After the Jackonville Concert, February 24-25, 2006

There was no stage door access tonight. INXS were whisked away from an alley-way exit behind the theatre.

It was wild to watch all the gear being taken apart in the middle of the street in front of the theatre. I spied Bobby from the Lovehammers outside their tour bus. He talked with a few of us about Rockstar: INXS. The Lovehammers did a weekly acoustic show, in Chicago, with different singers and encouraged people to vote for Marty. He said he went to the finale, and when they went from three to two and cut to commercial break it was tense. When it was just Marty and JD left, he was biting his nails. He said he was very relieved when Marty didn’t win, and that he was conscious of Marty’s family staring down at him from above, so he didn’t celebrate too much. He had to make a phone call, and I said goodbye and wished them luck.

The London Bridge was packed after the show, so I started walking toward the bus station. One of the police officers in front of the venue told me that it wasn’t such a great idea to go to the bus station at that time. He suggested I find a place to spend some time before my bus left at 3:30 a.m., and told me there was a “safe” bar near by. So that’s where I headed. As I walked in, I saw Andrew and Kirk out of the corner of my eye. Andrew was engrossed in conversation with several people. Kirk was roaming around taking with people in the bar, and bumped into me while I was stashing my luggage again a bar rail. He said “Hello.” I told him it was a great gig and that I was looking forward to the Canadian tour. He wished me happy travelling.

I sat down at the bar and ordered a pint of beer. And then another. Those of you who’ve met me at gigs know I don’t drink anything the day of the show so that I don’t have to pee every five minutes. Those beers were heaven sent. Andrew and Kirk left just as I had ordered two more pints at last call. And moments later Jon entered the bar wearing that lovely red leather jacket. When he placed his bar order I said “Hey gorgeous,” and he turned to me and smiled. I told him it was a great gig, and that I was a bit sad to be heading home after spending a few weeks on the road travelling to see the gigs, but that I had an awesome time at the eight gigs I had attended. He asked me which shows I have gone too, and then what I had done between Norfolk and Jacksonville. I told him I have gone to South Beach, Miami, and he said “Wow.” I told him that’s where I had gotten the really bad sunburn swimming with manatees. He asked what a manatee was, and I explained they were also called sea cows or sea elephants, and I described them. Jon reached out and touched my arm and pronounced that I did indeed have a bad sunburn, and he told me I should take care of it. His drinks finally arrived and I told him to rock on, and he shook my hand and thanked me for coming to the gigs.

I downed pint number three fairly quickly, and started on number four. I was feeling really good at this point. Really good.

Quite a few people in the bar had been getting their pictures taken with the band, and they started to close up the bar, so I decided what the f**k. So I approached Jon and asked if it would be okay to have a pic with him. He said absolutely, and put his arm around me. We chatted a little more and I noticed how he really listens to what you are saying. That’s really special. I told him I was glad he was feeling better, and he was touched that we were concerned about him. He said that in Washington he had been feeling really bad and that he was just starting to feel better. He gave me a big bear hug, then asked me when my bus was leaving, and told me to have a safe trip home. He also said it was crazy that it would take me almost two days to reach home. I told him it was worth it to have the chance to see them play live again, and that I couldn’t wait for the Canadian tour in May. Then he gave me another big hug.



While I was on my way to say goodbye to Jon and ask for the pic, Garry entered the bar, wearing a lovely pair of soft leather pants. As I passed by him, I told him it was a great gig. He was with someone so I left it at that.

I tried to buy them both a drink, but I was told the bar couldn’t serve any more beverages.

After I spoke with Jon, I turned to Garry who had sat down near Jon, and told him how much fun I had in the three weeks I had been travelling to see them play. He said he was glad that I had enjoyed the gigs, and it was wonderful to see that lovely smile of his in person. I told him I was looking forward to the Canadian tour, and I had three tickets and was trying to get at least two more, and hoped I didn’t have to resort to brokers who charged outrageous prices. I mentioned that it was difficult for some of us to purchase tickets for the upcoming tour when the current tour was still on and many of us were travelling. He said he was sorry I couldn’t get the tickets I had hoped for. I asked if I could get a pic with him and he dead-panned a “no.” Just as I starting to feel horrible for asking he touched my arm and broke into a broad grin and told me that of course I could have a pic, and he put his arm around me. I don’t want to ever play poker with Garry because he’d wipe me out. He’s got a wicked game face. He gave me a little hug and went off to see about getting a drink.



My final stop was saying goodbye to INXS personal security. We’d shared quite a few conversations since February 7 in Toronto. I wished him well, and told him I hoped to see him in May.

I walked to the bus station on cloud nine. My visit to the bar and the chance to talk with Jon and Garry was unexpected, and it was such a lovely way to pass the hours after the gig.

INXS & The Lovehammers - Jacksonville, FL, Florida Theatre, February 24, 2006

Audio Blog - INXS & The Lovehammers - Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL, February 24, 2006 - Part One

Audio Blog - INXS & The Lovehammers - Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL, February 24, 2006 - Part Two

Concert Review:

The Lovehammers rocked the house tonight. They’ve become a well-oiled machine and the audience all around where I was sitting, in the fourth row of the right orchestra, was up and singing along to many of their songs. I waited until the last night to get their CD, and unfortunately the lobby at the Florida Theatre was too small for them to do a signing session at the end of the show, so I never got a chance to get them to sign it.

The curtain came down at the beginning of ‘Suicide Blonde’ to reveal a newly shorn JD front and centre, commanding attention. And attention he got! It’s hard to take your eyes off him, but luckily the stage at the Florida Theatre was small, and you could see the whole band at the same time from most of the seats. There were no side ramps tonight due to the size of the stage.

The sound was crystal clear tonight, even though I was close to the speakers. I was perfectly in line for bass feck faces and an amazing performance from Sherriff Tim.

Andrew was dressed all in brown like a UPS worker and he was wearing a brown cap, not unlike the infamous asshat, except he was delivering his very special blend of melodic, funky grooves all night.

Garry was in blue jeans and had on a grey T-shirt. Jon was wearing black pants and a green T-shirt. Kirk was in blue jeans and the raspberry paisley dress shirt. JD, as usual, was in the lace-up jeans, and had on a black T-shirt under a white long-sleeve shirt.

While the rest of the band looked and sounded great, the night belonged to Tim, who looked particularly regal in an opened-necked purple shirt and the yummy brown leather pants. His guitar work was phenomenal, especially on 'Mystify,' 'Disappear,' ‘By My Side,’ ‘Original Sin,’ and ‘Devil Inside,’ which has pretty much been his signature song on the nights I’ve seen them play. He was on fire, making the sweetest music I’ve heard come from a guitar. Tim also got everyone’s attention during ‘Need You Tonight’ with more amazing guitar work, and some very well timed pelvic thrusts during the “whatcha gonna do?” parts. And as usual, he gave guitar picks away left, right, and centre, and was often playing without one.

