The Salt Lake City experience was AMAZING!!!

[TheEqualizer]

PT 8

At this point, the details are really kind of fuzzy. You get go engulfed in the whole front row experience that you can't think straight. No one is front of you that it really feels like no one else is there. Then you look back and you see 15,000 people out there. For some reason, I thought there'd be only like 8,000 people there. No. The fucking place was packed.

Anyway, early on in the show, Stewart gave the Flag another point which was followed by a point to DM (who was right next to me). She was not anywhere near the flag. A peep point!! Of course, all decked out in green, we were like human flags. I wore the Cameroon jersey to plant in Stewart's mind the though of Oysterhead and Gizmo.

Later, Stewart did the "psych out" point. He wound up his arm like he was going to point at the flag but then twisted his wrist and actually pointed at DM!!!

We were clearly up for quite a night.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

[luddite lady]

[quote]I have determined that if these gals had an extra day off between shows, they could successfully invade and conquer Canada just among the three of them. Sorry, D-A-O, Tamadude and the like. It just a FACT.[quote]

I don't doubt you for a second on that one. I think I speak for my fellow Canadians when I say, "Invade away!" Those three would make the coolest dictators ever!

EQ, if you call them "gals" one more time, I think you'll feel a little of their precision-filled wrath. Bitches, yes. Gals, no.

[TheEqualizer]

PT 9

A common camera shot used on this leg is the over the shoulder of Stewart shot so you see Stewart as well as his view of the crowd. I quickly figured out that whenever this shot was shown on the huge screen, you would see me and DM!!!!! I fucking FREAKED!!!! I pointed this out to DM in some incomprehensible gibberish, and DM kind of laughed, indicating that she had known about this for a LONG time. I felt like a total asshat. Here I was, not even holding the Flag but I was still concerned about not being an asshat in front of DM.

Another thing that just blew my mind was the realization that I don't think I was hearing Stewart through the speakers but from his kit itself. This was fucking awesome.

Andy was directly in front of us. From the front row, it is so easy to not even notice Sting cuz he's on the other side of the stage. So for the whole show, it was pretty much the Andy and Stewart show. Can't really comment on how good Andy really played. My mind was too melted. It seemed really fucking good, but I don't trust my objectivity due to the overwhelming subjective experience. Sting was in very good voice and they all seemed very relaxed and having fun.

Stewart was AMAZING. 1,000 times better than when I last saw him in Vegas. More animated.

I suspect they were so relaxed and consequently had such a great show because this was a show with no expectations. Who expects a great show in Utah? Coming off the shows in the SF area esp. Stewart's birthday and right before the big shows at Red Rocks, this show was a no pressure show.

I have having so much fun I even like Don't Stand and Invisible Sun.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

[Maud138]

More more more. Your whole experience looks a lot like mine in Mannheim where I was second row. It's sooooo different. It feels like your standing in a local club.

[TheEqualizer]

PT 10

Before the end of Invisible Sun, I knew CSLY would be coming up. I was worried. I was afraid I was going to lose it. Being so emotional and knowing this might be my very last show, I was not such I could handle hearing Sting sing, "I guess this is our last goodbye." I didn't want to cry in front of Kellie. I was scared.

At this point, I left my body. My soul floated arond the ampitheater. This is waaay not objective, but I never heard Stewart play like this. He played much of the song with his eyes closed, really putting everything he had into to.

Quick aside. In our seats, Stewart naturally looked essentially right at me and DM for much of the show as he played. I swear we had direct eye contact at several points in the show. IT FUCKING FREAKED ME OUT!!!!!! FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCKK!!!

I cannot begin to tell you how weird that is.

Ayway, I was having such a good time that I did not cry when Sting sang about the last good bye. I was just feeling so good. There is no crying at a Police concert.

At the end of CSLY, Stewart gave Gina and Nancy a big flag point which I got on video. I hope to post some pics and some super short videos later.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

[luddite lady]

[quote="Maud138"]More more more. Your whole experience looks a lot like mine in Mannheim where I was second row. It's sooooo different. It feels like your standing in a local club.[/quote]

I was thinking the same thing. Some many of your comments remind me of my front row experience from Buffalo. (Mad props to DM and NR, who are first row fairy god mothers!)

[TheEqualizer]

PT 11

So Nancy comes over and says she wants to swtich seats with me. So I go over with Gina and become flag bearer. Being Flag Bearer is cool in many ways but it is also kind of never racking.

