On one of my many trips to visit my best friend in North Carolina, she surprised me with a trip to Norfolk VA to see a

band that she was totally sold on. On the trip there, we listened to the Tip cd, and I was instantly sold. If I had not

been sold by the cd, I surely would have been by their overwhelming perfomance at The Boathouse. (My thanks go

out to Chris for the VIP passes) The crowd was somewhat disappointed that Days of the New had cancelled out on

the show, but my feelings were not suffering. I wanted to see what Donna had been bragging about for the last 2

months. We had thankfully missed the opening act of Car 54, if we had not, I may have walked out, they really are

not talented in the least. Anyway, back to the reason for this review. The lights go down and Finger Eleven takes

the stage. When the sounds that are Finger Eleven filled The Boathouse, I was carried away by the music. The beer

garden was instantly forgotten. Having only heard the cd once at that point, I can not tell in which order they

played the songs. What I can tell you is that I instantly became a fan for life. I never should have doubted Donna.

She knows good music when she hears it. The antics of James and Rick on stage blew me away and the vocals Scott

delivered.......heaven, pure heaven! The dynamics of this mans voice had me in absolute awe. They are by far the

best live act I have ever seen in all my years of concert going. The way this man projects his voice took me by

complete surprise. After the show, we had the unique opportunity to hang with the band at a local bar. What a

bunch of regular guys. Easy to talk to and fun to be around. We were the only customers that poor bartender had,

which made it easy for conversation. Inside their heads is an interesting place to be, and this is one fan who will

never forget it. I wonder if they still have the straw hat that they stole off the pumkins head as we exited at bartime. I

anxiously await the new tour.

Fan for life, Chelle