‘Devil’s Party’ continues to be a strong number live. I noticed tonight how much Andrew gets into the groove on that song.

I loved JD’s falsetto during ‘Afterglow’. He has such a great vocal range. The backup singers need to back off a bit on that song and let his voice shine.

‘Taste It’ was hotter than ever. Tim showed no signs of letting up, and Kirk’s sax work was stunning tonight. And JD did some things to the microphone stand that made me blush a bit. But I watched every single minute, transfixed by his performance. He started off wetting his fingers and rubbing the mike stand. Then he worked on that one sweet spot again. And he was really enjoying himself.

It was a treat to watch Jon and Garry rock out together on ‘Original Sin.’ JD was lost in the moment several times dancing during that song. It was magical. And the drums and bass completely dominated ‘Hungry’. Jon even gave us double drumstick twirls after the drum break on that song! And Tim entertained us with some booty shaking during the song.

‘Never Let You Go’ was a definite stand-out in the set. I adored Tim’s ass wiggle throughout the song. I loved when JD changed one of the lines to “You should see Kirk in the rain,” and Kirk held up both his arms and smiled in acknowledgement. Kirk’s sax work was again noteworthy, but it was Jon who really shone on this song. He’s a powerhouse behind the drum kit. His drumming was extraordinary on ‘Don’t Change’ as well.

The playfulness continued during ‘Kick’. Some nights Kirk has been able to dodge Andrew’s tambourine, but tonight he got tagged twice on the behind. I don’t think I’ve seen another band who has that much fun on stage while being consummate professionals.

‘Pretty Vegas’ was the crowd favourite, and it was special to watch Jon, Tim, and Garry doing their thing on the drum risers all together. There were a few moments where JD was almost drowned out by the audience singing along.

And once again tonight, there were no aisle excursions by The Pretty.

The encore kicked off with ‘New Sensation,’ and Tim was wearing a very bright red Geisha T-shirt. JD returned to the stage wearing a lovely asshat and a “Good Fortune” T-shirt. It was very fitting because it was good fortune that the band found him during Rockstar: INXS, and good fortune for fans old and new. I am overjoyed that he fits in so well. They work together like they have known each other for years.

As ‘Don’t Change’ came to an end and the band took a final bow, I thought I would be sad but I couldn’t get the grin off my face. I had such a great time at the shows that I didn’t want to return home. I’m now eagerly counting down the days until the Canadian tour begins in May. When tickets go on sale in or near your area, don’t hesitate. You don’t want to miss a chance to see the best live band ever.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
New Sensation
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

INXS & The Lovehammers - Norfolk, VA, Chrysler Hall, February 20, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers - Chrysler Hall, Norfolk, VA, February 20, 2006

Concert Review:

I had second row pit seats for this show, and I was really looking forward to being so close to the stage. I kept my seat during The Lovehammers set, which rocked. Quite a few people, including me, were up and dancing and singing along to the songs. As the tour has progressed, I have noticed more people getting into them when they play. I think Marty was psychotically clever to accept the opening slot on the tour. Dino kept trying to get me his pick, but some girls down front kept taking them all. After the set finished, one of them turned to me and gave me one of them.

In between sets I spoke with some radio station M&G winners. They got to spend 30 minutes with the whole band, and got pictures taken with each band member. I’ve heard similar stories from numerous radio station winners I’ve met along the way. I truly appreciated the opportunity to meet Tim, Andrew, and Kirk in D.C., but I wonder why the fan club members don’t rate the same treatment as the radio station winners.

By the time INXS came on, I was allowed to go right up front by some women there who were looking for help to stop people from crowding in around them. So I got me and all my signs up to the first row just to the left of Kirk. One of the signs was for Jon, hoping that he was feeling better. Tim saw it, pointed to Jon, and then nodded to me. I was glad to hear that.

The stage at Chrysler Hall was huge, and the side ramps were back in the set tonight. And although I went a bit deaf in the left ear being so close to the speakers, the acoustics in the hall were spectacular. I’m so glad I was able to make it to this gig.

A few songs in Garry sprayed his bass strings, and then his underarms. I’d heard about this little ritual, but this was the first time I got a chance to see it. I wonder exactly what that spray is.

Garry was wearing a Black Hawk T-shirt and lovely fitting blue jeans. Kirk was wearing a dapper dress shirt and black pants. Tim looked awesome as usual in those lovely yummy brown leather pants. Jon had on black pants and a white portrait T-shirt with stripes across the front. Andrew was in black jeans and a black T-shirt, and JD was in those infamous lace-up jeans and a grey logo T-shirt.

‘Taste It’ was a highlight for me. JD was working on licking that one sweet spot again, but he was using his hands up and down the stand tonight, coaxing her gently. He even simulated massaging a pair of breasts. I was mesmerized. Tim ended up in front of me during part of the song, and he was shaking his ass trying to get us to notice him. That wasn’t too difficult because he has a well-toned ass that looks good in leather. I blew him a kiss, and he flicked me a well-worn guitar pick, which I snatched up quickly.

During ‘Original Sin’ JD grabbed his package for a prolonged period of time, and sighs were heard all around the hall. He did a twirly kind of dance throughout that song, a dance he started doing a few shows back. He really got lost in the moment, feeling the song. It was cool to see, because he’s getting more and more relaxed on stage. After the song JD mentioned that they have been in Norfolk all day and that it was a really clean city.

‘Hungry’ was another standout. Being so close to the band it was great to see things you miss from further back. It was a pleasure to see Andrew working his magic on the keyboards during that song. It was also cool to see Garry so close during that song and see the muscle definition in his arms while he played. I also got a good look at both upper arm tats. I held up my Sultan of Bass sign, and blew him kisses, and he smiled, that lovely broad smile of his. I totally melted.

‘Never Let You Go’ was the second highlight of the night for me. Garry came back right in front of me during the song. He was inches away from me. Le sigh. I was in heaven. All that booty shaking, hip swivelling, and I was privy to the whole thing. I continued to blow him kisses, and he continued to “catch” them, and grin wildly throughout the song.



‘Need You Tonight’ was hot hot hot. Kirk laughed when during the “I’m lonely” line I flashed my “I’m horny” sign. He dropped me a guitar pick that fell between the cables lining the front of the stage, and I retrieved it at the end of the show.

