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Where: Purchase, New York (Performing Arts Center)
When: April 30, 2004
Written by: Kay Martin

All pictures by Kay Martin

The show was attended by forum members Don Gervasi with his spouse, Linda, and Jerry Koshel and Kay Martin. We were joined by longtime JLL fan Dave Knapp from Pennsylvania, who arrived separately.  Although we had tickets for the mezzanine, we waited outside the entrance at which we were told that Jerry's limo would arrive.  Some people in charge of the stage came out for a smoke and told us we couldn't hang around there because Jerry's contract said that people are not supposed to be along his entrance route (or something like that), which is TRUE.  But I introduced myself and said Jerry was expecting me, etc. We sat out there for a short time longer and I predicted that Jerry would arrive at about 10 after 8. At 5 to 8, J.W. Whitten came out of the theater to get us.... they had pulled the limo up to another entrance and the stage manager had told him we were waiting out there.

J.W. brought us inside and I went to sit with Jerry in his dressing room while the other people socialized with the band before they went on. While Jerry and I were talking about the UK tour, which he enjoyed immensely, in good measure, he said, because of Jim O'Neill's good care, Dave Knapp came in the dressing room.  Jerry hadn't seen Dave for quite a few years and they had an engaging conversation about people they knew in common.  It amazed me that Jerry was able to recall details about almost total strangers that he had met for only a few moments in years past at some shows in Pennsylvania.  Bodes well for the dozens of fans that Graham Knight introduced to Jerry in the UK (many of whom Jerry remembers meeting!).  Dave was telling Jerry about all the JLL CDs he had in his new red truck when Jerry interrupted him to say that later this year, he'll have a new CD called Old Glory out, which will be better than anything in the truck now.  He promoted his new record!  I was grinning from ear to ear as Jerry told Dave that Toby Keith did a duet with him on the Old Glory cut, the song which Jerry wrote himself.  Jerry said that there are so many songs done and being done for this CD, there won't be enough room for all of them on one record!  Jerry himself is even more enthusiastic than WE are (if possible) for this project.  I don't even think that >he< has heard all the finished tracks, and more are still incomplete.  I guess there could be an Old Glory II for 2005!

As we sat there and Jerry put on his jacket for the show (a tan corduroy snappy short number over a tan light striped shirt and very light blue pants), the band began their part of the show.  We could barely hear Kenny sing My Babe, introduce the Killer Band, then Robert do Lonely Weekends, as Jerry prepared to go up the stairs to the stage level.  B.B. was singing Bye Bye Johnny Be Goode as we entered the wings and Jerry waited for his entrance.  The rest of our group was sitting on chairs in the wings and got the opportunity to say hi to Jerry before he went on.  We all watched from the wings, but our vantage point pretty much was Jerry's back, and the sound wasn't as crisp as it was in the audience.

Jerry hit the stage at 8:28, opening with Roll Over Beethoven.  After the song, he asked that the monitors be adjusted.  He said as he gets older, he needs "more monitor." The rest of the playlist:
A beautiful Georgia
A rockin' Before the Night Is Over (the only one from the new CD in the set)
Sweet Little 16
No Headstone on My Grave (a big golden monument!)
She Even Woke Me Up
Chantilly Lace (seemed to be in answer to a request from the audience)
Johnny B. Goode
Talking with the audience, he mentioned the many tours he played with Chuck Berry and said he would be doing another one in the UK in a few months. Then he said something about Kenny, who kept whispering song titles into Jerry's ear from a list on the monitor which included some of the Old Glory titles. He told the audience that Kenny had been with him for more than 39 years, so he couldn't fire him.
Energized, he went into Trouble in Mind, ending with "The sun's gonna shine in my back door one of this mother humpin' days...."
And then he sang Blue Suede Shoes, with most of the audience singing along with him.
He talked for a moment about the weather he had encountered flying up from Memphis to do the date, hoping that the skies would be calm on his way back.
Next, he sang Me and Bobbie McGee. As he did, J.W. came over to tell me about the upcoming taping of the Willie Nelson special, when they expect Kris Kristofferson might sing along with Jerry on that song.
Soon, Jerry launched into Whole Lotta Shakin' - an extended version.
Then for some reason we couldn't hear in the wings, Jerry thought something was really funny and began giggling. 
From there, he went into Great Balls of Fire, kicked over the piano stool, danced off the stage, bowing and waving to the very enthusiastic audience, said goodbye to us waiting in the wings, and walked out behind the back curtain to a limo waiting out front to whisk him to the airport.  It was 9:20.  The band followed soon after.

I took some photos backstage during the show and when Jerry came off stage, much to the dismay of the stage manager.  He said flashes in the wings tend to make the crew think something exploded!  After the show, however, we took some photos with our group and band members as they were getting ready to leave. Later in the parking lot, we met a few JLL fans, including a 21 year old college student from Albany named Andrew.

All in all, a CD's worth of songs for a house of rockin' fans, on to the festival on May 1 in Memphis where, I understand he did half a CD's worth to an ocean of rockin' fans!
 

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Jerry seen from backstage
 

Jerry seen from backstage

Jerry leaving the stage

Kay Martin, Jerry Koshel, Dave Knapp, Linda Cooper, Robert Hall and Don Gervasi

Don Gervasi, Kenneth Lovelace and B.B. Cunningham

 

  

 

Last update: August 17, 2007
 Maarten van der Tol
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