Moline, IL - Thursday, January 29, 1998
From Jackie:
Just wanted to let everyone know how well the show went in Moline, Illinois.
To begin with; Moline and Peoria are, I think the two smallest venues that SOI plays. Each year we all pray that we won't be cut out of the tour. The Mark in Moline seats less than 10,000 of the most wildly enthusiastic fans you could imagine. But the ice is really good and well cared for due to a champion semi-pro hockey team and the great interest in figure skating in the area. They have just built a SECOND public training rink!
I don't want to get into who did which jump and how they landed it, as that kind of bogs down the flow and actually I don't watch the show with that in mind. I just go to watch the great performances, and try not to disrupt the flow of the programs by trying to remember which jumps got flutzed or landed on the wrong edge.
When the show opened with the Led Zepplin number it was greeted by oooooo's from the crowd. The skating was awesome. Everyone seemed to be really on Thursday night. Kurt's solo got mesa cheers and as for Paul....what can I say. He skated his heart out and got more cat calls, whistles, and shrieks than I want to go into here!
Our seats, incidentally, turned out to be much better than we expected, due to some rearrangement done by The Mark. What was designated as the third row turned out to be right behind very low knee high boards with empty chairs on ice in front of us. So we were actually the first row off the ice, dead center. Let me tell you, you could see the wrinkles around their eyes! This really added to the enjoyment as well because we were close enough to actually feel the effort being exerted out there and feel the muscles pull and hear the breath suck in and out. Awesome!!!
Scott, of course, had everyone on their feet when he moved out onto the ice. His skating was dead on. Nailed all the jumps, his energy was through the roof, and he's got the Lutz back! It's a beauty! Later in the show when he comes out to do the "One More Look At You" number; when the house lights come up and he looks at the crowd, you can just feel the love and joy ooze out of him. I saw a lot of hankies whip out during that number, mine included, and after I didn't think the people would ever sit down!
Kristi's Louis Armstrong medley is a lot better live than it comes across on TV. She put a lot of bounce and energy into it and it went over really well.
Paul Wylie's "Sleepers" program was, as usual, an emotional trip. Skated beautifully and with a lot of power. Unfortunately, he doubled his triple jumps, but nobody cared and he got a wild reception following it.
Katarina Witt's "La Mancha" was just terrific. She nailed everything as well and put it out there 100%.
The only fall in the entire show was Katia's and she went down during her Gershwin medley. But the crowd just cheered her up off the ice and all was well. The audiences just love her no matter what, and she loves them back. She's a very special skater.
The first act Olympic spoof finale was something else! I honestly believe I'm not being prejudiced when I say that Paul Wylie was the star of that vehicle. He is just a riot. He never drops character for an instant and he is "on" from start to finish. With perhaps the exception of Kurt's Cyril Lutz performance Paul is the one to watch!
The second half went much like the first. All the skaters seemed to be really on and I would hope that maybe the huge, silly, pigs and corn gift basket we gave them in the afternoon might have spurred them on just a bit. Brian Orser's "Story Of My Life" was heartrending. He skated beautifully and landed every jumped and nailed the triples. At the end of the program I jumped to my feet. I was the first on our side of the arena, and then a few more, and some more, and finally the whole arena was on their feet for him, which I think he deserved. He has had an awful couple of years and is working his way back admirably.
What is there to say about Antares! Kurt just gets better every year. His artistry and line get better and better and with the addition of some great stretch moves and a spread eagle with terrific lean he is showing shades of you know who. When he does the Elvis medley with Kristy and Katia all three are just having a great tongue in cheek time out there with all the sexy moves. And little Katia was really WORKING IT! Great number.
Paul skated a flawless, emotionally charged "Go The Distance" with all the jumps absolutely nailed! I was one of the first up there as well, but it was no sweat because no one in that arena had any intention of staying in their seat. He got at least a full one and a half to two minute standing O. He did the four side turn twice around and at one point he stopped mouthing thank you and switched to o, wow. It was a wonderful goodbye from The Mark!
Of course Scott's "Wizard Of Oz" number merely brought the house down! The closing "Stairway To Heaven" is breathtakingly lovely.
Just a couple of observations. First, Scott looks wonderful, happy, and HEALTHY! No sign of fatigue or tiredness. At least not Thursday night. Second, due to the fact that Paul is done now, I think they did a wonderful thing by putting him out on the ice almost every minute of that show! From Moby Dick (!!) to Stairway To Heaven the only time he's not on the ice is during the other skater's feature pieces. He started out hot and stayed that way all evening. He also looks great. Hair still short, and I don't know what he did this summer but he has lost the adorable little boy look and is now a handsome mature man. Not tired looking or unwell - just all grown up. VERY NICE!!
All in all it was just a super performance and a great night! There were eight (8) standing O's in all - I counted them. At the close Scott told us we were absolutely amazing and " we can't WAIT to get back HERE next year!!!!" Thank goodness. We don't have to worry about getting cut for at least one more year!
Hope all your shows go as well. This year it's a keeper!!!
Jackie Z.
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