If this was the first and last time I ever see the Church, then it was enough. Definitely an evening I will remember fondly for years to come.

Meeting some of the seancers was definitely a treat. Those who know me know that if I'm not saying very much, then I'm probably getting along with you. Jerry, you were perhaps the strangest surprise in the best way. Your eyes seemed to pass over everyone with skittish curiosity, but whatever was behind them was obviously intense and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your account of the show and regret that I didn't make it just a little more difficult for you to gracefully elude everyone. Everyone, I think gravitated towards whoever they felt most comfortable with. But before they did, I had a wonderful (and nervous) time meeting up with and listening to Craig (am I your groupie? :), Matt and Nikki (enjoyed your company greatly), Virginia (you made me feel comfortable and broke the ice, thanks), and Alton (fended off one of the most aggressive bums I've ever seen in action with ease). Cassandra?? Never saw you and your fiancé. :( Chuck, Paige, Holly, Heather...thanks for a wonderful time.

So, I had my little Marty encounter before the show. Peter and Marty stride from the building sometime after the sound check. Peter is so quick nobody can catch him, but Marty isn't so lucky. My friends, Virginia, and I watch as this scruffy little guy runs towards Marty as Marty tries to avoid him, but the kid is too damn persistent, making it impossible for Marty to do anything but stop. So, my friends talk me into walking over, and I am overhearing this kid go on about how influential the church have been in his life and how much he loves the music...yada, yada. So, Marty is looking over him the whole time, looking down the street, waiting for his ride to circle around. He signs a notebook with a band photo and hands it back to the guy. I try to take a different approach and say to Marty, while scruffy boy is distracted by his new souvenir, something like, "You look like you must've gotten some sleep. You don't seem to have any bags under your eyes." I guess that got Marty's attention because he turns to me somewhat and says something like, "Yeah, it's because of what I eat." Then he looks at me and asks me what I eat. And I say I eat a lot of stuff that's going to kill me like meat and lots of fast food. Then Marty goes on to tell me just exactly what I should eat...and he mentions all this obviously 'good for ya' stuff. Then he really floors me and goes on to say that he hates to eat...well just the idea that he has to eat...and that he only does it because he has to but he finds the whole idea of having to eat totally repugnant. Later, a séancer (Virginia?) quipped that he was probably on his way for a bite to eat just then. Anyway, I thought it was incredibly amusing and flip...especially to hear that accent of his and to have no idea just how seriously he wanted me to take him. I had a hard time containing my laughter, as to me it was just entertainment...Greg talking to a rock star and collecting (almost ridiculous but sufficiently thoughtful) pearls of wisdom. Then some women drives up and whisks Marty away.

It appears as though I'm late in mentioning it, but I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pick up 'In Reflection' at the stand along with Peter's Love Era/Irony. They threw in the T-shirt for free. I'm sure it was accidental, and I almost felt guilty about it...almost. I was disappointed in the tour shirts. I loved the box of eggs as a possible piece of cover art...but as a way to show my love of the band??? Of course, I was disagreed with on this point by someone who believes that the eggs present just the kind of queerness that is what he looks for in clothes. Quirkiness and attention-getting ability of the shirt aside, he kind of missed my point. And besides, there are so many other ways to distinguish yourself than through what is mostly superficial anyway, the cut and color of the clothes one chooses to wear.

The opening band probably thought they should have toured with GnR. I hardly paid any attention to them. I had to pay a little more attention to the second band for all the obvious reasons Jerry stated. I really can't remember anything they did though except for Bobby McGee which seemed to get the crowd going, though I suspect it was because we knew it meant they would be leaving the stage soon. The smell in the air after the small pyrotechnic display left me wishing I had brought sparklers to the show.

Some highlights of the show:

Being escorted to the bathroom by Holly and Heather which was all too kind of them. Then following Heather's lead in tearing down the band's flyers right in front of person in charge of bathroom security.

Chuck leaning over just as Hiroshima's beeps and clicks were sounding and saying to me, 'You're in for a real treat, my friend.'

