Billy #20

Last night I trekked to lovely Mohegan Sun to attend my 20th Billy Joel concert. Here's the setlist followed by notes:

Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
The Entertainer
Downeaster Alexa
Allentown
Zanzibar
New York State of Mind
Movin' Out
Keeping the Faith
Don't Ask Me Why
She's Always a Woman
Captain Jack
River of Dreams
Highway to Hell
We Didn't Start the Fire
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
You May Be Right
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Only the Good Die Young
Piano Man

NOTES:
* This 20th show was the most disappointing. I was really excited since Mohegan Sun's arena only holds about 10,000 people and this would be the most intimate venue I have seen him in. I guess I got spoiled from all the Madison Square Garden shows, because this was largely a clunker.

* The highlight was the one-two punch of "She's Always a Woman" and "Captain Jack". It's always a treat to hear "Captain Jack" so I savored those moments.

* I saw the Child Bride watching in the wings, wearing a grey shirt and jeans. Billy was glancing at her throughout the show.

* Overall, Billy appeared to be on automatic pilot. He looked bored and just going through the motions. The show was under two hours and that included his banter and encores. He stayed at the piano for most of the show and didn't move around the stage like he usually does.

* It was definitely older crowd than concerts past, and maybe that had some kind of impact.

* I still enjoy seeing him in concert because its fun and even his worst songs ("Don't Ask Me Why") are better than a lot of other music out there. Let's hope this was an off-night and the next time will be better.





Quote of the Day:
"People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent." -Bob Dylan

The 30s So Far

It is inexcusable that I have gone so long without posting. My apologies. Please find it in your hearts to forgive me.

I had the bestest birthday ever! Erin, Lucy, Cheryl and Jenn joined me in lovely Las Vegas. We really had the most wonderful time. I was a winner, went to my first nightclub and experienced first hand what its like to be a VIP.

Vegas was more magical than I had remembered. And it's grown so much since I was lat there 14 years ago, so it really was like going for the first time. That and the whole now-being-legally-allowed-to-gamble thing. I stuck to penny and nickel slots mostly. I tried the tables, but expect for one good run on blackjack, they were not good to me The slots, however, were. At one point I was playing this one penny slot and all the sudden, there are these six panthers on the screen throwing gold coins at me. The numbers kept going and going and going. When they stopped, I had 17,000 credits or $176! I also won $100 on a Press Your Luck nickel slot. My dreams of saying "No Whammy" at an apropos moment finally came.

The highlight of the trip was dinner at Prime in the Bellagio. It's a Jean-Georges restaurant and the finest steakhouse in Las Vegas. The restaurant was so elegant and service was beyond impeccable. I had shrimp wrapped in bacon for an appetizer and the waiter didn't even laugh at me when I ordered my Shirley Temple. Jenn and Cheryl had gotten me a tiara, showing everyone that I was the birthday girl. Had one of the most delicious steaks ever. Just when I thought the evening couldn't get better, the maitre de, Phillipe, invited us to sit on Prime's private patio for dessert and to watch the fountain shows. We followed Phillipe onto the patio and escorted to the front table complete with a "reserved sign". The view of the Strip was fantastic. We ordered dessert and took in the views, conversation and friendship. Phillipe then gave us VIP passes to The Bank, the finest nightclub in Bellagio. Not that I'm exactly a nightclubby person, it was still to have the passes, even better to walk by all the people who didn't. The dinner exceeded any expectations I had for the trip. I was a VIP on a Saturday night in Bellagio Las Vegas. It doesn't get much better.

Mother Nature blessed us with perfect 80 degree days. I could not asked for anything more.

And then I went right into my new job at "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire". It's been great. I've been reunited with friends and doing work I truly enjoy. All is well.

Nothing overly exciting since. Trivia has made its triumphant return to the Grasshopper, which makes me very happy. I had greatly missed my sliced steak sandwich... and the guys too. YooHoos and SnoBalls have had their moments of dominance again. We have a pair of second places and a third. We're pacing ourselves for a big comeback.

I'll try and be better with posting. Although work, home, dinner, TV day after day doesn't seem noteworthy enough to write about. I'll see what I can do. Below are a few Vegas pics.









Quote of the Day:
"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." - Christopher Marley