"Practically perfect people never allow sentiment to muddle their thinking"-- Mary Poppins

Strider, my ship at sea, performed magnificently going down the Ventura Highway. I blew town rapidly the next morning….. Sadly the morning news told me that a little girl was missing in Tracy, 8 years old, and a real fun one if the photo did her justice. A cutie. I followed the Amber Alert code, kept my eyes peeled, just in case. On the way between 101 and 99 there is a highway that goes through "The Valley" as they call it in LA, pretty area all agricultural, nice in the Spring, the pits in summer. About six cops (some on motorcycles) CHP had some scruffy hippies in a white pickup cornered, so they were really out combing the hills for her. They finally found her in a suitcase…… and you can read the news about it, sad. Kids are snatched all the time. If I had one wish, it would be to magically remove from existence the savages that do such things to little children.

Bakersfield IS a dump, a weed patch, everyone in California agrees. I don't like Fresno either, the whole central valley would dry up and blow away if it wasn't for irrigation. The Rabobank turned out to be in an older, but clean neighborhood (reminded me of where I grew up in Fullerton, ok but Dullsville). If anyone thinks it’s a "bad neighborhood", they are a raging bigot because yes it was very multi-ethnic. Nice folks, I had a wonderful time (an older full-blood Hawaiian woman checked me in!) and felt quite safe there. Safer than Santa Barbara and all those street people, that’s for sure!

Bakersfield got very spontaneous for me....... when I rolled in (cooking in the Sun, I spent much of my time driving down the road with a bottle of sun-block in my hand, rubbing it on) and found the tour bus parked right next to the Marriott, I cancelled my other reservation and got one there. What a nice hotel! They played GREAT classical R&R in the lobby. Too bad the Moodies didn't stay there too. I honestly think security must have gotten out of hand, fans have really taken to stalking them too much, used to be they would stay right there if they played that close. Things were weird enough when they did the casinos in Tahoe and Vegas, but it must have escalated (and I dropped out for a few years, it wasn‘t me!) I spotted a LOT of "old time fans" when I checked in, and some of them had been following the band for a long time indeed. A shame. I think more contact between fans and band might be a healthy thing all around. Well there is always hope. But they sure pack up and go elsewhere after the show.

Across the street from the Rabobank, was a broker (Pete’s Seats) who had up Moody Blues tickets "first three rows" "was $75, now $40". Not sure if I should laugh or cry.

The Rabobank was ok, but flakey in spots. I went to the potty, and when you sat down, every time someone flushed, you got a little ride! WUMP! That was quite a thrill. And they leaked a bit. Something tells me that place has seen some action.

I was in shock when I got to my seat (this after meeting up with Debbie L. out front, what a sweetie she is! I haven’t seen her for years!) I was down in the pit in the front row, the furthest person to the left (I had on a black sweater and a fuzzy turquoise shawl, brown hair up, and was sorta cold, sore shoulder..... driving all day blaugh. I kept the shawl on). One of the best seats I've had to date, and it was a blast! The funny thing was, I looked down the front row, and we seemed to be a front row of grandmas. (cringe). One old gal was determinedly using her walker to get into the pit. I was a little woozy after the show, it was so intense. Stupid me, there I sat in a pair of striped fuzzy socks, and the Moodies staring down at them. You never know. I should have had on a short skirt!

Graeme wore his hula skirt shirt this show and made it shake! and I have a photo of it. Somewhere. Julie had on some really nice clothes, beautiful skirts (a sort of folded back bustle with large showy buttons on it), and she seemed to always have little butterflies in her hair, and glitter on her face.

The show was wonderful, enjoyable, a few glitches here and there, and the same set. I thought Justin's guitars for LOM and NCTD were just a bit "better" in B-field, I'm not hep on how amps work, but they either turned down the sound, or switched a setting. They sounded tinny in SB. In "Never Comes the Day" I think maybe it was the way Justin was playing the Collins, because in a video shot earlier this tour (Rancho Mirage I think) the song came out really lovely. In SB he plucked too hard. I would be loath to over analyze, but advanced guitar players CAN get different tones and moods out of the same guitar by just strumming with more or less tension. It was different each night in tone.

I think Justin really likes "December Snow", and I’ve been enjoying it too, his voice sounds almost gentle at times. I doubt there is any dubbing, his voice cracked a little bit most nights in TOSOL and that could have been intentional (it got very gravelly). He dropped the "yeahs" from "The Voice", which I had enjoyed. I thought "Lean on Me" was very pretty in Bakersfield and John’s voice was wonderful. "Slidezone" seemed to have some new synth, more blues to it this show. Vocals ALL sounded more relaxed than I have heard in the past. And both guitarists got QUITE nasty at times, Justin doing that run up and down the guitar neck. Whew. Do it again!

