STEWART COPELAND

Pt 1

The final show had always seems so far in the future. But then on Sunday night, the day before Jones Beach 1, it finally hit me. The End is imminent. Probably because Jones Beach was the original "last show." I really started to freak out.

I could not go to Jones Beach 2 as Lil' EQ's first school play was on that same day. She was Narrator 3. Couldn't miss that. Not even for Stewart.

So my flight to NY was set to leave late Wednesday night and arrive the morning of the show. I hadn't done any packing until getting home from work that day. Couldn't decide what to wear. I was pretty sure I would wear my Stewart Copeland and the Rhythmatists shirt given to me by Don't Box Me In. But I figured I'd need some back ups - just in case. Determined that I would not bring my black GITM shirt or my Leroy since I figured others would likely be wearing the same thing. So I packed my Cameroon Football Jersey that Stewart wore at Bonnaroo 06 with Oysterhead and with Gizmo. No one would be wearing that. Oh, another reason I didn't bring my Leroy as I knew there was a chance that Bongo Boy would be wearing his, and I always thought his was cooler given he decided to order his in Krypton Green.

So I packed my lucky tube socks sent to me by another Nutter which I have worn to just about every Police show and some Bermuda shorts inspired by an old avatar of DM's and I was ready to go.

On the drive to the airport, I learned Brett Favre was just traded to the Jets, the first surprise of my trip.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Pt 2

On the flight to NYC, I listened to Police bootlegs from this tour. My theory was that by getting used to hearing the songs, I would be less emotional at the show. Ever since the SLC show, I was afraid that I would be a total wreck at final show if I were to go. Luckily, I was able to get some fairly decent sleep on the flight.

I arrived at JFK at around 7 am. On the train to midtown, I continued to listen to Police bootlegs to desensitize myself. I did not want to cry at the final show.

The train took me straight to Madison Square Garden essentially, where I had to pick up my ticket. I go to the box office but it is still closed. While waiting for the box office to open, I meet a guy from Israel named Nadev. He says he tried to get tickets for the last show yesterday but was told there were no tickets available but advised he could try again the morning of the show. He then asked me if I had tickets. I then tell him "You're not going to believe this, but . . ." I then tell him a very truncated version of how I ended up with a pit ticket. He seemed to be in disbelief yet still believing me. I still kind of felt the same way.

The box office opened, and the woman asked me, "How did you purchase your ticket?" I was flustered for a second. Did I need to tell her about the contest? I then simply said, "I got an e-mail from Derek Power." She then kind of rolled her eyes and pulled out a small stack of envelopes. She pulls one out that had my name on it along with the word "pit." I was not sure until that momement that I indeed had truly gotten a pit ticket. I sign for the ticket and then look inside the envelope. Nowhere on the ticket does it say "pit." It does say GA, but I could not wait to see another Pit ticket winner to see if our tickets matched.

I then talked again with the guy from Israel who advised me I thought he could get a ticket from Craig's list. I give him my cell number and the address to Fat Annie's. I tell him if he wants to meet some crazy Police fans, he should go there. Forgot to mention, his goal was to get seats behind the stage so he could see Stewart play. It was clear he was there to Stewart. I figured he'd fit in at Fat Annies.

So I was milling about a bit when I hear someone say, "EQ". I looked around and saw no one I recognized. "EQ!" I hear again. It was coming from a nice platinum blonde. She introduced herself as Koko. This was the first of what was going to be a common yet still odd/bizarre event in NY where people would come up to me seemingly knowing me even though we had never met. Koko told me she was from Germany, and so I asked her if she knew Dietmar, who was high on my list of people I wanted to meet. She said they were from the same city but they did not know each other. However, she said she came over on the same flight as Maude. She was another Nutter I really wanted to meet, but she was no where to be found.

Shortly thereafter, I then ran into Midori. I think I kind of frightened her so I didn't really speak to her the rest of the trip. I hung out near the box office waiting for other Nutters to come and pick up their tickets. Meanwhile, I asked security where the line up would be for GA/Pit ticket holders and was told it would be at the far right doors. I waited around there for quite some time but no one was there. I thought for sure that at least Dietmar would be in the pit line bright and early. But there was no one. I also showed securty my camera and asked if it would be ok to bring in. They said it would be no problem.

