Great show in Santa Rosa. We got there early about noon, to check on tickets. I should have hung around in a hidden spot and recorded the soundcheck. Personnel didn't seem to be bothered by people in the lobby at that time. Look at the doors into the theatre, though, and you risked getting shot. So we left, had dinner, and relaxed for a while. So onto the show.
The theatre is gorgeous and even the furthest back seats were close enough. No screen here in SR. No need for one. We were very close to the front, Row D, four back. Jeroen G and Isaac S were lucky and got front row center. SweetSurrender arrived about the same time we did, and we got to talk for quite a while.
The band came on in a storm of sound, with Border Reiver, and went into several often played numbers. A great surprise for me was how good Coyote sounds in performance. MK was happy and grinning during the song, gesturing, and having a good time. That song is meant to have sing-a-long. You just have to go along with him on "speed I do--speed I do--speed I do."
Speedway and TR are always favorites for me, and TR was powerful. I did not think that anyone would be able to replace John McCusker on Marbletown, but Mike McGoldrick gave a fantastic new interpretation for Marbletown. You couldn't even think that McCusker would have done this or that. McGoldrick's playing was unforgettable. Prairie Wedding was a good change of pace, and MK sang it with great feeling. I was impressed. Dean especially liked Hill Farmer Blues. I wasn't too happy to hear Donegan's Gone come along, but give O'Brien credit, the instrumental turned on his playing. You could forget the 'forgettable lyrics' to listen to the outro of the song. Also, live, the whole beginning sounds like the dirge it was meant to be. Very powerful. Encore numbers this time were BIA, SFA, and Piper. Big wonderful act of a 'conference' to decide to play the last encore, Piper.
The audience was loud and happy enough for a much bigger venue. Security cops practically outnumbered the audience. Rushing the stage during encores did not happen. Well, it did, bu people were shoved right back. Last encore people rushed again, and I thought they were going to e allowed, but some people called "Down in front" and wheterr it wasn't to be allowed at all, or they, or MK decided to push people back, it happened.
My husband Dean got as much enjoyment form the audience as I did from the stage. Some woman to the left of me and one row up was ,um, insane. She jumbed up and down in her seat, pounded her fists on ther thighs (I'll bet they're black and blue today) and stood up and danced at "German tarts" When she wasn't beating her thighs and dancing, whe was looking throu her opera glass. Sometimes I put my hand to the sinde of my face because she was so distracting. I missed what everone class "Mark's dance" because I was distracted too much.
I hope the band stays as enthusiastic and happy as they were in Santa Rosa. It was a great concert. I didn't chance any pics during the performance, but I gook a picture of the marquee. I'll post that.