‘What You Need’ was very funky. I loved watching Andrew lost in a guitar moment. It made this song extra special.

I was glad to see ‘Kick’ was back in the set. Kirk managed to avoid Andrew trying to get him on the behind with the tambourine. It was cute to watch the two of them chasing each other around a bit.

‘Devil Inside’ was the first time JD ventured over to the left side of the stage. He kept moving closer and closer to us, encouraging our attention. When he was about 2 inches away from me, I reached up and gently touched him on the lower leg. He stayed right were he was and did not pull away. So a few others did the same. Then he went a way and came right back to us. I got a foot this time. He did a cool little ad-lib at the end of the song.

The third highlight of the night for me was an incredible, energy-packed rendition of ‘Pretty Vegas.’ Kirk, Andrew, Garry, and Tim, were all lined up together doing their thing. And it was awesome to see. And the ‘whoo’ was back in tonight! I did a little happy dance when I heard it. And The Pretty went absolutely batshit crazy at the end from the “This is the ride” line on. We got to see what it must have been like to see him do it on Rockstar: INXS. The energy and emotion were over the top. What a treat!





A side note - this is the fourth concert in a row where JD has not made an aisle excursion. I think we really scared The Pretty folks.



When they came back out for the encore, Garry threw his black towel over my way, and I caught it in midair. Some guy tried to talk me out of it later, but there was no way I was giving it up. Of course, because I’m 12, one of the first things I did was smell it. It smelled sweet. As soon as the show ended DrumTech came over and brought me one of Garry’s guitar picks.

After the show I ran into Jeremy from The Lovehammers camp. We spoke for a bit. He said he thought that Philly was the best gig The Lovehammers had done yet.

A few people were waiting on the ramp below the stage door, Kirk got into a car with the backup singers, and was the only one to say “Hi” to us after we called out his name. But the others got into a van and they didn’t stop as they passed us. But JD saw my Canadian flag and he banged on the window and waved. I keep missing him at the stage doors. I missed him first night in Toronto, when he spent quite a bit of time signing. I missed him in Reading at the tour buses. And in Philly, where he stopped to talk with a few women there, and gave them all kisses. One of these days I’ll be the one getting a kiss.

Sorry that the audio-blog cuts out at the end of the revue.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
New Sensation
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

INXS & The Lovehammers - Washington, D.C., Warner Theatre, February 18, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers - Warner Theatre, Washington, DC, February 18, 2006

Concert Review:

I missed most of The Lovehammers set because I was at the INXS fan club meet and greet. It was cool to see them from backstage while we were waiting for the M&G to start though. I got a very close look at Bobby’s arms! Mmmmm. Those are some nice arms.

We got back out in time to hear ‘The Tunnel’, which is becoming my favourite Lovehammers song. They’ve rearranged their set list a bit. ‘Trees’ and ‘Ring of Fire’ weren’t the last songs. They added ‘This Town’ as the final number, and Jeremy came out and played with them.

The sound was great tonight, and I didn’t end up with any ringing in my ears. But it was really hot at the Warner Theatre. The ushers occasionally opened the side doors just to get some cool air. The stage at the Warner is small, so there were no side ramps for the show. But small stages mean more band interaction, so that was cool.

And I was finally treated to Garry in leather pants! Leather on the Sultan of Bass! Stretched taut across his lovely thighs and his ass-ets. I swooned, I hollered, I thanked TPTB for giving me this pleasure. And cursed the Incredible Hulk and his wife in front of me for obscuring the view. Garry was also wearing the reddish coloured cross T-shirt. Jon was wearing black jeans and a silver/grey morphine T-shirt. Kirk was in a striped dress shirt and blue jeans, and Andrew was wearing jeans too. Tim was rocking the brown leather pants as always, and he had on a khaki coloured shirt. JD was in the lace-up pants again, and started with the white long-sleeve shirt. Underneath it was a black T-shirt.

Tim told us at the meet and greet that Jon was really not well tonight, but he wanted to do the show. He looked really ashen and kept his sunglasses on the whole show. Throughout the set the guys were checking on him. Before ‘By My Side’ Garry went up behind Jon’s riser and squeezed his shoulder, as if to say “you alright?” and Jon nodded yes. Garry stayed close to him for a few songs. They dropped ‘Kick’ tonight, even though it was on the printed set list, I’m sure to help save Jon’s strength, because that’s a drum-heavy song. And there was no “whoo” on ‘Pretty Vegas.’ But he still had enough energy left to entertain us with a little wiggle at the end of that song though, and come back and busted his ass on the encore. Good on you Jon. I hope you get better soon.

Before ‘Taste It’ started, JD asked the audience “Is it hot in here or is it just you?” Lots of women squealed all around me. Early on during the gig a woman was wearing a white cowboy hat and it ended up on stage. JD wore it for a bit, and during ‘Taste It’ Garry put the hat on and wore it throughout the song. He looks really great in hats.

By ‘Hungry’ the whole band was dripping wet it was so hot in the theatre, and this is a song Garry works really hard on. Kirk took pity on him and came over and wiped Garry’s brow with his own shirt sleeve while Garry was playing.

On ‘What You Need’ Garry and Andrew were rocking out for a bit. And at one point Kirk was going around and around Garry saxing away.

Tim finally took off his sunglasses during ‘Devil Inside’, so we could get a good luck at his beautiful eyes. And he was going full tilt on ‘Pretty Vegas,’ and the crowd ate it up.

We got some man love during ‘New Sensation.’ I especially loved it when JD hugged Garry from behind and sang with him.

‘Don’t Change’ was the wildest spectacle I’ve ever seen at an INXS gig. It started off with JD hugging Tim, and trying to playing Tim’s guitar. Then Kirk brought a woman up on stage, and then JD encouraged a bunch of 448ers to come up on stage. Then a whole bunch of people got up there. One girl had Andrew’s maracas. One guy was rocking out playing an air guitar next to Tim. The look on Tim’s face as he watched this was f**king precious. By the end of the song there must have been 40-50 people on the stage. It was a truly wild scene, and a hell of a way to end the gig. The people who were up there on stage will be talking about that experience for a long time to come.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
New Sensation
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

(Kick was left out of the regular setlist tonight).

INXS Fan Club Meet and Greet Report, Washington D.C. February 18, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS Fan Club Meet & Greet, Washington, DC, February 18, 2006

Meet and Greet Review:

I went with my guest Quietrokbabe from Rockband.com. It was cool because she came all the way from Texas to see INXS play at two gigs. We were instructed to be at the willcall booth at 7:45 p.m., and we met two other women from Virginia who had also won. But no one came to collect us. By 8:10 p.m. we started to get really worried, and I flagged down a woman with an INXS pass and explained our predicament. She radioed back, and in a few minutes she brought us backstage.

