In Dublin, the performance started at 8:30 with Fireworks at 9:50.... he sang  the entire time.  It was Dublin, Ohio's Independence Day Celebration.... he  performed for Dublin for free.  He sang "Point me in the direction of Albuqurque (can't spell)  and said that was the first time he performed that song in public in 30 years.  He has family in Dublin and  if I can remember correctly he sang it at their request.  The concert was just spectacular and he really belted out the Star  Spangled Banner and it was just him, no music with the spotlight on the flag... very, very moving!  That led into the Fireworks which was accompanied by music.   He also made a comment that he was going to try to be there next  year!  I certainly hope so.....

Marlayne T.
 

Hi guys,

Well I am useless at reviews but David was on fine form, taking the piss out of himself when he "came out of the closet" and minced a few times! LOL  He lapsed into a "scouse "accent on quite a few occasions and used Liverpool sayings a few times too.  Most notably when he at first said "shit" then changed it to "shite" which scousers tend to say more so than "shit".

A Union Flag was handed up on stage and ended up draped across the keyboard because said keyboard player is originally from the U.K. An American Stars and Stripes also made an appearance before the interval.  In the second part a Welsh flag and another that I couldn't see to tell you where it was from, also was draped over an instrument.

DC was in fine voice and  equally good mood.  The only nod to where he was playing was his rendition of I Saw Her Standing There, complete with "mop-top" shakes when we all joined in with the "oooh"!

The set list followed much the same as his recent shows and included "Hush".

From my third row seat, I had an excellent view, until everyone stood up, that is! LOL A very kind man seated in front of me took a few photos for me when it became difficult for me to get a clear view/shot.

The crowd were determined to rush the stage from the outset but the security were jovial but firm. The crowd did get their own way from fairly early on in the concert but everyone was moved back to their seats and told to sit too.  DC actively encouraged this. Can't say I would have liked to have shelled out £150. for a front row seat only to be confronted with fans three deep blocking my view!!  The stage was basically off limits by virtue of a metal barrier strategically placed a few feet in front of the stage making contact with DC more or less impossible. Several females persisted in their quest to stand at the barrier trying to get David's attention and completely ignoring requests to move back to their seats. For the most part, the fans 
were told to go back to their seats no matter how hard they pleaded.

The second half was totally different, lots of pleading, cajoling and shoving eventually took it's toll on the hapless security staff who didn't stand a cat in hells chance of stopping the relentless tide of determined Cassidy enthusiasts.  I saw some sights, I can tell you but although  there were a few people who might have lost their temper for one reason or another, the evening was mainly very high spirited and jovial.

David is still wearing the shimmery shirts; tonight he favoured the red and green versions (I think). Sorry coughing has left me light headed and I apologise if those details are wrong.  I'm sure someone will back me up or correct me.

The fans lapped it all up, as did David although he did appear to be a little tired. I heard that Sue and Beau were in the audience but I didn't spot them myself.

Good luck Newcastle, I'm sure your show will be just as good and that you will all have a blast.

One last mention must go to the sound-desk who did an excellent job which I have come to expect of the Summer Pops concerts.  The levels are always spot on and you could hear the vocals perfectly without the instruments drowning David out, which is a rarity at most concerts nowadays.

Hi all,
did not think I would have time today but no one else up yet, so thought you might like to read my essay.............

Liverpool, 11th July 2002.
WOW
WOW
WOW
BUT I am almost speechless.

We were almost at the front.  He was soo beautiful. I got turned back by security 4 times - then he gave up and said go on.... 
I will probably never be that close again -one inch away from his hand.  It was a bugger actually three of us from the disabled platform charged to the front - he touched the two girls next to me I completely lost it, because it was my turn next AND he bounced off to the other end of the stage - I WAS SO GUTTED and almost disgraced myself by bursting into tears.  At one 
point I was next to Sue and Beau - nearly touched them as then would have a connection..

Still the concert was fantastic I was hysterical all the way through, and was jumping about amongst the wheelchairs,  I certainly will not forget that night EVER. The security bloke (called REG!!)  let me go to the front of the stage through all the encores...

David was singing and jumping and talking..........  Ohhhhhh.  It was so fantastic, it was much, much better than the night in London..  well for me anyway, that may be because of where I was, in London I was at the back of the circle and he was a mere dot on the stage - HERE I was so close it was almost painful.

It was terrific meeting the DC babes, we all wrote in a card and someone took Polaroid shots of all of us.  One of the girls had to try to get that card on the stage about four times before it went!!!  From our platform we were watching this with interest when she finally managed Jackie and I went demented then he picked it up, oh good grief I nearly wet my knickers!! (Must be my age), he actually touched something that I had. It was soo amazing, his voice EVERYTHING, His butt!!! WOW, sorry losing it again just thinking about it.

