Winnebago County Fair
Oshkosh, WI
August 14, 2004

If you don’t wanna hear about the drive to Oshkosh (and, really, I have no idea why you wouldn’t. LOL!) click here.

Please also note that you can see photos from this show here, here and here. :)

After a refreshing 3.5 hours of sleep and a delicious hard boiled egg from the Sleep Inn breakfast boofay, it was time to hit the road.

Jimmy had thrown down the gauntlet the night before (via Sayuri) so I knew we needed to get going. LOL

At one of the last tollbooths before the Wisconsin line, I decided it would be a good idea to resume an old CT tradition: plastering stickers on the automatic bins. Junko recorded the monumental event for posterity.

Thanks to Cara, we had CT CDs to listen to on the drive. Just as we hit the Milwaukee city limits, "House Is Rockin’" kicked in, reminding me of a great WI/MI/IL road trip from 2001. :D

We rolled into the Winnebago Country Fairgrounds parking lot around 11 AM and made our way to the grandstand to see who’d beat us there. LOL

Jimmy stood proudly on the stairs as I shook my fist and yelled, "DAMN YOU CAROLINA MAN!" :D

Kim, Pam and Melissa were on hand as well. Damn! I felt like such a slacker. LOL!

They’d already spoken with the security types who confirmed our worst fears. We were gonna be booted out, meaning we’d have to hoof it out on to the race track when the gates opened. Of course this wasn’t a simple straight shot. We’d have to run through the gate, take a turn under the grandstand, sprint all the way past a crumbling cement barrier, over a pile of dirt and back down the track.

And me without my track shoes.

Oh well. At least there wasn’t gonna be a horserace out there before the show. ;)

In the mean time, Gina, Deanna, Wayne, Kim G and Patricia had arrived so we took turns holding each other’s spots.

Ever the southern gentleman, Jimmy was good enough to share his funnel cake with me before we hit the midway. He didn’t offer to share his chocolate milk, though.

After three whirly twirly rides in a row, we agreed that sitting on our ass on the ferris wheel was in order... Gawd, I’m so OLD! Three rides and I was spent. LOL

In my defense, I’m more of a roller coaster girl. :D

It should be noted that on the Zipper, Jimmy was much more careful to guard his Piece pick than his change. ;) It should also be noted that the carnie running the centrifuge space ship thingy played IWYTWM for us. :)

Right before the spinning commenced, I couldn’t resist the urge and sung the opening lines of "Starship." :D

"On top of the world," we could see everyone waiting in line at the grandstand. After a phone call they gave us a wave. Bwahahaha!

On the way back to the line, we ran into Rhonda – who’d made the drive in from Chicago, without her son, Lunchbox. :D

Even though I still felt a bit queezy, I allowed Kim G to pressure me into sharing some fried cheese curds…

Mmmmm… Fried cheese curds…

I think it's an unwritten rule that all fair food must be:

A. fried
B. on a stick
C. 95% sugar
D. all of the above

It was a beautiful, sunny day. Thankfully there was some shade where we were waiting.

Dr. Doolittle (head of security) was cool. I had to laugh at Kim and the way she grilled him. Between that and her early arrival, it was like watching me in operation. LOL!

The looooooooooong wait was made better by an appearance a buddy of mine from Milwaukee. What a great surprise! It’d been too long since I’d seen ol' Ronnie boy! :D

At 5 PM we all paid tribute to opening day of the Olympics with our own footrace. Two dudes further back in the line smoked us. LOL!

Believe me though, if I’d had on the appropriate footwear, I’d’ve given them a run for their money.

Regardless, Cara and I still scored a spot right in front of Rick, so we were happy. It should be said that Junko was ICHIBAN among the females in the race to the stage. :)

Now I can say I’ve seen CT in a hockey rink, a baseball field and a horseracing track.

The stage was parked in the middle of the track – a cheesy contraption that folds up into a semi trailer. The lighting rig was just as questionable, as it involved Genie lifts – making me thankful that we weren’t directly underneath. :P

Having claimed our rightful spots down front, we only had 2 hours to go!

DOH!!!

THE SHOW

Before the show, the new 5 neck was put on display again. Dang, it’s purty! You can read about its creation and see a photo at the Hamer site. Kim G has a great shot of it here, in addition to his consummate review of tonight's show (and Chicago… and countless others. :D)

FASHION REPORT

SET LIST

RICK SEZ

Tonight Rick was particularly talkative and silly. I loved it.

