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July 01, 2005
FREDDY FINGERS FRISCO
What a fun trip that was ..... and what a great show!! Complete with real, honest encore!! I mean, the crowd just wouldnt leave!! The techs were onstage, breaking down the equipment, the house lights were up, and no one would go home. They just kept chanting 'One More Song' for ages!! Eventually we realized that they actually weren't going to leave unless we did another one, so on we went for one more. Anyway, I digress.......
It was an early pick up for us all - 8.00am car for a 10.00am flight, so we all arrived at the airport clutching Venti Starbucks and Coffee Beans!! I took the usual gadgets to keep me amused - a PSP and an I-Pod. Even though the flight is an hour or so, I still like to remove myself from the plane and everyone in it, so I watched the Bruce Willis film, Hostage, on the way up. All good fun, and Bruce doing his usual 'I'm worn out with my life, my wife, and the world in general, but I'm still a bad son of a bitch, so don't mess with me' role. Once in SF, we drove to our hotel, checked in, I had a spot of room service, and it was all down to the venue for soundcheck. This time around, the guests were Jerry Cantrell, Billy Duffy, Brandon and Mickey from Incubus, Brett from The Donnas, Steve Jones, Steven Jenkins from Third Eye Blind and Gina Gershon. Perkins was filling in for Sorum (still on tour) and Dave was unable to join us, so the guys took turns filling in for him on guitar.
The venue was the Moscone Center Arena - a huge, cavernous 5000 seat room, with a massive stage all set up for us. Soundcheck was boomy - the room was empty, so the sound just bounced around and it sounded like shit. On top of that, the crew at the venue was all local union, and they kept threatening to walk out and pull the show because I was smoking onstage and it was a non smoking building!! Despite our production manager continually walking onstage and whispering in my ear to put it out, I kept forgetting and lighting another one!!! Whatever - no one pulled the show, I got to smoke as much as I liked, and the soundcheck was eventually done. A storm in a tea cup ( as these things usually are!)
After an afternoon of wandering around town with Jonsey and Dono, we went back to the hotel, got changed, and went up to the opening of a new Chanel store ..... and promptly turned around and left as soon as we got there!! It was the most uptight, plastic, contrived bunch of people I have ever seen!! Love Chanel, HATE the staff!!! So we gave up on that idea, and went over to Asia De Cuba (a beautiful restaurant) and met up with Brent and Deb, (our managers), Brandon, Mickey and the rest of the cast. After a nice hang in the restaurant for an hour or so, it was time to go back to the venue.
Five minutes before we hit the stage, reports come flooding into the dressing room that this 5000 seat room is absolutely EMPTY!!! A quiet panic starts to spread through the dressing room, until we realize that Dennis Miller (the comedian) is doing his set in a different room, and that the moment he finished, people started streaming back into the main room, and, unbelievably, as we walk up the stairs to hit the stage, we see that the room is now packed. Wow!! And then, someone decides to wish the company we are doing this for, a Happy 10th Birthday......and they do a massive balloon drop......right over the stage. Clever. Now we are walking onto a stage that we can't see, because it is literally covered with balloons. The first three songs look more like the World Soccer Cup, as we all spend most of the time kicking the balloons back into the audience while we try and play and sing the songs!! Of course, the audience think its all part of the fun, and begin punching the balloons back to us onstage!!! Eventually it all settles down and the second half of the set is relatively 'balloon free'!!
Brandon singing Whole Lotta Love, Brett (The Donnas) singing Shot Down In Flames, a weird and wonderful version of God Save The Queen, with Steven Jenkins on vocals - the highlights were many. But the biggest suprise was the encore. I mean they just screamed for more ..... and kept screaming. So we decided to have a go at Man In The Box, with Brandon taking vocal duties. Completely unrehearsed. And he KILLED it!! One of the best versions we have ever done. At the end of the day, we all went back to the hotel bar tired but happy. Another successful Camp Freddy show.
Back in LA - and today its time for me to go back in the studio with Mike and continue work on the Freddy album. We are preparing a song for the vocals to go on next week. I cant say what song, or who's singing it, but I, for one, am VERY excited to get this one done. I better get my ass into gear and get going. The weekend looms again, which means another CFR tomorrow - always a blast to do - and of course, its 4th July Weekend. So I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday weekend, enjoy the BBQ's and I'll see y'all when I'm looking at ya!!
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at July 1, 2005 08:13 AM
Comments
Billy,
That was the most awesome review!! I could just hear the crowd shouting...."hell no, we won't go, one more song then we'll be gone"!! Glad you had a great time. Wish you'd bring everyone to a town near me soon (Little Rock) so I could join in the fun!!
Have a great weekend!!
~Bonita
Posted by: Bonita at July 1, 2005 09:28 AM
Glad you're back, can't wait for CFR tomorrow!
Posted by: Junebug at July 1, 2005 10:27 AM
hi billy, thanks for the review, it sounded like a blast. Also thanks for the duffy pic, looking good as always. Also love the pic of you and Brent. I'm also looking forward to CFR, I've missed quite a few recently, shame on me. ;)
Today being July 1st, HAPPY CANADA DAY for all my fellow inmates. ;)
Anyone catching any of the L8 tomorrow? Jules is going to the one in philly, lucky. I would have loved to go the the one in Barrie ont, some awesome music will be there for sure, with Neil Young performing for the first time since his operation.
