Man, it was just awesome from start to finish. Wednesday night was like a dream... a dream I've been havin' since last June. Pete Grant and Barry Aberle (of Harry, Barry, and Gary fame) rode up with me. Now Barry knew what the view from the top was like, but Pete was goin' googly eyed at what he saw. Pete will testify that I was sittin' in the bleachers yellin' "I wanna hear motorcycles!".
Now the opening band deserves worthy mention. These guys were hot, and Friday night, one of their singers came back the the Los GAtos Lodge, and jammed with the band in the bar, and did a kickin' version of LTTM, that we were all singin' along to. The name of the group is Venice, out of Venice Beach, and they can be found at www.venicecentral.com. They remind me a lot of both the Doobs and Firefall, with their tight, multi-part vocal harmonies. After the show Friday, I was talking with the guy who came down to The Lodge, and he said that he grew up on The Doobs, and that when they got asked to open for them, for all three nights, at Montalvo, it was dream come true. These guys are truly worthy of your attention - trust me.
So anyway, at last Chubby roars, and TJ cranks out the opening notes of the show. By now you all probably know that there are new tunes from the new CD in the set, and I gotta tell ya, if there was any doubt about the guys still havin' it or not, it was, and will be put to rest real fast. Just like their manager Bruce's wines, they get more awesome with every passing year.
The seats in the bleachers were awesome, and a great big thank you needs to go out to Chris Snyder for working with Montalvo to get them for us, and at a reduced price to boot!
The thursday social was a great time with many of the attendees getting to meet Tiran for the first time. He is a very gracious, and easy going guy, and enjoys mingling with us nutty fans.
Thursday night's show was awesome as usual, and after the show, as many of us could hold our eyelids up gathered first on the patio, and then in the bar, for conversation, and to listen to the guitarists in the group play Doobie tunes. There was Dave Wasserstrom (who did a killer rendition of Slack Key) and Steve Adams, Gary Banton adding some bass lines, and two or three others who's names I didn't catch, all of whom were far better than I'll ever be. After a couple of beers though, I did get into singing though. Doobie Dan and I wailed on a couple of numbers including South City.
The convention on Friday was just as good as last year. The wild and elusive TJ came and mingled with the fans, and because so many folks there had never met any of the brothers before it was really cool. There were two cakes, thanks to Chris Passanisi, to celebrate 30 years of Rockin' Down The Highway, and the giant plastic trash can she brought to collect toys for the DBFC Toy Drive was full by the end of the afternoon. Even The Brothers brought several bags of toys to put in.
The auction... Well I'll let El Presidente announce the amount that we raised (some of you know already), but suffice it to say that the NVF will be able to operate for at least two months on the money we raised. Not to shabby for a bunch of R&R groupies! It was a real feeding frenzy during the bidding, and people dug deep into their pockets, savings accounts, Master Card accounts, etc, to get their piece of Doobie history, and help the Vets.
We were joined for the convention by Shad, and several Vets who are now working with him, and who play some dynamite Doobie style tunes. I was so busy that I don't remember all their names, or the name of the group, but I do remember Carlton, and the two long talks I had with him, one at the convention, and the other that night, after the show in the stands.
Folks, this man was a highly decorated veteran of the Vietnam action. When he got home, he was called a baby killer, and spit on, and thrown on the trash heap by society. Drugs, alchohol, and uncontrolled anger landed him in California's worst prison for 25 to life. Shad worked with various politicians and such to get Carlton's sentence modified so that he would be working with, and for, Shad and the NVF. Carlton now mans the phones at the NVF, helping other Vets, is going to college, and has a 4.0 GPA, and has a wonderful wife, and the most adorable little one in his life. Talking to him after the show Friday, and meeting his family, and thinking about my own wonderful wife, and precious little girl, it really came home to me, the good that the NVF does. "They sure have saved this man who's soul was in need" is entirely appropriate. Meeting him really touched me, and made me realize that our contributions really do count, and touch real people's lives.
To all who bid, those who won, and those who didn't, a big thank you for helping. If our contributions save just one person, it's all worth it. And as you listen to the lyrics to People Gotta Love Again, take them to heart... Like Tommy said, "I'm glad all you people like that song... We all like that song... It's the future people!"
Well after all the planning, and shipping stuff to Los Gatos, and setting up, and bidding for folks, and being blown away by the bidding, it was time to be rocked one more time. And rocked I was! The tunes were the same, but the crowd and the Brothers were stoked for the Friday show. I bet we registered on the earthquake sensors!
After the show we had the now expected runaround from the security folks about where to gather for the after-show meet and greet. Now I ain't gettin' down on the dudes in the black shirts, cause they were just doin' what the boss man said. Anyway, finally Keith came and got the whole DBFC, and brought them backsatage. Later as I was waitin' for Barry outside the backstage door while he was scammin' a set list off the road manager, I overheard two of the security dudes, who by now, knew we were more or less cool, talkin' with a woman who was apparently some sort of mucky-muck at Montalvo, about when Keith brought everyone down. She thought it was the end of civilization as we know it, and the security guy says, he wasn't gonna argue with a Brother. So I piped up, and pointed out that Keith and the band wouldn't have let us back stage in the first place if we were a bunch of animals. Then the lady observes that eveyone was respectful, and polite, and let the guys finish eating dinner, and that no one touched the birthday cake for one of the crew's wives that was set out. So score one for us folks. We definitely were not what these folks are used to. A couple more years of this, and maybe they'll wise up and let US run security for The Brothers shows! Lord have mercy, now that would be a rockin party!
So now it's time for the closing credits. I'll probably miss some folks, but know that I appreciate you all. Laurin and Susie for all their hard work, and blood, sweat, and tears, Linda, Ann and Helen for diving in and helping with the auction, Chris Snyder for the seats, Chris Passanisi for the cakes and running the DBFC Toy Drive, Rick Santangelo for shooting video at the convention, and taking the dyno pics of Rick and Lori on stage, Dave, Steve, Gary, and the other players, for the aftershow party tunes, Pete, Barry, and the Bakers for the company ridin' back and forth, Harry, and his wife Carol for the good company, Doobie Dan and his wife Pat for being so cool, and schlepping a dozen guitars all over California, and all the fans who came to Saratoga, and made the DBFC 2000 gathering so much fun.
And of course the biggest thank you has to go to The Brothers for making all this possible. There may be some, but I don't know of any other band that grants the access to the fans, and appreciates them, the way that The Brothers do, that puts songs into the set list for the fans, or that puts out so much energy and clearly enjoys it, than The Doobie Brothers. You are all simply the best.
TJ said this was their 4th year playin' at Montalvo, and closed up the Friday show sayin' "We love ya people, we'll see ya next year". The 3 shows by The Brothers sold out faster than Montalvo has ever seen, so everybody start savin' those pennies right now, cause you don't wanna miss TOGA 2001!!! (3 !!! is the same as jumpin' in the air as you bang out the final chord of LTTM - YEAH!)
Well that's it folks. You all probably fell asleep by now, but
I had to tell it from the heart. Remember to love your brothers and
sisters, Don't Be Afraid, and ROCK ON!
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Hearin' Their Tunes Always Has A Way
Of Soothin' Out My Soul
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Cause Times
Are Hard And Work Is Slow,
But Their Music Keeps Me Whole