Instead of the usual "This is Oshkosh and we’re Cheap Trick" line, Rick noted the surroundings and stated that "We are not the Tractor Pull, we are Cheap Trick!"

He made a pitch for S1 on sale for $10 at the merchandise tent. I signaled that price to him when he looked uncertain, so I hope I’d remembered correctly. LOL!

Pointing to the center section, he told everyone that a lot of us had been in Chicago the night before and we knew the words to the songs better than they did.

He also gave the usual shout outs – screwing up with Cara. It’s not Connecticut, Rick. Even TOM remembered she’s from NYC! ;) Ron got a special shout out after Rick saw him – announcing that he was from a local jail and congratulating him on the rehab. Bwahahahahahahha!

One of my favorite moments of the night was the Aerogoof. He got started on Steven Tyler and it seemed like he’d never stop. This even lead into a wee bit of "Walk This Way" with Rick on vox. It was beautiful.

He made a snide comment about Steven Tyler, adding that he is just as sexy and available to anyone - even the Govenor of NJ! DOH!!!!

I'll take that gag over the Michael Jackson joke any day. :P

I think it was tonight when Rick made the band introductions. After introing RZ and inviting him to say something, Robin politely declined, so RN told us that RZ would "sing his feelings."

He also told us that they'd met the Fair Queen. I waited for some lewd comment, but RN was a good boy. LOL!

MISC.

Although the set list was pretty standard, I enjoyed the energy of this show much more than in Chicago. Everyone on stage was having so much fun – it was truly infectious. Perhaps it was partly due to the fact that the pressure of the Chicago show was gone and that they had a break coming their way after the show?

Who cares? It was a great time!

It was this show when I saw it with my own eyes: Robin's smoking again.

Another random thing that was inevidence tonight... at one point Rick seemed to be bantering (is that a verb?!) simply to give Bun E. some time to stretch his back. When Bun was good to go, he gave a little tap on a snare and Rick launched straight into the intro for the next song...

Rick noticed my MC5 shirt within the first couple songs and pointed at it enthusiastically. :)

At the end of the show, Jimmy got the Rick water bottle and Reiko got Robin’s towel (after some prodding from Rick. LOL!).

After the DP pick shower, Cara and I looked down helplessly at the rainbow of picks in between the barrier and the stage. I could’ve had one of each color if I dared to leap over. Doh! Rick looked at them too, like "What a waste!" LOL! Fortunately, the security guy was really cool and handed all of them out so I managed to score some kewl colors. Before that security dude had already proved he was cool. I forget the song but at one point, Rick flicked a pick my way, which I fumbled (of course)... I looked at it lying in the dirt on the wrong side of the barrier. After a pleading look, he just nodded and retrieved it for me. LOL

After one song, Rick balanced his guitar on the headstock and pretended to let go. Don’t know why. Another guitar moment – after "Goodnight Now" Uncle Dick was placed up against the steps. Sorta reminded me of the move they did with guitars in Japan and Columbia, MO back in ‘99.

POST SHOW

Since it wasn’t too late, I proposed a post-concert stop at Perkins. Good times had by all.

Reiko looked dazed as Jimmy, Cheryl, Cara and I got into an animated discussion on Jack Ryan, Dubya, Clinton and Reagan. Kim G’s one word translation cleared up her confusion. "Politics." LOL!

Before we said our goodbyes, my Arthur Brown "Fire" imitation at the floodlight provided an amusing photo-op. I’m sure those shots will come back to haunt me some day. :D

Back on the road, we made good time back to the hotel. On the way, we were treated to one last glimpse of the fabulous skyline.

*Sigh* Another fantastic trip come to an end…

The flights home were fine, if a little long. The Chicago to Houston flight was via Jackson, MS. Oy!

Fortunately I got back on schedule, which allowed me to be with Zach before his bedtime. There’s nothing like the smile he gives me as a welcome home!

DANKE

Thanks to my mates Junko and Cara. I couldn’t ask for better travel companions!

As always thanks to CT & Co. for another fix. I have compulsive CT disorder and I don’t want the cure! :D

Peace,
Lisa J.
<insert Homer quote here>

 

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