There was no line, so I figured I would walk around NYC a little.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Pt 3

I try to check in to my hotel, which is right across the street from MSG but am told check in is not until 3 pm, though I am told I could try again at 1 pm. NY hotel check in people certainly are cut from a different cloth from their Vegas counterparts. In Vegas, they actually try to be polite.

So I walk a bit more around NYC. I then get a call from PDXRacer. He tells me his flight had just come in. He doesn't have a room, so I tell him he can leave his luggage in my room after I check in if he wants. I notice that this is that same Nutter to Nutter hospitality generally shared by just about everyone I saw in NYC from the boards.

I then text Dive, Empty, and Betsy that I have arrive. The replies are "Squeeeee" and "WHOOOOOOOO" and the like.

I see a place right next to MSG called Stage Door Deli. There is one of these in Vegas, and I like it quite a bit, so I figured I would get something to eat there while I waited for check in time or other nutters to show up. Dive texts me again and asks what I am doing, and I simply reply that I was eating an omlet. I later discover this simple text served as a basis of a thread over at SC.net as well as a call from Conroy, which I never got until I returned to Vegas.

Side story about the meal. I ordered an omlet since it said it came with coffee and OJ. The coffee was in a standard coffee cup with the OJ was a glass no bigger than most Vegas bars serve their shots in. A real "Welcome to NY" moment.

After my eggs, I walked back to MSG and hung aroung the backstage area watching the Police's equipment being unloaded. I noticed that sone of the cases were green and labeled KK followed by some numbers. I wondered if this was a coincidence.

I then saw someone I recognized as Takeshi walking towards me. He was accompanied by a tall good looking guy in a RDB shirt. I am again surprised when Takshi recognizes me. The guy with him introduces himself as Steve (stevel). We had emailed each other a little since I sent him a DVD of the Manchester show, where he was the flag bearer. This was the start of a trend. I would later meet many people who I mainly knew from having sent the Rio DVD or the Tokyo DVD or whatever recording.

Steve then tells me that he was told by the MSG people that the line GA ticket holders was outside, which was a way different place that I was previously advised. We walk to the location Steve was advised to go to and find a large sign stating "General Admission Entrance" so I figure I was given bum information previously. Steve looks at me and says, "Looks like you are the first in line for the pit." I look around a bit surprised as I suspected that at least Dietmar would be in line already.

No sooner did I think this when Dietmar came around the corner with a piece of pizza in his hand. Apparently, he had been waiting at that entrance for quite some time and left momentarily to get something to eat. He was in such a hurry to get back in line that he even forgot to get napkins. So I finally got to meet the legendary Dietmar.

I seem to recall that we were only able to talk for a second when another cool cat came strolling by. It was Bongo Boy. He was wearing a Stewart Copeland and the Rhythmatists t-shirt that was identical to the one I had planned to wear at the show. Bongo Boy described the shirt as one of his prize possessions. I knew I would not look nearly as cool in the shirt as Bongo Boy, so I was glad I had brought a back up plan.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Most excellant so far EQ. Gotta get to bed now, but I'll catch up tomorrow!!

Pt 4

This was one of the main things I was looking forward to doing in NY - sitting around with some hardcore Nutter, talking about The Police, Stewart, and just about everything under the sun. We sit at the GA just chatting about everything. I gotta tell you; I was a bit nervous of thought of meeting Dietmar. He is such a Police fan icon - the real deal ("Ask Deitmar") while Im just a guy who wastes a lot of time by posting. However, he is such a nice approachable guy. And Bongo Boy just oozes coolness. And Steve is not too far beind in the coolness factor. We seemingly talk about everything - what our favorite Police albums are, what the best shows have been, bootlegs, and other, less Police oriented things.

However, my old childhood friend, Vermontfan, was due in from Vermont shortly (he was driving in). He called to say he was near the hotel so I had to leave the group to meet him. This was really the last inimate chat with Nutters that I was able to have in NYC. The rest would be a mad dash of conversations in a room chock full of more Nutters than you could shake a Vater at.

On the way to meet up with Vermontfan, I pass CharlieArnold and his wife. I tell him I just left Dietmar and crew and he advises me that the NY Times has a full page ad about the Police. So he goes back to the hotel with me, which is where he is staying as well. As we enter the hotel, Vermontfan calls me and tells me he can't find the valet entrance to the hotel. Given the urgency, I unfortunately have to "ditch" Charlie. This unfortunately happens more than once in NYC due to circumstances. Time is so short and there so many things going on and so many Nutters that I found myself having to occassional have to interrupt conversations so I could communicate what I needed to say before I had to dash off. Sad.

