Part one - getting inside!
I went inside because my friend who plays in a great Doors cover band called 5to1 have contacts in the tv that was supposed to interview them and record the first few songs of the concert. We went inside the venue and the tv guy asked the manager for permission for a brief encounter with the band. We waited for hours...first we saw the sound settings, the soundcheck and then waited for the guys to eat. Every 20 or 30 minutes the tv guy would come to us and keep us informed.
I didn't know this was really going to happen untill the date of the show, so I had to borrow the camera from work so I could take my pictures, I was so upset that I wouldn't get my copy of Light My Fire signed by Ray! I was lucky to have two samples of my Doors comics in a form of comic book so I could at least give it to Robby and Ray. 2 pm off I went to the venue, met the guys outside we were all excited and grining and laughing like idiots. There were 3 of the band 5to1 the Doors cover band: Johnny, the singer, Marcelo the organist and Anselmo the bass player. I saw them play without bass and Marcelo really is the brasilian Ray Manzarek with the left hand piano bass. Marcelo went nuts when he saw the Vox onstage! He was like child "look at that!!!" Then the rodie who was setting up the organ came and Marcelo went nuts again "Man, I gotta play that" since I was the only able to have a conversation in english he turned to me with crazy eyes: "Daniel, tell him I want to play, I just want to feel the keys, man, c'mon" and I "No marcelo, he is working, he is not going to let you..." "PLEASE Daniel, c'mon" "Oh man, ok but I'll try". We got to the stage and I shouted: "Hi this guy is an organ player, he is dying to play the organ..." and I feared the answer...The guy ignored us for a while and then he turned his head and said, looking to Marcelo: "If I'm invited to your house, does that mean that I can go to your room and make out with your girlfriend?" OUCH!
and Marcelo turned to me "What did he say??? What did he say???" "Let's just sit down and be real quite man!" I was fearing that Marcelo would blow our unique chance to see the band backstage. The guys from 5to1 had a professionally recorded session of them playing in a DVD, they had 5 DVDs to give to the band and I had my Doors comics and we were waiting anxiously. Finally around 7pm the tv guy came with good news "I'm still trying to talk to the manager but I have my equipment set up for the interview, lets wait backstage so everything can happen at once!". "Wow, ok let's go!". On the way we saw their dressing rooms, and down the hall the room for the press and we waited there for about 20 minutes. Phil Chen came curious to see what was going on I just said "Hi". We saw Robby getting in his dressing room. Ray was nowhere to be found. The tv guy moved us out of the backstage saying "They are going to do the sound check now, so there is no reason to be here, I'll come when it's ready". We watched the whole sound check, only Ray was missing. During Spanish Caravan Robby told Brett to switch Spain for 'Sao paulo', but it didn't work do well so they droped it.After the soundcheck, around 9pm finally the tv guy told us it was going to happen. He came with Richard, Ray's brother and bodyguard. He was tough but the people backstage said he is the funniest guy. He said only Ray was coming and some instructions. The first to appear were Ty Dennis and Phil Chen, Brett just passed through and said hi. Then Ray came, the guys gave the DVD and I finally talked to him: "hi Ray, this is The Doors comics" "Cool" "Have you heard about it?" "No" "I only have two here, so one is for you and one for Robby" "Ok, thanks" "This is in portuguese, there is also the website in english" "Ok". That was all I could say, I was a bit nervous. Then Ray said "Ok, bye now and enjoy the show" "THANKS!"
To see the pics go to Gallery
Part two - the show!
I truly missed meeting Robby. Of course in the heat of the moment Richard said only Ray would come and we agreed and were fine. But when we got inside the backstage I told them I had to go to the press room to get my comics, so on the way I passed through Robby's dressing room, the doors was open and I saw him sitting in the couch playing the guitar, we looked at each other for a few seconds, I could have just handed him the comic... but the instruction were "just wait for Ray and do not disturb the musicians" and so we did. I hope Ray do not forget to give the comic to Robby or give it to Dorothy instead!
After we went out the house was already full and of course we so fu**ing excited, we went down to our sits and watched the show.
I think Brett did a good job. He was very excited "You brasilians are so lucky, you have the prettiest women in the wolrd!" and he was right! Never saw so many pretty hot women together in one place. The show started with Love me two times I think. They played Soft Parade which was a blast! Fantastic. on the part "this is the best part of the trip..." some musicians from Vai Vai samba school walked in to add some more percussion to the music.
It is a lot of fun to be on their show because there is a lot of interaction with the audience. I can't remember all the talking. Ray doesn't know nothing in portuguese so he spoke some spanish. When Ray introduced Robby to play his flamenco he said "Roberto Krieger" with spanish accent.
There was a lot of rushing to the stage after the few first songs. While they played their wildest songs there was even more people going up, just like in the Roadhouse Blues video clip. During Light My Fire a girl (so beautiful!) ran up to Ray hugged him from behind, when the bodyguard grabbed her she almost sufocated Ray! lol and there was another one coming but was trown back to the audience together. At that point a lot of people was rushing the stage, jumping around running from the security and finally was caught, some tearing appart their t-shirts -
Is that the way to behave in a rock'n roll concert?
Youtube Video - footage of our adventure getting inside, plus bits of soundcheck and the show...cool stuff!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4BAAMWaNIY
Special thanks to Five to One bandmembers for this video (Johnny Morrison, Marcelo and Anselmo), Neto from Totem Brasil (our photographer that night) and all the people there Ray, Ty, Phil and Ricky! for those special moments, I'll never forget it!
That's me with Ray talking:
See you next time Robby!
