Kona Review

Posted by phyll

KONA: I pull up to the Kona Surf and the valet girl starts chatting with me. "Welcome. Are you checking in? etc…" I told her I was here for the Chris concert and came from the mainland to see him. She had a good laugh. She couldn't believe I was seeing all 3 shows. She told me the band wasn't there yet but they'll come up in a big bus. I check in and settle in a bit. I head downstairs to pick up my concert ticket from the cashier. And guess what? The band's bus has pulled up! I didn't know what to do. So I'm goofy just looking at the garden, the ocean, anything… yet trying to sneak peeks of the Boys. CI was all dressed up, everybody else was casual. I finally walk past them to the cashier and see Roly. I say 'hi'. His face was like 'I think I've seen you…' So I say 'told you I'd be here'. I said to make sure tonite rocked for the last show. I got my ticket but still didn't want to leave. So I start studying the hotel map. After a minute or so a voice asks me where room such-n-such is. Pointing, I say it must be that way, take those elevators,… and then I look up. It's Roly! So I continue and say since I'm in 564 you must be in the same wing, go that way,…. I'm still hanging around and see Chris heading to his room.

The show was great! So much energy from the band and the audience. I was so jazzed when CI came out in my fave suit again. And of course, this concert will forever be special to me because of my "Chris moment". I still can't believe it. I can't believe no one else was up at the stage. Maybe I jumped the gun. Maybe Chris didn't ask for people to come down (although he does at every other show). Maybe I just anticipated it. Pat couldn't remember if CI did say it or not. Oh boy… But there I am while they start in on "Go Walking Down There". I keep looking around for someone else to come up. And I'm shrugging my shoulders at the band wondering why I'm the only one up there. So that's when they stop and go into "something romantic". -sigh- I can't believe I stayed up there and was singing back with Chris! And then at the end he says, "I dig ya." So of course I had to yell that back too! It's really not me. The things CI makes me do and the things I do for CI…oh boy…

Lots of girls got up on stage for Bonnie. CI pulled up 2 girls, might have been sisters. Cute. At the end, Kenney gave his sticks to one of them.

Pat and I got in the autograph line. Only once, although we did try for a 2nd time but CI stopped. He didn't do any pictures. We saw Roly and got him to sign our set lists. We didn't spot Hershel or Kenney. Then we didn't know what to do. The Kona Surf is isolated, and everything in the hotel was closed. So we're just walking around heading back to the convention center. We see Hershel and got his autograph. I told him I loved his guitar playing. I was really watching him that night during "Sweet Leilani" and he is just totally mesmerizing. The sounds he was making come from that guitar was just beautiful and awesome. Then we see Chris. He's changed back into a suit. He's talking to a few folks and we wait to hopefully get a pic. He obliges. I thank him for singing "Return To Me" and he says "I sang it for you". Oh my heart is just melting…. Pat and I head back up to the lobby and see Brett. He signs our set lists and we take pics with him. Real nice guy. We joked with him that he couldn't be 'ON' the B3 that nite. (he didn't have his usual B3 Hammond) He laughed about how we knew about being 'ON' the B3. Then he was being called by some folks. They were heading to Drysdales and then Hard Rock. Then Pat & I spot Kenney but by the time we start walking his way, he was heading out. So, almost a perfect nite. We just mised Kenney. To top it off, we see Chris heading up to his room.

SET LIST:
Wandering
I'm Not Sleepy
Please
Speak Of The Devil
Flying
Somebody's Crying
Wicked Game
*Return To Me -not originally on set list
Go Walking Down There
Baby Did A Bad Thing
Put Out Your Hand (aka I Want Your Love)
Diddley Daddy
~Encore~
Super Magic 2000
Blue Hotel
~Encore~
Two Hearts
Only The Lonely
Sweet Leilani is somewhere in the encores
San Francisco Days
Bonnie Bee

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