After I sent the diaries off yesterday (Sat), I napped from 2pm till 3:30, which was when I had to get in the passenger van and get to soundcheck. It was a 5 minute drive (an hour walk!) to the venue, which is off Geary and Fillmore streets.

Once inside, we marvelled at all the old Fillmore concerts posters. You name a band from the 1960’s and they probably played the Fillmore and thus, have a poster on the wall.

Our soundcheck went great, the sound was good. I sorted our local guitar tech for this show, Marvin, with the stage specs and then we had dinner (everyone) in the band/crew dinning room. on the menu was halibut, ravioli and turkey breast. I had the cheese ravioli which was ok.

They brought us snacks as well backstage including wine and a couple of buckets of Anchor Steam…yum yum yum…and around 6pm, Gene took some of the guys in the band and all the Swedes back to the hotel. Rusty and I stayed behind and chilled with some Anchor Steam. I then took a cat nap from 6:30 to 8pm. Around 8:20 I wondered off and met up with some old friends from Los Angeles, Missy and Debbie, next to the stage. Rusty came down and we all were reminising about how we were young and used to get drunk and puke. Ahhh…oh to be young again…around that time Chris Utter (whom I’d never met until now)came up and said hello. He’s got to be a LOVE super fan….also, Brad Davis FLEW IN from Seattle! Is he crazy er whut? Our friend, Brian, from LA (but a student up here) was in the crowd and baby Lemonade’s very first manager (from ’93-’95), Jeff Davis, came out to see us. After that Bimbo’s show last year we weren’t sure if he was gonna make it out!

Although the show didn’t sell out (it was short by 100 tix), the venue was very pleased and it’s amazing how much merchandise is being gobbled up. We hope to have some left for New York!

Regarding the show, I found it to be one of the more exciting shows I’ve done in the USA. But San Fracisco is a very real music town and quite free spirited, by the way the cannabis was flowing THE WHOLE TIME OF THE SHOW….people were dancing and singing along and when Stefan played the solo to “Alone Again Or”, it most definitely on, Jack.

After the show, Rusty, Chapple, Bjorn, Stefan, Eric, Maria (new string player) and Oscar went to Bjorns room for mixed drinks and beer. And then we found out that Maria was a big Kiss fan (after we had discussed how cool it was that Paul Stanley bought a tix to see LOVE; all he had to do was ask for a ticket! He’s rock and roll royalty…) so i did a variety of “paul Stanley impersonations” and she started to quote lyrics….never thought a Swede could resite Kiss lyrics but there you go.

It neared 2:30am and Chapple and I called it a night. After the show in LA, I was a bit down. I really wanted that to be amazing…and some people really loved it so it’s not for me to knock it, but the people last night witnessed what many people saw in europe and the UK. It was a great night all-in-all and I even had a few pints with the ONLY ONES’ John Perry, who is currently living in Marin and writing a book. Not bad, I thought, before I hit the pillow.

Mike Randle