The hotel was terrific and we managed to get in two swims before coming home.  We did not need the car and walked/pushed our way to the meal, the big top and then back again.  Everything was terrific, and I am going to be even more obsessive now.  If that is possible, if he comes back next year I will be in the beginning of the queue, I now know what it can be like to be 
at the front and believe me it is pure ecstasy.

Just in case you have not guessed I enjoyed it!!!!!

It was worth every moment of travel..  We actually made it up to Liverpool in 5 and a half hours, although it took 8 hours to get home because of traffic.  Did not regret it once.

Love to you all
Sue R.

Hi Guys,

Got back this afternoon from a great couple of days away from home going to see our one and only David live in concert!

I shall not go into detail with regard the Liverpool concert as Lynn has done this already. I shall say though that I was very hacked off at having my view blocked by the hoards of people who came from the cheaper seats and gathered at the front of the stage. Having paid £37.50 for my ticket this really did get up my nose. As for the security I think you will find there were none, they were just stewards who to be frank were too afraid to say boo to anyone. A example being that there was a guy near us who had about 5 bottles of beer with him-this was not allowed the drink should have been in plastic glasses. One steward spotted him with the bottles and went up to him but the guy wouldn't part with the bottles. So off the man went to get
another steward. To cut it short in the end there were 3 stewards and the manager and still the guy wouldn't part with the bottles. So these  brave men shrugged there shoulders and walked away!!!! Why bother having such rules when it comes to glass bottles and then not having the guts to enforce that rule?

I did enjoy the concert though must say from my point of view it wasn't the best I have ever been to. Next time a concert such as that comes up I shall buy a cheap ticket and just go stand at the front and save myself some money. As a carer it doesn't grow and trees so as this seems to be the done thing I may as well do it to!!

Newcastle last night was a different story!! I had second row seats and even though the hoards come up again this time my view wasn't blocked at all. I had the closest view of him so far to date and I was just in heaven. I didn't go up close to the stage or reach out to touch him-people who know me well will tell you that isn't my style at all. Plus I HATE being jammed in
the crowd and would more than likely panic wanting to get out fast!! Can't help it is the way I am.

The concert was much as the night before except that David was very hot. And I mean he was hot in the body sense and really was sweating buckets. By the second half he had to get shot of the satin shirts and grab a t-shirt to try and get a bit cooler. Don't think it helped much as the water was running off him. I think those in the front row may well have got a bit more from David than they could have hoped for!!!!!!

He cracked us all up when he sang and then had a chat to a girl from Staffordshire on her friends mobile phone. I am not sure if the girl has even recovered yet - I know if it had been me I would have been on the floor with shock!! The night as a whole was a riot and everyone really had a great time. I have been to that venue before and must say it is a very good one-though don't ever get landed with seats 1-5 in any of the first 7 rows in the stalls. They have a great view of the speakers on the stage but that's about it! I am pleased to say we were sitting a few seats along and could see great.

I couldn't stop laughing when he told a woman off for trying to grab at his private parts - said that Sue didn't like women doing that to him though he didn't know why!!!!!!!! ROFL  God I wish I had the nerve to do such a thing to him-me I am far to shy for my own good. I wonder if that woman is on this group at all? If she is would she own up to trying to grope him?!

Great night-great couple of days for me. Now back looking after Mum and feeling rather down and deflated. I am on a high as a rule after seeing David but this time is different though can't think why. Maybe it is because we don't know when he will be back here for another tour of the UK. Would love to do more than one next time if he does, for some reason I can't get enough of him on stage!!

Hope this hasn't been boring.

Karen
 

Hi all,
Home again and incredible HAPPY!!........with a jetlag@
I never saw David perform like this 
He was TOP !!! 
My best David concert !! he was ,
1 Cheeky
2 Brilliant
3 Energetic
AND SO D*** SEXY!! 

the fog is big, I never saw David like this ,he was great strong voice from the start till the end and that "Point me in the direction of A.... " OMIGOD what a voice ...THANK YOU DAVID !!

And it was so nice to see all the girls again Gill, Greta my sisters luv ya XO Diane It was great to see you again!! XO Agnes Happy for tomorrow, Leigh, Gail, Sue Joanna lovely to saw you there, and all the girls at the backstage door hihi  We had the time of our life... and again it was remember the 70 ties LOL.

Thank you all my short stay in the UK again was great , I love your country!! and the friendly people over there. And Newcastle lovely place......... this was "my kind of town!!

Love with DC fog hugs .........
Marijke XO
 

David Cassidy in NEWCASTLE.