While we were waiting, we were invited to watch The Lovehammers from the side of the stage. That was cool to see them so close.

Tim, Kirk, and Andrew came out for the meet and greet. It was great to meet all the guitar players.

Tim was first out and he was very sweet. He came over to me and introduced himself.

Tim: “Hi, I’m Tim Farriss.”
Me: “I know. Hi Tim, I’m Christine from Ottawa, Canada, and it’s great to meet you after so many years.”
Tim: “You’re a ways from home. ”
Me: “Uh-huh. I’ve been having fun on the road travelling to your shows. My friend [pointing to Quietrockbabe] came further. She flew in all the way from Texas.”

I told him he had a really sexy voice, and he chuckled. A deep sexy chuckle. And I told him it was great that the band was being so gracious with their time and meeting the fans like this. I continued blabbering on about how much I was looking forward to the gig that night, and the two more that I was going to on this leg of the tour, and how I was excited about the upcoming Canadian tour as well. He asked me which shows I had seen. Then he asked me what I thought of the “new guy” and I told him I was proud he was a fellow Canadian, that JD was doing a great job, and that he was really Pretty. Tim laughed.

He signed my CD liner “with love Tim Farriss,” and when I asked about picks, and he got us all one.

He told us Jon couldn’t make the M&G because he was not well, and that he’d been really dizzy all day, and that he was really worried about him because Jon was their engine. He said it in such a big brotherly way, and it was really touching. I told him to give Jon a hug for me. He laughed as he told me no way, that Jon was really sick, and that I’d have to deliver that hug myself.

Kirk came over to me next, and went to sign my CD liner, and I told him he had already signed it, and he faked a whatever moment and moved away from me, then came back and asked me when he’d done that, and I told him outside the stage door at Massey Hall in Toronto. He asked me if I was from Toronto, and I told him no, Ottawa, and that I was really looking forward to them playing my hometown again after so many years. I should have gotten him to sign it again to mark this occasion, and for the fact that he had personalized it but only signed KP in Toronto, but I wasn’t thinking straight. He moved onto the others right away.

Then Andrew was in front of me, and I stood there unable to speak for a moment. He reached out his hand and shook mine. I told him that it was a pleasure to meet the man behind the magic of INXS. He smiled. I told him we call him The Mozart of Funk on Rockband.com, and he said he’d seen something about that somewhere and really liked the title. He had the broadest grin, and repeated that he really liked what we call him. He continued to smile. I told him that the D.C. gig was my sixth gig on this tour, and he said “cool.” He asked me if I was enjoying the shows, and I told him I was having an awesome time.

Then it was time for the group picture. We were asked not to take pictures of the band as they were signing etc., but to wait for one group pic at the end. I was thrilled to find out that one picture turned out really well.



Then it was time to say goodbye. Tim came over to me and when I asked if I could have a hug, Tim said “Absolutely sweetheart.” Then he wrapped his arms around me in a big full-contact hug, and rocked me back and forth for quite a time. It was a great hug! Then he said goodbye. Let me tell you, that man is solid! And the way he said “sweetheart” made me melt.

I thanked Andrew for all his music, and he told us to have fun at the gig. I asked him if I could get a hug, and he bounced over to me and grabbed me really tight in a big bear hug which seemed to last forever. It was awesome!

Kirk said goodbye and have fun.

And then they were gone, and we were being escorted out. It was a bit rushed because we got brought backstage so late, and they had to prepare for the gig. I had some things I wanted to say but didn’t get the chance, in particular, I wanted to tell Tim that I sent him virtual hugs every week when he had to eliminate someone on Rockstar: INXS. And I had a few questions I wanted to ask but didn’t get the chance, like what does “Roquefort le Pont” mean. I’m sure that happens with everyone though. You spend years waiting for the opportunity to meet them, and you have so many things you want to say and so many things you want to ask, and so little time in which to do it.

But those few minutes that we did have were amazing. It was an honour to meet Tim, Andrew, and Kirk, and I’m so grateful for having had that opportunity.

Updated April 2006

INXS & The Lovehammers - Philadelphia, PA, Tower Theatre, February 17, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers - Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, February 17, 2006

Concert Review:

I love Art Deco architecture, so it was cool walking into the ornate lobby of the Tower Theatre to find such a gem of a building. It was built in the late 1920s and is quite beautiful.

The Lovehammers got a great crowd reaction tonight. Most of the first three rows were singing along to their songs. The band was chuffed. They gave a great performance and had lots of energy. As the tour has progressed, they have gotten tighter and tighter. Unfortunately the sound wasn’t that great for their set. I got up to dance, but the people behind me complained, so I approached the security guard at house left, and asked if I could dance near the front by the second row of the side orchestra. He allowed me to stay there for their set, as long as I didn’t obstruct his view or block anybody from seeing the show.

The sound for INXS was better but still a bit muddy. I love hearing Garry’s bass turned up high, but it was up a little too high and I think that was one of the problems. The entire floor in the theatre was vibrating considerably. It was a very weird sensation.

I managed to keep the same place for the INXS set. Most of Andrew was obscured by a big stack of speakers, but it was a trade off to be a few feet away from Garry’s swivelling hips. I could watch those hips swivel every night, all night long! He spent most of the gig grinning like a Cheshire cat, and shaking his booty. It was almost too much to take. He was dressed in blue jeans and an orange T-shirt.

Kirk was in great form too. He was really wild on the sax tonight. And being near the stage meant I got to witness the sax sex on ‘Taste It’ up close and personal. Wow. Kirk was so red hot I never noticed if JD was working on the sweet spot on the microphone stand. I was told it was a really subdued oral skills performance tonight.

Tim spent a lot of time over at house left shaking his booty too. And the man shakes his booty with a lot of style, and he looks really great in those brown leather pants. He had on a Morphine shirt too. Jon had on black pants and a black T-shirt, Andrew was in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, and Kirk was in jeans and yet another suave dress shirt. JD was sporting the lace-up jeans, and started out with the white long sleeve shirt again.

‘Kick’ was particularly fun. Throughout the song Andrew kept banging Kirk on the ass with the tambourine. And Garry kept air kissing JD.

This was the first gig where I was perfectly positioned to see Jon’s face for the whole gig. It was fun to watch him play, and see all his amazing feck faces. There was a point in the night when Garry was up on the drum risers and both he and Jon were making feck faces at the same time. It made me grin.

