The 10/2/99 Performance at Boulder Station, Las Vegas
…Now that’s what I call a marquee!!! (Courtesy of Scott O.)
This was another special show for several reasons. Berlin added another new song to their set. Ron and I also finally had the pleasure of meeting "RJA" (a.k.a. "Rob") and Scott, who are the fine gentlemen that have created and maintain this great website. (It’s been almost a year since I sent that first short review to Rob….Once again, the timely postings allowed us to get Seats 1 and 2 for this event.)
Tazz and Geri also met up with the four of us and we had a chance to all spend some time together. Last, but most certainly not least, we had an opportunity to get backstage after the show, which is always an experience!
As an aside….Too bad Paul H. couldn’t make it. We were also looking forward to meeting him. Ron and I had his 8x10’s, which he so kindly sent after receipt of the first EP, with us the first time we met Terri back in February. They are the first and only personalized, autographed material we have. (We try not to pester her too much, difficult as it is!!!)
Well, I’ll get my priorities straight and start with the show first.
The Show….
As RJA pointed out in his "Comments" post, it was an open-air venue. The arrangement was similar to the arrangement at the Rhino Retrofest in August except that the small area between the stage and the seats was not available as a dance floor. (See the "Comments" postings for a few more words on the topic….)
The opening band was "The Recruits". They played a decent set and got things rolling. Near the end of their set, they did a cover of an old Disco song and offered a free CD to anyone who could name the original artist. (Although not big disco fans - that’s probably the understatement of the year – Ron and I were still amazed by how much of the old Disco stuff we new as we were listening to Magic 100.3 while driving back from Vegas after the Berlin/GoGos show in July.) I thought it was Gloria Gaynor and mentioned this to Ron. Then Ron turned back to me and said, "Maxine Nightingale??" I said, "Yeah, that’s it!!!" Tazz and Geri were also in agreement. Between Tazz, Geri, and myself, we managed to coax Ron into going up to the stage and giving it a shot. He was right and when the lead guitarist asked what his name was, he said "Ron", but apparently was misunderstood, since the guitarist made the announcement that "Rock" had just won the CD. (Hence, the recent references to Ron as "Rock".)
After the stage changeover, the DJ’s that had hosted Terri as a guest earlier that day on their morning show introduced Berlin. Terri took the stage during what I recall was a new version of the synth intro to Masquerade. The place went nuts, as usual.
The lighting for this show employed a BFS (a "technical term" for mega-candlepower spotlight that substantially increases the number of quality shots from flashless, night action-photography). With Ron and Scott both taking pictures, there were quite a few really nice shots to choose from. I had a rather difficult time of it…What’s included here is only a portion of what will likely be posted separately as images. I have noted the source below each shot. One of my personal favorites is the ending of Masquerade, where Terri just wails in a manner that gives me chills, as captured in this next shot of Scott’s….What a voice!!!!
The "official" set list is shown below. (If you look closely, you may catch an error…or, perhaps, what may have been an inside joke???)
After Terri was warmed up, the black gown came off and Touch was next. One fan ran up to the stage and gave Terri a rose, as shown in this next shot. I think this shot captures a bit of the warmth Terri exudes during one of these shows. (Enough to melt any frozen heart…Who could resist that?) You can also see Scott on synth in the background.
Scott O.
Ron got this next one as Terri was really cranking it on the same song.
A new song, called X-Girl, was performed next. Terri said it was about a girl’s passage to becoming a woman.
I really enjoyed it, but then I really like a lot of the new material. It’s less techno than Turn You On…more of a "head-banger" (credit RJA for the description here). I suspect it is even more accessible than Turn You On. In fact, it had about the same effect on me as Confession Time from the standpoint that it really sticks with you. (For those that haven’t heard the live arrangement of Confession Time with this band, it kicketh bootay!!!) RJA was also commenting that X-Girl was echoing through his head during his whole trip home! I suspect this will be a major hit. I later heard that Terri did a local radio show the same morning and X-Girl was received so well it was played twice.
During the performance of X-Girl, Terri made several passes back and forth across the stage. Ron caught her passing in front of Scott in the next photo. (I really like this shot…Is Terri in shape, or what?? Scott seems to be enjoying it, too!!)
No More Words then followed. This shot of Scott’s captures another great moment as Terri reacts to the usual audience participation. (Frozen hearts are history at this point!!) Dallan is also heavily "into it" on guitar, as can be seen, with a glimpse of Rodger in the background.
Steps then followed, a song about Terri’s divorce. When Terri announces the song and its subject, much of the time there is a round of applause. (Admittedly, I am not the most objective person on the subject, but I have to wonder what the heck was the matter with that guy!) At any rate, Scott caught this next shot as Terri was really getting into this driving, intense number.