Vermontfan and I are able to get his car valeted and I manage to check in even though it is well before 1 pm. In the room, I dress in the clothes I intend to wear during the show. I put on the green Cameroon Football Jersey, bermuda shorts, and my Police concert tube socks and shoes. I also give Vermontfan a spare pair of tube socks so he could fit the part.

Another thing was that one of my old college roommates works in Manhattan and we planned to eat some pizza in Little Italy together. However, Dietmar had gotten in my head enough that I considered cancelling lunch with my ex-roommate. Vermontfan was simply willing to do whatever I wanted. I made the call that I would risk my place in line and possible flanagling my way into a soundcheck in order to see my friend. He is really a special guy (as an aside, he lived in the dorm where Madgrad worked in the cafeteria during college; small world).

So I head back to the pit line to tell them I would be going off to lunch. However, the pit line had grown a bit. It now included a few more people, including Stinging in the Rain, Dirty Martini, and Moeskido. DM and Moe were heading off to lunch as well, so I didn't feel so bad. So Vermontfan and I got into a really long taxi line intending to go to Little Italy.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Pt 5

Did I ever tell you how much I hate riding taxis in NYC? Its like playng with your life when you enter a cab in midtown. The narrow streets. the cabbie's determination to slam down the accelerator and then slam the break and then repeat the process for 4 miles.

So we have pizza in Little Italy with my old college roommate. It was either Ray's Original or Original Rays. Or something like that. But the pizza was unbelievably good. Pesto ricotta olive. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. My friend could only spend like 45 minutes together but we made the most of our time. He's one of the good people on earth.

So Vermonfan and I head back into a cab and head towards MSG. Floor gas. Slam breaks. Repeat.

When we get there, there is NO ONE at the GA entrance. My immediate thought is, "FUCK!!!!! While we were out, Dietmar was able to get everyone in to a soundcheck! And I missed it!!!! FUCK!!!!!!"

I call, I think, Dive, and ask where everyone is. She says that they just saw Dietmar and he was in line for the pit. I tell her that I was at the GA entrance but no one was there. I am then advised that they had "gone inside". FUCK!!!

But I am told that everyone was a the Tick Tock Diner, which was just around the corner from where I was. I go there, and the Nutter fest begins. It seems like everyone is there (though it turns out to be nothing compared to Fat Annie's later). Dirty Martini. Dive. Gina. Lynne. Hannah. Nancyrose. Conroy. Laurie. Tamadue. PDXRacer. Moeskido. And More.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

Holy Crap I'm still up reading this, 2:43 AM here....Mr. E is working tonight so trouble sleeping.....

EQ great story!!!

EQ, you're right about Vermontfan being waaay growth, I met him and I think I was eye level with his elbow.

excellent stuff eq, i was wondering when we'd get your 'report..... keep 'em coming.



you lucky son-of-a-gun.

Thanks so much for your report so far!!!

Excellent!!

I have to say.... in some ways I love this type of thing as much as the concert reports!!

Everyone meeting each other!!

FAB!!

Kimmy

WAKE UP WAKE UP!!!
Please go on, it's so nice to read all these stories.
I was thrilled meeting you, EQ, I'm so sorry we didn't chat much. It was a madhouse and time has never been so short.
I regret not talking to a lot of people, but it was physical impossible.

Pt 6

I introduced everyone at the Tick Toc Diner to Vermontfan. While doing so, I realized that many of these people I was introducing him to I had actually never met before even though I felt like I already "knew" most of them very well. The Nutters were all at a long table. I really wanted to talk to Dive, whom I had never actually met before, but she was pretty much at the head of the table and there were no empty seats by her. Fuck.

However, Tamadude was at the other end of the table. Great, great guy to talk with. My first impression was that he was not as tall as I thought he would be. Mind you, he was tall. Much taller than me. I was just expecting a nine foot wookie. One of the first things Tamadude asked me was really funny, which was "Are you logged in [to SC.net] right now?" So Vermontfan and I talked with Tamadude about lots of things which occasionally being able to squeeze in a "Hey" with the other nutters between their conversations with others. I was also able to speak with Lynne for a spell. Not only is Lynne from my original neck of the woods, but also she had just seen the new King Crimson lineup and Vermont fan and I are HUGE Crimson fans.