The concert day is a hot sunny day, in the evening a few raindrops. warm rain! It's hot in the theatre. We take our places and sit down, Sue and Beau come in and the concert begins. First song I CAN FEEL YOUR HEARTBEAT.we all scream when our man comes on stage! He's sweating and has a towel in his hands, red by the way. He wears his blue shirt.  He looks gorgeous, he sings gorgeous!! David's second song is a Beatles song. HUSH.hush..thought I heard you calling my name. yes we did David. I'LL MEET YOU HALFWAY. He asks us to stand up.while he's singing NO BRIDGE The stage is very high!
He starts shaking hands.even lays down on the stage for a moment to reach out to the fans. He takes a sash from a fan and says who the hell is dave..you call your plummer dave. There's a other fan with a sash and he remembers every concert she 
went to. Have you noticed it like a freaking sauna in here tonight he says We ask him to take something of.. .ohhhhh come on!
No that's a far as I'm gonna go tonight.he replies and takes of the towel LOL. He uses his towel a lot.  He's thanking us for being so supportive. And for singing so well. He reads cards all the time. We are onto his lips.you actually listen now, what's better than in the 70ths. I'm sweating bullets here he says.  I AM A CLOWN.somebody is kissing in the front and he laughs ..and says stop making out to her now.can't remember exactly. Asks the band to slow down a little bit.  Difficult to play
tonight. he keeps changing it. Then a girls is on the phone with someone..he takes the phone and starts talking to her. It is really
funny..he asks her if she's breathing. they talk for a while.  He asks what she's doing. better question why the hell aren't you hear.  Where are you ???? he holds the phone to the mic and the sound  starts to shiver and biep.he asks her if she can feel it..than he thanks her for coming Lol  He's  sitting down now He introduces Sue and Beau..asks for an applause. Thanks her and us fans. Hot, hot.I WRITE THE SONGS.what a beautiful song, we all sing along. He shakes hands but asks not to pull him of stage.  He's lovely and soaking wet by now. COULD IT BE FOREVER !  He's a real show off.speaking to Shaun.
encouraging him. It's only his second time.  He's David's new drummer.  He turns his towel like he's gonna throw it into the
public. but no.he throws it behind him.and laughs.those eyes are laughing as his mouth is.I love it..just love it.  Now the music is going fast, real fast.. SUMMERDAYS.the next song.  Baby, baby, baby...he's good.  The stage is wet and he looks at it and says that not sweat is it ? DAYDREAMER..all sing along song as it seems. DC in Newcastle singing  a concert with his fans.  David talks about going back on tour and his career.  Oh Boy, He says.honestly I don't know if I ever been hotter than I am
tonight. it's a good thing ! So if I die in front of you ... Oh David Cassidy he's great, he's dead.now that is scary ! Talks about the 60ths and seeing a great band.  And a song that  inspired him was HOW CAN I DANCE WITH A OTHER ...from the Beatles. THE LAST KISS.love this song in live concerts.  Whaahww!!! Good song!! Good performance !! he bows and then there's the pause. 

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE..first song of the second part..David is laughing a lot.  The people in the audience are loud.. He's wearing a white T-shirt...talking about Greenbay. He complains about the heat, the humidity in Missouri in '73..and about Greenbay..last summer.  He's sweating like hell..talking about  blow drying his underwear.  He talks about Elvis.he tries doing the movements with his legs..but isn't succeeding!  Sorry you don't have that David. He trying to compare stars and singers. talks about Tony Romeo.writing the next song which is SHOW ME IN THE DIRECTION OF ALBUQUERQUE He sings good, but directs Lon around , faster, slower..hahahahaa ROCK ME BABY is next.just love him to rock the place, we are all 
clapping our hands.  He's sweating.it's dripping in his eyes. The crowd is yelling all kind of things at him.  David yells back.love 
you, in the back, can see you. David reads a card : Sheena Easton says hi.talks about the gossip in the papers This is the hottest I was in years..LOL he says.. You want me to sing a song and go on with the show ?.he asks CHERISH He shakes hands going back and forward along the stage. You don't know how many want to share my thing.did we hear that right!!!! Am I they only one who heard this LOL No the girl next to me looked at me with her eyes width open.so we understood
correctly. our we are obsessed! hahaha The crowd is shouting DAVID, DAVID,. I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING follows... now he's gonna introduce the band. He `s fast in this..and good..when he introduces the girls he almost runs into Lon music papers, with Jimmy he's really showing off. and Jimmy plays the guitar well ITILY.he thanks us for the last 30 years.my David, is it that  long!!!!   PAPAAPAAPaaaa.I'm sleeping . Ooh the euro fans..that's it.you can sing.!!! He says We sang this song as if it was the last time we would sing it.  I had tears in my eyes. Then he's off...gone.runs backstage.  We start screaming and shouting his name David, David..David,.. There he is, singing HOW CAN I BE SURE ! If he's not sure now, he'll never be.we all sing along, he asks the band to slow down.and walks onto the stage with his light walk. Smiling, oh David we love you! Next encore CRY @@ OMD !!! that voice. He's singing for about 2 hours now. 

