WOW, I don't know where to begin, this was the most incredible experience I've had with BOSTON ever.
The energy at the soundcheck that morning was amazing, as it had been for days, ever since people started arriving in Boston for our part of Brad's tribute.
As soon as Michael Sweet arrived for rehearsal on Wednesday I felt that good things were going to happen. This busy, talented guy had dropped everything to help us out, and his enthusiasm and natural good will set the tone for the next five days.
Everyone who took part from that point on was overflowing with positive energy; we were all so glad to see each other. I don't mean just the old friends, but rivals, even those of us from opposite sides of lawsuits, suddenly all seemed forgotten, meaningless, so obviously trivial, not because of our common loss, but because we were just genuinely happy to see each other again and exchange some real embraces.
Some of the high points for me personally were:
Seeing Fran Sheehan, beaming, the way I remembered him 25 years ago before the CBS lawsuit, jovial and effervescent as he grabbed my hand for the first time in all those years.
Doug Huffman all the way from Oregon, smiling from ear to ear with his sweet wife; I don't think Doug stopped smiling from the day he got in till the last I saw him after the show. I bet he's still grinning. David Sikes with his whole family, all the nicest people, all the way from northern California (and he still knows the bass parts better than I do!).
Fran Cosmo the way I remember him from our days in the 90's, full of life, laughing, radiating with the joy of being part of it, ready to shred some power chords with me.
Curly Smith all the way from Arizona to sing for us at the front of the stage for once! Jim Masdea all the way 23 hours, from CHINA!!!, not just to play a song, the journey was for so much more; I know he felt all the same things I did. The moment we saw each other we were once again the closest of friends just like we were 35 years ago when we were jamming in his basement on "Foreplay." I couldn't believe how much I had missed these people.
I caught Barry's eye at sound check from his old spot at the other end of the stage and got that familiar smile as he ripped through the opening lead to "Don't Look Back," instantly I was back in 1978 looking across the stage at my old friend.
Six months ago, could anyone imagine anything that could have caused this to ebony porn
happen? I think Brad would agree this was the best legacy he could have left. Maybe it wasn't divine intervention, maybe it was just Brad intervention; maybe it was all of us finally catching on to what Brad was all about.
Gary, Kimberley, and Jeff all felt the same, automatically helping the others fit into our set and our space. This was not just cooperation or "getting along;" the feelings were so positive it was a genuine instant camaraderie between people who had, in many cases, never met before.
But the most amazing thing happened near the end of sound check. We had been plagued by equipment problems and miscabled gear for an hour. But finally, I was able to play the first few chords of "Don't Look Back" for Barry to get a level balance for his opening lead, and within seconds I began to hear everyone joining in to sing and play the song.
First Gary joined me on the rhythm chords, then Jeff and Dave Sikes, and soon Fran Sheehan, with Kimmy starting the vocals, then suddenly Fran Cosmo appeared next to me for the power chords we had done together hundreds of times, and as I looked across the stage everyone was up there singing and playing the song like we had been doing it all together for years.
I mean, this was the kind of thing you'd see at the end of a sappy movie and say to yourself, "yeah, that's nice, but that would never really happen!" Well, it did, and I'm still pinching myself.