Westbury, NY - 23rd June 2000

Westbury Music Fair - 8.00 pm

The Westbury Music Fair was a permanent building that appeared to just be called a fair. When Todd came on stage he immediately announced that they would play their best tonight rather than just being "fair"! It was so different from last night's venue as it was a modern air conditioned building. Unfortunately though, as it was built into a hollow the side I sat had an extremely steep slope to the seats (I was down near the front) with a slippery carpet - anybody could easily have broken their left foot with that combination!

The concert was advertised as being held "in the round" but in fact it was in a very wide semi-circle. It was fine for me as I was on Todd's side (not by design but because Ticketmaster had the map on their site reversed as my friend also thought she was on Todd's side but ended up on Kasim's!) and Todd played his guitar solos either to the front of the stage or to my side but the people on Kasim's side wouldn't have had such a good view as Kasim obviously couldn't move across there and Todd just didn't. Trey was sited way back behind them that it almost seemed like just the duo were on stage! The support act was an amusing comedian. Thankfully he didn't do too many American based jokes so even I could understand what he was talking about!

Todd, Trey and Hopper came on at about 8.50 for another great nearly two hour concert! They played in a different order than normal as both # One Lowest Common Denominator and Trapped were after Todd's solo Cliche / Bang The Drum Spot for the first time on this tour.

The trio were wearing their customary all black ensemble only broken tonight by Kasim wearing a blue surgical sandal (he actually stood for the beginning of One World) so his toes were on display again tonight (he wore a large sock over his whole foot last night). Poor old Kasim really came in for some ribbing from Todd tonight as, when Kasim came back on stage after Todd's solo spot, Todd just looked at him and said the single word "Gout"! (Kasim replied that it was fleabitous!) Todd also made a joke about how Kasim got to break his foot but I'm afraid that this English person didn't understand it and I still struggle with Todd's accent! Later, as they returned to the stage for one of the encores, Todd hopped around for a while too!

As he did last night, before they sang You're Fast, Todd mentioned that he believed that his new CD had been released but wasn't 100% sure although he had seen some copies! That song always goes down SO well, especially with that great sudden ending!

A couple of interesting incidents happened in Secret Society tonight. I noticed that Todd stopped playing his guitar while he sang the verses but there was certainly more than just the drums and bass being played at that point - I think that even my unmusical ears could hear some keyboards then. During Todd's long (two minute?) guitar solo spot during the track I noticed that Kasim said to Trey that they were playing it too fast so the two of them very gradually slowed the tempo down slightly together which was fascinating to watch and listen to!

The show was nearly perfect. I'll provide some random observations.

Todd sold over 1,500 tickets. Westbury is in the round with 3,000 seats and a revolving stage. Westbury advertises a lot. The show was advertised early on as "in the half round" a designation that left the later ads, keeping me wondering. The half round was sold out and there was a limited view section on each side with scattered attendees. I get the impression that these seats became available later as the half sold so well. The stage remained stationary.

Longtime NY DJ Marc Coppola announced. He's Francis Ford Coppola's nephew. I never saw him before. He looks a lot like his little brother, Nicholas Cage.

Comedian Jeff Caldwell opened, he was very funny.

Kas used crutches to get to the side of the stage and hopped to his stool. Upon returning for an encore Todd hopped in circles on one foot, arms out like a drunken airplane. Kas picked up a crutch by the bottom end and swung it baseball bat style at Todd. Todd mentioned how Buddy Rich was hard on his band members and commented "Well, sometimes you gotta pay the price, too many clams, next time it's the leg". Kas spent most of the night balancing on the stool, looking like he was going to fall off. During WW Epiphany he stood on one foot balancing himself with the bad one, after about ten seconds he thought better of it and sat down.

Todd introduced the guitars, Foamy, Percy, Blackie, Eugene. He commented on BB King having Lucille and that just because his guitars were all male it wasn't a gay thing.

Trapped was superb, my wife reminds me she thinks Kas has a better voice than Todd.

Open My Eyes was a treat, very nice.

My wife mentions that Yer Fast is the first Todd song she liked before hearing it twenty times. This was her first.

My sister loved that song about consumerism.(?)

There are tapes of the keyboards running for at least Surf's Up, Secret Society, and Worldwide Epiphany.

My favorite Larry Tagg part of Worldwide Epiphany barely got played by Kas. The hand running up the neck four times, loud in the mix.

No technical problems, very few (3?) minor glitches.

All in all the same old thing - absolutely spectacular!