Buffalo Springfield, Poco, and Loggins and Messina had a common thread, and that was Jimmy Messina.  When I started loving these bands, I had no idea that was the case, and then I got into radio (as a child) and started reading the liner notes carefully.  Let me back up a bit.  I bought “Sittin’ In” when I first heard “House at Pooh Corner” on the radio.  I know, not very hip, but I was a huge fan of children’s literature (still am), and the fact that someone actually did a song about “that little bitty bear” just drew me in.  I loved it.  Still do.  Sing it to a child sometime and see how cool it really is.  The fun surprise was that the whole album was and is fantastic.  “Trilogy: Lovin’ Me/To Make a Woman Feel Wanted/Peace of Mind” is incredible.  “Back to Georgia,” “Listen to a Country Song,” “Nobody But You,” “Vahevala,” & “Danny’s Song” were all rolled out last night at the Schnitzer.  I’m not perfect on the set list because I didn’t write them down at the time, but here’s the rest of the songs that they did:  “Travelin’ Blues,” “Long Tail Cat,” “Angry Eyes, “Be Free,” “You Need a Man,” and “Your Mama Don’t Dance.”  I think that’s all.  I was spent. 

The band was incredible.  There was a saxophone duel between Steve Nieves and Big Jim Wheeler that just blew me away.  I’ve never seen anything quite like it.  Gabe Dixon, who opened the show, on keyboards was fantastic.  Steve Distanislao on drums and George Hawkins on bass provided the rhythm and depth to the sound.  Gary Oleyar played violin and a lot of other instruments as well.  What a talented gathering of musicians.

Kenny Loggins is just so much better with Jimmy Messina!  I’ve seen Kenny solo, and it just wasn’t anything close to what last night was.  The harmonies were amazing.  The banter between old friends was so much fun.  I could have stayed there for another couple of hours.

The audience was totally into it too…except for the couple right in front of me who were much more into their date night than the EVENT on stage.  From the moment they sat down during Gabe Dixon’s set, which was just Gabe on keyboards and vocals, and a guy doing percussion, this couple would not shut the hell up.  Seriously!  I have no idea why they even bothered coming into the show.  They just should have gone to dinner, or gotten a room, and chatted their fool heads off.  Plus, he was one of these guys with an exceptionally huge melon, so every time he moved in to chat with his date, it was like the eclipse of the moon.  They may have thought they were whispering, but after several wines, volume levels are off for the person who is at the receiving end of the grape.  I tried to ignore them, but we were sitting on the right side of the stage and to look at the performance, there they were.  I was very reserved considering my first thought was to tap them on the shoulder and say “Why not have a big glass of SHUTTY?”  But no.  I endured. 

After waiting for years to see this duo back together again, I should have no memory of the couple in front of me, but some people have absolutely no concert etiquitte.  They have no awareness of the world around them.  Like the guy who blew chips at the last Skynyrd show at Edgefield right in front of me.  I should remember the incredible keyboard beginning of Freebird which the late Billy Powell played and we will never see again, but no…there’s “that guy” that will always be part of the memory.

I’ve seen incredible shows, and many of them.  Mostly the ones that are crowd incident free are when I’m really close to the front, or in the front row of the balcony, and that’s my very favorite place to be. 

I’ve had several weird things happen like this at shows.  Last night was a light- weight situation really, it’s just that I’ve wanted to see Loggins and Messina for a really long time, and big head and girlfriend were just in the way.  That’s nothing compared to the Thorogood/ZZ Top show at the Rose Garden Arena where there was a couple that were actually having sex in front of our row.  Or the projectile vomit emitted at a Ted Nugent show at the coliseum from a fan.  Or the racist comments hurled at a young harmless couple who just wanted to dance at the McCartney show last time he was in Portland.  The guy who was drunk and yelling at the kids was “moved” to another area, but I swear I missed a quarter of the show while all this drama went on two seats away.  I bought those tickets.  I wanted a refund from the offending party, not to have him “moved” to avoid further conflict.  Or the drunk ya hoo who constantly was yelling “ROCK AND ROLL” during Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.”  I kid you not, it happened.  Here’s EC singing the song to his sweet little boy who died, and Mr. Dude is going to yell during the song. 

I don’t know what the answer to all this is other than not going to concerts, but that’s not an option for me.  I love the live show.  Give me that band on stage and a spot to stand or sit so I can listen and adore them and I’m a happy girl.  So, I guess I’m just asking for common courtesy here.  If you are with someone who insists on being an ass during a show, help take them out of the venue and put them in a cab heading for their home and out of our sight.  If you are  the ass in question, remove yourself.  Then try again some other day, and maybe less alcohol would be a nice idea. 

See you at the show…or maybe not.