Anyhoo, ta for now. Yep I don't go back to work until July 18th, Im very happy. lol
hugs,
tina
p.s., El tells me that Duffy has intensely sexy knees. Do you agree Billy? ROFL
Posted by: tina at July 1, 2005 11:05 AM
Thanx for the awesome review Billy. You really gave us a feel of what it was like to be there! I love that!
Have a safe weekend.
Live 8 2morrow - can't wait! This 21st century ROCKS doesn't it??!!
Posted by: laurie tuttle at July 1, 2005 12:06 PM
Sounds awesome! Thanks for the review and Happy 4th!!!
Posted by: Cori at July 1, 2005 12:10 PM
Billy- Awesome, glad it worked out for the best with you and the guys. Have a great 4th of July weekend too.
be well.
Posted by: Brett at July 1, 2005 12:47 PM
Billy, that was a great review..almost like being there. Sounds like an awesome time, great atmosphere. I had to chuckle about the union guys getting funny about "No Smoking" that is SO San Fransicko. (my name for my old hometown. I'm allowed to do that, I lived there, my son was born there) Loved the imagery of the balloons.
Tina, Duffy!!! He has intensely sexy knees? omg, hee hee. Knees?!! When was he going around showing off his knees pay tell, EL?
The suspense of the Camp Freddy album..arghh! You've got me hooked Billy.
Love and hugs to all, and Happy Canada Day; and Have a Happy July 4th!
Lisa
xxxx
Posted by: ylais at July 1, 2005 05:02 PM
Billy,
Thanks for the review and I'd like to make a request for the Damned cover of "Alone again or".
Could you play that on the CF show?
Thanks again,
Matt
Posted by: Matt Stebbins at July 1, 2005 10:44 PM
Hi Billy, Hi girls (Juniebee, my tattoo queens, Lisa!) Thanks for the review, sounds like a good time was had by all. Looking forward to CFR, my son has promised to listen with me, he's here for the week, we are having a trial reconciliation, so far, just a few rough patches.
So...Billy and fam..what's your favorite thing to throw on the barbie? Me...I love anything skewered!
love
jezzi(sparkly)
Posted by: jezebel at July 2, 2005 07:51 AM
Anyone watching Live 8? Right now they are showing the canadian concert and at this moment Deep Purple is singing Smoke on the Water.
wooooo ;)
Posted by: tina at July 2, 2005 11:58 AM
Hiya! Tina~I've been watching some of Live 8. I missed Deep Purple though.
Just had Robbie Williams, The Who, and then Pink Floyd over here. Caught bits of a few other acts, since we could choose which "City" to watch on BBC. I had to turn off Floyd,
when they went into Comfortably Numb, I was balling my eyes out. And I'm not feeling well already. :S
Up note here ~ Jezz, have a great July 4th weekend. Hoping it goes well. Seeing that on here cheered me up, hoping my son will talk to me soon. Will be thinking of you. Love and hugs
Lisa
xxxx
Posted by: ylais at July 2, 2005 03:47 PM
The blog page is looking good.
(tidy like) xoxox
Posted by: ylais at July 2, 2005 03:50 PM
Caught up on the acts I missed earlier. VR, omg, that's more like it. Scott said afterwards that they "killed it" and they bloody did. I'm pretty sure I caught a glimpse of a Camp Freddy sticker on Duff's guitar (?)
Posted by: ylais at July 2, 2005 06:39 PM
Velvet Revolver were great, it's such a shame the crowd didn't seem to think so. I had a friend there who said they 'weren't happy'. I mean c'mon there has to be something for everyone. I'm no fan of Snoop Dogg but I thought he was the first one to actually pull off a great performance.
Madonna was the highlight and The Who were great with their 'best of C.S.I' themes. All I can say was that Pink Floyd were the big letdown for me, they really killed the Who's performance dead, and I mean in a bad way. Each to their own though.
Posted by: d_Wez in da Haus at July 3, 2005 04:07 AM
LISA!!! Thanks for the good wishes, you know, the boys always come back to their mums eventually. It's been since October for me and mine, and we still get into unbelievable rows. His uncle just came to take him from me for a bit, and my boy said he wanted to be back with me in time to watch the fireworks, who'd a thunk it!!
Baby steps, baby steps..
Lisa, my thoughts are always with my sis across the ocean!!
Billy, love to you and yours!
jezzi
Posted by: jezebel at July 3, 2005 07:19 AM
Sounds like you had a kick ass time, Billy. Yes Tina, I did go to Live 8 for a few hours. It was SO damn hot on the Parkway. I couldn't see the stage, but I was close to enough to make out some of the screen. I saw/heard Linkin Park, Def Leppard, Jay Z, Sarah McLaughlin..and I think that's it. I wasn't really all that impressed with the line-up here. But the cause is what should be focused on. Otherwise, I had a pretty good time. I'll be going to the Parkway yet again--I have family that lives on there and we have the 4th of July there every year. We can watch the fireworks from the comfort of a balcony. And maybe I'll pop on down and catch of glimpse of Elton John.
Also--love the Duffy photo :)
Posted by: Julia at July 3, 2005 09:13 AM