Dan Fogelberg ~ Belterra Casino ~ Vevay, Indiana ~ 2001

My girlfriend and I just returned from Vevay, Indiana where we saw both of Dan's fantastic shows on the 19th and 20th at the Belterra Casino Resort. I've been a BIG fan for 25 years and have patiently awaited the opportunity to attend a show. And man, I gotta tell you, it was well worth the wait. We got to the Resort around 6:15 on Thursday and there was already a considerable line of folk waiting in the lobby in front of the showroom since the seating was first come, first serve. We quickly joined them and my sweetie held my place in line while I went to pick up the tickets. We chatted with some great people in line, some of whom had driven as far as Memphis (a good 7-8 hour drive) and Dan's hometown of Peoria, Illinois to see Dan for their umpteenth time, confirming what I have always heard about the loyalty of Danfans. The tickets said the doors would open at 7:00 pm but they opened them 15 minutes early, evidently because there were so many people in line it was disrupting hotel business. I was glad to see a such a good turnout. Anyway, somehow in the frenzy for decent seats we were lucky enough to get in the 6th row on the aisle right in front of center stage. I was thrilled since the first four rows were roped off and seemingly only VIP's and/or high rollers would get to occupy those seats. As we sat and listened to Don Henley's End of Innocence CD playing over the sound system (I wonder if Henley plays Dan's stuff before his shows!?) I got out my digital and began to adjust the settings for lighting because the folks at the entrance said cameras were OK (I was shocked) when after 15-20 of the VIP's were seated, the usher (a thin woman who looked serious about her job) undid the rope and was allowing the two rows across from us to fill in the empty seats. I seized the opportunity and took off, leaving my camera and my girlfriend, almost, and as luck had it we ended up FRONT ROW, 3rd and 4th seats CENTER STAGE! Dan was no more than 10 feet in front of us! Thank heavens a nice gentleman found us and asked us if we had left the camera and returned it to us, an act for which we were/are eternally grateful. However, I soon found out that cameras were not allowed as I was reconfiguring the settings for the closer view. Security made me put it away and a guard kept an eagle eye on me for the entire show. I did manage to snap a couple towards the end with the help of a great fan sitting next to me who leaned forward to block the security guard's view of me. We kept promising to each other to exchange email addresses, but we failed to do it and I can only hope he sees this sight and catches the photos here. As for the show, AWESOME. Period. First the cheesy wannabe Vegas Emcee came out and plugged the Casino events, told a blonde joke (I know the blonde on my arm was real amused) and then announced that the show would end promptly at 9:30 so everyone could board the boat for gambling. Gambling? I was like, who cares about gambling? Anyway, soon after cheeseboy destaged, the flute music came on and one could sense the electricity in the air. Then, promptly at 8:00 the lights went down and the announcer, who I think was the guy they call "Fish" because he was tending to what looked to be a sound panel, said "Ladies and Gentleman please welcome Dan Fogelberg." And out he came with a boyish, almost embarrassed grin on his face, hands waving appreciatively in the air as the crowd cheered and rose to it's feet. He wasted no time in diving right into "Part of the Plan" on a beautiful Ibanez 12 string guitar. It was amazing to see his guitarwork that close. After his opener, he thanked the crowd for coming out and made a joke about Vevay and how he had to pull out his map to find the place. Then he did an Elvis imitation and jokingly sang "VEVAY, Las Vegas!" HA! He was warm and comical all evening as the crowd participated politely and appreciatively. While the audience was made up of mostly hard-core Dan Fans, there was surprisingly a lot of "white hair" in the audience (not that I don't sport a few grays, myself) and I came to realize that this was the feature show for the casino that night and many of these older folk were tourists and gamblers who most definitely got more than they were expecting because most didn't seem to know who Dan was, yet they were all smiles at show's end. Dan did "Forefathers" and dedicated it to any of us in the audience who had children, or grandchildren, and that delighted the older crowd. The stage presentation as far as lighting and