Gone again.but he will be back, the lights stay out. So clap your hands and shout Now he is wearing the Newcastle United t-shirt black and white stripes, and sings HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS.  The final song of the evening. Gone after that one..bye Darling David.  We enjoyed it very much! You made us feel 15 again for 2 hours, singing to us with the voice of an angel!
Thank you and keep on rocking us..we still love it !

See you next year, hopefully on the mainland. 
Greta
 

Ditto to the reviews of Newcastle....David was on top form and was able to talk far more than I've ever heard.... he did comment that it was nice to be able to talk to a quiet audience!!!

The cell phone episode was hilarious...he was singning down the phone and when he stopped he started to chat to the girl..... yes it's me, I'm on stage right now...He tried to hold the mike next to the phone so we could hear ...but it started to give off a buzzing sound each time he held the mike near...he kept doing this and how shall I put this???? it sounded like a battery operated appliance which they might use in Sex & the City!!!!! to which he retorted .....how was it for you honey????!!!!! needless to say everyone burst out laughing. He said what was the idea ...buy one ticket and phone a friend!!!

Have to admit when he started to sign Point me in the direction of Alberquerque I phoned my sister as she loves that track and we havn't heard him sing that live before.

The concert was superb and David's comments throughout were hilarious. The concert did come to somewhat of an abrupt 
end .... After singing Hollywood Nights,  David took a bow at the side of the stage and went off moments later the band's music died and the lights went out on stage....... The band looked bemused and unfortunatley David didn't get the chance to come back on to take a bow.

I loved his white T shirt and those tight jeans It reminded me of a previous line of converstaion on this site....well endowed.... and socks come to mind!!!

I still havn't recovered I listened to David all the way home and when I arrived home miracle of miracles it was sunny!!!I sat out with my walkman listeneing to???.... you've guessed it....... Well a girl can never have too much of a good thing!!!!

I thought David was getting annoyed with the drummer as he kept having to thump out the tempo either faster or slower. I was surprised when he sat on the front of the stage with his legs dangling off and was also lying across the front of the stage..... inviting disaster.... he also told fans at the front to stand up!!!!!!

I was speaking to a girl on the way to the concert who had been at Liverpool the night before She had paid £150 for her ticket but David was seemingly supposed to come back after the concert to meet them He didn't show and no explanation was given She said he had been hacked off when he was almost pulled form the stage. Spoke to her afterwards in the hotel and she said he had been on better form at Newcastle must admit I haven't heard him natter so much.

I have only heard him sing C'mon get happy once in Nov 2001 in Glasgow. Like Tina heard he starts with the intro about the show and leads into it but last 3 times he has used this to introduce the band.... and not sing the song ....shame!!

Cheers

JuneH

This is my review of the concert for July 18, 2002, Thursday, at Meadowbrook in Rochester Hills, Michigan.  God, he was great.  Oh, I already say that, didn't I.  Well, he was.  This is really long, so be prepared to read for awhile, maybe go have a sandwich and milk, and then come back, and finish it.  LOL!   I did a spell check, and think I got all of them, so excuse me if I overlooked some, I was really tired when I did this.
 

David was great.  As I said, he was awesome.  He came out in black jeans and the white T-shirt that I so love.  I finally get to see him in this white T-shirt, which I find very sexy.  He looked so good.  I loved the jeans too, by the way.  They weren't as tight as I have seen in pictures. 

I had Row 2, in what they call the orchestra pit, so that was Row 2 from the stage. 

The playlist was:
I Can Feel your Heartbeat
Hush
I'll Meet You Halfway
Bridge
Point Me In the Direction of Albuquerque
How Can I Be Sure?
Do You Believe in Magic?
Cry
Summer Days
I Saw Her Standing there
Aint No Sunshine
Rock Me, Baby
Cherish
I Woke Up in Love This Morning
Song by the Rolling Stones, Gimme Me Shelter when he introduced the band
Come On, Get Happy
I Think I Love You
Hollywood Nights

During the show, several fans came up the aisle to take his picture.  At first the security guard stopped them, but David motioned them on, and said it was ok.  What a sweetie!  Others stood in front of him, right under where he was standing, so it would look like they took their picture with him. Sneaky!!

Several women had a banner made from material made to look like the PF bus, must have been painted on. He displayed it while he was onstage.  During the second half, the band members placed it on the keyboard and there it remained until he signed it for the woman who said she actually made it.  Alot of other women were claiming to have made it.  He wasn't going to sign it, but alot of us in the audience said, Sign It.  He didn't want any hard feelings from those who wouldn't get an autograph that night. 

