ROGER HODGSON in the CASINO RAMA, 27th & 28th September 2002
Thanks to the offering of Jim, from Buffalo, I got a flight from Los Angeles to Buffalo for attending the concerts of Roger in the Casino Rama, near Toronto.
Then I benefited from my holidays in the States.
Jim picked up me in the airport (together with Greg Pivarnic (from Virginia) and Sylvia Cole (from Edmonton, Canada).
We were the guests of Jim. Thanks !!!
We seized the opportunity to do a tour around the Niagara falls, amazing place.And the next day we went to the Casino Rama.
We met there a lot of friends from the mailing list (Lyne, Roberta, Robert Catenacci, Anthony Tenaglia, Jamie, Sid, Mike O’brien, etc…, around 20 people) Lyne, Mike and me have met in three concerts last three weeks….
(Roger in San Diego, Supertramp in LA and Roger in the Casino Rama) and even Lyne just arrived from the concert of Roger in Montreal the day before !!!!Wow !!!
Lyne, she had the opportunity to be in the soundcheck, told me Roger and manager were asking for me (wow) and they tried to looking for me last week while I was in Los Angeles and Lake Tahoe, Roger wanted inviting me at his studio in Nevada City. They gave a call to Nick to contact me. He had some phone numbers to finding me, but they had not succes finally 🙁 What a pity !!!!!
Anyway, the gesture was the most important for me. Unforgettable !!! Thanks Roger !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I picked up my pass in the ticket office and went to the concert !!!
I met there the Roger’s staff, I said thanks them for the backstage pass and help. Hardly two weeks ago we were together in San Diego, five days in the Hotel Del Coronado. I was a member of the staff there, so lucky, then we were happy to meet us again.
I was lucky they gave me a pass, because there wasn’t tickets (sold out) !!!
THE CONCERTS
The venue, a big and beautiful auditory, a kind of big theatre.
Perfect view from all the places, and two big video screens surrounding the stage where the audience could see the images of Roger during the concert.
First surprise: Full of people both nigths, and a brave audience. I didn’t expect it. I saw how Roger is welcom and loved in Canada.
You have to think the Casino is not sited in a city, you have to drive a long way to go there (around two hours from Toronto) Then the people was there, are surely a really good fans.
In the stage there was a kind of living room, like in San Diego: an armchair, a floor lamp, a rug, some plants and flowers.
The instruments: his Korg keyboard, a grand piano Yamaha and his 12 strings acoustic guitars.
The first time Roger spoke to the audience told about feeling like at home. «This is my living room….I’d like you are feeling confortable, feel free to singing, claping, making sounds, tonigth you are my band…..»
The audience appreciated that, and some people was ordering songs to Roger during the show.
He was happy because of the love of the audience.
Second surprise: Grandious sound !!! Powerful, brilliant, perfect. Roger and his Korg Trinity sounded like a band. The churh organ sound in «Say goodbye» made shaking the walls and our lungs.
Fantastic.
Third surprise: The amazing illumination. A lot of modern lights, with movement, and beautiful colors, synchronized with the music. The second night I was in the mix control together with Trevor, the engineer’s sound of Roger, and I saw the illumination control near him. Digital equipment.
The technician man knew the songs and he made a good job.
The audience was brave and warm, both nights was great.Roger was confortable and happy and spoke to the audience between the songs.The audience was requesting songs, even somebody said «Rudy» several times, and Roger said smiling «That’s a Rick’s song» and later «Please, out !!!» pointing
at the door of the venue…. provoking the laughs of the audience……
The encore, both nights, was a party, a lot of people in front of the stage,near Roger and singing together with him !!! Too much work for the security guys.
I keep a special memory listening (and singing) the song «Two of us», standing up, in front of Roger, surrounded by people and embraced with Shakti, the whole song. It was magical moment.
Both nights Roger started and finished the show with «Give a litle bit» (brave starting !!! ) though the first night, Roger was so lively and happy, he didn’t want to stop playing, then he came back to the keyboard (after say goodbye to the audience) and played Fool’s overture, great !!! He was touched by the audience and said thanks from his heart. Really beautiful.