sound were very well done and there didn't seem to be any of the sound problems that he was having at his previous shows, maybe in part due to a brand new state of the art facility with superb acoustics and seating. There truly was not a bad seat in the house, which looked to be just shy of a sell out both nights with only a few balcony seats empty. Dan even commented on the 2nd night, "It sounds great in here, doesn't it?" He played with the talcum powder, squeezing the bottle and saying "special effects!" as a white cloud of powder erupted from the bottle. He laughed at himself and did it again harder and the folks next to us got peppered with it! He apologized and laughed and shortly thereafter he asked his stage manager to bring him some fresh hot tea because he gotten talcum powder in his cup. He continued to play, going from guitar to piano every 3 songs or so with stage hands switching back and forth between two Martin six string guitars, the Ibanez didn't come back out. I must say, I don't know whether it was the piano or his mastery of it, but I was unprepared and unaware just how very talented he is on piano. The only problem was, on Thursday we couldn't see his hands on the keys, but his renditions of "Beggars Game" and "Paris Nocturne" were stunning. His voice was good the first night, phenomenal the second night. Same with his guitar playing. I don't know if he was tired or just not "on" on Thursday, but his guitar playing on Friday seemed to be much sharper. His tributes to John Lee Hooker with "Road Beneath My Wheels" and Chet Atkins with "Buckaroo's Midnight Ramble" were breathtaking on the 2nd night and his performances of "Longer" and "Leader of the Band" on Friday were flawless. I'm talking CD quality flawless. His voice was angelic and pure and he seemed to hit the high notes with much greater ease than the previous evening. Many were in tears during those songs, including my babe. Anyway, he closed both nights with "Auld Lang Syne" after telling us how it all came about. When he made reference to the convenient store on Abbington Hill, the lady fan from Peoria shouted out with glee and Dan said, "Ladies and Gentleman, Ms. Abbington Hill!" I know she got a kick out of that and by the way, Ms. Hill, I hope you found "Brett." Sitting at the piano before he played the song he said he would like to play more but the casino wanted him to wrap up by 9:30 so the gamblers could board the last boat and since the casino was paying him, he had better do what they wanted. The crowd was obviously displeased with this and we begged for more as he stood and thanked the standing crowd, smiling and obviously pleased. But he made a quick exit and the lights came up and his stage manager and stage hands were out on stage wrapping things up, making it evident to us that there would be no encore. Most of us up front were really disappointed as one guy who bore a striking resemblance to a young bearded Dan presented an original Netherlands album in plastic to his stage manager and asked if Dan would autograph it. He said that Dan was already in the car and gone. What a bummer. I caught his attention and asked him for the set list which was taped to floor at Dan's feet during his performance. He looked at me and said, "Man, do you have a wife?....I've been doing this for 25 years and I only give the set list to pretty ladies!" I quickly replied "Hell YES!" and pointed to my girlfriend next to me and he handed it to her with a smile. He then shook my hand and thanked me for coming out. Now my girlfriend won't let me have the set list until I propose. HA! What a night. The second night I told her (my girlfriend) that we should sit in the balcony so I could try to take some good photos without security breathing down my neck. Besides, I was lucky enough to sit up front the first night and I didn't want to deprive another long time fan of the same opportunity. We ended sitting with some super folks from Louisville with a great view and were able to see Dan play the piano that night. From my balcony seat, I saw Ms. Abbington Hill grab the set list after that show, which must have been identical to mine as he played the exactly the same songs. OK. That's enough. I know this has got to be the longest review ever and I could go on and on, but in short, if you are a Fogelberg fan and have been wanting to see him for years, you OWE it to yourself to go. I know I'll be going back next year and every year after that he decides to tour. I have never witnessed a finer musical performance anywhere, anytime. Thanks Dan. Thanks so much.