The TER group figured out that the Marriott was right next to the Rabobank (probably that secret "Members only" forum, and I bet the Moodies lurk there too, which is probably why they DIDN‘T stay at the Marriott, that would be about right), and they eventually staked out the bar. I first noticed them when I staggered to the kisok, and (sitting with my back to the wall) was able to keep an eye on them and check my email (and newsgroups) at once. At the Marriott, and once in Oakland, I’d shoot a quick glance at these guys, and sometimes found some glares coming back at me. Have no idea who was whom. I tended to observe them rather like a school of fish or a flock of birds, they all seemed similar and cliquish. Can’t say I wasted much time thinking about it.

This was the show where John got nailed with a glow stick, around the knees I think (?), wasn’t thrown very hard (though one person claimed it flew from about five rows back, and was thrown with force) probably just some drunk let go by accident. I don’t know why John is the target for flying things, I saw him get hit with a glass full of ice in Vegas once right in front of me (over 10 years ago! someone just drunk and overenthusiastic), but that one DID hurt and bless him he kept on smiling, great recovery. John has been the target of Graeme’s drumsticks too. Justin seems impervious to this sort of thing! (It’s his magic protective Zylon shield).

Traveling with that girl I mention as "bugging" me in SB, was a pretty woman who reminded me of Tina Turner. She was down center with little on but a flesh-toned, stretch jersey top (chuckle, no bra!) and she was dancing so enthusiastically that her mammary glands were getting quite a work out. All six of them. Man I love the Moodies, but I know when to tuck them upper cantilevers in where they belong! Well it made her happy. After some research with my contacts, I’ll be good, but honestly after age 40 I wonder if this is a wise choice. (I’m 54, I couldn’t tell her age. Over 35 certainly). Boobs HURT when they bounce.

Graeme looked like he had a bit too much birthday cheer in Bakersfield, in Primm he was ok again, so I guess he got some sleep. It's hard for ME to sleep even being in a wonderful bed like I was in B-field (and with the excellent service!) I bet the poor Moodies try to cat nap on that bus, and can you see tall guys like Justin or John doubling up in one of those bunks or seats? That must be miserable. I can’t sleep after a show sometimes until 3 am. "On the road" might not be all that glamorous.

I think it was in the Bakersfield show that Norda did a high kick that would have put a ballet dancer to shame, quite a gran jete! you go Norda! Also I noticed that on "Wildest Dreams" Norda puts a lovely alto voice into the sound mix........ very pretty arrangement of the song.

Yes Justin wiped his nose before he left stage this night. One last gesture? (lol) actually Justin was in a much better humor in Bakersfield or appeared so anyway. He seems to defrost more and more as a tour goes on. He can put out a sweet, warm, infectious smile when he wants (could it all be practiced? Naw…….) I loved Justin’s ancient Fender he uses in "See Saw". In Bakersfield it was in my face, and I got a gander at how primitive it really is (electric guitars have come a long way since then). It was sorta cool to think that guitar had been made in Fullerton, where I was growing up, and here it came after many travels to do a show right in front of yours truly, there in Bakersfield.

Met lots of nice folks who just lurk, aren't active posters, friends and strangers. And many people who don't give a hoot about on line, they just show up for the shows! One guy in Bakersfield was wearing a kilt! I tried to talk to him but he was "under the influence" and sorta rambled. Nice fellow. He had a great time running up the aisle and shooting the peace sign at the band, during IKYOTS. The Rabobank was maybe 1/2 to 3/5 full last night. It's a pretty big house.... I heard numbers of 1,500. I was shocked that I turned out to be in the pit (you know those "exclusive" seats for high rollers?) all off Ticketmaster! There were tons of empties down there, so I guess the scalpers ate a few tickets. Que lastima. Many oozed down there as the show progressed, the usher looked intimidating, but was actually a pretty nice guy, and was enjoying the show himself.

It got pretty crazy down front, Once, yes John leaned right in over me, I could have jumped up and grabbed him! I didn’t, he was playing very well (never heckle a bass player mid stroke), I just enjoyed the ambiance, and leaned out of the way so he didn‘t whack ME. Whew, he‘s a big boy. THEN it was pretty funny, one of the other gals had out her camera (the one with the bouncing boobs) and he swung the neck of the guitar right around, almost whacking it. It looked pretty deliberate to me (she posts many videos to you tube), and I got a bit of schadenfreude out of that. (I think I had run out of film by this point, I only take a roll of 24 on my old camera these days. That’s plenty). Good God the man was right in my face!

