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Los Angeles 1987 Hollywood 1988 Irvine 1989 Sacramento 1993 San Diego 1995 San Diego 1997 Los Angeles 1999 Las Vegas 1999 San Diego 1999 Hollywood 2000 Burbank 2000 San Diego 2000 Las Vegas 2000a Las Vegas 2000b Los Angeles 2000 Las Vegas 2001a Las Vegas 2001b Anaheim 2001 House of Blues - Los Angeles CA 2000 I had decided that I would make another Duran show no matter what. The rent payment could wait, it was time for Duran. We had to wait until Friday morning when we got paid to go and get the tickets. Then, the horrible news came that it was already sold out. I was devestated...but determined. I said, you know what..screw it...we're going up there anyway. But we decide that we are going to prepare ourselves greatly just in case..one way or another, we wanted Nick and Simon to know that we were there. We head to the store to grab some poster board paper and some highlighters and permanent markers...and I grab the stuffed SHARK (NO IT WASN'T A REAL ONE) that I had bought a few days before Vegas from off of my desk. We decided also that there must be a way to find a way to get into that show. So we make the drive to LA again. We get to the HOB, and still no tickets are available. I nearly break down in tears, what if we can't get in, do scalpers cost alot, I wonder what I'll do if I can't get in, etc. We drive around and then finally find a place to park. Denise and I both make signs. Mine was for of course SIMON, and hers for Nick. When we finish we get out and cross the street to the House of Blues. I go over and talk to a guy who works at the gift shop at the HOB, and he suggests scalpers, so I go back downstairs where Denise is looking for Marilyn, who had told us that she was going to be there that night too. About a minute later, this guy walks up to us..he happened to have 1 extra ticket, did we want that? I look over at Denise, trying to decide which one of us it will be, and she says, "you go for it". I feel really bad about it, but of course I had to take the offer. Oh yeah, and he worked for Disney, so we were going to go back and meet the band too...WOW! He introduces me to his sister and her husband, who are visiting from Denver, and then walk around inside the HOB for a little bit. Eventually, we go upstairs by the entrance and wait. A while later, we see a limo pull up, and Warren gets out...then so does Simon. I'm standing by the fence, so I wave to Simon, and he waves back. The people near me said it was just to me, because he was looking in my direction, but I don't know...!! WHEW! It suddenly seemed to be getting warmer outside for some reason, LOL! It was maybe about 5 minutes later when Nick is driven up in a truck ? and I hold up the sign Denise made for him. He stops like he's going to head that way, but the managers told him no the other way...so we wait a little bit more...until.... The time comes, and it is Simon first. He was going to come outside where we were waiting, but they decided it was too cold, so we go inside instead. I go in after the people I'm with, and say, "Hey Simon I've got a present for you...," he seems interested..."Oh really? what is it?" So I bring out the shark that I brought with me. He seemed to really like it, and I was REALLY glad about that. (Now the explanation as to why I brought it!) You see, I've always liked sharks a lot..and since I worked at Sea World, I wanted him to have something that would make him remember me..and something that I liked as well. I think it started from an article we read about Duran during the Arena or Notorious era...where there was a photo of a model shark that someone had made. Do you guys remember that one? I'll have to scan it in one of these days...but anyway ever since then, I grew facinated by them. I love their eyes in particular. I must be crazy...I love shark eyes...I think they are immensly cute. But anyway on with my story, I just thought, how many sharks have been given to him by fans right? We take a photo together- Simon, the Shark, and me. And I'm glad to see that while he talks to everyone else, he keeps a hold of it. Now its on to Nick. I say, "Nick my sister will just shoot me if I don't get you to sign her poster for her." "Really??? Uh Oh..Well, I better sign it then..." So I'm looking through the signs..SIMON U R HOT... And Nick sees it and says, "Simon?? I'm not Simon...??" No Nick that's mine...ah here we go....-NICK U R HOT HEART DENISE. He smiles really big, and says, "Oh wow I like that," and he signs, "Nick Rhodes in 3D" "Great! She's going to love this! Thank you!" We take a photo together. After that, I was leaning against the wall. What an effort...and I was watching Simon and the shark..lol. Warren talks to us about possibly being in Denver in Feb, since my companions are from there. WHAT?? HUH?? The time is over again, and so we go into the show...and I see DENISE!!! She had found her way in, and so I say, "Hey look what I got for you...," and I show her the poster..WHICH SHE LOVES! And wouldnt you know, we end up being right in front of Nick..2nd row. Since it was so late after they started letting people inside, I decided that I didn't have a chance of being in front of Simon. When the band comes on, Nick sees me, so I point over at Denise and he smiles. I now have not only the SHIRT, but the ELVIS glasses I got while in Vegas, so I put that on for the song...sigh! Simon was over on that side of the stage, for which I was really thankful...and I think he saw me in my Elvis shirt and glasses! I held up both sides of my sign. One side had LONELY IN YOUR NIGHTMARE, which Simon saw and kinda looked at me like "hmmmm maybe..." and on the other side, which had the SIMON U R HOT on it that Nick saw. Well, before he went out to come back for the encore, he saw it! He gave me one of those eyebrow waves again...WOO HOO!! And to my incredible surprise he comes back with the SHARK!!! I could NOT believe it. Neither could Denise...whew! And in our shock, we totally missed the photo of it. Darn! If anyone has one like this, then please send it to me, cause I'm still wondering if this was all a dream or not... Well, what a night! All too soon the show is over, and we go to say hi to Marilyn before going outside. Nick comes out first, and though he wants to stop, Dave says no. Warren is next, and then finally after waiting for what seemed like forever...Simon. I thought he might stop too, but again they told him no. Awwwww...but Denise got his photo right before he got into his limo, which we had totally forgotten about when Nick and Warren walked by for some reason. After that, Denise and I decided to go home yet again, since she had to be at work at 6am. And finally we did get home...at 4:30am. It was a long day, and I had time to reflect on the events of the past few weeks...and the whole time, I found myself in total awe that I had actually had my dreams come true. Even my friends and co-workers from Sea World were amazed. I mean, I talked about wanting to meet Simon and Duran Duran almost all the time lol! They were all able to share in the joy that I experienced after I came back and was able to tell them everything...well almost! After years and years of dreaming about meeting Simon, I finally did. And it was something that I still find incredible. Duran Duran are the greatest in all respects to me. And Simon especially... |
