Text and photos: Miguel Angel Candela
ROGER HODGSON in SAN DIEGO, Hotel Del Coronado 13th September 2002
As the last year, I decided fiting my holidays in some concert of Roger Hodgson and Supertramp in America, and also visiting the country and meeting some good friends.
I was lucky because there was three concerts in September I was able to connect all that.
Roger H. in San Diego, Supertramp in Los Angeles and Roger again in Toronto.
Then I made some plans with the help of my friends in the States and …… GO !!!
When I arrived to the LA airport, I picked up the rental car and I went directly to the house of Nick, the «young» brother of Roger (I already knew the way 🙂
Nick invited me to his place (thanks Nick!!) and then I could help him a little bit.
He was organizing the annual conference for Deccan and also the concert of Roger, much work…. his cell phone was burning…..(sound and image equipment, flowers & plants, tickets, clients, reservations,…)
The next day we worked hard shiping all the material to the Hotel Del Coronado in the Coronado Island (San Diego) and preparing the conference rooms and the stage.
It was funny and I enjoyed a lot with the «Deccan family».(thanks Latha !!!) Nick also offered me sharing his room (the Nick & Andrew Hodgson room !!!)
I didn’t say NO :o)
I was so happy for that. What a generous people ….. And I was also the guest of the company during the five days we were there.(all the special events, breakfast, lunch, dinner, coktails, etc….)
I haven’t words to say them thanks.
The hotel is a wonderful complex (an old and beautiful building, private beach, gardens, sports, restaurants, terraces, ….) See the pictures.
The movie «Some like it hot» with Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe was filmed there !!!. There are some pictures in the hotel to remaind it.(and other films too)
I was shiping the equipment to the stage when Roger arrived. We had a big hug !!!
He asked me about helping him bringing his guitars, we brought the guitars to his room.
Later I met Gudrun in the soundcheck, she cames from Germany. Andrew tried to check he «digeridoo», for playing «Time waits for no one», but something was wrong and finally he didn’t use it in the concert.
He also performed alone with the acoustic guitar a new song «Beautiful» (and also in the concert) and he asked us our opinion. For me was brillant, excellent, I was touched, this song remaind me the english flavour ( Oasis/Blur) and the voice remaind me U2.
«Very english style for an american singer» I told him, and he liked my words…
While we were talking, Roger told us with a smile «Hey guys ….. This is the soundcheck !!! Talk later !!!! » while he was pushing Andrew out the stage :o) So funny …….
I met later other friends they came to the concert: Dave Mendenhall & Lyne (from Montreal), Kathy from Texas & housband, Monique from Holland, Mike O’Brian from Ireland,…. an international group !!!
I had the chance later having a dinner together with the customers, in the same room of the concert, a luxury room with a panoramic crystal wall over the beach, a beautiful place for the concert….
In the stage we put a armchair, a floor lamp, a rug, some plants and flowers, like a living room.
The instruments: his Korg keyboard, a grand piano and his 12 strings acoustic guitars.
Around 200 seats in the room (the customers and some fans), a nice atmosphere.
Nick introduced Roger to the audience (meanwhile Roger was behind the courtain) and after a signal of Nick, Roger sounded a note of his guitar screaming «Is it that all ?» laughs of the audience…..
and when Nick finished, Roger started playing Give a little bit and exit to the stage. People was standing up and claping welcoming him.
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.
Even Nick, as the previous year, asked Roger playing the song «Christmas» screaming a bit… (may be his favourite song) and Roger performed it !! :o)
Roger also performed another unreleased song, but well-known song for us, «Lone child«, together with a kid 11 years old in the japanese drum machine (the son of one of the attending) as Roger is used to do in this song in all the concerts.
He also performed the unreleased song «The awakening«, a magical song, remaind me a mix between Even in the quietest moments and Know who you are.
Andrew performed the song «beautiful» and Roger left the stage meanwhile. Later Andrew played the accordion and sung the back vocals in «Rosie had everything planned» and played the piano in «School«, provoking brave claping from the audience. Roger said thanks to Andrew and they had a big big hug (much LOVE).
Other songs in the concert:
– The meaning
– The long way home
– London
– Hyde in your shell
– Breakfast in America
– Easy does it
– Sister moonshine
– Even in the quietest moments
– Keep the pigeons warm
– Dreamer
– Lady
– Love is a thousand times
– Medley: Only because of you/Instrumental Fool’s overture/Lord is it mine
– Babaji
– A soapbox opera
– Open the door
– The Logical song
– Two ouf us
– The Fool’s overture
When the concert finished Roger was signing autographs, taking pictures and talking with the audience. It was a kind of party, everybody was happy.
To avoid the mess, Andrew and me went to our room for a while. We were talking about the concert and his song (my congratulations !!!).
We went later to the concert room and were talking with some friends until late.
The next day, working again, picking up the material. At the evening, while I was looking at the sunset in the terrace over the beach, Roger cames and offered me join him & some friends going to the beach and playing the guitar.
Roger was playing the guitar and singing for us, around 10 people in a round.
We were also singing with Roger, songs from the Beatles (eigth days a week, get back, …) and songs from Roger (Along came Mary, love me and other unreleased songs…) Unbelievable !!!!!
It was a wonderful time in the dark beach, the sunset, the sea and nice friends.
I was so happy looking at the eyes of Roger and feeling his soul while singing.
I was myself looking back over my shoulder, thinking about the bad moments in my life in the previuos years, when I was really down, and how life can change …..
We were about two hours there, and then we said goodbye to the friends and Roger and me went to a coffe in the hotel.
We were talking calm, I asked him about plans and he asked me about the last album of Supertramp and the tour.
Roger told me he’s fine, finding the answers he was looking for, busy due to the divorce (large and painful process) but plenty of hope and energy for the music, he’s working in his songs, and he will be back with new plans next year, after spring/summer probably. Music is his life.
I told him we are waiting for him and he has our support.
He asked my opinion about the last album of Supertramp, because he didn’t have the chance to listen it. I promised give him a copy in Toronto. I told him about the tour of Supertramp, my experiences with the band in Spain and London and I showed him some recordings of the tour. He was really interested and ordered me a copy.
Then I promised give him the copies in two weeks in Toronto, of course. It’s a pleasure dear friend !!!!
When he read the setlist of the tour he was really surprised about the song «School» as the opening song of the concerts…..it was painful for him.
He didn’t say anything, but I saw the pain in his face. (This is the first tour where Supertramp starts the concert with this song since Roger left the band ) He asked me about the rest of his songs in this tour.
I told him John, Bob and Jesse took good care of me in Spain and London, I showed him my pictures, and also my pictures with him in San Diego last year, he asked me some copies of that pictures with Nick, and I gave it him.
Roger told he had a phone conversation with John Helliwell few days ago. They keep in touch.
I told Roger the message from Jesse about Give a little bit. «Please tell Roger it was not my idea….. I know how special is this song for him. I always play it with all my Love, as a tribute for him. It was a hard decision. Please give to Roger all my love !!!»
Jesse told me that in London last July.
Roger told me «Give my best to Jesse next weeek in LA». I imagine they have some things to talk about …….
Next day we were all together in Encinitas, where Nick is living, and we said goodbye until two weeks in Toronto.
I stayed a couple of days more with Nick and I continued later my trip going to San Francisco visiting another friend of mine.
I had unforgettable days with the «Hodgson family» and the «Deccan family» (the company organizer of the event) in San Diego, they took good care of me and they are always in my heart. Thanks a lot !!!
Miguel Angel Candela (MAC)
Barcelona (SPAIN)