It was also at the Tick Tock Diner that I first met Dermot. Super nice guy. I get the sense that he is a bit hesitant to be with ALL the Nutters, which I felt was a real shame.

I decide to text Meg to find out where she is, and she responds that she was in the pit line. Hmm. I had thought everyone in the pit line had gotten into a sound check. Kellie leads all of out of the diner and the others say they will visit with the others in the pit line before heading to Fat Annie's. Hmmmm.

So we head over to MSG and I learn that the people in the Pit line hadn't gotten into a sound check. Apparently, they were all directed to a place inside MSG to wait. Interestingly, it was the area I was told to wait at at the start of the day before I had run into Stevel and Takeshi.

The group of Nutters really began to grow at this point. Skaman. Animal (in his Animal t-shirt). DrummerdaveF. Vespapod. Sockii. Pecos. Ted. So many, I'm starting to forget. Meg was there but Dan had already taken off for Fat Annie's.

I had never met Sockii before, so when I first met her and she gave me a hug, I gotta admit I had NO idea who she was. It was the blond wig. Also, she was taller than I imagined her to be.

I think the first Nutter I spoke to at length there was Skaman. As cool as they come. Before long, Tamadude joined the conversation. I could talk with these guys for hours.

I saw that Kellie still had the Flag. I was a bit surprised as I had assumed that Team Copeland already had the flag and were incorporating it in the show. Kellie advises me that her intention is to pass the flag in the pit. It become apparent that the final plans for the flag are still not set in stone. Shit.

Vermontfan is able to sign the flag. I also sign the flag on behalf of Don't Box Me In, who could not attend the show due to a gig he had. Unfortunately, the flag is so full that I can't include the cities where DBMI had seen the boys.

After hanging and chatting with the Nutters, a bunch of us decide to go to Fat Annie's for the party. I am torn. I want to wait in the pit line but I also really want to see all the nutters. I still hadn't seen Betsy or Dan or Madgrad or Maud or . . . .
I figure that the pit line is not that long, so I decide meeting up with Nutters takes precedence over prime location in the pit. Also, I still needed to pick up the ticket for Vermontfan which Agroovie1 was going to give me. So I head off to Fat Annie's with the other Nutter, leaving most of the Pit people at MSG.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

PT 7

I get to Fat Annie's and the first person I see outside is Agroovie1. He had generously agreed to give Vermontfan the ticket he won in section 119 from SC.net even though he had never met me or Vermontfan before. We talk about bootlegs for awhile (surprise surprise) and then I head inside.

Total. Nutter. Overload.

Charlie Arnold is near the door giving out name tags. I quickly meet Bella, who give me a waaayy cool lanyard. I tell her I almost didn't recognize her without a shirtless guy in a cowboy hat next to her, which earns me a swat. I run into Schmaffy, who looks at me like we are old high school classmates and gives me a hug. I see Madgrad, but I am unable to really get her attention. I run into Muse and Maggie, who I hadn't seen since the Copeland meet and greet thing at Guitar Center. Most of the other people from TP.com seem to have no idea who the hell I am (even some who I had met before).

I see Amy, who give me a guitar pin with flashing lights. However, I am more focused on the fact that I know Amy has Jose's Flag. She gives it to me, and I proudly sign it for our friend in Peru. It feels great to be able to sign nice and big as well as include a little message on it for Jose.

I run into Betsy, who is quik to point out her Pit shoes. They are HUGE platforms to help her see over any monolith dudes who get in front of her in the pit. They are so tall, I knew she would have no problem seeing over Yao Ming if he happened to be in the pit that night.

I run into Nutter after Nutter. Chatchka. Luddite Lady. So many I lose track. Unfortunately, with most of them, I'm really only able to say, "Hey! Great to finally meet you!"

I run into Maud. She comments how it seems like I am always posting at all hours of the day. Seems to be a theme.

Sect404 from TP.com had put down $1000 at Fat Annie's but we were not able to spend anything against that down payment until 5 pm (bastards!). So when 5 pm hit, the drinking and eating commenced. I decided against drinking too much as I wanted to avoid needing to go to the restroom too much. Also, though I usually live to eat rather than eat to live, I am to excited to really want to eat anything. However, the food is actually much better than I expected.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

All those stories in chapters!!! It's like reading different books at the same time about the same subject. I love it!

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[quote="Maud138"]All those stories in chapters!!! It's like reading different books at the same time about the same subject. I love it!

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He's doing it on purpose.

He doesn't want us to sleep.