Quote:
Originally Posted by Squonkman
just a quick post to say................
WOW. Awesome. I will add a full review here soon. I need a little time to gather my thoughts and reflect a little.
Christian, how do I send you my pictures to add to the site---do I email them to you? and if so where, what address?
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Well, here goes.......
I drove to Columbus, OH from St Louis on a beautiful Saturday morning, and as I crossed over the Missisissippi, with the Gateway Arch glistening in the sun behind me, embarking on the 5.5 hour drive, it hit me---I actually am going to see Genesis live again after 20 years. Last time was early 1987 in Kansas City, MO on the Invisible Touch tour. They had acutally booked 2 dates in KC that tour in 1987 and I was going to see the second show also, but the second was cancelled due to Phil having a cold and having some voice problems. An ominous sign of the future? as I would have no idea at that time that I was possibly never going to see Genesis again. They didn't play in St Louis on the IT tour (hence my KC trip), and they also skipped us in 1992 for the WCD tour, so I didn't see that one. I had a ticket in hand for Ray Wilson and Co to play at the Fox Theater in St Louis on the Calling All Stations tour, and we all know what happened there.
So as I crossed the flat farmland country and praries of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, I couldn't believe I was finally going to see my band again live. which would be my 7th Genesis concert. To get psyched, I actually started out with a little Gabriel (Security) in the car, as I didn't want to overload too quickly on the Genesis tunes, but soon I was playing Seconds Out completely, as well as The Longs and a little Three Sides Live. Also had with me the 4 encore series shows from this tour I had already bought (Rome, 2 English shows and Helsinki) so I already knew what to expect soundwise and the setlist. Nonetheless, I still actually had butterflies of anticipation.
I had originally hoped that maybe I could get there early enough to make the 3 pm Ohio St football game, scalp a cheap ticket, and take that in before the concert, but I ran a bit behind and road construction on the way slowed me up a little. So I pulled right into the Nationwide Arena area by about 4:30 pm, very easily finding the new looking arena at the edge of the Columbus downtown. Right next to what they call the Arena District is a whole area of nice restaurants and bars, with one, the beforementioned Frog Bear and Wild Boar, sitting literally within a few hundred feet of the Arena entrance, with a nice beer garden overlooking the arena. Got a close parking spot and noticed Genesis shirt wearing people already filing toward the Arena that early for the 8 pm show. Got camera ready---a small one that could fit in my pocket and/or hid if I needed to. Pure Reason Revolution shirt on, and off I went.
The Frog Bear was already hopping because it was swarmed with red clad Ohio State fans watching the game on the bars multiple hid-def tvs, creating a wierd mixture of red clad football fans and Genesis clad concert fans. It was a cool festive atmosphere already around the Arena, and one outside vendor was already selling concert souveniers. I had one task at hand, due to the fact I had an extra ticket due to a late cancellation for the long trip unfortunately, so as I wandered near the ticket window, I noticed there were scalpers already selling, so I was worried about my chances of recoupment. Lucky for me there was a guy trying to buy a ticket at the window as I walked up, and hearing they had nothing close on the floor, was about to sit up in the rafters when I psssst him and told him I had one, dead center, 20th row that I would gladly resell to him, with a little discount thrown in. He couldn't believe HIS luck, and gladly paid the near face value for the ticket. I found out he had driven in from Buffalo NY that day, having missed the Buffalo show earlier in the tour.
Figured I might as well get my Genesis t shirt and hat now (already had the program and book from ordering thru the official site) as my pocket was now filled with more cash, then headed a few hundred feet to the bar where I then imbibed for a few hours and watched the rest of the Ohio St game which they won handily 58-7 (the game would warrant a mention several times from Phil).
........cont
Part 1