleaded with that person to give to the first gal he intended it
to go to.....and she complied. This made Keanu happy...BIG smile :) :)
:) Very sweet. Another gal gave Keanu a book...not sure if it was an
autograph book or not???? He took it...I never saw what happened to
it.....

The band played excellently....sounded great. Rob really played his
heart out there in the back, but unfortunately I didn't have that great
of view of him...as one of his symbols was blocking my view of him :(
Bret sang his heart out, often getting drinks of water and shots of some
throat spray in between songs.  I'm sure everyone already knows
this...but I noticed there is a decal of a naked woman on his guitar 
Hmmm...the things one notices.  Keanu played the bass tremendously,
really getting into the music and actually singing along with a couple
songs, although he had no microphone. He closes his eyes and lot and
jumps and shakes his head around a lot...sweat flying
everywhere...unfortunately I was  not close enough to get sprayed ;-)

The crowd behaved themselves....only a few young girls in the middle
started to SLAM or start a MOSH PIT *thingie*...can you all tell it's
been YEARS since I've been to a small concert??
Security made them stop...but not before plenty of beer got spilled. At
the end of the show...right at the end of the last song, GOODBYE, a
young gal...maybe 15 years old....got her way up on stage and ran up to
Keanu and threw her arms around him and hugged him tight!!! She was
really quick  Keanu was so adorable....hugging her back...not getting
annoyed...smiling at her to let her know he wasn't mad or anything. VERY
SWEET!!! What a guy!!!

At the end of the encore, my husband ran over the left side of the stage
as the band was leaving, and asked Rob if he could have his play
list...and he said...SURE  So...that *babe-a-licous* roadie with
the long brown hair and cowboy hat went and got it for my husband. I
will treasure it always  I knew I was glad I brought my husband
!! Actually...my husband was such a good sport about the whole
evening...holding my *goodie* bag of CD's and decals and t-shirt during
the show and standing guard outside the PORT-A-POTTY while I was in
there (TALK ABOUT GROSS!!!....I HATE THOSE!!!) He also had to return to
our car twice to return camera's that we were unable to sneak in....I'll
need to try harder next time. I had even bought that expensive 1000
speed film so that I wouldn't need a flash...so not to bother the
band...oh well....maybe another time.

After the show....we waited outside the venue with about 75 or so people
to get autographs and watch them load the tour bus and truck. Rob came
out...gladly signing autographs and talking with the crowd (I got him to
sign his play list ). Bret was next, very gracious and signed
autographs and posed for pictures, etc.  BUT, Keanu was no where to be
found...UNTIL...some guy spotted him in an Italian restaurant located in
one of the buildings surrounding the venue, according to him "eating
dinner with two hot babes"   WELL...lots of people went running
over.....and I thought about it....and started to go over...but then
turned around...I just couldn't go gawking in the window at him while he
was trying to eat dinner...that would have been too intrusive...so I
returned to my group. About 15 minutes later...Keanu came out of the
restaurant, signed maybe two autographs, posed for two pictures...and
then left...jumping into a older model sports car with some gal...and
that was it...he was gone.  He did wave good-bye to the crowd..and we
told him to *have a good tour*. I really couldn't blame him...some
speculated that  he was annoyed at the crowd outside the restaurant
watching him eat...AND...probably more likely than that ... because they
were leaving on the bus at 4:00 a.m. the next morning... I'm sure he had
*other* things to do  with his friend...you know like go to the all
night library  sorry...just kidding :) :) It would have taken him
at least an hour to sign all the  autographs for everyone. He did sign
autographs at the after show party I  heard for those lucky enough to
receive back stage passes. 

Here is the set list...directly from Rob's page:

Forgive
Slippin Down?????? LOL....I can't read his writing!!!
Breathe Tonight
Honesty Anyway
OLV
Return
No Matter What
Nobody Home
And I Pray
Behind Her
Stagger
Enchanted
Lay (a new song they just wrote)
Goodbye

Encore:
Drinken???
Ticket To Ride (this was FABULOUS!!!)
Denial (Keanu sang with this one )

****I heard from Dan the Merchandise Man that they only had 40 more CD's
for the Florida venues. At first I thought he was kidding...but I don't
think he was. SO...if you are planning on going to a Florida show this
weekend...and want to buy a CD...do so when you first get there...they
might run out.

