seattlesteve

I've been off the board for the week, is this still an option? Seattle Steve

Bernie, Great news but your also killing me. Typically the "rattle your jewlery" balcony seats are nicer and fancier, but nothing beats up by the stage. I'm a lowly GA fan without local connections taking a red eye 11:00 PM Thanksgiving evening flight to Cleveland from Seattle. I have never been to a HOB but your description is consistent with what you've said before. They build the thing for sound and sight lines. I assumed not a bad seat in the house, we'll just have to spend a little more time in lines. I'm tall but I need to work my way to a position where Cindy can see. Cool, the boys are going to sound great!!! Great news Bernie. What brought you to Cleveland early? SS

June, Your extra ticket will make someones day today. You sure made mine a few years ago at the HOF show with your extra tickets. Steve

Annie, Would love a couple for my wife and I. Will be at the Holiday Inn Express that day, or our home just outside of Seattle is: Steve and Cindy Rychard 537 Hyak Drive Fox Island, WA 98333 253-549-7007 srychard@aol.com In return, what can I get or do for you? Seattle Steve Seattle Steve

I thought I was traveling far from Seattle, but California has us beat. I have friends that think we're just plain nuts. "Their last hit record was when..? Try and find me anybody that regretted traveling to see the Beatles at Shea or Sullivan, or even when Bruce first got the E-Street back together, or the first Fleetwood Mac reunion, etc. I even counsel my kids, you will far more regret the things you didn't do, then the things you did. I already have this penciled in as a memory of a lifetime. Seattle Steve

I'll be dropping some Seattle money in Cleveland come turkey time.

We'll definately hook up June. Ron, where are you crashing? Seattle Steve

There's a lot of possibilities and I'm going to withhold my speculations. Suffice it to say, the evening will no doubt be special no matter what... Steve

'berry, berry cool. Deserving, and perhaps finally getting their due. I hope the celebrities are out there on the 26th citing for Entertainment Tonight how the Raspberries inspired them... Would help to jump start a tour. SS

I'm 47 and my wife of 18 years is 41 and I thought we had a age gap. I have seen Billy Joel in concert more than any other act and he has never disappointed. For those that think he is just mellow a/c it's not accurate. The last time I saw him a few years ago in Seattle he actually did a Led Zepplen medley that was amazing.

We'll be up by the stage even it it means waiting a couple hours in line. Guess I gotta research the board here a little more on the preconcert dinner at the HOB. Definately color us there. Seattle Steve

mannoman, Thanks I'm in at the Holiday Inn Express which seems to be where a lot of you guys are staying. My wife and I are actually hosting the family thanksgiving dinner, then bolting that same night to catch a 11:20 PM flight to Cleveland, showing up at 6:30 in the morning, going to the hotel, sleeping , then going to the concert. I hope it's uneventfull. For those of you that have been around, when we flew in from Seattle to the HOF show, the morning of the concert my wife cut her chin open and we were in an emergency room in the afternoon getting stiches and she was worried about making the show. This shows you our priorities. I dropped $500 to see McCartney 30 minutes from my house, and now I'm dropping over a thousand to see the boys in Cleveland, and being gone for four days. We fly back Monday morning. We are interested in meeting you guys, and seeing the concert of a lifetime. I hope Eric can get us GA hobos backstage for the meet and greet 'cause all I want is a picture of shaking his hand showing my thanks for all the happiness his music has brought me over the years. I've indirectly sold a fair share of Raspberries records over the years too, by merely playing them for my friends. "Oh yeah, that's who does that song..?" Seattle Steve

Seattle, Seattle, Seattle.... If you go west coast to LA you have to come up to Seattle. Even Farm Aid was here. We have a ton of venues for our size. I will personally give the band a tour of the area by water, and we have a lot of it, from my boat. Throw us a bone and say maybe... ;-) That guy from Seattle

Is there a website or a number for the Holiday Inn Express? I got concert tickets and plane tickets but no hotel. Seattle Steve

I'll put my wife on my shoulders up front, she's got the green light to do what it takes with her shirt to get the bands attention.. ;-) Seattle Steve

Keep in mind that this is billed as Raspberries, and sold out in hours as Raspberries. I don't expect much solo material, and there is plenty of material as Raspberries. In fact, even sticking to Raspberries, there is no way they can play everyone's favorite in one set. It's hard enough for the guys to rehearse and remember the Raspberries songs that they used to know, let alone learn for the first time Eric's songs. As a fan, we can't lose. This will be very memorable and blow away Carnegie Hall, which up to now was the defining Raspberries concert. You guys picking up on my excitement...? Seattle Steve

I posted before that "Starting Over" should be a must, as it takes on all new meaning. I'm holding out for If You Change Your Mind My wife, Cindy, would obviously like that song about her in the wind. Seattle Steve