I had a great time at this gig, but it seemed like the night went by so quickly. One moment the first chords of ‘Suicide Blonde’ filled the venue, and then all of a sudden the final refrains of ‘Don’t Change’ echoed through the hall, and they gave a final bow, and it was over.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
New Sensation
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

Updated April 2006

INXS & The Lovehammers - Reading, PA, Sovereign PAC, February 15, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers - Sovereign PAC, Reading, PA, February 15, 2006

Concert Review: Rocking in Reading!

Marty said it wasn’t the biggest crowd they had played to on this tour, but that the energy of the crowd was phenomenal. It must have felt different from the stage, because from row M in the right orchestra, all around me was the most sedate, unappreciative crowd I had seen yet while The Lovehammers played. Overall, until ‘Trees’ there was only sporadic love from the audience from my vantage point.

Last week Marty was saying how happy he was that The Lovehammers were to be opening for INXS on their world tour. When he thanked INXS in Reading, he changed it to the first leg of the North American tour. I found that really interesting. He mentioned that the band had a look around Reading and they thought it was nice.

Marty must have gotten the memo, because there no appearance of the ass crack tonight. But he did take his shirt off for ‘Rain of Fire.’ Unfortunately for The Lovehammers, the sound at the Sovereign PAC wasn’t that great during their set, and it didn’t get too much better for INXS. I think the place was so small, and the amps etc. turned up so loud, we got a lot of fuzz.

It was a bit nippy out, and the Sovereign PAC had the temperature turned up full, but they could have saved on the heating bill, because we all knew INXS was going to raise the temperature in the theatre very quickly as soon as they hit the stage. It was so hot in there I felt faint a few times. And INXS generated so much heat they could have heated the entire downtown core of Reading. The band deserves a huge round of applause for keeping the energy up when it was sweltering. And they had tons of energy. It was incredible. I guess the day off on Valentine’s Day helped refuel them.

The explosiveness of ‘Suicide Blonde’ as the opening song continues to impress me. You just know you are in for an amazing show after that number. They did have trouble with the curtain right at the beginning. I think it was Tim that ended up getting covered for a moment.

JD’s voice was still showing a few signs of wear and tear. I’m glad they have been watching him closely.

JD was wearing those lovely lace up pants again, and was wearing a white long sleeve shirt to start, with a T-shirt underneath. Tim was sporting those yummy brown leather pants again and the Morphine shirt he’s so fond of. Andrew was wearing a black jacket, jeans, and a black T-shirt. Kirk was wearing a raspberry coloured paisley dress shirt and blue jeans. My beloved Sultan of Bass was dressed in form fitting brown pants and a black T-shirt. And Jon looked hot in black jeans and a white T-shirt with a snake-like logo.

The stage at the Sovereign was very small, so it meant even more band interaction than usual. It was so small that I could see Kirk’s and Andrew’s guitar banks from my seat. Which was really cool. It’s not every day you get to see that.

Garry’s bass work on ‘Devil’s Party’ was particularly dazzling tonight. During that song he was splay-legged and rocking out, and he gave us lots of wild feck faces. And the bass was turned way up. During that song JD noticed the Canadian flags in the mezzanine, and then he pointed right at mine. The woman behind me was thrilled, because she figured when he made his audience roam, he’d come to our side for sure. He never did make that excursion from the stage. During ‘What You Need’ he started to, but the crowd in house right surged forward suddenly cutting off any route out, and he aborted. He would have been coming up the aisle right by me, so I was disappointed about that.

The video montage for ‘Afterglow’ was particularly effective tonight. It worked really well with the song.

During ‘Taste It’ I thought JD’s fondling and licking of the microphone stand was going to cause some spontaneous combustions in the audience. His face was buried right in the microphone stand, and he was focussed on one sweet spot, while he used his fingers to gently coax “her” into heavenly bliss. He’s going to be the cunnilingus champion of the world by the end of this tour. And his pelvic thrusts completely blocked Kirk’s sax sex. Jon and Andrew were having a great time during the instrumental. I really needed a cigarette after that song. And I don’t smoke.

Andrew was a mad man on the maracas during ‘Original Sin,’ a standout song tonight. I loved the moment he and JD shared during the chorus toward the end of the song. Then right after that, JD scooted over to Tim and shared some love with him.

After the drum break on ‘Hungry’ we got some stick twirls from Jon. I love the way he twirls those sticks. When JD got to the line “Lust is a hungry place,” he lifted his shirt and ran his hands down the front of his pants. The room got even warmer, and I could distinctly hear several pairs of panties going poof.

The most impressive song of the night was ‘Never Let You Go.’ Not only was the music great, the rhythm was infectious, and the band interactions on this song were a joy to watch: Andrew and Garry sharing a moment at the keyboards, Kirk putting his arm around Garry, JD and Jon grooving, and Kirk chasing Tim with the sax.

The crowd responded very enthusiastically to ‘Need You Tonight.’ It got the biggest crowd reaction of the night. I adored Tim’s one-handed instruction on this one. He’s such a naughty boy.

Garry was in top form during ‘What You Need.’ He was jamming with everyone at some point during that song, and we got some loving between him and JD, with full body contact. JD was pressed up behind Garry, and their hands were roaming everywhere. The man-love between the two of them is highly charged stuff. Did I mention how hot it was in the theatre? Well, it got even hotter after that song.

Another standout song was ‘Kick,’ and tonight I had the most fun yet on this tour watching Andrew at the keyboards. He really is the Mozart of Funk. JD plucked two fans’ signs and delivered them first to Jon, and then to Garry, much to the joy of those fans.

During ‘Pretty Vegas’ JD was helping Tim play the guitar, from behind, up through Tim’s legs. It was delightful. It was also a joy to watch Kirk, Andrew, and Garry all rocking out next to each other at centre stage. And Tim was giving away so many guitar picks, he ended up playing without one.

‘New Sensation’ kicked off the encore tonight, and JD came out wearing the asshat that I love so much. He looks so cute in it. I’d love to catch one of them when he flings it out. Once again, Tim was giving away all his guitar picks and then playing without one until someone passed him some more.

The sax solo tonight during ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ was really moving. And I loved that Kirk stuck a guitar pick on Tim’s forehead during that song. It’s obvious the band loves what they do, and loves playing with each other. And that makes me love them even more.

I was sad to see ‘The Stairs’ dropped from the encore, because I thought it worked particularly well live.

It took me about 18 hours by bus to get to this gig. And it was worth every single minute to experience INXS live again. I hope you all get a chance to see them soon.

