Howdy, all!  Here's what you've been waiting for (I hope!)

June 4:  Characters, Greenville, SC--

The weekend started didn't start out very well--the crowd in
Greenville was rather small and not very interested.  Although there
*were* a few people getting into it, like this one girl that danced so
frenetically that Doug said she won the contest.  The guys did a good
set, but you could tell they were put off by the lukewarm crowd.
Don't ask me what the set list was, at this stage I never remember
them.  Funniest part of the evening: the sign in front of the club
showed that the "Xanadu Male Review" was coming to Characters a few
days after the Connells.  So Doug says "I'm really sorry you all came
out to see the Connells and instead we're the Xanadu Male Review.
It's been really hard on us to learn all these Connells' songs and be
up here with all our clothes on, so please bear with us."  Later on in
the evening, Doug comments on the video screens that are placed around
the club: "If one of those Xanadu Review guys caught a glimpse of
himself naked in those monitors, would it kinda throw him off?  I
think it would me."  The high point of the show was "Pedro Says" as an
encore.  Mike told me they always have a rough time in Greenville.  On
to....

June 5: 40 Watt, Athens, GA--

The 40 Watt is a great club--not too big or flashy, comfy couches and
chairs in the back for chillin', friendly staff, decent sound.  I was
there for soundcheck; they did "Queen of Charades" and "Cruel to Be
Kind", but did neither in the actual set.  When I asked Mike why they
didn't do "Cruel to Be Kind", he said he still had to learn it.  The
show was great.  Plenty big crowd, everybody was enthusiastic.
Especially a guy named Matt--anyone who's ever been to a Connells show
in the Atlanta area has seen Matt.  The guy is *hardcore*.  Doug even
instructed the crowd to "Give it up for Matt!"  I got to meet a few
list people afterward--nice folks!  After getting a *princely* 5-6
hours sleep (usually unheard-of on a trip like this), Cheryl went home
and Stacee and I went to have breakfast before the trip to Charleston.
 Since Stacee had never been in the "Great American South" (as Mike
put it), I took her to....you guessed it! The Waffle House!  Picture
the scene: sitting in a Waffle House in Athens, GA, listening to REM
on the jukebox!  Then we hit the road again.  We *could* have taken
the interstate, but we were in no hurry so we took the scenic route.
I always drive 70 mph anyway!  It was *gorgeous*!!!  I highly
recommend that drive to anyone...Highway 78, I think it was.  It led
us straight to...

June 6: Charleston, SC--

For anyone unfamiliar with Spoleto, it's a big, city-wide arts
festival that Charleston puts on every year for a couple of weeks
(actually, it may be several weeks.)  This was the last weekend, so
the streets were thronging with people.  We got to Charleston too late
to catch soundcheck, but we wanted to change and go out to eat, so we
went right to the club, the Music Farm.  This place was a great
building--a high, arched ceiling, exposed beams, a gallery--but it was
the absolute *grottiest* place I have ever been in.  Filthy.  The
ladies' room was unspeakable.  I found out later that it was called
the Music Farm because it looked like animals lived there.  But I
digress.  The show was FANTASTIC!!!!  The guys were all having fun,
the crowd was great (albeit quite drunk), Doug was at the top of his
game.  You've all heard about the "Special Spoleto Lady" and "Spoleto
Couple ‘98".  There were also some guys with cowboy hats on (?); Doug
managed to get one of the hats and wear it for a while.  There was
also the "Spoleto Shuffle", a dance Doug invented after seeing some
people dancing with their hands in the air, palms up.  Charleston was
absolutely the BEST TIME of the whole weekend, for me.  After the
show, since the band had to be in Norfolk by 11am, they loaded out and
left in record time.  Because of Spoleto, we knew there wouldn't be
any hotel rooms to be had, so Stacee and I and the Dittoes elected to
drive straight on.  This is why I'm calling the Dittoes
troopers--Tracey D. drove all night!  We stopped at a rest area and
slept for about an hour and Stacee spelled me for about an hour, but I
don't think Tracey D. slept all night.  You rock, baby!  Anyhow, we
got to...

June 7: Town Point Park, Norfolk, VA--

Actually, we went to Virginia Beach where Lisa and Co. were staying,
first, so we could shower and change.  Then we went to the park.
Well, we *tried* to go to the park; apparently I don't know as much
about the Tidewater as I thought.  It took us over an hour to get to a
place 25 miles away.  But *anyway*, we got there eventually and hooked
up with the rest of our crew.  For everyone who wasn't there, this is
what we had planned: we all had t-shirts made with the words "Which
way to Boy Island?" on the front and our plan was to stand together in
front of the stage so the guys would see these shirts when they came
on stage.  Needless to say, the shirts were a HUGE hit.  Right before
they played "Glade", Doug said "This is a new song off the new album.
If you want to know more about it, you should ask these ladies down
front."  Everyone seemed to have a good time; Doug kept up a steady
banter with some Hooters girls that were standing behind us.  There
was also the obligatory beachball bouncing around.  They played for
about an hour or so (I think) and finished up with "Cruel to Be Kind"
as an encore.  It was TERRIFIC!!!! I guess Mike learned his part
pretty fast.;)  I can't wait for that soundtrack to come out.  The
band all left to go back to Raleigh after the show.  They're flying
out for those shows in the West.  Pity Jeremy and Billy the Busdriver:
they had to take the bus out and left the next day for that 3-day drive.

All in all, one helluva weekend!!!!  All you folks out West go to as
many shows as you can--the guys are in rare form!

See ya on the East Coast!






==

Dede
"Out of boredom/ I decided/ I'd get with it"--MCC

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