Don and Stevie at Phoenix AHI 8-04-05
I thought I'd also post my old review of this show here - the board didn't exist the first time I posted it!
---------------------
In case you don't know already, I'm happy to report that Don DID come to the "meet and greet" for donors after the Phoenix benefit concert for the Arizona Heart Institute. I got my picture taken with him and got to say a couple sentences to him about how thrilled I was that he'd come and that he and Stevie sounded great together, etc. He was a real sweetheart. I'll post my photo with him here once I receive it (they're being e-mailed). Sadly, although I brought an LP for him to sign, they were not allowing us to ask for autographs.
.....
Another couple of comments about the concert - Don looked great. I was in the front row, a little off to the side, and had a great view. He was dressed all in black and looked fitter than he did in Chicago, but maybe it was just because my angle was different. Regardless one of my friends actually turned to me and said "Wow, Don looks good!"
Stevie introduced him by saying she had a "surprise guest" who had just decided to "drop in from space." Since Don was no surprise to anyone who got their tickets off of Ticketmaster, I had a moment of blinding hope it would be Lindsey in addition to Don, but Stevie was just overstating the case, lol. At any rate, Don came out to thunderous applause. The audience seemed more Don-friendly than Chicago, becaues the applause was so hearty Stevie just looks at him and mouths something that looks like "It's all for you!" When he came in on the chorus for Leather and Lace, there was a lot more cheering, which again prompted more smiles.
They seemed to be having a really good time, but they always do! All my friends commented about how easy and friendly she looks with Don, how comfortable they seem to be with each other. Don fudged up a bit on Stop Draggin' My Heart Around but was otherwise flawless, and they did all the Stevie songs that they'd done together in past shows. When he left briefly, Stevie said "He'll be back," an ode to what he always said after her exit.
Gold Dust Woman was SOOO hot. Their romance may have ended a couple decades ago but they still have chemistry. It wasn't that different from Chicago except I was close enough to see expressions. Don's expression was actually kind of odd as they did their slow dance together. My friend called it a rather "constipated" look but I think perhaps he was just concentrating on getting his steps right. They did dance well together! Lindsey could take a few lessons from Don in this area. When he dances with Stevie he's all over her, very uncontrolled movements. Don is very precise and with the beat.
Since I was off to the side, eye contact wasn't really happening, which perhaps was a good thing because at concernts I am pretty much dancing around and rocking out and looking rather dorky. During So You Wanna Be a Rock'n'Roll Star I was dancing around and I caught Don's eye and he laughed, which I can only assume is a result of how oh-so-super-sexy I looked hopping up and down and clapping. lol But even getting Don to laugh at me made me feel special, in my lameness! ;)
Little did I know that soon, I would actually have a chance to speak to Don! All the AHI donors were herded rather unceremoniously upstairs and stuck in a photo line. I figured only Stevie would come down but was delighted to see that Don came down too (and, for some odd reason, guitarist Waddy Wachtel. Now I love Waddy - he's been with Stevie for years - but he's not exactly who people came to get their photo taken with!) When my turn came, I again was a huge dork. I bounced up and actually said, "Hey guys! It's so great having you both perform here!" Stevie: "I Know!" Don is laughing. Me: "Can I get in between you two?" (Others were simply standing next to Stevie). They both say "Sure!" And then I get in between them and I put my arm around both of them and Click! Time to go - but not before I've had a couple words with each of them. I thanked Don for being there, told him I was so excited to see him, and that I really appreciated him doing the benefit with Stevie and also coming down to greet the fans. He was very sweet, and thanked me, said he was happy to do it. He has a very genuine manner so that I didn't feel Stevie had to whip him in to coming down there or that he couldn't wait to get away from all the Stevie fans. Then we were all hurried off.
Funny story: My other friend, who has a HUGE crush on Don and actually told us that she occasionally superimposes his face onto her husband's at certain climactic moments, was going nuts when she saw that Don had come to the meet and greet. "A photo with Don and Stevie - my dream come true!" she cried when she went up there. "Mine too," Don joked (in a nice way, not with a sarcastic tone).
It was a wonderful night!
.................
The photo:
http://www.glennfreyonline.com/image...tevieDontn.jpg