You Don’t Know was performed next. This is one of Terri’s favorites, and it really shows every time she performs it. Definite goosebump material for me!!! While talking with RJA in his hotel room Saturday, he stated that this song just could not have been done any better. I agreed and commented that it was the song that blew me away when I saw her perform it around 1985 on some Euro rock program. Then when you here it live, it is really apparent just how much talent Terri has. Scott took this next shot while Scott W. was playing the intro. (I wonder if we’ll have as many "Scotts" as "Pauls" one day in these Chronicles?) I think the mood displayed is consistent with the song.
The next song was The Metro. The live arrangement of this perennial crowd pleaser really cooks!! You probably get the idea from this next shot of Scott’s:
Turn You On came next. It might have even been before this song, but Terri made some comments to the effect that she was in a daze all day as a result of an event that happened earlier that day. I won’t get into too many details here, but like Tazz posted in the "Comments" section, we razzed Terri’s Paul about it after the show…Thanks for putting up with us, Paul. (You definitely have an advantage!)
If you have "Fall Into Heaven II", you may agree that this is quite a techno song, reminding one a little of early Berlin but, dare I say, with a next-millenium flavor?
The next shot captures some of the vocal harmony portions of the song. You can also see Danielle, a new back-up singer on the left. (I thought she did a great job during her first show, being rather animated and having a complimentary voice to Terri’s.)
Take My Breath Away was performed next. As Tazz and a few others noted in the "Comments", security was somewhat tight with no dancing permitted. Vegas casino security is typically armed, and this was no exception, although there still were one or two people who were really pushing it. Security didn’t get the hint when Terri commented that she likes it when the guys dance, even if they don’t think they look the greatest. But as Tazz pointed out, this next shot of Scott’s shows Terri just starting to head off the stage and down into the audience to make a large pass through the depths of the audience.
Terri always absolutely cooks on the next song, Tell Me Why. She gets the rest of the band fired up, too.
One of the things that struck me about this particular show was Dallan’s solos. He really cut loose with what I felt were more hard-rock influenced solos than what I am used to normally hearing.
Let me go several steps further and say that, in general, this is by far the most consistently excellent live band I have ever heard (and seen). The musicianship is right up there with the ever-constant "Take My Breath Away" quality of Terri’s live vocals. The productions are consistently excellent, even as they go from venue to venue. Even more impressive is the overall sound and production quality with converted parking lots and other less than cooperative open-air venues such as this one initially was. By the way, it’s really nice to see some confirmation of these opinions in the Comments and other reviews. I have never been compelled to do this groupie thing before, and it makes me think that perhaps Ron and I haven’t totally gone off the deep end. (You may beg to differ with me on that...)
At any rate, this next shot of Ron’s shows Terri egging Dallon on during one of those killer solos. Terri has such a wide range of expressions during a concert it’s more like theater than a rock concert! ("Hurt me! Beat me! Make me write bad checks!" comes to mind…)
Terri then moved over to help Rodger out in the percussion department, as shown in Ron’s next shot. I believe a drumstick was eventually sacrificed to the cause…
Sex (I’m A…) was next. Terri and Dallan usually wind up in some rather interesting interactions during the performance of this song. In my mind, Ron’s next shot conveys one of the highlights.
Ron’s next shot was also taken during the same song, as Terri "spurs" Dallan on during a solo. Notice how Terri was kind enough to take her shoes off prior to the song. (Though, I’m still not sure what to conclude from Dallan’s expression!)
Terri and the band came back with an encore performance of the Depeche Mode song, Never Let Me Down. Dallan sings lead as shown in the next shot, with Terri and Danielle having a good time backing him up.
Finally, I wanted to get this next shot in of Rodger, taken during Masquerade. He reminds me of Mick Fleetwood, with his solid drumming and the way he lays his head over to the side.
The "Knights", "Webmasters", and "Rabids" Finally All Get Together….
After almost a year of this "e-relationship", we finally had the pleasure of getting together with RJA and Scott. Tazz and Geri had a change in their plans that allowed them to join the get-together as well.
We rolled into Vegas early afternoon and eventually all met at the Hard Rock Hotel for lunch. (Those cell phones came in real handy with all the delays caused by the Vegas traffic mess!) Much conversation ensued about Terri and the band, favorite songs, and some more personal topics and experiences, as we got to know each other further.
Of course, there were the usual things that Vegas is more famous for. Someone at the table was commenting that there must have been a "silicone" convention in town as several showgirl-types walked by in bikinis that didn’t leave much to the imagination.
RJA had brought some very tasty gifts for us and Rock presented RJA with an "Unofficial Knights of the Berlin Roundtable" limited edition T-shirt (besides ourselves, only Terri’s Paul has one).
Ron was also wearing the polo shirt Geri made up from his "Berlin 99" montage. (Geri, I’m going to have to break out that vest again one of these days….maybe New Years Eve at Universal Studios??)
The waiter was kind enough to take this shot at our table. From left to right we have Tazz, Scott, "yours truly" (in one of his favorite shirts), Geri, and "Rock".
