8/2/15 Morristown,NJ Mayo Performing Arts Center

[rangerbob]

mike ill get you 1 autographed too. i totally forgot on friday as the one i got was signed to me. i want to get you something signed without a name on it. remind me so ill save you one. your a good friend and like i said helping friends is important to me.

[Annie27]

Can we be friends so you can give me a poster too? Just kidding, we can be friends, but I wouldn't feel right taking something from you.

[rangerbob]

I know mike for about 5 years. i dont just give everything i own away lol. i do take care of long time al friends who would help me in a real life emergency. get to know me annie and well talk lol. just kidding. i hope to meet you at a show like i have so many nice friends this tour. :-)

[Elvis]

Closest show to home for us on the tour and we still got home at 2:30 am.

My friend Patricia joined Jackie and me for the show. She came solely to see "Word Crimes" performed and was not disappointed. Adrian, Anne, and Alicia ditched us for dinner because they thought partying with dogs would be much more fun. When we got to Morristown, we put our name in for one restaurant, but they never texted us, and we ate at the Iron Bar instead, which was good. Walked over to venue and chatted with everyone.

We had good seats but my original seat was broken. Then the guy sitting next to Alicia asked me to switch seats with him so he could sit next to his son, so I got to sit in an unbroken seat. There were four lights that were shining really bright in my eyes for the first four songs. It was especially brutal during DTBS, but toned down considerably after that. Al climbed on the seats two rows in front of me for WBUL. he sound was a little off in AP, very heavy on keyboards. Could just be the venue, as the sound has been awesome so far since they got the new sound guy. Not the most energetic crowd of the week, but I thought the crowd was enthusiastic.

After the show, we went to the buses, but then realized it was a decoy bus and walked around to the other side of the venue where the real bus was. There was no paid meet and greets, so rather quickly we were asked to form a line. While we were waiting for Al, Jim came out and walked his guests to their car. Then Adrian moved his car from the public parking garage into a reserved private spot that you needed a permit for. Nancy and Bob joined us, and Bermuda joined us shortly after. Bermuda chatted with us while we worked our way to the front of the bus. I think he stayed in line with us because he wanted to get Al's autograph on a check -- his paycheck!

When we got to the front of the bus, we tried to take a picture with JW, but Al photobombed us. Technically we were last in line, but word must have got out to those at the decoy bus that they were duped, and a whole bunch of people showed up. I believe Al signed for them, though I'm not sure because someone mentioned there was a fountain nearby, and next thing I know, we're all standing in it barefoot recreating the opening to "Friends". Bermuda walked over to see what we were doing and chatted with us until the bus started its engine, then decided he needed to be on that bus quickly.

Then we watched the bus leave and walked to a bar, which was closed, so we watched the decoy bus leave, then walked to a diner which was open.

Dave

[Elvis]

Here are some pictures for people who don't want to be my Facebook friend.

My photo with JW, which got photobombed!!!


Bermuda


Some moderators and spouses I know.


I'll Be There For You I'll Repair For You


Dave

[Yankomaniac]

When you said photobombed, does that mean you were taking it with JW and then Al joined in?

[Annie27]

I fell sort of stupid to ask this, but who is JW?

[WeirdBillWX]

Well, it's hard to believe the first show I saw was in Sayreville, NJ in 1984 in a club called "Modern Times" for my birthday.
Now, all these years later, the shows are better and more "dazzling" - but Al is still the nicest celebrity to meet - and the band, too.
Jon "Bermuda" was telling me after the show how this one (Morristown, 8/2) was 1 of 2 or 3 that he thinks went down as the best on the tour so far.
He mentioned that there are those shows where everything comes together and just works a little better. The sound was very good. (He mentioned the new sound guy, too.)
Al and Jon were nice enough to sign my LP cover and both had mentioned how really good the vinyl copies sounded - and they're on 2nd pressing. (Jon said he thought they sounded better than the LP's of "Alpocalypse".)
As for the NJ crowd for the show, all a nice bunch of people! A beautiful summer day ended with a great show!


-Bill....aka WeirdBillWX

[Yankomaniac]

JW is the "Minister of Propaganda" who runs the Czar meet & greets and pre-parties. If there is no M&G than he helps Al out and works for him. Basically has one of the greatest jobs ever, I'd die to have his job, totally cool guy, he is the one giving the thumbs up in Dave's pic at the bus above. You can see Al walk by him and do funny stuff during Tacky in a lot of the videos I watched.

[Annie27]

Thanks, I felt stupid for not knowing who JW is when everyone else seemed to know.