Breakfast In Spain - Roger Hodgson and Supertramp website

2002 TOUR - SUPERTRAMP, LOS ANGELES 20th September

Photo: "Terminator" Jesse, MAC and Bob Siebenberg
 

SUPERTRAMP in LOS ANGELES, 20th September 2002

BEFORE

The day before the L.A. concert I was in San Francisco. Beautiful city !!
Then I had to drive a lot of miles crossing the desert, boring freeway... and I drove that way some days ago !!! after the concert of Roger Hodgson in San Diego, south California.
I met a friend of mine, he lives in LA, he's a movie director and big fan of the band, his company is discussing with the management of Supertramp for recording some concert and producing a DVD. Great idea...

He told me about the conversations, still running, but still some problems to fix (money, distribution, copyrigths, etc..) despite both parts are interested in the project.
They won't record the concert in Los Angeles, and being the last concert of the tour, they talk about organizing a special concert (or two) soon in order to recording it and producing a DVD (even TV broadcast). We have to wait the agreement , because both parts wants to do it.

That morning I went to Santa Monica and Venice beach, beautiful beaches and boulevards (Do you remember the Bay watch ??) I've been there last year and I liked it.

We went later to the Uiversal studios, contacted with the manager of the tour and managed a couple of backstage passes. I met there some known people:
Dave Mendenhall & Lyne, Tim Tj, Mike O'Brian, and also new friends: Patricia from Mexico, Marco & Antonella from Italy (just married !!!), etc..
The waiting is nice with friends....

The Universal Anphitheatre is a grandious indoor venue, red color in the seats, floor and walls. (confortable seats.... like a cinema)
This is the most confortable venue of all the concerts of the tour I was in Spain and London (seven !!!). And a perfect view from all the places.
There are two big video-screens sorrounding the stage, and more in the roof. The band used that screens for the videos of Rudy, Crime, etc..

In the hall nice ambiance, a lot of people, some merchandising and queues in the coffes and fast food places.

SHOW

The concert was like the rest of the tour, the same setlist, no changes.
The sound was perfect. My friend told me about the concert in NY, small venue and poor sound, a bit disapointed.
This time he enjoyed the grandious sound, mainly the Bob's drums !!!

The warm audience helped the show and John made some jokes as usual.
He said this concert is the last one of the tour in Canada :o), (laughs)
in fact was the last concert of the tour, around 88 concerts I think.
The band enjoyed the tour and thanks to the audience.
"We will play tonigth music over the Centuries....."

John told in all the speaches about the strong links of the band with California, provoking the reaction of the audience.
In exemple he said Jesse lives in Ventura, near Los Angeles, Bob is from Glendale (LA), Cliff is from Hollywood (LA), Carl is also from California Mark is from Texas but "he prefers" living in Hollywood (laughs and claps of the audience...) , and Rick was living long time in LA ( and also John )

It's very interesting for me how an english band from the seventies with an american drummer, became after some years a californian band with a couple of english people (though just one of them, John, lives in England)

The concert was brave. Carl broke a string of the guitar !!! first time in his life (in the middle of a concert)
The audience stood up when Jesse started playing Give a little bit.
Rick performed an really large solo (piano) unusually long, in Another man's woman, he was confortable and happy ...
and the reaction of the audience was brave.
Rick introduced John, as usual in this tour, and said thanks to the audience and he was enjoying a lot.

After Goodbye stranger, the band said goodbye and the audience standing up.
The encore was great, people in the courridors near the stage, a beatiful end of tour.

AFTER

After the concert we met Tim again in the private party of the backstage.
Free drinks and snacks...
As the band lives in the LA area (except John & Rick) it was full of relatives and close friends.....too much people !!!
Despite it, when Bob & Jesse saw me they gaves me a sign: talk later !!!
Even the Bob's daughter, Vicky, was happy to meet me again and gaves me a big hug. Thanks Tori !!
The reason was we shared with the band an evening in the backstage of London (Hyde park) last July.
Mark also recognized me and we were talking a bit, and also Carl & Cliff.
When the relatives and friends gone I could talk with the band calm.

John took good care of me, he was talking with Roger few days ago (phone call)
He gaves me his room number (Sheraton hotel) and we met there later.
As it was the last concert of the tour he was not in a hurry, they had time...
In fact all the members of the band said goodbye the next day and everyone gone in hollidays to different places.

They want to say thanks to everybody was attending and supporting the tour.
Jesse was really interested to know about Roger, I was with him few days ago.
I gave Jesse the message from Roger ("Give him my best" and more...) and I told him my experiences in San Diego (and even Roger asked me a copy of my recordings of the tour and the Slow Motion album to listening it !!!!).
Jesse asked me again "Give Roger all my love, please (puting his hands on his heart ) when you meet him next week in Toronto".
We were also talking about Andrew, good friends. They keep in touch.
I gave a lot of work to Bob..... I brought some of his CD we are delivering from our web site BreakfastinSpain to sign it (around forty !!), then we met also later in the hotel. Then we have now in our web site some CD of Bob with his autograph. Call now !!! o:)

While I was talking with Jesse, a man cames (I recognized his face) and started joking about Jesse "I remember this guy when he was two years old playing with toys in the stages hahaha....."
I told this man " I saw you in 1983 tour playing with Supertramp and 1985 tour with Pink Floyd"
He was happy with my words ......he's Scott Page !!!
And I also was really happy to meet him, what a nice surprise !!!
He feel proud of playing with both bands, the biger bands and tours in that time !!! as he told me.
When I told him about my friendship with Roger, he was touched, and gaves me his calling card "Please give it to Roger and tell him give me a call, please !!!!
I love him !!!! and I miss him !!!"
You can imagine my surprise.

John also cames to us and Scott was joking with him, old friends ...... They enjoyed a lot.... see my pictures.

The hope of the band is nice because of the succes of the tour. They want continue with the project and then perhaps we will have another album or tour in the future :o) we will see.
We said "see you soon" and I have no doubt......

Miguel Angel Candela (MAC)