Another woman brought up the infamous Rolling Stones magazine/article. He said that it looked like a girl.  (Just a note, if I don't put quotes around what David said, it is because I don't remember his exact words, so I will paraphrase, so don't hold me to the exact words, ok).  She asked if he would sign it, not on the front cover but on the infamous centerfold.  He opened it up.  Showed it to the two female back-up singers.  They were very surprised as they never seen it before.  He did sign it.

One little girl, 5 years old, came up to the stage, coaxed by her mother.  He asked her name, how old she was, and if she knew the words to any of his songs, her mom said yes.  David asked her which ones, she wouldn't answer.  Something was then said, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, but I couldn't understand that part. Her mother said she knew the words to Come On, Get Happy.  Her mom had to tell him, she wouldn't talk.  He asked if she would sing with him later on stage, when he would sing Come On, Get Happy, she said no. 

Another girl, 15, brought up a T-shirt, don't know what was on it, she was real nervous, you could tell in her voice, but she told David she would be his drummer and something else I didn't hear (the hearing must be going in my old age) and David looked at Shaun, said his name, and Shaun was holding his drum sticks ready to give them to her. David asked her a question, "How the hell do you know me?"  Then David said, "Mom?"  She said, no, her aunt, and David repeated it, I think.

Someone threw him an underwear, I think it was a beige G-string.  (Who can fit into those things anyways?)  He almost put it on his head, but stopped, and said "I can just see National Enquirer tomorrow." and something else really funny, but as I said, I am getting old, and can't remember what he said or hear him, one of the two. 

He mentioned he opened Pine Knob back in May 1972 and played at another location back in the early 90s.  Pine Knob is a local outside music theater which is now called the DTE Energy Music Theater. I remember driving out to it back then, trying to locate it, with my parents, in hopes of going to that concert.  I remember it being under construction, then.  I never did go to that show, but that is another story that I won't go into.

There was a brief intermission, which surprised me, but I knew he had to change.  It was very hot that night.  In more ways than one.  During the second half he changed into a silver shiny shirt, button down and long sleeves.  He said he was already sweating, and he just changed.  The crowd said to take it off.  He said that he was way too old to be doing that. (I think he looks better today than ever.)  There was one time, he did open up his shirt, as if to take it off, the crowd went crazy, yelling.  There was one time in which he repositioned the fan and joked with the band, as he had one to keep him cool, and they didn't. 

There were no T-shirts of David's being sold.  Many fans were looking for merchandise to buy.  I wish he was selling them.  I wanted the shirt from his website.  Another guy wanted the Then & Now Program.  One vendor woman said she liked my shirt, and said I should have sold mine. 

The little girl in front of us, 8 years old, loves David, and this was her first concert.  She got sung to during Cherish, when she gave him a rose.  She had to buy one, just for David.  He gave her a kiss.  He was laying down on the stage on his right side, very sexy like.  He was so close, yet so far.  Wish it could have been me. 

When he sings "I Woke Up in Love This Morning", and he sings, "This is you, this pillow I'm Hmmmming and kissing."  I wonder if the audience got it.  I have heard it so many times, it just goes over my head.

One fan came up to him and gave him an energy bar to make it through the night.  I don't remember what David or that woman said.  I know he read the wording on the bar, and then put it in his back pocket.  Hope he remembered to take it out, as being so hot, and being chocolate, would have melted. Another fan made mention of Barry Williams from the Brady Bunch, all I could hear David say was "Keith Partridge is dead."  Wish I knew what she said.  If anyone who was there heard this, let me know. 

Some fans came up with 4-45 records.  He was going to sign one, only one he said, he saw the first one, "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted", he said "No not that one."  We know he didn't like the part where he talks the words instead of singing them. 

My friend got a hand shake from David.  She was surprised by how tight his grip was.  She also said she was impressed with how funny he is.  He can be a comic.  He is so witty with his words, and knows just what to say when the time comes.

He got a Detroit Tiger cap from one of the fans.  That is our local baseball team, by the way, like New York's is the Yankees.