Roger confessed feeling really confortable in Canada, the people is a mix of the best of Europe and the States ……
About the songs, some comments:
-First day he forgot some lyrics of «London» and then he continued singing improvising while laughing, so funny…..
-Roger performed two new songs for the audience (but known songs for the fans) The awakening and Keep the pigeons warm. He asked the opinion of the audience for adding these songs in the next album, you can imagine the reaction of the people…..
-First day performed Open the door to please a request, despite the album was not released in Canada and he told the people probably don’t know the song.
-Second day performed Say Goodbye using the church organ sound. Amazing and powerful sound.
-Roger played the same medley he played in Malaga 1997: a part of Fool’soverture hooked on Lord is it mine at the end and Only because of you at thebegining. Wonderful !!! Despite that, he played later The Fool’s overture, the whole song, both nights.
-I loved listening again old songs like Babaji, If everyone was listening, A soapbox opera or Hyde in your shell.
After the shows I have the chance to be in the backstage with Roger. It was funny, the first night I really need going to the rest room, and then I went to the rest room of Roger :o)
In the VIP room was Trevor, the sound engineer, together with his family and girlfriend (they are from Toronto, what a coincidence) we met last year in San Diego. And more people there: some VIP guest of the Casino Rama, and also Sebastian Lauzon (& girlfriend).
When Roger came into the room took a look at the people, he saw me, and he came directly to me !!! What a nice surprise. Then he was shaking my neek with his hands, just joking me, laughs from the people….. and a big hug later !!!
When the people has gone we were talking for a while. We were happy to meet us again. He told me about the try finding me last week, via Nick. What a shame…
I told him about my trip and the meeting with Bob, Jesse and John in LA. I also told him there was around 20 fans waiting for him in the hall, looking forward to him.
Roger told me his intention about meeting the people the next day, but the commitments with the press and the Casino made it impossible. It was a pity.
After the goodbye I met again the friends in the lobby and I was explaining them how the backstage was. We had a great time chating and playing the piano until late (there was a grand piano in the lobby).
We had a kind of jamm session both nights, playing Supertramp & Roger songs thanks to Sylvia, Greg, Jamie and other musicians. It was great !!!
I had three unforgettable days in the nice hotel Casino Rama, sited in a beautiful indian reserve, together with good friends.
My room mates: Greg Pivarnic (alias Jester) and Sylvia Cole (alias Raven Morrigan) and we had a guest the first day, Mike O’brian from Ireland, and Lyne from Montreal the second day.
Sunday morning we said goodbye and went back to Buffalo, in the States. We had a dinner near the Niagara falls, to see the night illumination of the falls. and the next day a loooooong way home ( 4 airplanes to back home, 25 hours total time, Buffalo-Detroit-Los Angeles-Paris-Barcelona, wow !!….)
but it was worthwhile…
Miguel Angel Candela (MAC)
BARCELONA (Spain)
SET LIST
FRIDAY 27
– Give a little bit
– The meaning
– The long way home
– London
– Hyde in your shell
– Lovers in the wind
– Breakfast in America
– Easy does it
– Sister moonshine
– Keep the pigeons warm
– Dreamer
– Medley: Only because of you/Instrumental Fool’s overture/Lord is it mine
– Even in the quietest moments
– The awakening
– Babaji
– A soapbox opera
– Don’t leave me now
– If everyone was listening
– Open the door
– The Logical song
Encore
– Two ouf us
– Give a little bit
– The Fool’s overture
SATURDAY 28
– Give a little bit
– The meaning
– The long way home
– London
– Hyde in your shell
– Lovers in the wind
– Breakfast in America
– Easy does it
– Sister moonshine
– The Logical song
– Keep the pigeons warm
– Medley: Only because of you/Instrumental Fool’s overture/Lord is it mine
– Even in the quietest moments
– The awakening
– Babaji
– Don’t leave me now
– If everyone was listening
– Dreamer
– The Fool’s overture
Encore
– Two ouf us
– Give a little bit