Atlantic City, NJ - 8th July 2000

This was the fourth casino of the tour and was held in the smaller Xanadu Theatre at the Trump Taj Mahal. Unfortunately though, it meant that there were a lot of casino invited guests in the front rows who obviously either didn't know Todd or his music, or were very eager to get back to gambling! Fortunately for me, this meant that as the concert continued the front rows emptied so I had a totally unrestricted view! There were some real Todd fans there though including one guy who managed to get up on stage and stood at the back clapping!

The concert start was delayed by fifteen minutes as some of Todd's family hadn't arrived but it only lasted one and three quarter hours. Todd announced that the band were all "giddy" with excitement as it was the last leg of this part of the tour before their three weeks off!

During I Hate My Frickin' ISP Todd kept the shade part of his glasses up which gave him a Groucho Marks appearance as he was struggling with the lights! Kasim had found a right shoe (trainer) tonight and had a sock over his plaster. Todd made a comment about the hall as all the walls were coloured black. He also mentioned that it went with all their black clothing. The stage was very dramatic though as the backdrop was black with stars which glowed and they put the usual picture of Todd with the large foot on top of this.

During the break in Love In Action Todd told us not to assume anything including the fact that you can't stop love in action before he remembered to resume the song!

As we are at this end of this leg of the tour, of course we had Secret Society again. Another thing that Todd seems to have changed for the last couple of concerts too is playing Hammer In My Heart during the concert itself rather than as part of the encore.

Todd deliberately looked at Kasim at THAT part of Couldn't I Just Tell You and, at first, he seemed reluctant to scissor jump but then he did join in on just the one foot.

After Kasim and Trey left the stage Todd spent quite a while just strumming his guitar while talking! He said that he was going to play The Beatles Got To Hide Your Love Away as he'd spent about ten days at the Trump Taj Mahal before the start of Ringo's tour. Apparently they'd been allowed a $175 per day room service allowance so they were ordering just anything to try to use it up!

Kasim and Trey came back on and they played Temporary Insanity (which they haven't played for a few shows) and Todd said to "Scratch Jesse" (there was an extra guitar besides Kasim's on stage again but I got the impression that Jessie hadn't turned up yet).

I was beginning to think that they weren't going to play either Trapped or Yer Fast tonight but fortunately they did! Kasim got a massive cheer after Trapped! Todd mentioned his new CD One Long Year and said that his record company were trying a new policy called under-promoting the record!

They then played the great Buffalo Grass. Kasim's voice comes over so strong for his solo line in that song and it's the one track on which Trey can be heard clearly too. During One World the people who were left in the audience finally stood! The punch was at the end of the second verse tonight and Todd sang "From New York to New Jersey"!

When they came back for the encore, Jesse Gress was with them (as John Ferenze was in the audience too tonight, it was only Prairie Prince who was missing!) so they played a great performance of The Ikon. After Todd had done his bit, Kasim's spotlight part lasted just over a minute (no, I don't time it but I am taping it for this site!) but tonight Kasim played it very deep which was great! Kasim's part was followed by Jesse (who waves his arm when he's finished, whereas the others count the rest of the band in) and then Trey who slows that beat down so well.

All too soon for me, they were finishing World Wide Epiphany and it was the end of the first leg of a brilliant tour!

Only 27 days until the second leg of the tour starts.....!