He left the stage along with the band after ITILY; it looked as if he wasn't coming back.  The stage's lights dimmed, but I knew he was coming back out, my friends didn't, and I didn't tell them either. Then he came out with the towel, and his guitar.  I couldn't remember if he had the towel with him,  or grabbed it from the front of the stage, my friend said he had it with him, wiped his face, and then he threw it out to the audience.  Maybe he planned on doing this.  Now picture this, I look up, there is the towel about 3-4 feet up in the air, coming down on me and the others around me, the towel was opened, not in a ball.  My friend said I was lucky it wasn't in a ball, it would have traveled farther, and where would I be then?  Now I have been wanting this towel since Joliet, IL concert, back in August 2001.  All I could think of was this towel is mine; all I could see was this towel, falling down right above my head.  I don't even remember anyone around me, but my friend said others were fighting for it.  I don't even remember David singing at that point.  I must have jumped up, and grabbed it as it was floating downward.  (I have a friend who is almost 6"  tall and she couldn't even get it from me.)  And when I landed, I fell on the chair, and hit my friend.  I think it was the chair that did it, but she has a bruise now, a souvenir from me.  I think I landed funny, as my back was hurting going home, but damn, it was worth it.  I screamed like I never screamed before.  I have never been happier.  During the song, I had it around my neck, holding onto, so no one would take it from me.  I kept smelling it for his cologne, but couldn't find it.  You know how a towel smells when you get fresh ones from a hotel, that is what it smelled like.  And then I found the smell I was looking for, the cologne that belonged to David.   Whatever it is , it touched David's face, and I can finally smell what his cologne is like.  And God, it smelled good.  I kept going to that one spot and smelling it.  My friend said she saw some people trying to grab it from behind me, while I had it around my neck, no one was getting it from me.  My friend was trying for it, too, and would have given it to me, but knowing I got this on my own is very special to me. I know you guys will understand how important it is to get something like this.  I just can't explain it, I just feel it inside.  During Hollywood Nights, I almost started to cry, there was a brief tear in my eyes, (I cried afterwards when I got his autograph in Vegas, 2000).  I looked up into the air, and just said, Thank you, God, twice. 

That towel is now in a Ziploc baggy, trying to preserve what little smell I still have.  I just pulled it out.  I can see his makeup that he wiped off.  I hugged it.  Ain't I pathetic!!

Charmaine
 

I originally decided to go to Westbury because it was the only other concert for the rest of the year that was reasonably close to my home, in southeast PA.  It was also relatively inexpensive, compared to the $100 for my tickets for the Tropicana show.

I had figured that Long Island wasn't going to be all that far, so the trip would be short enough that I could day-trip it--drive out early and drive back on the same day.  It took some convincing, but I got my father to agree to drive me and my mother out to Westbury.  He, however, refused to go to the concert and decided that he preferred to wait in the car.

Anyway, we left around 3:30 in the afternoon, figuring that it would take about two hours to get there but leaving time in case of any kind of emergency.  The original plan had been to drive across Manhattan, coming in the Holland Tunnel and out a bridge on the other side.  However, my father figured that trying to drive across Manhattan at 5 PM was a bad idea. Driving through Newark was an interesting experience. Living where I do, I go into New York fairly often. However, I had not been within sight of the Manhattan skyline since before September 11.  There is one point on I-78 where the road goes up a hill and you can see the skyline in the distance.  It was the first time that I had seen the city without the World Trade Center, and I promptly started to tear up.  A frantic search for the tissue box ensued, as I was wearing a pretty heavy coat of eye makeup and didn't want it running down around my chin.

So, we drove around the Newark airport, across Staten Island and crossed the New York harbor at the Verrazano Narrows bridge.

And then ran smack into an enormous traffic tieup, which was moving at about 25 miles per hour on the Belt Parkway through Brooklyn.  We had lost our radio station that we were listening to somewhere in Newark and turned the radio off so that my father could concentrate on getting on and off the right ramps around Verrazano Narrows.  Concrete spaghetti does not even *begin* to describe that maze of cattle chutes.

Once we were on the Belt Parkway (stuck in traffic and bored) we decided that it was time to turn on the tape deck.  I had a tape of (what else!) my favorite David Cassidy songs.  Dad had an audiobook of Rainbow Six (gag!).  He absolutely refused to listen to David. Compromise was reached ten minutes (and two miles) later when Mom decreed that we were listening to Jimmy Buffet.  If you heard a car on the Belt Parkway with the stereo turned up a bit too loud and the riders singing along to Cheeseburger in Paradise, that would have been us.

The traffic stayed messy almost all the way into Westbury.  The Belt Parkway inched along in spurts, averaging around 35 MPH all the way to JFK Airport. There was some excitement when a New York state cop and a tow truck passed us at 60 MPH on the shoulder, but they cleaned up whatever had happened before we got there.

There were some neat views, as the road passed straight through Coney Island at one point and we could see the Cyclone off in the distance on one side and the Parachute Tower and Wonder Wheel off on the other.  I think that I was the only one who found that of much interest, but then I'm the only history buff in the family.

Traffic moved a bit better once we got out of Queens and into Long Island itself, on the Ocean Parkway.  It was still slow and moved in spurts, but it was a bit better.  A fair amount of the heavy traffic had dissipated after JFK Airport.  It didn't really start to move until we were within 15 miles of Westbury.

