Concert Reviews
Paramount Theater, Aurora, Illinois
October 5, 2002
My excitement started when my friend, Carol, told me that the Paramount Theater opened up the Meet and Greet for David to donors to the theater of $100.00 or more. They originally were limiting it to season ticket holders only. Well, Carol emails me and wrote that she was going to do this, and that we are going to meet David Cassidy. I started getting nervous when she told me this, because she can invite a guest, and I was her guest. I was so thrilled that a fan/friend I met only once would be so nice and invite me as her guest. So now onto the concert.
David was in fine form that night. He performed the usual set of songs.. Before David came on, around 8:00 PM U.S. Central Standard Time, there was a local comedian. He was funny, but all I could think about was David. When was he going to be on? I was getting more nervous. It was about 9:00 PM U S. Central Standard Time before David did come on stage. He was dressed in the same black jeans, along with the blue almost purple shiny shirt. He never changed at all the whole night, and no intermission. He really sweated up a storm. There was one time, he wiped his face, his guitar, and his neck with the white towel, then taunted us with it, by swirling it around and around, and then pretending to throw it out to the audience of fans, and then stopped. He did eventually throw it and one lucky fan caught it. It wasn't me, but I do own a towel he threw from a previous concert. He also kicked out into the audience the cap from his water bottle. I think it landed it the orchestra pit.
The pit, David said there was a drop about 17 feet. The fans in the first row said it was a long drop, maybe not 17 feet, but a long drop. There was a barrier around it. The only way David could come in contact with the fans was come down the stairs along the stage, and when he did, the fans flocked him. He took flowers from one fan, played with the lingerie, bras, by swinging them around. He threw them back into the audience at one point. The pink underwear landed in the pit. When he sat down on the edge of the stage, we were all hoping he wouldn't fall in.
The fans were extremely into this concert, more so than any previous concert I have been to of David's. They came up to the stage, stayed there for a while until security came to chase them away. They even called in the Police, one showed up. But as soon as the fans went back to their seats, David tells them to come back. And they listen. He enjoys every minute of it. Everyone was taking pictures. The security told them to go back to their seats, but no one listened. They said no flash photography. I used my zoom lens, no flash, and no one said anything. Glad I listened to one of the girls on the list I belong to. She said to use a zoom, it was worth it.
There was one point when everyone was saying, I love you David. Then a guy said the same thing. David said thank you, I love you too, and then went into a southern droll talking to the guy. The fan's name was also David.
One song he sang while lying down on the stage. Very sexy, if you ask me. He said the same thing I heard many times about Come On, Get Happy, where he played it once in the 70s, never heard it again until recently, and he said now, he likes it. The reason he never heard it again after he recorded it was that he was always working, never saw the show. And when people came up to him, singing, "hello world, here's a song that I'm singing, come on get happy," and he thought they were crazy or something.
He said he loved the old theater surroundings, and wished there were more theaters like this one. I will have to email his people and tell them we have such a theater like that here in Michigan. Maybe he will come and visit again. Hint! Hint!
He moved so much at this concert, bouncing up and down when he sang, shaking his head during "I Saw Her Standing There", just like Paul McCartney used to do. He even showed his butt to the fans, which drove them crazy. Never saw him do that before. He really was teasing us that night. And we were loving it. And so was he.
There was one point he said he just came back from England. Some fans were in the audience I think from England because they asked him when he was coming back to England. He said soon. He mentioned he was coming to Australia. I clapped, but he didn't hear me. I am so glad he is going there, because you fans have waiting along time for his return.
The concert was over way too soon. His finale was Cry. I love that song. Besides Cherish, The Last Kiss, (which I hope someday he will sing at his US concerts. Do you hear that David, we do know about The Last Kiss) I love Cry. He dedicated it to Johnny Ray. I think he is the writer.
Carol and I walked (or ran) over to the Meet and Greet after the concert. They checked to make sure her name was on the list for the Meet and Greet. We walked up the stairs to the ballroom. They had round tables, but not enough for everyone. We were told there were 150 people. They had beverages, cheeses, and some desserts. We all sat at the table closest to the video camera that was set up. They were taping a video for promotion for the Paramount. Nancy, a fan I just met that night, was interviewed. It was about ½ hour before David arrived. He came in with Lon Bronson, and Lisa and Candace. He stopped to talk to the lady interviewer. I think I could hear talk about his longevity, his fans. He walked over passed our table. Nancy was noticed because of her T-shirt, it said I love (with a heart) David Cassidy. Nancy showed David pictures that she took of him from her 70s concerts. She also got a hug from David, and he had his arm around her waist. Then Carol, my friend, got her turn. He looked at her program from the 70s, hugged her and gave her a kiss. He walked passed me, and I told him it was a great concert. He said thank you. On the whole, many of us were disappointed, because there were no autographs, and not everyone got to meet and talk with David. I so much wanted my towel signed by him. Will have to wait until another time, I guess.
And then it was officially over as David left about 10 minutes after he arrived. It was another David high for me. This was my 12th time seeing David and that was just from 1998. Was over too soon, too fast.
Charmaine
Michigan, USA
Note : Images are © Charmaine Lipa. Please do not copy or use them without prior permission from Charmaine.
