It was a very nice evening. Just like a class reunion, only with the good guys.
I have met two buddies of the SB forum and one other member for the first time.
One hour before the show I came in and start to advertise our benefit sampler.
SB have allowed us to sell the record together with their own merchandising and I guess I have told the same story twenty times why we have made this album and how we recorded it.
The show have started only with the Voodoo-drums of With Your Kiss from a tape. Step by step the guys came on stage and I have write down the following setlist:
- On A Perfect Day (not the best choice for an opener; the middle part is too slow)
- In The Mouth Of Madness (kicks ass)
- Crack The Big Sky (with Ryo standing on his keyboards, the crowd got wild))
- Slow Crash Landing Man (not the best song of the new record, time for smoking)
- Return To Whatever (Al Morse song, s. Slow Crash...)
- Surfing Down The Avalanche (bad sound, very noisy, not my favorite)
- Thoughts Part II (great song, the Gentle Giant part was awesome; one of the best tracks of the show)
- Drum Battle (near eight minutes long; my dick is bigger than yours; unnecessary)
- Skeletons At The Feast (very good song; Ryo climbs again)
- Walking On The Wind (best song of the evening, it's nealing around)
- Ryo solo spot (including Hereafter, absolutely silence in the audience; awesome)
- As Far As The Mind Can See (THEY KNOW WE KNOW, great epic)
- Nick introducing our sampler
- Rearranged (great rock song, my favorite of the new album)
- The Water / Go The Way You Go (it's nealing again and I have ruined my voice)
Ryo wanted to have a meet & greet after the show and ten minutes later the guys came in to the foyer for handshaking, signing poster, making pictures and for small talk.
I am not that kind of a fanboy who wants to have all this, but my two short conversation with Nick were very nice. He is a very smart guy, debonair, modest and patient (sometimes I couldn't find the right english words).
Al was Al and we have talked about the acoustic medley and the recording, about Neal and Richard Morse' solo records and I guess he was happy that I was the only one who didn't wanted to talk about his unique finger technique.
Dave Meros have talked with other musicians about finger technique, amps and other musician stuff. That bores me, so I have tried to catch Ryo but he only talked with girls, signed tons of poster, tickets and shirts and playing with his laptop inclusive webcam.
Oh and Jimmy Keegan...well, I didn't seen him.
Finally we have sold nine CDs; that's not bad, but we were surprised that only 400 people wanted to see SB. On the Octane and Feel Euphoria tour they had more than 700 people.