David

Thanks to David for the photos!!

The Old Wooden Chair

Forefathers

As I sat with the hushed crowd listening to Dan play "Make Love Stay" on Friday evening, I suddenly felt contentment unlike anything I'd known in years. I feel most fortunate to have seen Dan in concert a number of times, and it seemed that he was "giving" on Friday unlike I'd ever seen an artist give. He felt something, and we could, too.

Sylvia, I echo your thanks to Dan, Brett, Linda, and others, and the after-show meeting of friends we'd never met before continues to be a thrill to me as I write this two days later. I was lucky to sit across from you, to enjoy your reactions to everyone, and to experience a little more of your common sense wisdom. It is almost unbelievable that people could meet for the first time and be so comfortable together. I wanted to take all of you home with me!

My three days at Belterra were beyond what I could have hoped for, from arriving minutes before the Thursday show and having great seats anyway, to trying in vain to lose money at the slot machines on Friday, to the fantastic experiences of Friday evening, and I am humbly appreciative to Dan for making it all possible. Thanks to all of you for the big smile still on my face!

Old Tennessee Alvin

Even though once again the concert was cut short by the exit of the gamblers, I can honestly say that I can't imagine anyone there was disappointed by Dan's performance. The man seemed to be totally on page with the audience this night. He was laughing and joking and did the usual sit and drink tea routine while the people around him called out song requests. He then informed us that he couldn't understand a word of it because it all sounded jumbled to him on stage.

Later he was making reference to some local tourist sites ~ tied it into Larry Bird and integrated the whole routine into the surrounding cities and states. He knew how to play this audience and they loved it! I will let the others who were there taking notes fill in with the details of exactly what he said as well as the set list. He was genuinely funny and the most animated I have ever seen him!

At one point he took the bottle of baby powder he was using on his hands, squeezed it to form a dusty cloud in the air and called it his special effects.

The musical portion of the Dan show was perfection! No technical difficulties and he totally nailed every song as Kim said. Throughout his performance we would all look at each other, smiling like Cheshire cats, we knew he was giving us his all! More than once I got chills from listening to the piano resonate through the auditorium or hearing the guitar sing as only Dan can make it do.

I heard no strain in his voice and he seemed to reach every note with no trouble at all. The raspy, honey, blusey vocals were truly at the same time distinct and clear. This particular showcase of Dan's talent transported me back to the earlier concert days ~ it was like a soft wafting caress during one song and transpose to a blood pumping, can't sit still in your chair for the next one.

The experience was a gift wrapped special delivery for your senses and I am now patiently awaiting the creation of the next chapter.

~~Sylvia

The Belterra Experience ~ Part II

Dearest Kim,

Thank you for such a wonderful visual! Yes, yes and YES ~ just as I remember and it will be so nice to revisit here from time to time as the memory fades!

One of the best parts for me was sitting between two dear friends and behind some new ones ~ the sense of sharing this long awaited event with all of you was similar to being enveloped in a favorite comforter. I felt so much love and serenity knowing we were all there together for a shared reason. And at the same time the excitement was palpable, electrifying...

We could read each others thoughts as we watched him play, no words were needed, just a glance into the smiling eyes said it all. Then the laughter, the banter, the range of going from total silence ~ an air of reverence could be felt ~ to all out genuine laughter was phenomenal. And though I've been to many of Dan's concerts with friends before, this was different. Different because I'm even more appreciative of his gift as it has grown over these many years and I knew without a doubt that it was the same for all involved in this evening of magic.

It ended much too quickly of course and it was sad for me to think I would have to wait another year to hear a live performance. The sadness melted away as we all converged outside in the lobby for pictures and greeting each other with accolades of Dan's performance. Then the real fun began. Freesia you asked for an explanation of how it felt to meet the others, so without getting too personal or revealing I will try to answer you here.

As I reflect back on the night we spent together, (and this might sound weird to the guys) I can mostly relate the emotions involved to a slumber party. Hi Holly You know that feeling of freedom you experience knowing you have no responsibilities and a whole night of being with friends, talking about all your favorite subjects, sharing your love of music. As amazing as it sounds we really did get along that well together! I can't speak for the others but for me it was just like a group of teenagers you had known all your life sitting around and talking and laughing with this wild abandonment.

