From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V10 #53 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.pattygriffin.net/PattyInConcertDB.php * OR * go to http://www.atorecords.com * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V8 #___ gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. * Also, PLEASE do not quote an entire digest when you reply to the * list. Edit out anything you are not referring to. mad-mission-digest Sunday, April 23 2006 Volume 10 : Number 053 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: Birchmere II ["Don Henn" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 00:41:43 -0400 From: "Don Henn" Subject: MM: Birchmere II Took a little tranquilizer & got a good 9 hour sleep. Feeling perky & ready for the last day of our groupie weekend , & night ride home. A few brain cramps on the way to the venue cost us # 1 status as Melinda & friends + 1 arrived shortly before my 3:05 appearance. No prob , as Melinda's group preferred to be closer to the piano , where they were the day before , & the guy 1st in line also ignored our previous seats. As we were waiting , someone mentioned M & M's. 'nuff said ! Had time , so I marched off for a store. As I approached a supermarket , I realized that most of the ones in my area carried flowers , & Patty certainly deserves more flowers than I've seen her get. I would have gotten her bunches of flowers before , but didn't want her to worry that my obsession with her music had spilled over into personal obsession. She MUST know I'm harmless by now. Got M & M's , a bag of Hershey Kisses , & looked for flowers. No luck. After a " no comprende " from a Hispanic stocker & a blank look from the oriental cashier while repeating the syllables -" flow - ers " , I tried the supermarket down the block. Better communication , but no flowers , & no idea where I might find them. One last try in a conv store , & there they were, right on the front counter. Didn't like the bouquets , so I got a single rose. Pink , tinged with dark red. Perfect ! Still wanted to keep a low profile , so I planned to have Jan put them on stage before Patty came out , but the best laid plans , etc......... They wouldn't let me take the candy in. Said it was OK if it was for Patty when I explained the tradition , but would check with someone 1st , & I could get them later. Murph was there when we got in , & the subject came up , so I accepted his offer to take them backstage. I'm sure Murph saw the rose , & just as sure he'd tell Patty , so my cover was blown , & I put it near her water after Michael was done. Continuing thanks to Murph for all he does for Patty , & all of her fans , including me. Have to add Jen in there too. My heart must be fine for my age , or I would have had an attack in the bar. A few min after we got in , I couldn't find our tix or line #. I must have gone thru all my pockets 5 times in 10 seconds , not on the floor or seats , just Melinda's tix on the table. Took some seriously anxious moments to figure it out. Tix & line # 's got mingled , Melinda took their line # , & Nancy thought the one left was theirs. Whew ! I do go on & on : ) Set list : Standing I Said to the Sky Free No Bad News Top of the World What You Are ( piano ) Kite Song ( piano ) When it Don't Come Easy Stay on the Ride Love Throw a Line MLK Song Time Turns Us Down Making Pies Railroad Wings Moon Song Encore Moon River Icicles No contest ! The live , whispery magic of " What You Are " far transcended the studio CD version. Easily my highlight , & hats off to Doug for his subtle , supportive guitar , adding even more. He's been excellent throughout our groupie weekend. And Patty adds " Kite Song " on top of that. I see she has gone back to BG & U or D on the piano , & I feel lucky to have caught these 2 for my last show. " Standing " , TOTW , NBN , MLK , 2 " Moon " songs & Icicles send me home happy. Wasn't sure if Patty saw the rose before the encore , so I put it on her set list , & she picked it up when she finished. That helped send me home happy too. Would've felt pretty dumb if she didn't. Thanks for the great music , Patty ! Hilary of the " Evil TM " post made it to the show , getting 2 extras from Melinda. Had met her at a Starr Hill show a few years ago. Continued to enjoy Michael Fracasso's music , excellent all around , with that same heartfelt believability in his voice that Patty has. Saw some criticism here , & perhaps he does have some repetitive chords , & a few of his songs are long , but I don't notice much , b/c I focus on his voice , lyrics & melodies. Michael opened for a Patty tour before , & the 1st time I saw him , I was glad that he wasn't an act I would just have to sit thru while waiting for Patty. Any one who is only waiting for Patty , would think all the songs are too long. Our 2nd night at Birchmere , our waitress volunteered this info ; " wait'll you see the opener , you'll go Wow ! , like they did last night ". Had a great 4 days , with the concerts , my groupie protigi Jan , & all the other great Patty fans. Hope to catch as many , or more next tour. Was a little concerned about the long , late-nite drive home at my advanced age , but the soaring , inspirational music of Yes had me wide awake , & the trip turned out to be shorter than expected , under 5 hours. We relieve the tension Only to find out the master's name Jon Anderson/Steve Howe " Close to the Edge ; Part I. The Solid Time of Change " Performed by Yes ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V10 #53 *********************************