If he did a solo song I would think a natural would be "No Hard Feelings" since it's about the Raspberries and has the feel of a Raspberries song, and would benefit with Raspberries harmonies and Wally's guitar. They could alternate singing verses. Eric: "We were raped".. Wally: "reshaped.." Dave "and trying to escape" All: caught in a rock and roll time warp etc. Then at the end where Eric repeats "Let me out" Do a few then start changing it, "let me in" then "Let's do this again" "Lets do this again" It would be a great encore song. Seattle Steve

I would assume that additional show are dependant on how the first one goes by the powers to be. That's also assumming the band would say yes, but after 2 months of rehearsals you have to think they would. It sold out quickly, the show is going to be steller with a great sound system, we're going to go nuts in the crowd, what else would they look for? I bet our boys will have an offer to ponder after November. Steve

A new song was mentioned in the last post. Great idea. You can't tell me Eric isn't already writing. This is an interesting position much like the last part of the Raspberries era. He's writing songs while with the Raspberries, and I'm sure there is stuff off that first solo album that would have been Raspberries had they remained together, but became solo. This could be the reverse. He's got stuff written intended for solo or another artist that maybe he's saying wait a minute... If so, to make it all Raspberries, as opposed to Eric, I'd select on the first one, actually make it, an uptempo song with layered Raspberries harmonies and a spot for a cool guitar solo. Hell, as long as the melody is there, who knows he may have a ballad written that he can convert to the above. Sell the single at the show, and give you a litmus test on more. It's fun and easy to speculate. Not that Eric has a lot of free time in the next 7 weeks... Steve

Without being on the inside, just a Monday Morning Raspberries quarterback, I would probably make this first show wall to wall Raspberries. There are plenty of songs that highlight each others "solo Raspberries songs. The show is sold out on this basis as that's how it was billed. Angling to sell tickets is not a factor. When it kills, and it will, a promoter may push for some solo stuff for an extended tour to sell even more tickets. If it gets them bigger venues and exposure, all may benefit. Every scenario has everybody winning. I say don't chince on a film crew and make a killer multi angle dvd, that can serve as an archive to not only sell, but pull possible promos from, VH1 stuff, etc. I agree that they have plenty of material to avoid covers, but if they rehearse 2 encore songs, and we bring those sweating mates back for three encores, expect unrehearsed Beatles that are forever etched in their heads, and a free form 9 minute jam of All Right Now that they make up on the spot. Raspberries, and Eric's solo career are classic cases of underpromotion. Third times a charm, let's create resources for an interested promoter. The fan excitement is obviously there. Seattle Steve

I've heard the same story many years ago about the fainting, not sure if its true or urban legend, but I remeber at the time the sources which I have forgot seemed halfway credible. Mine still have the scent. Steve

In light of Eric's generosity and true respect for his fans by at least attempting to get his fans into the Meet and Greet, with the VIP embargo, tell me if this wouldn't be great. The boys start the show, ala Carnegie Hall with Ticket to Ride Intro and IWBWY which in and of itself, will bring down the house. Then he introduces the next song and references that if you like it those of you on the floor clap your hands, and you folks in the balcony just rattle your jewlery. That would be so funny and loosen up the crowd immediately. Steve

Any dinner get together where we can all meet and get out of the line, put me down for 2. This VIP ticket thing may actually work out for all of us, in light of Erics comments of getting us in the meet and greet. I bought my GA for insurance while I pursued the VIP tickets. Plan was to keep both and bounce around, but had to get to the M&G. I didn't realize originally the setup of the HOB with the reserved all up above, usually a presale gets you closer to the first few rows below. I was discussing this with Bernie the other day that it's really better even for the band to have the true fans up by the stage. They get more feedback, and it makes for a better dvd. I've heard many a national act lament the fact that all they can see is the first 10 rows and they are filled with industry suits and their disinterested guest. I went to see Brian Setzers Christmas special last year in Seattle at the paramount where they created this setup, by building a floor over the lower seats. Bought the GA, watched the show from the stage front and was actually glad I did not buy reserved balcony. Lot bigger place though. It seems to me that there is no bad seat/standing position in the HOB. This quick sellout should help generate buzz and promter interest. Seattle Steve

Well if it's sold out today, and they went public yesterday it's obviously a day or less. That should send a message to promotors or the booking guys at HOB. Also sends a message to the guys that wouldn't book them in top venues a few years ago. That's not even half of it, the "interest" were going show at the concert will blow them away. Will make a great DVD Thank god I bought insurance GA during my pursuit of VIP. Seems to me most of the VIP went to well connected people prior to sale. Very few stories of a regular guy getting them. Sounds like Eric is going to make it right though. Can't wait Steve