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New Kellie Fan
CTBG_J is offline
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2
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My Detroit Recap
Arrived at the Magic Stick w/ my friend Rita right at 4:30. Got in the back way, and this place is like 4 venues in one. I asked someone where the Magic Stick was & was directed upstairs. We went up & there was the band setting up – no one else around. Spotted Brian’s hoodie that Gray gave him. We couldn’t figure how we could be the only ones there. So we hung w/ the band a while, introduced ourselves, got Brian to sign my UTR CD. Told him how much I enjoyed seeing a video of him back during Taylor’s Homecoming week when the B’ham affiliate show a clip of him & Taylor from the previous year’s City Stages. I told him his piano playing was the only thing to take my eyes off of Taylor for a long time. Told him I’d seen Elton in concert 8-9 times, and he reminded me of his ability. He said he’s seen Elton that many times too. Finally made mention wondering where everyone was & they said they were all downstairs eating, and they would be down soon too. Mystery solved!
Found our way down & met the Detroit Soul Patrol group – Gypsee, Colette & others. Taylorsfan, Emily from Emily’s everything blog, NellW from the boogie board. Very nice ladies. Had a nice little meal, got some promo photos of the band & they came down & signed them for us. Colette did a little Taylor trivia contest w/ prizes – I won a Detroit Soul Patrol T shirt & other necessary items in the event you meet Taylor (sharpie, Kleenex & breath mints).
Took the shuttle to the show. Saw the buses but no one hanging near them. Figured the Idols would be in wardrobe/makeup at that point. Made our way down to our main floor seats which were little folding chairs all connected together so you couldn’t get any space from the person next to you. Unfortunately, Rita was next to a woman who would be required to buy 2 seats on an airplane, and behind a man who was about 7 foot 300 inches tall. At least he was kind enough to sit for 90% of the show, while his 2 foot 11” wife stood on tiptoes trying to see Elliott. Next to me was a young couple who thought Chris should have won.
No Mandisa, which bummed me out as I heard she was a powerful opener. When AI started at top 12, I picked the final 4 to be Chris, Taylor, Katharine & Mandisa. Well, I got 3 of the 4 right. Too bad as I think Detroit would have loved her. Ace opened & was typical Ace to me. He was my least favorite of the Top 10 during the season, but he seemed to be enjoying himself & doing his best. He sounded better live than on the TV show. Lisa was very lovely, classy, and could really play piano as well. Very impressed for 17 years old, and she should have a great career ahead of her. Duet w/ Paris was cute & age-appropriate for them. Paris – great voice. Couldn’t figure out how she could be SO steady on “Midnight Train to Georgia” while running all over the place & shaking hands in the front row. She led a happy birthday song to the keyboard player. Then she did the booty dance – not my kind of thing, but she does have a lot of energy.
Bucky next – a stick figure who could not fill out a pair of jeans if they were 6 sizes too small. I don’t think his voice is quite back yet after the strep, but he seemed to be having a really good time. I did not notice any major exodus to the bathrooms while he sang. I like the guy & I hope he can take this opportunity as far as he can. Several of the idols mentioned this was the best and/or loudest crowd so far. Kellie joined him for the duet. Her hair was in this sort of big bubbly Hillary Clinton style. She looked like Hillary in leather – or, the way Bill wished Hillary would look. ;-) Didn’t much care for the duet – neither of their voices were really there. Kellie did much better with her remaining songs – You’re the Only One & Walking After Midnight. She must have been saving it. Did her usual chitchat. Looked very slim & hot in that very tight red corset. I’m sure the Dads in the audience were glad for a reason to be there.
Towards the end of intermission I told the Chris fans that he was up next. They couldn’t figure out how I knew – I told them because I have no life anymore & I spend all my time on the boards. Told them what he was going to sing & she was about bouncing off the floors when he was on. He was good – I did spot a smile crack at some point. I never had a problem w/ Chris on the show – thought he was going to win for most of the season. I just felt that he was sounding a little too much the same after a while, but I liked him. Enjoyed his set. After his 3rd song, I told the little lady in front of me that Elliott was on next, so she stood up to see. Then Chris started singing again, she must have thought I was an idiot & sat down. So of course the Star Trek doors open & Elliott comes out to join in the duet. I whap her on the shoulder & said “Hey – he's ON NOW!!!” Their duet was easily the best of the night. They sound great together.
Elliott was very good even tho, for the most part, I can never recognize or place the songs he sings even tho I’ve seen it on YouTube several times or heard him over cellcerts before. Except “Trouble”, as that is my favorite performance of his. He seemed really happy. For Elliott fans out there, it still dumbfounds me how his transformation on the show from someone who looked like an amish farmer to someone who looks like my first husband still creeps me out. He seemed happy to be there.