Ripple I suspect will ripple in my memory for a very long time. To the gentleman who likes the eggs on his shirt and sloshed his Fosters about and grinned at me while he grasped his tape recorder, saying,'Recording in progress.' I, too, had a recording in progress. Tonight, I will lay in bed and push play on memory-ripples of Kings, Two Places at once and more.

Dome, so lush. Never mind I couldn't hear the vocals to most of the songs. I helped Steve sing the parts of Dome I couldn't hear above the sonic perfection.

Kings, Tim's drumming really brought this tune to life. As a studio song, it's one of my least favorite out of all the great cuts on p=a. Live, though, Tim made this one special to me. Amazing! Did somebody else on the list feel this same way? Now that I'm back at my desk, I seem to remember someone saying that this song proves we need a live cd. Spot on.

New song, promising. Needs work live, but I feel that I'm going to love this once it's laid down in the studio. Couldn't understand any of the lyrics :(

Myrrh, Crowd comes to life! The Church herald their arrival. Currents of air blowing through Steve's hair as if the world he conjures up in myrrh were blowing past his immovable presence, his eyes seem to open wider, his face becomes more contorted as with each vocalization comes another accusation...beyond the hollow laughter, I think I see the pain in Steve's eyes.

Anaesthesia, I knew that I was in a Church crowd, a crowd in which I belong, when instead of watching everyone thrash about, whenever I opened up my eyes (and during this song, I did so rarely), everyone was swaying in random unison. Guitars floating in ether.

Grind, melancholy boy's anthem. My favorite song of the set in the studio. Live, there were more treats to come.

Tranquility, watched Peter the entire time. Lovely sounds he treated everyone to.

Buffalo, my imagination or did Steve seem to soften? Sung as though this song were just penned and still meant something as powerful as it means for me.

The Endless Sea, wow. Powerful. Direct. Love that e-bow everyone's been talking about.

Two Places at Once, Peter shines. I wondered what he would bring to this song that already seemed to be so close to perfection without him. That cool little blues bit he added seemed to me to be, to borrow Tracy's words, 'little bits of cotton candy dipped in acid perfection.' It reminded me of the guitar in Sting's cover of Little Wing. Marty sings! The ladies swoon! But it always has been Steve's lines that moved me here...some of his best lyrics undoubtedly.

Destination, teasing the Milky Way chanters. Up until that point I was quite happy and comfortable with the lack of Starfish tunes...which is odd...me being a Starfisher...

Tantalized, Marty's fingers were a strumming blur, but then I looked at Peter and realized how quick and intricate his finger movements were. Steve's pounding bass and Tim's insistent drums just completely divided my loyalties into four equally pulsing parts. Tantalized makes me want to be a rock star.

Day of the Dead, I always wondered how Marty made all those fuzzy sounds. Maybe I could ask Marty if he'll let me turn the knobs next time while he continues playing. This one gets cranked up when I press the play button in my mind tonight. I want Steve's bass to pound out my heartbeat's throb.

Cortez, very clean, wonderful sounds. A real treat.

Silver Machine, way to let it all hang out and leave it on the stage. Peter's guitar-string rubbing and Marty's knob turning left me awestruck and completely satisfied.

Good night everyone. Good night Church.

The convoy back to the hotel stops for gas in a part of downtown we really shouldn't be stopping in and an overly aggressive bum assails Alton. A quick chat ensues with lurker Collette (sp?). Yes, I am manatee boy :)

Back at the hotel a little pixie girl everyone knows as Holly is running around with a carton of blue eggs showing underneath her pastel-patterned pj's still staring slack-jawed at some hologram of Steve standing in front of her in the back of her mind, while another pixie girl, filled up a bit too much with amaretto sours, gives up her struggle to stand with a smile and goes to bed. I sit outside on chairs sipping Guinness with Chuck and Paige, like old friends, and promise I'll be on their porch in Charleston sometime soon, six pack of guiness under each arm. This is the way I wanted my evening to end, among friends.

Thanks and love to everyone. Please let it happen again