After the show we just missed most of the band getting into the tour buses. Some girls were lucky enough to get a kiss from JD. Garry was mere feet from me when I was talking to INXS security, but he was talking to someone he knew, and I let him be.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
New Sensation
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

Updated April 2006

INXS & The Lovehammers - Detroit, MI, Masonic Temple, February 8, 2006

Concert Review: Detroit Rock City!!!

Holy F**k! What a magical night that was in Detroit. I didn't think anything could top Tuesday night at Massey Hall, but this concert might be the best one I’ve ever been to. The acoustics at the Masonic Temple were wonderful. I was in row six tonight, and it rocked (two rows of pits and in the fourth row of seats, on the aisle, right in front of Garry and Tim). I understand now why people pay so much money for front row seats. I can’t wait to be in the second row of the pit in Norfolk, VA.

The Lovehammers hit the stage in high gear, and did themselves proud. In the middle of the set the band left the stage and someone came out with a stool and an acoustic guitar, and I squeed because I knew what that meant. Marty gave us an amazing solo acoustic performance of 'Mr. Brightside'. This is the third night I've really enjoyed the band's set, and I'm learning a lot of the lyrics. 'Hold On' and 'The Tunnel' were stand-outs. During the later, Marty ventured into the audience up the left aisle. He had a hard time getting back to the stage because so many people had surged forward. I may just end up buying their album by the end of the tour, and get them to autograph it.

Then INXS took the stage with a fury that didn’t stop for close to two hours. They. Rocked. Detroit. It was orgasmic. They were on fire, and the audience responded, and fed the energy. It was a beautiful cycle. I was still spent more than twelve hours later. Andrew told JD within the first few songs that this was the best crowd yet.

Whoever is dressing the boys needs to be commended, because they are all looking fine. Very fine. Tim was wearing those yummy brown leather pants, a Morphine shirt, and that long gold plaid jacket he wore for the VH1 awards. I really like that jacket, and he looks great in it. For the third night running there was no leather on Garry. But his ass-ets were on fine display in a pair of Levi's, and he was wearing that reddish coloured cross design T-shirt. JD was wearing the butterfly T-shirt again, and the jeans with the leather back patches and the front laces. Those laces are so distracting! He started out with the gloves, leather jacket, and sunglasses again. And he wore the PETA T-shirt for the encore. Andrew was wearing a dark T-shirt and jeans, and he started out with a fetching white jacket. Kirk had on a caramel coloured leather blazer, and he was wearing a spiffy dark striped dress shirt and blue jeans. Jon was wearing some tight black pants, and a silver grey Morphine shirt.

I was very happy that JD’s voice was much better tonight. After the scratchiness at the end of the Massey Hall gig on Tuesday night, I was worried about him.

'New Sensation', 'Afterglow', 'Original Sin', 'Kick', and 'Devil Inside' were real stand-outs. 'Taste It' was so hot I’m surprised there wasn’t spontaneous combustion inside the Masonic Temple. JD was giving the microphone stand quite the work-over. He used his tongue and moved his hands all over it as if he were pleasuring a woman. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. One of the women I travelled down to Detroit with said she felt she was intruding on a private moment. And I wanted him really, really badly after that number.

Throughout the concert Tim was being Tim and licking guitar picks and sticking them to his forehead, then grinning out at us. He was having a great time. And Garry, Kirk and Andrew kept smiling throughout the show. When we could see Jon, he was grinning too.

I brought along my Canadian flag, and saw numerous ones, big and small, throughout the venue. And there were tons of Ontario license plates in the parking lot we were in. It was a Canadian and American INXS love-in at the Masonic Temple.

There were several girls in the audience with signs that read various derivations of “Let Me Taste It JD.” I guess the success of the girl who got the kiss on Tuesday night at Massey Hall is going to be fuelling a lot of these signs. Around the time INXS played 'What You Need', Dino, Bobby, and Billy from the Lovehammers came to the right side of the stage to watch the show. One of them held up a “Let Me Taste It” sign when JD came over, and he really cracked up. Timmy knocked knuckles with all of them, and when Garry came over, a mere 10 feet from me (squee), he motioned to Billy about something and got a “yes” nod and Garry gave a few pelvic thrusts. That was a panty poofing moment. As they were leaving, I told Billy they were great tonight, and he gave me a big hug.

Security was extremely vigilant, and I had a dude who was treating the section of the venue I was in as his own personal war zone. We were barely allowed to step into the aisle before we were pushed back in, hard, so there was no going down to the stage for the encore tonight. I’m surprised I don’t have bruises from the pushes.

The concert ended with a rousing rendition of 'Don’t Change'. I love this song but knowing it is the last one of the night always makes me a little sad.

After the show we saw the tour buses outside the venue, and they were calling our names, but it was so cold in Detroit that we decided to skip it, and headed back to Windsor.

It’s going to be another few days before I pick up the tour again in Reading, PA, and I’m already going through withdrawal. But I’m lucky enough to be seeing INXS five more times before the first leg of the tour ends.

Three gigs in three days was awesome. And exhausting. And I’d do it again in a flash. And this gig was truly amazing.

Garry, Andrew, Jon, Tim, JD, and Kirk, thanks so much for rocking my world.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
New Sensation
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
The Stairs
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

INXS & The Lovehammers - Toronto, ON, Massey Hall, February 7, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers - Massey Hall, Toronto, ON, February 7, 2006

Concert Review: Rocking the Roof Off Massey Hall

INXS and The Lovehammers rocked the roof off Massey Hall Tuesday night. I thought the first Toronto show had been heaven, but this surpassed it. I was sitting in the fourteenth row of the right centre orchestra, on the right aisle. I got to see the other side of the stage tonight, and I had a clear view of everyone.

The Lovehammers were in good form tonight, and had a good set. They played the Jaws movie theme music before they started playing. Hee hee. Marty commented that this crowd made him feel like he was back home in Chicago. We got a return of the ass crack again tonight. He made it all around the first row of the balcony during 'The Tunnel' tonight. Two other highlights of their set were 'Straight as an Arrow' and 'Hold On.'

The crowd was into it, ready to be entertained, and on their feet before the countdown reached 10 seconds. And they never sat down. As soon as the curtain came down to reveal INXS, the energy intensified, and there was an electric feel in the hall.

'Suicide Blonde' was explosive tonight. I was anticipating the band’s interaction during 'New Sensation', and it was great fun tonight, especially Garry and Tim encouraging the audience to sing along. Andrew’s guitar work on 'Taste It' was awesome, and he was really grooving to 'Never Let You Go'. JD’s little dancehall rap at the end of that song was a sweet addition. He mentioned that this gig was the fastest sell out in history for Massey Hall. Woohoo!