Even with all the delays, we found the venue with 90 minutes to spare.  We decieded to get gas for the car and food for us, so we set off into the town to look for a gas station and a decent restauraunt.  We settled for Papa Joe's Pizzaria, a little place in a
strip mall.  My bright idea of going to the sushi bar was quickly squashed by my parents, neither of whom enjoy sushi.  We ordered a pizza with mushrooms and sausage.  I think I spent most of my time staring at it and grinning like an idiot which I had been doing ever since we crossed the Verrazano Narrows bridge. (That is, I was grinning like an idiot when I wasn't checking the map to make sure that I would be there on time.)  My stomach was doing backflips and I was lost in a happy David haze by then.

We didn't eat all of the pizza and the guy at the pizzaria asked us if we wanted a box to take it along. He was a bit shocked when we told him that we had daytripped up from Pennsylvania to see David Cassidy at Westbury Music Fair.  He then asked my mother if she had liked him back in the 1970s, and was still further shocked to discover that I was the David fan.

By that time it was 7:30 and we decided to head back for the venue.  The parking lot was pretty crowded by then, and the car was parked near the back.  Dad stayed in the car and Mom and I went in.

Sheesh, that was long.  But after all, getting there is half the fun, isn't it?

There was a large crowd going into the theater at 7:30 but it was moving pretty quickly.  Mom insisted on getting a picture of me by the poster outside the front door, with my silly "I'm Gonna See David!" grin still plastered across my face, to go along with the one that she took at the Tropicana in March, where I looked like a deer in the headlights of an 18-wheel Freightliner rig.  (It was taken after the show, when I had been in the front row and touched his hand.)  That photo  is one of her favorites, mostly used in attempts to embarass me in front of her friends.  But hey, when you're proud of being a fan, it doesn't work so good.

Security guys were checking everyone's bags on the way in, but that was one of those times when having a small camera that very much resembles a cell phone when it's in its case came in handy.  It went completely unnoticed where it was clipped to my belt.

Mom wanted a pina colada when we were coming in.  I said it was a side effect of listening to too much Jimmy Buffet and called her a Parrothead.  That led to good-natured insulting of each other's musical taste for a few minutes while we walked to our seats, which turned out to be on the opposite side of the theater from the front door.

Mom and I had seats in Section A, Row F.  My seat was in the middle of the row, and it was at about eye height.  I didn't have to either look down or up to get a good view of David once he was onstage.  No stiff neck, and the people in front of me were fairly short.

Because Westbury Music Fair is a round theater, David came in through the aisle between sections A and H. So I got a pretty good view of him coming in.  He had to run like crazy to get in, as the fans pretty quickly started overwhelming the security guys.  Some of them looked a little startled by the reaction that David got from the fans.

He started with I Can Feel Your Heartbeat.  He came out wearing his dark red shirt, tucked into those yummy black jeans.  He was definitely showing off all of his assets.

And part of the beauty of Westbury is that it is a theater in the round, with a rotating stage.  That meant that I got plenty of great views of his butt, and so did everybody else.

After the first two songs or so, David talked to the audience for a bit.  He talked about how whenever he was within 100 miles of New York it was like coming home for him.  He also mentioned that it was summer and that meant that he already needed a shower.  He gestured to his sweaty shirt and someone yelled for him to take it off.  He was in pretty good form, all told.  Someone else yelled "I think I love you!" at him, only to recieve a reply along the lines of "Ah, babe, I know I love you."  I don't remember his exact words.  He also mentioned that several members of his family from Long Island were in the audience.

Before he left for the intermission, David told us to leave his hair alone on the way out or he would end up needing a rug.  This time, they brought in all of the people they could get to help the security guys get David out.  They brought in all of the parking lot attendants and the ushers, pretty much everyone that they could spare to help their security guys.  I don't think they were prepared for the level of hysteria that went on, although by and large people were staying in their seats more than they did at the Tropicana.  That was probably mostly due to the fact that it was a more cramped venue--the aisles were narrower and it was hard to get close to the stage, although there were a fair number of people up and dancing during Rock Me Baby.

During the second half of the show, David was wearing the black shirt with the silver glitter threads in it. It wasn't tucked in, which obscured some of the view, but it was still pretty good.

The second half seemed to have a higher energy than the first.  He had the audience clapping to the beat of most of the songs, and all told the audience was far more reactive than I've ever seen before at either the Showboat or the Tropicana.  Every time he would wiggle or thrust his hips, he would get a squeal and yell from the audience.  And for most of the songs, just about everyone was singing along.  During Rock Me Baby, some people were literally dancing in the aisles, and David was jumping around. 

