August 2, 2001

Takahito Nakano finally got to meet his idol.

Nakano, a 22-year-old law student from Japan, flew to Peoria to catch Poison at the Civic Center on Tuesday, the first time he’d seen the band.

"Bret Michaels (the band’s singer) is my hero," Nakano said as he excitedly walked into the venue.

After getting backstage passes provided by the band’s management (and prompted by some gentle arm twisting by the Journal Star), the slender, long-haired Nakano (clad in jeans and a Poison T-shirt) glided behind the stage just as Enuff Z’Nuff left its dressing room to open the night’s quadruple bill. Nakano - who says Enuff Z’Nuff is widely known in Japan - dropped his jaw and rushed toward the band.

"Hey!" said drummer Ricky Parent, who obviously had been tipped off about Nakano’s long journey. "You’re from Japan!"

The group let Nakano watch its show from the side of the stage. Afterward, Parent gave him a pair of autographed drumsticks.

Hours later, when Poison ended its show just after 11 p.m., Nakano anxiously waited to meet Michaels, along with several other fans with backstage passes. He quickly shook Michaels’ hand in a brisk reception line.

Michaels, impressed with Nakano’s globetrotting, exclaimed, "This guy is great!"

At Michaels’ suggestion, Nakano waited for fans to clear out. Shortly after 1 a.m., Michaels invited Nakano onto his tour bus.

The grinning Nakano didn’t say much, hampered perhaps less by his meager English than his star-struck awe. Still, the affable Michaels gave Nakano a Poison T-shirt designed for the band’s crew.

After posing for a photo with Michaels, Nakano shook his hand enthusiastically. He beamed as he turned to leave the bus, but asked Michaels one favor:

"Please come to Japan."

- Phil Luciano