Ridin' the Tide Out - REO S(p)eedwagon

Spur of the moment, as the summer gods intended, I went to the Beach (Mandalay Bay) to see REO Speedwagon on Saturday.

Awesome show. The combination of pants-bleaching wave pool with standing next to previously dignified grown men and women clawing at the water, shining their cell phone lights, trying to find the most recently flung guitar pick while I just enjoyed the tunes was quite cleansing.

(The latter only makes sense if you read my John Waite concert review, which you can't, because I haven't written it, because I've been busy -and- I now can't write my review without refuting someone else's. I didn't take two set lists before the encore or JW's water bottle for a souvenir, people! Although, if said people were the quaffers to my right, I can see how being rather impaired
might have led to such assumptions. That, or they missed what was actually happening in the dark and din and made an honest mistake. See, this is why it's all for another time. Suffice to say, after this weekend I have re-established myself as happily aloof.)

Anyway, I am purified of the nasty events at the Hilton earlier this year. Also, I was full of choc-covered strawberries from the buffet's chocolate fountains. (Every buffet in this town seems to be rushing to install these.)

I particularly recommend the band's "Dangerous Combination" off the "new" album - no idea when that is out, though. Meanwhile, "Back on the Road Again" - an oldie by bassist Bruce Hall - is my new favourite song. Who knew that one day I'd find out that REO Speedwagon has more than four songs? My life is indeed richer for living in Las Vegas...

You can't go wrong at the Beach. The crowds are always happy, laid-back, and into it. The waves are lush. The sky is peaceful. It's lovely to dance with water to your shins. I'm supposed to go with some friends to see Styx there later this month, but I don't know - they surely only have four songs, right?

Comments

[Heather in Allentown`]

You MUST see Styx - they have WAY more than 4 songs! Let's see...Mr. Roboto, Come Sail Away... BAbe...The Best of Times...uhhh... I have their Greatest Hits album around here somewhere....

But will they really be the same if Dennis deYoung isn't with the band anymore?