The first encore is Roxanne. Before I go into this, a little flashback. In Vegas, Stewart didn't see the flag until the very end. I was terrified that he would never see it. So the only points came at the very end of the show. He did what Phaty coined A Flag Bow followed by a flurry of points like Susan got at MSG on 11.2.07.

Back to SLC. I never got any midsong flag points before. Its fucking freaky. And it seemed like Stewart wouldn't stop pointing. To be the recipent of a point like that is UNBELIEVABLE. Just the fucking look on his face. Thinking, I'm standing next to Gina Super Cat and he's got his attention on ME! FUUUUUUUCCCKK! He was doing these little multiple point things. FUUUUUUUCCCCKKK!!

I told Gina that I wanted to her to hold the flag for Next to You as I wanted to capture the final points on video.

At the end, Stewart comes out for the final bow. As always, he's in the center with Sting to the left and Andy to the right. While standing right in front of me and Gina, Stewart then takes Sting's hand and tries to force Sting to point at the flag. Sting resists and then Stewart does a point himself and walks off. The "gals" tell me later that Sting spanked Stewart on the ass when he did this, but I honestly missed this. I have this whole thing on video though.

*hard to believe, but TO BE CONTINUED*

[Maud138]

Sigh....
Now, how can I do any work with all these chapters coming up!

[TheEqualizer]

PT 12

I will leave some of the immediate post concert stuff unsaid for reasons DM, Gina, and Nancy know. If they want to bring that stuff up (and they know what I mean), I'll let them do it.

Eventually, we got back to the "gals"'s hotel. Odd. Above the front desk registration area, there was a lute and a snare drum.

Uh, more stuff happened, including my seeing a dog that resembled Gio's avatar, and uh, we eventually went to a small bar across from the hotel. They had live music. A trio playing jazz-ish renditions of song by Radiohead, Sublime, etc. Slightly more hip than you'd expect from SLC. The guitarist had a flying V with an ancient amp that had like vacuum tubes.

I was exhausted prior to the show, was buzzing high on andreline for the whole show but I had now crashed. I wanted to go back to my hotel and sleep before my early morning flight SOOOOOOO bad. But its tough not to want to have a few drinks with these nutters as well.

Luckily, after a drink, my second wind kicked in and I was able to have a great conversation with Kellie. It was kind of tough to talk with Gina and Nancy given how the seats in the bar were.

Unfortunately, the night ended much too soon. Bars in SLC close at 1 am. I'm used to the no closing time of Vegas. So we said our goodbyes. Nancy thanked me for coming, which I thought was a bit odd since I should have been the one kissing her feet for getting me front row seats.

As Kellie said, I am now officially spoiled. But I think that's ok, cuz I don't see any more shows in my future. But after SLC, I'm more than fine with that.

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much, Gina, Kellie, and especially Nancy Rose for this opportunity of a lifetime. It was unbelievable.

Kopelandia has the best peeps.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

YAY!

It's so fun to hear another rendition of this, although I just heard an encapsulation of it live from Nancy, Kellie and Gina. All of whom rule every bit as much as you say, of course. (They look great, too, not like people who just took a 1000+ mile road trip.)

So glad you guys had a great time. So wish all the rest of you were here for Red Rocks.

Bets and I drove up earlier to check out the venue and it is just staggeringly beautiful. We had a great dinner with many of the usual suspects - would list it here but I'm sure I'd forget someone and be mad at myself...Special thanks to shyvixen for hooking us up with a nice restaurant in a cute part of town.

CAN'T WAIT till tomorrow!!!!

[TheEqualizer]

Jean,

I gave Kellie a DVD to give to you. Make sure she does not forget about it.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

I'll bug her tomorrow. You are missed. But glad you had a good time.

(Heh. on the 'travelogue' front, remind me to tell the rafting story of Bets and me from earlier today...nobody got dumped in the drink, but we were in the front of the raft and we got good and soaked...it was fun.)

[takeshi]

Thank you EQ
great story!!

[quote]Sting spanked Stewart on the ass when he did this[/quote]
LOL I really wanted to see it.

"gals" are great and fantastic!!!

[Michi]

Ufff! what a long story!!Congrats Equalizer for your patience

[Tamadude]

[quote="TheEqualizer"]I don't see any more shows in my future. [/quote]

Don't give us that shit. You're winning an MSG ticket and going.

Awsome account, EQ.

I'm glad I'm reading this late so I don't have to hold my breath and wait for 12 fucking parts!