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Unfortunately, just two songs at each (Tainted Love and Don't Cha), but so worth it...
The first I heard about Cleveland was on Natalie's site, and that only mentioned her, Frankie J and Baby Bash (the three of them touring together for about two months) but after seeing them in Buffalo, that was enough -- decision made, road trip on! (Rochester NY to Cleveland is about 4-1/2 hours) When I went online for ticket info, and saw the rest of the lineup... :*)
As I posted on one of the other boards, I had about 60 pics from a day EC spent here a few years ago, and wanted to get to Odeon before PCD, to give Nicole an album with copies of all of the pics. The bad news: I got there around 2:30 and was still too late, they were already inside.
The good news: around 5:30, they had to leave for awhile (promotion? Studio appearance? No idea) and I was able to say "hi" to the group and give Nicole the book!
Anyway, the show itself...no setlists, but the order each went on stage:
Cherry Monroe (local rock band, kind of a Good Charlotte sound, IMO)
Pretty Ricky -- plagued by mic problems throughout their set, but they battled through and gave a great show! Slick had it the worst, and at one point reached for and signed my copy of their CD while waiting for the tech guys to fix things! I never got a chance at the other three, but THAT was cool! (there was a merch booth set up opposite the stage, where each act went after their set -- to meet any of the performers, you only had to buy their CD there. Unfortunately, with the crowd, there was NO chance of getting back to the front -- once gone to the m&g area, you'd be stuck in that part of the club!)
Brooke Valentine -- again saved from sacrificing my prime spot right up front, she sent her guard back over after her set to pass along the CD I had
PCD 4th -- like I said, only the two songs, but to FINALLY see them live, after a YEAR of wishing for something close enough...
Natalie was 5th...I had actually gotten to meet her at the Buffalo show the previous month -- although not by name, she DID remember me!
At this point, I decided to go to the meeting area, because I had some pics from Buffalo to give Natalie, and that was obviously going to be the only way (I stayed because of wanting to see her performance, and assuming I'd have another chance for PCD in Buffalo) After battling my way through the crowd, I saw they were still there!! CD signed, and TWO pics with the group! :*)
Frankie and Bash's meeting I skipped -- while I didn't get to meet them the previous month, a friend had gotten me their autographs in Buffalo, and since I had met the two I really went for...
*****Saturday in Buffalo...not much to add. Unfortunately, the only meeting was for a few on-air winners, and since I couldn't get through AT ALL...
I did catch an interview they did on air, though, and a few notes from that:
The album IS finished, and they said a late-summer release (which to me says September, though, not August...)
Two of those contributing as producers are Will I Am and Timbaland;
Late August / early September, they're going to Holland for a week or two...
What shocked me the most is when the club opened -- 9PM on Chippewa Street, and I was the only one there?!? O_O Yeah, midnight show, but still... (things started picking up around 10)
As with Cleveland, I was the general-admission-standing equivalent to front row -- like I said, no meeting this time, but smiles from all of them!
I only got a fraction of the pictures I had planned on in Cleveland (oppressive heat and over-packed-in crowd -- 2-3 of Brooke, 4-5 of PCD, and 4-5 of Natalie) and 2-3 in Buffalo -- still about three weeks' worth left on the camera, but when it finally is finished...