It was during the second half of the show when someone yelled "Didn't we have some kind of a summer?" from somewhere off to my left.  She got a response, something like "We've had a lot of kinds of summers, babe!"  A few people had signs, and I also saw one old pennant, and a scarf that said "Darling David" on it that someone was waving around.

By the time that he got to I Think I Love You, everyone was up, dancing, singing along, and stomping and clapping to the beat.  Dad later said that he could hear ITILY from where he was parked at the far end of the parking lot.  During ITILY, David slapped hands with as many members of the audience as he could reach, and he threw the microphone straight up in the
air at the end of the song.  Things calmed down a little bit for Hollywood Nights, which was the last song that he did.

On the way out, several people were laughing over one woman's experience with a friend who just couldn't understand why she chose to go see David Cassidy instead of the Mellencamp concert.  She had plenty of understanding ears.

The ride home was almost as bad as the ride up.  I didn't get home until 2 AM.  The traffic was still in the most hideous tieup all through Long Island and Brooklyn.  I don't remember much of it; Dad had tuned in Q104 Classic Rock and we had good music (though it wasn't David, it turned out that they had been plugging two concerts all evening--David's and John Mellencamp.)  I was drifting in a happy David fog that hasn't completely worn off yet.

Aura

Hi Everyone-
OMG!!!!!!  Are you ready for my review of the concert last night , this is going to be quite lengthy, espicially for me. First of I have to let you know that before the concert I made a t shirt that basically spans 32 years of David's career and  him a person.  So here goes.  We left our home around 4:00 oclock the the traffic was pretty good, got lost a couple of times and 
of course it was my fault  LOL !!!   When we got there I met with Lisa who then took my basket that I made for David along with my photos of David at Foxwoods, hoping that he would autograph my book.  HI Linda!!!! found my seats, I was front row,  my knees touched the stage, David came on right at 7:30 The songlist includes

I can feel your Heartbeat
Hush
How Can I be Sure
Point Me in the Direction
I woke up in love
Cherish
Cry
I saw her standing there
I think I love You
Come on get happy
No Bridge
Hollywood Nights... 

When he came on and starting to sing Heartbeat, he saw my tshirt and point right at me, and smiled, what a rush, and told the audience how much this place means to him, because he was just nine years old the last time he was here, and his mother was doing a play called the pajama game and he did his first acting debut on this very stage. When he came around to our area, which was quite a few times, he kept staring at me and  THEN IT HAPPENED!!!  he reached out his hand, I got up and took his hand and he bent down and I KISSED HIM!!! he smells so good!!!!! Linda is my witness, she saw the whole thing, then I was seated next to these older ladies, they didn't even move, so David jumped off the stage next to me and shook there hands and said "Nice to meet ya"" I cracked up laughing, didn' even get a movement out of this lady. David was HOT!!! during the first half of the show he wore his white shirt and then we had intermission and he changed into a blue shiny shirt, he got moves that drove me nuts, he was bumping and grinding , WHOA Baby!!!! and I got 64 pictures that are going to be developed as soon as possible,  there was a little girl in the  audience that he absolutely fell in love with, she was just three years old and was so adorable, David carried her around to show her the bandmembers and she loved the girls who sang backup, and before she was returned to her mother, the little girl asked David, are you going to sing Cherish?  and that was David"s next song and he 
sang it right to her.  David also mentioned about the Red Sox and Yankees and what good baseball we got this year. I got to hold David's hand twice, he missed me when he was doing the high fives around the stage. The show went by to fast, and GUESS WHAT!!!  David did sign my photo album, and it reads.."LOTS OF LOVE,...David Cassidy. That is something I will truly Cherish forever... It was a truly magical evening for me. 

Lyn - Mass
 

Hi everyone
Just wanted to say David was awesome last night at the sourth Shore music theater. He was in very good spirts and voice was fantastic. The  fans where very lively and so happy to see David. The security was very tight and keep a lot of fans away from the stage. I was so glad I was in row 3 so I could see beautiful David so close up. One of the highlights of the show was when I witnessed chat member Lynn from Ma get a kiss from David. She had a real nice David tee shirt and he liked it and he came over to her and she gave him a kiss on the check. I was so very happy for her to be so lucky to kiss David. David had a nice smile on his face after LYN kissed him.We should all be happy for her as if it can't be us I'm glad it was her, as she is supper nice. I was glad to see DAVID again I sat there and just stared at him, I could not keep my eyes of him.I felt like I was in a dream. He put on a great show and you could tell all the fans enjoyed David too they were waving and singing and having a good time and you could tell David enjoyed being there. Thanks to all of you on chat who inspired me to go and have a good
time. Words can not describe the great time I had. Also congradulations Lyn for that special kiss, it could not have happened to a nicer person.

LINDA