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BRET MICHAELS
April 24, 2008
Hi-5 Street Party

We've been living through the Dark Period, all winter long inside
dark bars with little light and less room but now it's out the in
door to the vast open spaces which is a shock to the systems to
be shot through this transition but the Raleigh weather has made
the tequila-worm-hole leap an exciting adventure and all eyes are
now wide open with the transition to the new again world.

It's not a complete cycle yet with some concert tickets still left
to be burned through that are back within walls but the Earth has
turned on its axis and we being along for the ride take the first
thrilling banking turn on Friday at the BRET MICHAELS/POISON Event
on the blocked off street beside Hi-5/Bogart's.

The $25 cover was more than most Raleigh street parties but when
you have a headliner with the hits and the #1 Rated VH-1 Show
ROCK OF LOVE it all comes back into balance. Although only about
60% full those there were full on board with the wicked ways of
rock and were decked out in black, fishnet hose, short school girl
skirts with ¾ hose, all the winter fashion was home retired in the
closets, all the girls had their hottest and newest pieces out on
full parade.

Bret hit the stage with his trademark bandana and straw cowboy hat
and I wish I would have worn my Affliction shirt with the huge coiled
to strike cobra on the front because Bret was wearing the very same
one I have! It would have been like looking in a mirror, except for
the one thousand girls standing beside him.

He and the band ran the gamut of Poison hits: "Unskinny Bop", "Nothin'
But A God Time", "Talk Dirty To Me", "Look What The Cat Dragged In"
only to type a few and when Bret pointed the mic out to the crowd
prompting them to sing it was louder than the PA system could muster
at any time.

VH-1 was there filming for a spin off of the Rock Of Love titled
something about his tour bus with the on-the-road adventures and
Bret was clearly jacked-up when he promised, "Raleigh, this is going
to be the biggest and best street party you have ever had here!" and
his promise made is his promise kept.

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WIDE SPREAD PANIC
April 25, 2008
Walnut Creek

I've been waiting Two Hundred and Ten days for The Creek to rise again
and on this Friday it is time for the rocket to launch and when it did
WIDE SPREAD PANIC broke loose throughout the land.

I was sitting at the back gate waiting and at 6:10pm got my first
ticket punched to ride this year and what a wonderful feeling it was
on such a beautiful day. It's like a reunion, all the worker and
partier people that you only see here are back together again making
you wonder where they go and what they do during the Dark Season.

In the vending areas it's early and quiet so I climb the stairs making
my way through the freshly cut green lawn to the 96rock deck and
Mike Coward the Curtis Media External Promotions Director was welcoming
all the Deck Party Winners and giving out free food and beer tickets.
His "ID" said "WORKING" but it's much more than a job, it is a daily
Rocking Adventure.

Everyone on the Deck is a Winner and so many are friends who are
enjoying the freebees while waiting for things to crank up. Early the
venue is quietly beginning to build but 96 has things jamming doing
live broadcasts and pumping out Ozzy, Metallica and well:
Everything That Rocks.

I was lucky for this show as I got a Front Row Center for my birthday as
a gift from someone that must really know the things that I like but that
has me still scratching my head on what to do when their birthday rolls
around.

As I go down front there in the VIP box is Debbie and her husband ready
to rock as she is telling me to "be sure to type that lead guitar player
Jimmy Herring played with The Dead and The Allman Brothers" so I'm being
concurrently filled with facts and beer that both bring substance to the
night.

Jam Bands like Wide Spread Panic aren't the type to run around the stage
and slam into each other but they do bring multiple tons of lighting and
fixtures that many of these Jammers don't. There was an arching row of
lights over triangle shaped screens that looked like smoked glass that
changed color with the shifting of the cool sweet breeze that blew through
the venue all night.

I must honestly say that I do not know any WSP songs but that did not keep their music from sounding excellent and there were many songs that seemed to fit within types of music that gets played all the time. If nothing else you could literally feed off the energy of all those around you that knew
every note, every word and were there with their full passion out on
display.

The Creek and 96rock are both best when cranked-up to full volume.

----------------------- Salute Our NC Troops ---------------------------

After Thursday's Poison and Friday's Wide Spread Panic, it was a struggle
to rise and try to shine for the "Salute Our NC Troops" Military Parade but
knowing I'd never seen anything like this and might not ever again the brain
took control of the body and did a forced march back downtown with the first
stop at the java bar then taking my place lining the curbs with the other
tens of thousands of multiple kinds of styles and version of people there
for whatever their own reasons are.

Even those participating wanted to stand out with their purpose such at the
tuba player for Wake Forest Roseville Marching Band that had a PEACE sign
formed out of duct tape over the bell of his instrument.

With military precision at 10:00am sharp as church bells rang throughout the
city 4, F-15E Strike Eagles from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, NC did a slow flyover of Fayetteville Street and it was the cue for the Parade of Ground Forces to March.

Channel 5 was taping the event for later broadcast and to keep things moving they had a parade director with two placards of instructions to the various participants: "KEEP MOVING" and "PLAY MUSIC".

Several High School Bands from the area, WFR, Athens Drive, Broughton and others all brought their A-Game and it was much more enjoyable to watch on
this beautiful sunny day than when they last marched down Fayetteville Street at the Christmas Parade in the dead cold of winter. The wind was blowing considerably all day and made every type of flag stand out proud and waving.

There were two floats that bore two of North Carolina's living Metal Of Honor
Winners, one from Vietnam and one from Korea and when they passed every flag waved, all hands clapped, every voice was raised in a massive rolling volume I have never heard. You could literally see this emotion being felt by these men as they were so proud and thankful.

The "ROLLING THUNDER POW/MIA Biker Organization" had seemingly hundreds of machines in attendance and the parade organizer was holding up her sign saying "PLAY MUSIC" and play those drag pipes they did as the roar was louder than the F-15 fly over.

I stood there with my camera in my pocket which it was so overworked as to be hot to the touch and then to my amazement saw North Carolina Senator
LIBBY DOLE glide by on the back of one of the Rolling Thunder motorcycles
which was completely unannounced and unexpected so I raced to get ahead of them so I could take a picture of her straddling the bike in her business
dress and heels.

It was a day that brought much deserved recognition to those that serve the
United States of America.

Funky Neighbor LEE
http://www.96rockonline.com/listings14233.asp
http://www.myspace.com/funkyneighborlee