Thursday, 2nd June 2011 in US Tour 2011.
GIG today – will be surprised if there is an audience here, although there is obviously a sense of humour. Neil thought I should see the Strip properly so we got a taxi to it and I found myself sitting two floors up in an area called Venetia, by a canal with gondoliers and gondoliers singing snippets from various operas. Why go to Italy???? I had heard that you could get everything shopping- wise without once going outside – how true that was. You can drift from Gucci to Armani, to Jimmy Choo to McQueen, under a clear blue false sky which moves as you do. Everything is over the top which is why I think, if they knew him, Neil would go down really well here. You would have to have a sense of humour to live here.
“Venice”, Las Vegas ~ The Venetian
Got to the gig and sound check fine. Everyone very helpful – great sound man. There was a smattering of audience – around 40 but all keen. So Neil went to the piano to do the Bonzo bit to find -nothing. The piano was silent and nobody could made it work. He did a couple more songs on the guitar and then apologised saying he’d have a break while they sorted it out. Then it was sorted, then it stopped, then started, then stopped and in the end Neil cut the gig short. The audience were good and realised that what with being able to clearly hear a band in another room and the piano sputtering things were not easy for Neil. They all stayed behind to chat and get things signed as usual and then Neil and I did a Cinderella before our car turned into a pumpkin and our clothes into rags again. Got back around 1 am and had to get up and off by 7 am to get to Tucson Arizona.
Click here to see Laurie & Bonnie’s pictures from that night