Stage goes dark – Kat takes her place on the floor at the top of the walkway behind the band. Starts BHCT which was my favorite of her performances, with the exception of maybe “Think”. She is off. Seemed she missed a line early on, then went flat on a note. Then when she tried to get up I think maybe she stepped on her hem & nearly fell off, but she didn’t. Walking around you’d hardly notice the slight limp. She did not seem to put out a lot of energy for BHCT. She chatted about this being the only time she can talk, as she can’t talk all day due to DR orders, still 2 songs. Showed her cast & says she must be accident prone. I couldn’t tell from her face – she was either somewhat emotional & trying to hold back some tears OR she was scared to death. To me, she really looked scared/worried, but I couldn’t imagine why, so it must be the other. Then she did SOTR – she did better on this song. It’s never “wowed” me & I never thought it “the moment” that Simon seemed to think it was, but she sang this one much better. She did receive a big applause, but she didn’t have the whole audience on their feet like Chris & Taylor did. But I don’t think Detroit dissed her – the applause was loud.
Then, JHR – I told the Chris fans next to me earlier that if they spot him & I’m looking the wrong way, it was their responsibility to get me looking the right way. I was on the main floor, middle aisle – he came out slightly behind us – side aisle – so we got to see him. In a sense it’s not like getting to see him sing, though, as you’re looking all over the place for him – but it sure gets the audience jazzed up. He went into Hollywood nights introducing it as being a song by local boy Bob Seger. I’ve seen plenty of videos of him doing this, but let me tell you – he was feeling it tonight. He was playing that guitar like I’ve never seen – slapping it around & practically tossing it from hand to hand. Broke a string. And his face – man, you thought he might have made faces on Idol, I’ve never seen a face go through so many expressions – pain, joy, happiness, exertion – you name it. He smiled a lot through his whole set. He said he hadn’t dedicated Living for the City to any city on the tour yet, so he was dedicating it to Detroit, which makes sense as we ARE Motown, and Stevie Wonder is a Motown artist. Something new I saw which I had not heard about before – during the musical bridge on this song, Taylor made his way to the top of the ramp in the back, and then the lights started strobing & he was doing this fake “whoa – where am I – am I gonna fall off” kind of move thing. It was funny. Then he dedicated DIMYP to the troops – didn’t do the power note but did other variations on the song, some cool mic stuff. He changed the end of the song to a Detroit reference but I can’t seem to remember it today.
Came back for encore TI2TS – he did not change his shirt – stayed in the black shirt & black shimmery jacket. He did not disappoint – no tambourine but he did play harmonica. If he was still a little under the weather, it did not show to me as he seemed to be giving it his all & having a good time through the set. I know Emily sensed a difference from seeing him in B’ham, but I don’t have that to compare to.
Last 2 songs – We are the Champions was better than I expected. Living in America has pretty cheesy choreography. Taylor & Ace were kidding around & crashed into each other briefly. Taylor was pointing everyone out as they sang their solo bits. Credited the band. Again, he seemed to have a great time.
Aftershow w/ LMBO - They love Detroit, loved Greektown - they played incredibly well. No Taylor & company, but they were definately worth going to see. VERY small crowd - kind of sad. I think the date was just confirmed too late to get a big crowd in there. I'd say 100 people at the MOST. Only about 30 of us standing up near the stage. Those of us there showed them a lot of love. The Elliott loving couple were there – they decided to go & they found my husband & were sitting with him telling him how these 2 nice ladies at the show sat behind them & told them about this event. Then we walked in – it was pretty funny. They stayed the whole time even tho Taylor & Elliott did not show up, but they said they couldn’t believe what a great band they were – lots of comments about Brian & his keyboard skills. Sam – lead guitarist was very generous with the hugs, and he knows he looks like the guy who played the Dad in the sitcom “Grounded for Life”. Zippy the drummer is very friendly, outgoing, funny…single… Mitch the bass player is quiet but nice. I gave him my UTR to sign & he said “Hey I played on that!”…..ummm, yeah. That’s why I want you to sign it. I talked to Brian the most. He was impressed that I won the trivia contest by knowing how LMBO got its name. I told him it’s bad enough to know all this Taylor trivia, but now I know Brian Less trivia, so I’m definitely in over my head. I told him I loved watching him play Elton’s “Honky Cat” – got me up off my butt. So the next set he played Tiny Dancer & my favorite – Take me to the Pilot, along with so many other great ones – Does It Go Round in Circles, Superstition, etc.
After the show I thanked Brian for throwing in some more Elton & he said “yes – I saw it got you off you’re butt!” Then someone came up w/ a cell phone to ask him to talk to the cellcert on the Idol Forums. He couldn’t believe there were so many folks on a conference call.
Left the venue w/ my husband who pointed out he was parked next to a car w/ Soul Patrol painted all over it. He told me I was on the verge of certifiable last night, but when he met the Elliott fan, he told her she was as nuts as I was, much to her husband’s appreciation as well. At least now he knows I’m not the only one who has been strangely affected by Taylor.
Great time – LMBO is a great band & can easily entertain on their own. Cannot IMAGINE how they would be with Taylor.
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