'Taste It' was great, but it was 'Need You Tonight' that was the sexiest song of the night. It was steaming hot in Massey Hall after those two songs. 'Original Sin' was another song that got a huge response from the audience.

Tim finally took his sunglasses off during 'Need You Tonight'. I wish he'd show us his lovely eyes more often. Garry was leatherless again tonight, but he looked awesome in Levi's and a yellow T-shirt, especially when he stood on the drum riser. I'm ever so grateful that his T-shirts are short enough for good rear-end viewing. Tim was wearing leather pants again tonight, and he looks good in them. He also had on a brown shirt. Kirk was wearing a spiffy striped dress shirt and jeans. Andrew was in jeans and a dark T-shirt. Jon was wearing form-fitting black pants and a silver grey Morphine shirt. JD initially had on a black leather jacket, gloves, and sunglasses, and he was wearing the butterfly shirt and those lovely lace-up jeans again.

During 'Kick', Andrew and Kirk were having a duelling keyboard and sax dialogue that was very special. And Tim proved why we call him a riff master when he played his marlin guitar during 'Devil Inside'. And the crowd loved it. The crowd also went wild for 'Pretty Vegas'. I'm still not tired of hearing that song.

By the end of the set JD’s voice was getting really scratchy. I hope he’s taking care of himself, and not trying to over do it so soon after being ill.

I noticed how carefully Garry removed his bass at the end of 'Pretty Vegas', and then playfully retreated when the bass was being quickly passed to him at the start of the encore. When the band started playing 'The Stairs,' JD and Garry weren't on stage yet. Finally Garry came out, and it reminded me of the port-a-loo story where the band started playing without him. And finally JD came out for the encore with a drink and cigarette in hand, and sporting a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey with a PETA T-shirt underneath. The band was encouraging people to come down to the front, and I was able to make it right to the stage near Tim for the whole encore tonight, and seeing them right up close was a nice bonus to a great night of music. I managed to snap a couple of pics, although they didn't turn out that great.





Watching the band enjoying themselves so much on stage enriches the show for me. Thanks guys!

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
New Sensation
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
The Stairs
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

After the show, I convinced a few Rockbanders to come with me to the stage door to wait for the band. It was very cold, but worth every moment of the wait when Kirk, Jon, and Tim came out.

Kirk was very sweet and stayed for quite a while, posing for pictures and signing various items. He personalized the signature on my Switch liner and gave me a kiss on the cheek. After that encounter, I’m officially on the Kirk love train!





I also got Jon to sign my liner. But Tim was a bit standoffish.





Thanks guys for a wonderful night I won’t forget for a long time. The crowd started to grow at the stage door, and they ended up taking Garry, Andrew, and JD going out the front door instead.

I just missed saying “Hi” to Garry later on at a bar. He was leaving just as I was arriving and I didn’t want to run after him. Sigh. Now I regret not gently calling out his name, but we heard that folks had practically stalked JD a few minutes before, and I didn’t want to come off like that. Andrew was deep in conversation with a few people and I didn’t want to disturb him either. Kirk walked by stopped and looked at my T-shirt, and laughed, and INXS security also commented on my lovely pussy shirt (a kitty with the word "dreamy" written below). It was a wonderful end to an amazing day.

INXS at the Hard Rock Café, Toronto, ON, February 7, 2006

I joined a number of Rockbanders for lunch at the Hard Rock Café Tuesday afternoon, as we waited for INXS to arrive for a press conference announcing the Canadian tour in May 2006. I was thrilled to learn that Ottawa is on the list of cities for this tour. They piped in the press conference to the restaurant packed with INXS fans so we got to see and hear it, but they didn't give the band a microphone, so fans couldn't hear the whole question and answer period.

INXS were presented with a platinum record for Switch, and they donated a signed replica of the megaphone used in the Pretty Vegas video to the Hard Rock Café. The manager brought it down and put it on the bar for the fans to see before putting it in safe keeping.



There was a particularly sweet moment just before the press conference began. A little boy had come with his mother, and he had a toy microphone and a little toy megaphone. The Hard Rock was playing music from Switch, and he performed to 'Pretty Vegas' for us, with perfect choreography, including raising his megaphone at the exact right moments, pointing out at us, and going in and out of the tables to meet us. The more we clapped and sang along to the song, the harder he performed. That little tot is going to be a star someday. I wish JD could have seen it. INXS security came and got him and brought him and his mom down to meet the band. The crowd there overwhelmed him and he couldn't perform, but he got to high-five JD a few times, and they all signed his megaphone.

After the press conference a number of us waited outside for the band to exit. It was very emotional for me as this was the closest to the band I had gotten in over 20 years. It was great that they stopped to sign some items, and pose for pictures. Andrew and Tim went through the crowd quickly, Jon stopped for a bit, and I managed to say "hi".



Then there was Garry a few people in front of me. I was able to gently touch his hand, and I told how amazing it was to see him up close and personal. I also told him I was seeing them six more times after Toronto, and he smiled and asked "really?". Words cannot express how hot he looked even with the cut on his head from the bass incident the night before. That man is so hot he can melt all the ice in the world.



Last out was Kirk who was a little surprised to hear his name being called by so many people. He stopped to talk to many of the fans gathered. I told him I was going to seven more concerts and was hoping I would get a guitar pick. He told me he'd watch out for me. The whole time we talked he held my hand in a handshake. It was magical folks. He's very flirty and very hot in person. Unfortunately we didn't get to see JD because he was taken out another door.

INXS & The Lovehammers - Toronto, ON, Massey Hall, February 6, 2006

Audio Blog: INXS & The Lovehammers at Massey Hall, 6 February 2006

Concert Review: Welcome Home JD!

We left the Hard Rock Café with half an hour to go before show time, but getting into Massey Hall went really smoothly. I was sitting in the sixteenth row of the left side orchestra, on the right aisle. This gave me a good view of the whole stage.

I had only a few minutes to wait before the lights went down and The Lovehammers began their set. They were much better than I expected. I loved the Price as Right theme music that was played just before Bobby started power drumming, which was a great way to get our attention. Dino the bass player had severed three of his fingers on his left hand a day or so before saving his dog, and he was wearing splints and played with only one finger. But he pulled it off and some.