RJA, source; Ron B., post-processing
After lunch we cruised back to the hotel to get settled (as it turns out, we didn’t use it very much!!) and get ready for the show. We later met up with our compatriots at the Boulder Station Oktoberfest gate and cruised around in the Oktoberfest for a while prior to the start of the show. There were a few oom-pah bands and cover bands playing on some of the side stages. Like the Rhino Retrofest, they had their own scrip in the form of tickets (not quite as colorful as the Retro’s).
There were also some authentic German baked goods at the fest, like the gingerbread heart shown below.
Ron B.
I won’t go into details as to how we received these, or the cake and coffee that accompanied them, but I will say that their presentation quite literally "Took Our Breath Away", and let you imagine the rest. (It’s beyond words, anyway.)
We also had a chance to get with some of the Berlin staff prior to the start of the show. It is always great to talk with Diane, and RJA ended up helping out a little in the merchandise area before the show. In fact he was wearing a Berlin shirt with the Berlin Page URL pasted across the chest which eventually wound up in one of the shots shown on the big screen to the left of the stage for a while. (Hmmm…, wonder if I can get a shot of that from someone to include…). We also had an opportunity to meet a few friends that were there with Diane, Maria and Mary.
After the Show……
After the concert, we had a chance to get backstage. As mentioned previously, we all razzed Terri’s Paul a little. He is a great guy and has been so cool through all of this. While we were waiting for Terri (she was busy with Radio Station personalities, event organizers, etc.), I had an opportunity to finally introduce myself to Rodger. We all enjoyed speaking briefly with Rodger, the musician responsible for that excellent, driving percussion we always experience at these concerts. I also had a chance to introduce myself to Danielle, the new back-up singer, and compliment her on the great job she did during her first show.
Then Terri was available, and I couldn’t help but exclaim, "I missed you!", as I got a little hug. Terri responded, "Yeah, I guess it has been a while." (About 3 or 4 months…boy, am I spoiled!!!) At any rate, the whole group had some enjoyable conversation and a few more photos were taken (Rock is getting a reputation). Terri had to leave to conduct more business after having been up at 3 AM the same day to do a local radio show. As has been noted on more than one occasion in the Comments guestbook, Terri still took time to meet and sign autographs for a line of fans. (I have observed that Terri is like the Energizer Bunny….)
We then all went back to RJA and Scott’s room to chat and get a few room-service appetizers. We stayed up until about 4 AM talking further with each other and getting into other 80’s music and related trivia discussions. As we were sitting there, we noted that we had all been brought together essentially by Berlin and wanting to do something for the band in one form or another, which was kind of amazing in itself. I don’t normally consider myself a patron of the arts.
All in all, we all had a really good time. When I passed this to Scott for proofing, I also asked if he had anything that he would like to add. He did, and I quote, "Yeah, ‘I had a blast!’" I think that just about sums it up for all of us from day one.
Acknowledgements & Final Words….
As Tazz and RJA have previously posted in the Comments, I (and I am sure I speak for "Rock" as well) would also like to thank RJA, Scott, Tazz, and Geri for such a good time, and offer special thanks to RJA for the website that made it all possible.
(I’ll leave Rock out of this next section in case I cross the line.)
I would also like to thank Berlin, their "organization", Terri’s Paul, and most of all, the only REAL Diva of female vocalists in my book, Terri Nunn. Not only does she have tremendous vocal talent and stage presence, there is also a combination of sincerity, warmth, compassion, tenderness, and a certain gently aggressive affection that is utterly palpable at these live shows (in my case, quite literally at the Harry O’s show). It’s like the Borg mantra, "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" These talents allow her to take her audience on a journey through a wide range of emotions as she performs material from flat-out rockers through heart-melting ballads and all kinds of material in between.
For those that have been fortunate enough to have had some one-on-one interaction with her, the experience is even more incredible, as has been documented in numerous Comments guestbook postings. From my personal experience, I have noted that when I have tried to relate to her exactly how much this whole experience has meant to me and I can’t quite find the words, those soul-scanning eyes of Terri’s seem to be able to read exactly what’s in a person’s heart. Confirmation of such a reading and her response is then readily apparent in her eyes. At times, the emotional intensity in such a non-verbal interchange is simply overwhelming, as I have discussed with her Paul.
I also want to thank Terri for getting Berlin back together and touring again, without which none of this past year’s experience for us (and the rest of her fans) would have been possible. Terri, you truly are an inspiration! So talented, so attractive, so sincere, so humble, and so utterly real! It is truly an honor to know you! I can’t help but feel grateful that, in these days of marketing hoopla and generally lower standards in the name of increased productivity, there is someone behind Take My Breath Away that actually can (and has)!!! What a treat!!!
With as much respect and adoration as they can muster,
The Unofficial Knights of the Berlin Roundtable (and, dare I say, Official "Frechdachs")
(As usual, write-up/integration by Paul K., <paulk@ieee.org>,
scans, post-processing, and digital photos by Ron ("Rock") B., <rwburch@home.com>,
Special guest contributions from the "Webmasters":
Playlist scan and photo contributions by RJA, <rja@www.serve.com>,
and numerous SLR photo contributions by Scott O., <scotto@sds.com>)