The Marriott was right next to the Rabobank, was quite 4-star, and I got a decent rate. They even refilled the hot tub, wonderful! NUP... at 11 pm the tour bus with the band pulled chocks and cruised out of Rabobank central. I don't think anyone saw them go as we were all in the bar (I barely spotted it going by the front window, and they weren‘t headed to Tehachapi either. They probably stayed across town in another four star hotel). The Rabobank has an enclosed "hangar" they could drive all the trucks and buses right inside, rather nice, secure.

Got a VM from a gal I met on line named Moody Jill, she seems nice from her voice (from Fresno), but it can be so hard to find people sometimes (I’m pretty flakey when under the influence of Moodies) I didn't even remember to check my phone until sometime the next day, when I got to Primm! Sorry I'm afraid I sorta go nutty when on the road chasing the Moodies.

We decide which is right and which is an illusion--Graeme

Mistress Mandy wants to hurt you!-- tv commercial

Angels and Demons. After the show, I streaked for the bus parked out back (met a cute little girl with her hippy family who REALLY wanted John‘s signature, she was sorta disappointed they didn‘t come out), apparently the band bus was in the secure hangar/barn, so I went up to my room, changed clothes a bit, grabbed a wine cooler, back down and found Debbie in the bar! She’s a fun person to gossip with, mind you I’ve known her for 15 years or so, and we let our hair down quite a bit. She’s not on line either. Anyway we remembered old friends, fun times, and passed lots of information.

And naturally our gossip turned to our favorite subject, Justin. (not the real Justin, the fantasy Justin). Debbie and I are very similar in that we are ladies, not obcessed, and we both just sorta wish we could get to know Justin socially. We don't stalk. Anyway, she came out with some pretty hot gossip: she said she had heard that Justin was into S&M. <bored tone> Sometimes I think that’s just a phase ALL men go through. Ever see "naughty magazines" from The Riviera? My Ex brought one back from Monaco once that was, shall we say, quite imaginative, and painful looking. Notice the word "Ex", he was entirely too interested in that sort of thing…… blaugh. Alternate sex toys are quite the rage in Europe actually, if the adult shop I saw in Koln in 2004 is any example. I countered Debbie’s story with gossip that another friend had passed to ME, that Justin is a staunch church member in Monaco (Episcopalian of course) and he and Marie attend church every Sunday when he is in town, not on tour (and the person who passed me that info will probably never speak to me again).

However, I put these things in print (I don’t make this stuff up!!!) for this reason: both of us swore up and down that this gossip was, according to our sources, "verifiable, provable, and REAL factual information". (sure) Graeme just said (in an interview) he wouldn’t "dish any dirt" on anyone but himself. I counter with this. Is there really ANY way to sort out fact from fantasy ? We DON’T know, and Justin is not about to enlighten us. (Would you? I wouldn't stoop!) Believe anything you hear in any fan club at your own risk. Ok you all can stop thinking about Justin and fur-lined handcuffs now. I dunno about you guys, I’m just trying to see the band as they are (not as I imagine them to be); and since they are performers, my perspective (and yours too) is not likely to be accurate, since that is all you see--the performance. Make sense?

I walked Debbie to her car, and on the way back to the Marriott, I almost got lost (yike! Bakersfield at midnight looks much much different than by day) I walked past the Kern County admin building, and it was gorgeous! The designer was definitely a Frank Lloyd Wright student, even down to the triangular planters. That was enjoyable. The stars were bright, cold and clear, such a welcome relief from the miserable cold grey winter I’ve been doing in Seattle. So nice to drive into Spring.

As I started loading my car for Primm at 8:30 am the next morning, the buses and trucks were ALL gone, so I guess they hit the trail to Primm in the night. Probably smart, it can get hot out in the desert. I WAS going to do the same, but it was just too much. Rebecca and her Earth Mother DID drive all the way through, the poor things. I wish I had found them, I had an extra bed in the room. As I stood out in the parking lot that morning, I saw the most peculiar thing. Overhead in the beautiful clear blue sky, there were about twenty PARALLEL contrails from jets. Now that was a sight. Bakersfield is directly on the line between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and all the jets travel right up the Central Valley of California. It was magnificent in the early morning light. Makes you wonder about Mankind and his works, and where it all is leading us.

To fur lined hand cuffs, perhaps……………….