OH...as far as wardrobe...Keanu was wearing all black  NO CAP
(except when he left the restaurant) and the black t-shirt he was
wearing appeared to be sort of new...not torn...and not as faded as his
others.  Bret was in all black too.... looking mighty fine. Rob
in shorts...green ones I think...and a black tee :) :) :)

Anyway... sorry....this is longer than I had intended...I had a great
time...and certainly got my money's worth  I don't feel like Keanu
owes me anything more !! Met up with three gardeners and that was
probably the best thing about the evening...the WORST was the
porta-potties and the bright white stage lights...sometimes blinding us
from seeing the band. At one point, Rob asked that they be turned off!!
Thanks Rob :) :)

Shirley/Baycity...who is wondering how anyone has the energy to perform
night after night as they do :) :) :)

Date sent:       06 Jun 97 14:28:07 EDT
From:            Laura 
To:              Constellation 
Subject:         San Antonio show: Los Nubios (long)

Gardeners and Dogsters: "A walk in the clouds" is how I describe the Dog* show
on Wed., June 4th at the Sneakers Club in San Antonio, Texas.  If I had prayed
for the perfect venue (and I did! ;-) ), this was IT! 

The band arrived in the hotel van at about 5:30....no one around, and simply
walked in the front door. Line didn't start forming until about 6pm. When the
doors finally opened at 7pm, there were only about 30 people in line.

Sound check took about 30 minutes. We were able to watch the entire thing
through the french window panes of the front door. The stage faced the front of
the club about 200 feet from the doors, so we were able to view and hear the
entire sound check. 

FOX KABB, ch. 11 television station interviewed Bret and Keanu....we were able
to see Keanu teasing the camera. At one point, the drums "exploded" with sound,
and Keanu dropped to the side with this goofy look on his face. Bret received a
lot of the questions, but Keanu was quite talkative as well. Later that evening,
when the news came on, they flashed the interview on the television screen
before the bands came on, so we were able to see, but unfortunately, not hear
the interview.

About 300 tickets were sold to the show. The stage, 40x40 feet,  came to about
chest heighth. No barricade.  I literally leaned my elbows on the stage the
entire show.  I could read Keanu's set list. I could touch Keanu's set list.  I
could have licked SilverJet's bass player's shoes, I was that close.

The sound was good. J.  (yes, she got to come down to the show to see it with
me!  I LOVE YOU, LADY.....you're the greatest!) said that she could hear every
word, every lyric out of Bret's mouth.  Since I have a hearing deficit, I had
more trouble.

The audience was equally divided between men and women. There were no shouts of
"Take your pants/shirt off"....A few screams of "Keanu"....a few attempts to
shove posters into his face....to which, with that gorgeous body language of
his, Keanu splayed out his hands, palms upward, gestured to his guitar, smiled,
shrugged his shoulders as if to sweetly say, "Real sorry, but you see, I'm kinda
busy".....A few shouts of "Rob, stand up so we can see you"....Keanu at this
point egged the audience on with this until finally Rob peeped out from behind
his drums.

Several shouts of BRET!  DOGSTAR ROCKS! (I confess, I did that one) This visibly
drew a smile from Keanu, and Bret looked touched.....There were no bras
thrown....nothing thrown on stage.....The ALL AGES group was extremely
polite.....except for a couple of half-hearted stage surges, there was plenty of
breatheing room (one side note....I couldn't quiite see behind me, but at one
point, Bret stopped playing in the middle of a song, pointed to someone in the
audience and motioned for security to check it out...when they didn't move fast
enough he excitedly said, "F***ing help her, she's scared"....We think that it
was a little 9 year old girl who probably was frightened by the crowd when they
surged.....Bret, we love you....He then looked at Keanu, looked at Rob, and said
"Where we left off"....Well, it was kinda hard to pick back up, but like true
professionals, they did!)

I think that the audience reaction was so positive, as in, Bret: "hey, they
think we're a band!"........that the guys were charged, flashed with energy.
Bret said, "Hey don't you guys have jobs?"  Later....."Will you go with us to
Dallas?" Several comments about how great the San Antonio audience was.

