The night started out pretty good with us checking into the Casino hotel where we never had stayed before. The front desk lady kindly informed us that we could of got a smoking deal on a concert package including a room, dinner for two at the buffet in the Casino Restaurant, some free tokens for gambling and concert tickets for 2 all for the price of a room which ran about $140.00. Not bad and we will have to remember that the next time we see a show, maybe Eddie Money who will stink up the stage in February next year. Anyway, the hotel rooms were decent for a casino and way better than most Stuper 8 Motels these days. We went downstairs to eat at the casino restaurant and had some buffet food which wasn't that bad except most of the choices were fish and shell fish which you don't want to eat right before a concert if you get indigestion problems from that food like me! Next we went to the bar and got a special apple pie mixed drink and hit the casino floor where I proceeded to lose $20.00 on electronic gambling machines where the slots don't even make sense anymore. The wife was able to turn a $20 into a $30 so all was not lost. Once the concert hall opened, we went in to reserve our seats with some coats as we had general admission in the back of the room. It was there that a friendly Indian gentleman who worked there hooked us up with two tickets in row I only 9 spaces from the stage. Close enough where you can feel the lead singers sweat if he shakes his body enough. The guy even was able to score my friend and his wife some close up tickets. Super friendly. So we went back to gambling after we left our cigarette smoke smelling jackets on our seats and proceeded to lose a little bit more money. Those Indian casinos sure are tight with their gambling machines. About 20 or 30 minutes before the show, we returned to the concert hall. My friend and his wife showed up not to long after that and soon we had more drinks in our hands.
It was right on time at 2000 PST when the Gin Blossoms came out and started rocking through all of their 5x Platinum album New Miserable Experience featuring such memorable songs as Hey Jealousy, Until I Fall Away, Found out about You and one of my favorites, Allison Road. They played the whole album and then closed out with some of their hits from their third album, Congratulations, I'm Sorry like Until I Hear It From You and Follow you Down. One thing I will say, these guys know how to rock and still sound the same as they did in the 1990's. Right off the bat when the concert started, the main singer, Robin Wilson, called all the people who were interested right up to the front so he could interact with them by slapping there hands and singing to them. The guitarist Jesse Valensuela was fricken awesome and did some kick ass solos. He even got to sing one of his songs as he was the original singer of the band. The bass guy, Bill Lean, who has hair everywhere pictured was bald at the concert was equally bad ass and the other guitarist Scotty Johnson also rocked out. The drummer who is not the original was also kick ass. I was very impressed by the whole thing and even enjoyed the songs I didn't know that weren't the hits. My only complaint was I wish they would of gone longer as there were some other hits like Day Job and such that they didn't play and the whole concert was about 1.45 hours long.
My wife sure had fun and got a little tipsy after my friends wife insisted on her having some fireball shots. By the end of the concert we were all pretty well buzzed but we stood up for almost the whole thing. My throat was sore from singing along with the songs. All was fun and we did a little gambling after the show to pay the casino more money. The whole experience was a good time and I would definitely recommend seeing the Gin Blossoms to any one who is a fan. Even casual listeners should go and see them. My only other complaint was smelling and breathing in the cigarette smoke from the casino. It would be nice if they could go smoke free. Anyway these guys still have it. They fucking ROCK! 4.5 out of 5 stars!
From left to right, Scotty Johnson, Bill Lean, Robin Wilson and Jesse Valenzuela.
IMG_3167.jpg- Before the concert
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- The place starts to rock
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- Close up
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