Riders in the Sky
Jan 28, 2000 , Benton Harbor, Michigan
by Jan Show #4058
Ed & I arrived about 45 minutes before the show. Saw Billy (MadMaxx the
driver) at the merc table & introduced ourselves. We told Billy we had
an apple pie for the Riders. (I had presented them with one in
Cincinnati which was made from apples we had picked in Michigan). He
suggested we give them the pie before the show so they (and he!) would
have a chance to enjoy it. Next thing I knew, Ed & I were in the "green
room" giving them the pie! Joey & Doug were the only ones there at the
time. It was about a half hour til showtime, & they weren't even in
their cowboy outfits yet! Talk about laid back! We chatted a little, &
Doug asked if I had any requests. I said "Navajo Trail" & "Texas Sand"
are a couple of my favorites. Doug said, "Man, we haven't done Navjo
Trail in a long time"...as he was already digging into the pie. I also
mentioned I'd like to get the pie plate back because it was an old
keepsake of my mom's.
Our seats were in the second row, right smack in front of Joey. Had
never been to Mendel Center before. Wonderful theatre with great
acoustics. We knew Bobbie & Al would be there, but didn't spot them til
intermission. Did meet up with Joe & Norma (had talked with them in
chatroom last week).
The show was exquisite, as always. The guys were in perfect form. I
wish the theatre had been packed to overflow, but I'd guess maybe only
half the seats were filled. This was their 1st appearance at Mendel
Center, & from the reaction of the audience, I'll bet it's not their
last. I'm not good at remembering details...like outfits...but Woody's
was one I had never seen. His shirt was bright knock-your-socks-off
yellow, with bright knock-your-socks-off raspberry yoke, and white
fringe. Black jeans tucked into white boots. VERY colorful. Joey's
shirt was white with lots of green and sparkly gold trim. That's all I
remember on clothing.
I did not write down song titles. It's too difficult to write when my
jaw is on the floor & I'm drooling!! :) This was the first time we
sat so close. My vision is not real good (I'm getting new glasses in a
week!), but we were so close, even I could see. It was so fun to watch
Ranger Doug hit those chords that I can't seem to find on my quitar! I
know they started with "Back on Those TX Plains". After a few songs,
Doug said, "We had a request for this next song from a lovely lady in
the audience who brought us a pie"...and they did Navaho Trail!! I
thought I'd melt right there in my seat. They did it SO BEAUTIFULLY!!
And in the second half of the show, Joey said, "And here's one for the
pie lady", and they did Texas Sand!!! Now you understand why I can't
remember much!! It was all just a blur!!!
I do remember they did "bowling, bowling" skit, and Woody did rope
tricks. At question time, the prize was the actual cac-tie that Slim
had on. The winning question was from a lady who asked Doug, "where can
a gal get a good fret job?".
They did "Happy Trails" at the end, of course. Ed & I had glow sticks
(I didn't turn around to see if Bobbie did too). But Doug said, "What
is this, a Jimmy Buffet concert?". For the encore, they did Looney
Tunes & You Are My Sunshine. Then, because the acoustics are so good
there, they stepped down from their mikes and walked to the front of the
stage where the campfire was. They did "He Walks With the Wild & The
Lonely" unplugged. TOTALLY AWESOME!!!! Right there where we could just
about touch them.
Afterward, we got a chance to sit & chat with Bobbie & Al. After the
crowd thinned, we took a couple pictures. Joey said I would be able to
get mom's pie plate, so we waited around. Billy packed up the merc
table, but wondered how to get it all back to the Southwind. We
volunteered to help. As we hauled stuff down to the lower level, we
followed Doug to the Southwind. We said we were practicing to be
"roadies" and he said we were doing a fine job!! We did make it back to
the green room & retrieved the empty pie plate.
It was one terrific night!! It was so nice to see Bobbie & Al again.
They never even got to have dinner that night, and were still driving
home after the show! But I'm sure they thought it was well worth it.
The RITS are just incredible!!!!!!!!!
Jan
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