I truly believe that this was one of the best shows that I have ever
seen.....several security types and the manager of the club kept watching
Keanu's fingers to see if he could REALLY play the bass...he didn't disappoint
them!

Now...on to the show.....

From Keanu's set list, with the words The Palladian scratched out:

FORGIVE
SLIPPING DOWN
BREATHE TONIGHT
HONESTY ANYWAY
OLV
RETURN
NO MATTER WHAT
NOBODY HOME
AND I PRAY
STAGGER
BEHIND HER
ENCHANTED
LAY
GOODBYE
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Encore>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DRINKING ALONE
TICKET
DENIAL
(The set list was not strictly followed...their were variations in order)


Before I go any further....Silver Jet came on about 10:05 and played for about
35 minutes. I had to put in ear plugs for their set because they had really
turned up the volume. I felt sorry for them as they did not get the same
reaction from the crowd....And one girl kept shouting to the bass player
something about his butt.....we managed to finally ask her to cut it out. 

But, my son plays bass, and I have this "thing" about the bass guitar.....if
this kid didn't look almost like my son.....well,  let's just say, he was
slamming and plucking and driving it home.  I watched him play with such
delight....his fingering was so grand.....of course, I could have reached out
and plucked a few strings myself, he was that close.....

And J. , I had copied their names so that I could remember to say hello and I
couldn't find the list!!!!  I felt so bad....."Hey you"  just wouldn't
work....;-((  Support this band when you go to see Dogstar...they really are
working their butts off out there....and they have one guy who is the manager,
the roadie, the booker, the technician, everything! I wanted to help them pack
up their gear when they were finished.

Dogstar came on at 11 and played until 12:15.....When the guys walked on
stage... even though I have seen them 2 times before, their presence still
manages to blow me away.....Bret was dressed in white shirt and dark jeans and
black Doc Martens....Rob, in a t-shirt and shorts (no, he did not remove any
clotheing)....Keanu was unbelievably magnetic to me.....dark, brownish-black
t-shirt, very loose and baggy brown suit pants, pressed and hemmed above his
ankles, gray socks with brown hiking boots.....no hat.....short, semi-spiked
hair.....he just looked so incredibly huggable.....

And his body stances and facial expressions.....his arms are very sinewy, each
muscle linearly defined....his fingers long and graceful.....the way that he
holds the bass... (the new one, golden oak? stained, rose fretboard...we swear
it said Les Paul on the neck)......close to his body, and plays it so fluidly,
as if it's a physical extension of his mind and hands....he would rock back on
his right foot, then rock forward on his left and make a little jump, his feet
turned inward the entire time... He would close his eyes (lovely eyelids), shake
his head, grind his teeth, his jaw muscles flexed, mumble to himself the chord
changes?, jump up and down when he was excited.....smile.....he didn't really
make eye contact with  the audience except a couple of times....here is a man
who loves to play the bass......there is no word to describe the product of his
discipline, his talent and devotion to his playing.....he has grown tremendously
as a musician since I saw him last.....

(I'm sorry....I know that we are trying to give the band the credit for their
music and not just a clotheing report, etc....but, I feel that I can still give
you my impressions of their appearance...I think you can tell by the rest of
what I have to say, that I was there FOR THE BAND......but, Keanu's physical
appearance and body language has always fascinated me..."What a piece of work is
man!")


Keanu flubbed once, same place on OLV as in David Letterman....He smiled to
himself, turned his back to the audience, looked at Rob, kept playing.....Once
or twice he looked over at Bret to see if "he was watching" and snuck a drink
from his Heineken, with an impish grin on his face as if to say, "Maybe he won't
catch me!"  He smiled at Bret several times, but no playing or butting each
other....

It was quite obvious that Bret was in charge....Rob and Keanu took their cues
from him.....He very clearly directed the action. I felt sorry for him...his
throat was raspy and he had some throat spray behind him on his monitor...he
must still be suffering from allergies.....But, he didn't let it slow him down. 