Marty mentioned that it was exactly one year to the date that he had auditioned for Rockstar: INXS. And he spoke about how great it was that the fans are respecting that it's not about Marty but about the whole band. He also thanked INXS for offering them the opening slot on their world tour. Marty said this was the first time he had been in Toronto, and he likes it. He was even sporting a cut off Maple Leafs T-shirt. As anticipated, we got some scary conductor arms throughout the concert, and he scaled the PA system up to the balcony level and entertained fans in the front row there. I wasn't expecting to see so much of his ass crack though. Those jeans were really low-cut folks. He spoke with one kid from the audience, who it turned out plays bass guitar, and brought him up on stage. Dino gave him his bass to play, and the young boy played 'Smoke On The Water' while Marty held up the end of the bass, and the rest of the band played along with him. It was sweet.

The Lovehammers were a great opening act for INXS. I especially liked the songs 'The Tunnel,' and 'Call Of Distress.' People remained in their seats during most of their set, but got up for 'Trees', and stayed standing for 'Ring of Fire,' the last song of their set.

Then the lights came back on, and there was a crackle in the air while everyone waited for the stage to be prepared for INXS. When the five minute countdown began on the screen, my heart was beating so fast I had to sit down for a moment. But I was back up on my feet again and cheering at the one-minute mark. The last ten seconds were agony, and all around me people were counting down aloud. Then finally there was a bright flash, and my favourite band was there in front of me. It was a great moment. And INXS did not disappoint.

I had seen what the tour set-up looked like in other cities, but there were no side ramps tonight due to the size of the Massey Hall stage.

Andrew multi-tasks on stage like no one else I’ve seen. The double action harmonica and guitar on 'Suicide Blonde' was very impressive.

JD and Garry shared some touching moments on stage particularly during 'Disappear.' And during 'Original Sin', a song I was very happy to hear live again, Garry reached back and held JD's neck while he sang. This man-love is exceptionally hot in person.

I’m glad they included 'By My Side' in the set list. It was a rare treat that gave us a chance to see the whole band in action at centre stage.

Garry didn’t stop smiling all concert long. His smile is infectious. And his hip swivelling and shaking drove me to distraction at numerous points during the concert. He swivels his hips like no one else I've ever seen, and the best swivels came on 'Afterglow,' and 'Never Let You Go,' a song he spent most of positioned directly in line with where I stood dancing. Sigh. I was thrilled that he spent so much time entertaining us at stage right/house left. We got tons of bass feck faces too, especially during 'New Sensation.'

The Sultan wasn't wearing leather, but he looked great in a tight pair of jeans and a reddish coloured T-shirt with a cross design on it. JD started off with gloves, sunglasses, and a black leather jacket, but they came off quickly to reveal the butterfly shirt we've seen quite a few times, and those jeans with the leather back pockets and laces in the front. Tim had on a brown Morphine shirt and those lovely textured brown leather pants. He wears them well. Kirk looked suave in a striped dress shirt, while Andrew sported jeans and a dark T-shirt. Jon had on a striped logo shirt with lovely, well-fitting black pants.

It was kind of funny that JD mixed up the verses of 'Devil’s Party' because, after all, he co-wrote it. I put that down to opening-night-in-Toronto nerves.

As expected, 'Taste It' was a very combustible number and JD’s pelvic thrusts were panty poofing, but it was Kirk’s sexy sax work that got me the most worked up. He was hot, hot, hot.

'Never Let You Go' translates much better live than on the Switch album. The whole band got into the rhythm of this song, and the audience bopped along. But 'Afterglow' sounded a little off. It's a monumental song to try and do live.

It was a blast when Suzieblue from Rockband.com came up to my row and we did a bit of bump and grind during 'Need You Tonight', until the aisle nazis broke it up.

INXS took the song 'Kick' to a level I'd never heard before, and JD was bouncing everywhere faster than the Energizer Bunny. He made quite a few fans very happy with his foray down the house right aisle during 'Pretty Vegas', which concluded with a tossing of the microphone stand, like he did on Rockstar: INXS. JD got quite emotional as the show was coming to a close, and thanked us for coming out to see them play.

I got a lovely rear view of Jon as he went to the drum kit for the encore. He has some very slappy ass-ets indeed! And I squeed when I saw JD come out with the asshat. I love the asshat, and JD looks adorable in it.

During the encore 'The Stairs' was delivered with depth and passion. At the start of 'Don't Change' Suzieblue dragged me down to the stage. We ended up in front of Kirk, who was amused by our enthusiastic dancing and singing. At the end Kirk and Jon came by and were shaking everyone’s hands. I missed out being so short, but it was great to be that close.

As the last notes of 'Don’t Change' ended, and the band exited the stage, I was overwhelmed myself. It had been 15 years since I had last seen INXS play on the X Factor Tour, and I was grateful for the opportunity to see them again.

Set List:
Suicide Blonde
New Sensation
Devil’s Party
Mystify
Disappear
By My Side
Afterglow
Taste It
Original Sin
Hungry
Never Let You Go
Need You Tonight
What You Need
Kick
Devil Inside
Pretty Vegas

Encore
The Stairs
Never Tear Us Apart
Don’t Change

We learned later that while taking off his bass at the end of the encore, Garry had banged his head hard enough to cause bleeding. Those that saw him later said he was sporting quite the bump.

After the show I went with Suzieblue to meet the Lovehammers, and we wanted them to sign our ticket stub because their name didn't appear anywhere on the ticket. They seemed pleased with that. Marty saw my Rockstar shirt and thought it was cool, and mentioned about his auditioning one year to the day in Chicago. In person he has the most beautiful and striking eyes. The band were very nice, and I was very impressed with the size of Bobby’s arms. Dayum!






Audio Blog - INXS and JD Forum Members Rock!!

Keeping Everyone Up-To-Date

Hi everyone. I created this blog because some close friends were eager to follow my BSC adventures on the road going to eight INXS concerts on the first leg of the Switched On Tour:

February 6 in Toronto, ON, at Massey Hall
February 7 in Toronto, ON, at Massey Hall
February 8 in Detroit, MI, at the Masonic Temple
February 15 in Reading, PA, at the Sovereign PAC
February 17 in Philadelphia, PA, at the Tower Theatre
February 18 in Washington, DC, at the Warner Theatre
February 20 in Norfolk, VA, at Chrysler Hall
February 24 in Jacksonville, FL, at the Florida Theatre

(By coincidence, February 6th, 2005 was the last day of auditions in Toronto for Rockstar: INXS.)

I can't wait to see INXS again, and I'm looking forward to meeting some of my BSC forum mates. And visiting cities I've never been too before.

It may take me a while to find an internet cafe on the road, so I'm going to audio-blog as quickly as possible after the gig to report the juicy details as well as the setlists. You'll see an audio file that you can click on to listen to. I've tested it out and it opens the mp3 files for me in Real Player. Enjoy!