Blockbuster Sony Entertainment Center
Anyway, that day took forever. When I got to the E-Center, I couldn't sit still. Finally, he came out. Meat gave everyone our instructions as to not "Request" a song and if anyone did, they got the verbal form of "the finger." The opener "Home By Now/No Matter What" was so great and the backdrop was really cool too. It was a forest with spooky trees and anowl, with purple lights and a lot of blacklights, too.
When that curtain went up, the audience was brought into a locker room, after all, Meat's inspiration came from sports. The songs he sang came from mostly BOOH1 and BOOH 2 with some other stuff here and there, like Lawyers Guns & Money" and "I'd Lie For You." Meat performed for 3 1/2 hours. I say performed because the man does not sing in a band, he brings so much emotion and energy into his shows that you are just absolutely breathless. In fact, he was breathless at one moment towards the end. He needed to use his inhaler but he kept belting out all of the songs.
I can honestly say I cried when it was over. My boyfriend took me into his arms and I lost it! Meat does so much to me I can't even explain it. I just hope I don't have to wait another 4 years to experience that all over again. The show was absolutely breathtaking!!
We found our seats without a problem just before 8:00. My biggest problem was the large gentleman sitting next to me who was also occupying part of my seat. It didn't matter that much since I was not sitting all the way back anyway. Meat started by introducing himself and the rules for the evening including what we were to do if anybody made a request. His comment about how the band is fining him for each curse and that he was over $9,000 already got a nice response. He then went into a version of "Home by now", just his Meatness on a stool in front of a nice woodsy backdrop. The band was obscured at this point causing me to wonder if the band was really there or if this part was pre-recorded. My question was answered when the stage was backlit and Pearl and Patti were visible as shadows introducing the drumed out version of "Life is a Lemon".[Tom plays the intro and John drums throughout the song, the rest of the band only come on stage for the beginning of Lemon - JG]
The sound system was a bit off, obvious by each members indicating to the off-stage sound people for adjustments. Meat was obviously having a great time with the audience, even the obnoxiously drunk "witness protection participant" who was trying to complain about his liberal use of "f**k you". It was (the cursing) at one point a bit much for me, but I got over it and just enjoyed the show.
The only song where the band did not seem totally together was during "For Crying out Loud" where John seemed a bit ahead of Meat. I was a little disappointed with the rendition since it is one of Meat's favorite songs (and mine) but that was the lowest point of the show for me. My friend, Janet's only complaint was that she felt that there should have been a bit less talk and more singing. On one level I agreed since Meat at times seemed to be too polite in not wanting to tell people to get to their point a bit faster.
I really liked how much he did interact with the audience. One of the questions asked was about what is it like to work with Brad Pitt. Meat's response was along the lines of once Brad accepted the fact that there were two sex symbols on the set they got along well. The 10 year old girl who gave flowers to Meat, Patti, and Pearl was very sweet. She and her father were sitting in front of us and I thought it was great that she was there with her dad and they were both singing along with the music.
The band themselves were great. Janet was impressed that Kasim was using a 5-string bass. I thought he looked great and was playing and "conducting" with such ease. As a music person, I was most impressed and awed by Damon's playing. I was wondering why he was the only one not singing, until i heard some of his solos. The man is a guitar god!! Without dating myself too badly, I couldn't help but compare him to the late Randy Rhoades in his talent and style. I was blown away.
After the show, we met up with some ladies we had met at the earlier booksigning. Our eternal gratitude goes to Meryl and Jay for getting us into the green room where we met all of the band members. It was a dream come true to actually meet Patti, Kasim, Tom, John, Damon, and Ray. The feelings that I had were and still are undescribable. I will never forget that part of the night. They were all so gracious and down to earth. I am so glad that I bought a program as it now bears the signitures of all the band members.
Anyone who plans to go to later shows is in for a treat and the time of their lives. I hope that at some point I will be able to get to another date somewhere on the tour (subtle hint for any Meat Loaf ticket fairy). Of the three times that I have seen Meat in the last 12 years, this one was the best!
The Blockbuster Entertainment Centre in Camden (across the river from Philadelphia) seated about 3,000 and was so high that the sound had plenty of room to expand into.
After the usual introductions, request for beers and three opening songs, we were treated to Meat (and possibly my) favourite song For Crying Out Loud with those really great background vocals again.
More of the usual songs (Anything For Love, Hot Patotie, etc) and the usual questions ("how did you get your name" etc) were followed by the usual I'd Lie for You and Rock and Roll Dreams but tonight this must have been one of the longest versions of Rock and Roll Dreams ever as they played for ages at the end. As is becoming usual, Ray was allowed off his shelf and the four of them played guitar at the front of the stage for quite a while - Meat certainly needed his inhaler after that!
After that, I thought we were going to head into Paradise but he started chatting to a girl who had had a crush on a guy for five years but when she met up with him again she discovered that he was quite a cad. Originally they started playing Two Outta Three Ain't Bad but then they decided that Out of The Frying Pan and Into the Fire was more suitable! That was great to hear (I think it's only the second time they've played it on this tour) and it really rocked the crowd again! In fact, most of the songs tonight were real rocking ones which made a nice change!
The original Meat Loaf "Philadelphia / New Jersey" Pops Choir quartet all seemed to sing really flat so Meat started calling out other people to go on stage. In the end it was a free for all and about thirty people got up on stage! A security guy tried to stop some but Meat was very good and insisted that they were allowed on stage! Tonight the young girl actually accepted Meat's proposal of marriage!
The Paradise couple were good tonight and Meat got the guy's girlfriend to sit with John so at one point she started avidly kissing John too to show that she wasn't jealous! As "the straddler" sang "Stop right there!" so late, Meat was laughing so much that Patti had to tell him to concentrate on the song!
Notable highlights tonight were Meat being asked what his butt looked like ("I've never been asked that question before"), a lady declaring that she was in the witness protection programme but that her name was ..... and Meat's mother-in-law being merry!
Strangely Meat didn't introduce the band tonight (other than John who was wearing a baseball T-shirt that had been given to Meat that reached John's knees so it looked like he was wearing a dress![A Sixers basketball shirt - JG]). Pearl had straightened her hair as she did in Europe and Kasim was wearing his "painter's smock" again which looks so great on him - boy, did Kasim sound good tonight! 
Got some humorous views on working with Brad Pittand Ed Norton from fight club. Oh yeh, and someone wanted to see his butt. Interesting crowd......
What has struck me in all of these concerts is the opportunities he gives to the audience. Not just to talk to him or ask questions, but to truly interract with him onstage. From the chance to sit atop the piano while being serenaded by Meat and the band, singing in the You Took The Words chorus, the ever exciting Paradise desk romp (which gets more x-rated each night), to simply having fans sit onstage because they couldn't find their seats. "You wouldn't be able to do that with Limp Bizkit" he was quoted as telling a young fan who he invited up onstage to give he,Patty and Pearl some flowers.
To summarize it all, you definantly get your money's worth and then some. Big thanks to Susan for the passes and even bigger thanks to Patty for providing them, as well as a wonderful dinner review. Loved the boots!!!
For those of you lucky souls heading out to the rest of the shows, count your blessings and the days. Those three hours go by quicker than you think.