Rob several times stood up and  asked the sound board technician to adjust the
sound.....It must have been slight.....I could hear every instrument extremely
well, although I tend to believe that Rob is a little heavy on the
drums.....just my opinion.....but really hot!

Bret rode his guitar like a charging knight, leaning down, working over it.
Several times, after an extended riff, the audience hooted and hollered.  He
introduced each new song, but unfortunately I couldn't hear what he said.  My
faux paw ;-) of the evening was to yell potato chips!  when he introduced
LAY...sorry....silliness overwhelmed me!

The band jelled, they rode the show.....their last song of the evening, DENIAL,
was so hot that I thought they were going to implode....Keanu threw himself
several feet  into the air and landed with his fingers slamming the final
chords, jerking his bass every which way....

Words fail me.....rapid-fire, non-stop, enthusiastic, charged......

One of the best concert experiences I've EVER had....

DOGSTAR ROCKS! 

 LOOK OUT! 

 THEY"RE HEADED YOUR WAY!!!!!

laura
"I'd rather be the devil...haha!"

Date sent:        Sat, 31 May 1997 17:32:32 -0700 (MST)
To:               Constellation
From:             Juliet
Subject:          Dogstar*Vegas/Phoenix/Tucson

Phewww!!! Back from a 3 date mini tour. I am exhausted. Can't imagine how
the Dogstar team will be at the end of the tour. Vegas, as far as shows goes,
it was ok. Having seen a number of shows,this was not one of their best. "The
Joint" is in the Hard Rock Hotel, which by the way, is fascinating to wander
around and to look at all the great Rock and Roll memorbilia. The club itself
is good sized, and probably was only half full.  Smoking is allowed so for
anyone to try and see the band was just a joke (kind of like a purple haze).
Trying to breath if your not a smoker is another story. The crowd seemed
rather bored with the whole affair, and I think the Dogs fed off this. They
seemed to just really be only playing the music, and not enjoying it very
much.  Heard later on that Brett was sick. So why the hell did he stay up all
night gambling? Also heard they spent one night at a strip joint. Seems to
be the common thread from the last tour, guess they can't get enough of half
naked women.  The "E" station did some filming of the band walking around the
hotel, gambling and just goofing off. They also seem to be doing lots of
radio and TV press, so be on the look out when they hit your town.

Phoenix - welcome to hell on earth. Not that the show was bad, it is just so
darn HOT here. The show was all ages, and I really think the average age was
16 and the average IQ was 10. Shouts of "Keanu take your pants off," "Keanu
take your shirt off," "Keanu, I have some place for your to sit."  God, my home
town is embarassing!! This show was tons better, the sound was
good,interaction was good, but poor Keanu was treated like a piece of meat.
One girl next to me, had rolled up a ball of tape and threw it at Keanu to
try and get his attention. Why do people think this? Do they think it will result in 
a favorable answer?
As Via already said, the bus was having trouble,thought it was fixed, but
found out the air conditioning broke on the way to Tucson. The temp was
about 105, so that ride must have been........Anyways, the good news is they
now have a new bus!!

Now, on to Tucson. The club they played in is the smallest I have ever seen
them play in... If you have ever seen "Friends" when Phoebes plays on that
tiny stage, well double that and there you are. It wasn't so much a Rock and
Roll club as it was a coffee house/cyberspace chat room. BUT, the crowd was
Fantastic. This was definitely one of the best shows I have seen the band
do. And I have seen quite a few. They were up. Maybe feeling the effects of
wine (as eluded to by Rob). The crowd loved them and they loved the crowd.
They rocked like it was the end of time. They laughed,teased each other. The
audience would yell, they would yell back. Some guy yelled "I love you Man!!!"
Keanu raised his eyebrow and did kind of a double take look. Maybe Via will
explain it better. They jammed "Louie Louie" a bit. The audience was an over
21, so there really were no screamers, just people having a great time. I
really think they as a band thrive on that.

I will end here for now, Sleep is in my immediate near future. Via, hopefully
will fill in the holes, as well as the other gardeners. Yes, there were Kman
encounters, hopefully those people will tell you their stories, also Brett
and Rob encounters.

Juliet,to quote a very wise man....
"Your f***ing nuts"