Fan Experiences - Joe

I was dating a gal from Modesto, California. To my surpirse she mentioned that John was playing a small club in Modesto after which he was scheduled to open for Cheap Trick in Berkeley the following night.

The club was a local joint that held no more than 200 people (!) On a lark we drove the hour and a half out to Modesto and found that little club sold out and packed with folks trying to get in.

My friend knew the bouncer and well, then next thing we knew we were inside and 20 feet from the stage. A local band opened for John and ried their best despite the sparadic chants of "John! John! John!". Shortly after 10 o'clock the tour bus pulled up. John and The No Brakes Band rushed through a side door (maybe two feet from me,) and blasted onto the stage.

I forget the set list but it included all the big hits to that point. I'll never forget he opened with Saturday Night, rolled into Mr. Wonderful, and then into 'Missing You'

The place was going wild by this point. John was pacing the stage, really pumped up and belting out for all it was worth. The whole event lasted 45 minutes (with no oncore despite the rour from the audience. I will say that as the last notes of Change faded away and the band was wisked out that same side door to the waiting bus, it was a moment in one's life you'll never forget.

I was going to try and make it back for the Cheap Trick gig but it was not to be. That turned out to be unfortunate because John came out during Cheap Tricks oncore and did a duet with Robin Zander on 'Surrender'. From what I heard they brought the house down.

Well time passes and the eighties are long past with the ninties almost done. John's back and better than ever.

All my best,

Joe Schneider