posted October 23, 2003 10:27 PM            

I've been putting this off, because after reading Paul K's post, I didn't really think that I had anything more to offer.

As is customary, Mamabear and I left Yuma Saturday morning on our trek to Thousand Oaks. After the usual stop at the donut shop and gas station, we hit the freeway. It just never fails - I get about half way to El Centro, and I begin thinking "Well, I'm about ready to go back home". You see, the drive across the desert kinda just sucks.

We get in to the San Diego area, and then we hit the first of the traffic. We get thru that jam to hit the Laguna traffic. Then the Pendleton/San Onofre traffic. Then the South Bay curve. Then the LAX traffic. Then the 90 slowdown. Then the 10 traffic. Then the Sepulveda pass. And then, lo!, wonder upon wonders, the Ventura freeway - the busiest freeway in the world - is wide open! WOW!

Unfortunately, it's getting late, we're low on gas, and I'm tired and hungry. The 4-5 hour trek is now surpassing 6 hours, and I'm a bit punchy. Is it just my imagination or is there really a "pumpkin festival" - next 2 exits? Well, we stop for gas, and the weirdness is just getting thick. I've definitely been out of the Golden State too long. Or maybe it really is weird out there.

Mapquest let me down. Sorta. I've got Mamabear navigating, and we get off the freeway, and the map looks like we take a left. Well guess what. A u-turn gets us back on track and to the hotel.

Mamabear was born the day before Halloween, and everybody tells her that she should have been born a day later. She replies that all is perfect because she needs an extra day to get ready. Which explains our time in the hotel room before the show. Never rush your woman at this point. Even if you're really hungry and tired and haven't eaten in 400 miles - or 7 hours.

After Mamabear gets all dolled up (OK - I showered too ), we head out the door and to the gig. Gee, I hope they have food. The goofiness ensues - as we drive to the theatre, there doesn't appear to be any restaurants. Not that we have time now, but maybe later.

Well, we get to the theatre, and (of course) I drive right past it. Another U-Turn gives me another chance at the parking structure, where the surly attendant takes my $7. $7 - sheesh. It certainly seems like an adequate parking structure, and I trust that it won't fall down and smash my little car.

Into the theatre we go, and it's a rather nice place. Signs are pasted all over the doors, walls and windows proclaiming "NO CAMERAS, NO RECORDERS". Seems pretty obvious to me what they mean. Once actually inside the lobby it becomes apparent that there will be no food. Ah, poo. The bears then join the throngs of people in the drink line, and we are allowed to pay $11 for a Corona and a diet Coke. Oh, joy. The sign behind the counter taunts me with the offer of hot dogs, but no joy.

The inner sanctum of the theatre has all the doors securely bolted, so hundreds of happy campers are set up in the hallways. I'm sure the fire marshall is just thrilled. On all the theatre doors are notices posted in rather large, bold crayon forbidding the entrance of food or drink. Seems pretty clear to me what's going on here.

After wallowing thru the halls for what must have been all of 10 minutes, we are allowed into the theatre. The Bears are shown to their seats, in the third row - not bad - and Rock and Roll are already there. Evidently the press pass works, as Ron has his fancy new camera. Always fun to chat with Rock and Roll, and who should show up with Martin but Drama from the SwitchBlade Kittens. She's a hoot!

The house lights go down, and Martha takes the stage with her band. We first saw the Motels last year in Phoenix. Truthfully, I was a little disappointed with the Phoenix performance, as Martha didn't seem to be "into it". At that show, Martha was choked in all black, from the toes to the neck to the sleeves, and the eyes that I had heard so much about were never open. Perhaps she was ill from the rotating stage.

Thousand Oaks made up for it! Martha was still dressed the same, but actually seemed to be awake for this show! She was bright eyed, dynamic and smiley. The music was good, the performance was good and for the most part, I really enjoyed it. Didn't much care for the guitarist, however. I don't know if he broke a string, or whatever, but during the performance he changed guitars, and then made a show of tuning the new guitar. For the next 15 minutes, the guitarist was performing his own little show, and to me, was really distracting.

Mamabear is always complaining that we need to do something different. So instead of seeing Berlin, I take her to see the Motels. And Mamabear complains about Martha's style of clothing. I just can't win.

After a brief intermission, the lights go back down, and the music comes up. It's not the usual 2001 music this time, now it's something different. Paul may be right, I dunno, but it did sound familiar. Terri and the guys took to the stage for an incredible performance of Masquerade. I say "the guys" cause Linda is no longer there, and has yet to be replaced. Like somebody could replace Linda! Anyway, Terri looks great, and (I'm not giving away too much) is dressed similarly to the VH-1 taping.

I don't always get lucky enough to be close to the stage, and sometimes I prefer to be farther back. I prefer to sit, and at the HoB, the only seats are upstairs. Well, I've complained before about the sound at the HoB (upstairs, on the side) but that's the way it goes. Up front, the volume tends to be lower, as the monitors aren't usually as loud as the house sound. Well, after several shows, I can say that the Kavli has good sound. Up front, third row, close to center, and the sound was awesome. Even Mitch's backing vocals were clear as glass.

Somebody compared the sound to a previous Canyon Club show. I've been to a couple of shows at the Canyon, and have had mixed results. At the most recent Canyon show, the monitor sound was wonderful for the entire show. At another show, the house sound was not quite as clean, and definitely got too loud. It's not that I'm too old (I dont' think), as the sound just kinda turns to mud and pounds thru you. My opinion. Two interesting sound items at the Kavli, however. Evidently, Terri feels that some songs are better with a female backing vocal, as there was a female backing vocal, even without a second female. At the end of the show, Terri appeared to have the sound guy add some echo, cuz there was a lot of echo during "Sex". Not bad, just an obversation. $.02

I had Mamabear believing that we were going to see only the Smithereens, and that was OK with her, cuz it was something different. Later, she asked if they were "like an '80's band". Can't ever make her happy.

The lights went back down, and the Smithereens addressed a much smaller crowd. Now mamabear was really disappointed. Their lead singer came out with his sweat-stained hat, oversized and stained t-shirt, and baggy pants falling off his big butt. Dang, I'm never going to hear the end of this. At least the rest of the band dressed for the gig.

The Smithereens put on a good performance. I enjoyed the music. I didn't much care for the beer guzzling and smoking in the non-smoking/non-drinking/non-eating theatre, but they are the talent, right? Mamabear was disgusted by the constant pulling up of the pants, and the apparent open fly. Oh, well, it's just rock and roll.

About 20 minutes into the last performance, I began to lose it. I think I turned into a pumpkin. After not eating, and being tired, I just hit the wall. My apologies for nodding off during the set.

It was almost comic to watch the "fab 5 fans" in the front row. Seems almost every idiot there had a camera phone, and was using it, too. Of course, the rules didn't apply to them, and how could they be upset by the ushers asking them to remove their drinks from the stage?!? You could tell that they were hard-core fans, because they appeared to know only the same songs that I knew of!

After the show, Mamabear and I headed out to look for bear chow. As luck would have it - DENNY'S! Did I mention the "pumpkin festival"? Well, it was also homecoming. The Denny's was packed with kids in their best formal attire. Really funny. Well, it would have been funny had there not been a 20 minute wait. Oh yeah, no vanilla ice cream or pumpkin pie.

As mamabear and I were finishing up, in strolls Martin and DramaQueen! Wow, "Her Pinkness" is here, in Denny's! Well, we can't leave now! Anyway, Drama is very entertaining, and kept me out way past my bed time.