No one was as I pictured them to be from these months of reading, but there were no disappointments as they all seemed to fit their real life personalities. And it was good so good to be able to touch the actual person, look at their faces, watch their emotions. Everyone was so genuine and funny and happy to be there!

And I agree with you Kim, it did feel so right to catch a glimpse of that person from 23 long years ago, before the mommy phase began. I told her how nice it was to share this brief visit and that I would be back a few years down the road.

The entire concert experience produced such a gamut of emotions for me ~ I can't remember a recent life event with the same degree of impact.....

~~Sylvia

How do you like that spelling?

Beggar's Game

What more can I say about the Friday night show at Vevay!

It had been many, many years since I have watched Dan perform. It was a small club in CA and I remember thinking "wow, this guy is good". He mentioned an album so I visited the local music store, purchased Souvenirs, and have been hooked ever since.

The only thing I can add to what others have already mentioned, is the emotional way I felt sitting there in that small intimate venue watching one man and an instrument(s) enthrall the entire audience. My other half (Dave) and I sat in the front row of the mezzanine which allowed us not only to watch Dan from a great vantage point, but watch the audience's reaction to Dan. There were times when you could have heard a pin drop. I had brought along a small pair of binoculars (getting old is rough-lol) and scanned the crowd every now and then and saw one thing throughout the show. There was a constant sea of smiles. Smiles of happiness at hearing a favorite tune and some more pensive as listeners were taken back to a special moment by a particular bar of music or lyric. A few of the attendees around me had tears during Leader of the Band as we listened to this special song from a son about a father.

The amazing sounds this brilliant musician made from one guitar (playing with one hand at times) and one piano was nothing short of amazing. Many other artists need two or three others in accompaniment to achieve less. He is truly gifted and shared his gift with all of there that evening.

On our drive home the next morning, Dave asked me what I will remember most about the show. My thought is this: I feel a certain sadness that an artist and master of his craft such as Dan, feels he must play the top 40 hits when there is sooooo much more this talented man could share. What put him another notch up on my Dan pedestal Friday night, was the way he delivered those same top 40 hits to us---that few hundred people in that room. He 'blues-ed' up, jazzed out and softened the tunes so that it felt as if he were singing those songs especially for our particular audience. These renditions were not the same top 40 hits---these were personal deliverance's (is that a word?-lol) from him to a very appreciative, intimate audience.

The humorous bantering was quite enjoyable. I think he was enjoying himself with the audience almost as much as we were enjoying him. I personally love it when the artist talks/banters--it takes the artist from being a person there to do a job, to a person there who shares a part of themselves and maybe takes a bit of that audience back with them. I can hear it now,,,'remember that show we did in Vevay, Indiana in 2001,,,that was a really great audience'. Ok, well, I'm sure that conversation will never take place, but in my small way, I'm going to feel that on that night, not only did Dan give something special to us,,,,,we, that group of people in that venue, gave something special back to him,,,,,and I think he felt it.

I am finally going to stop and end with, as they say,,,,,it was one for the record books.

Juan

How can I put this... ...the entire trip seemed surreal. It was absolutely wonderful meeting everyone... ...and I'm here to testify that entirely too much of a person is completely lost in knowing them only through the text one reads on the screen.

My first thanks goes to my friends that combined forces to get me to the show... ...it will be a trip I will never forget. Indiana and Kentucky are just the most beautiful country. Now I know why Phoenix area isn't green. There was no green left by the time He got here and the new batch wasn't ready until He hit the coast.

'Along The Way' to and from the concerts we noticed the following Dan related businesses etc.:

Loose Ends - Hair Stylists

Days Gone By - Antique Store (Okay - this would be a cross between 'These Days' and 'Love Gone By')

Oh yea... ...and a guy from North Carolina wearing a Jimmy Buffet t-shirt.

Secondly I need to thank Belterra Casino for their wonderful hospitality. The entire staff treated us as royalty. From the guy emptying the trash, the old security guard, the young lady at the Champions Desk, the pretty young things with the accents guarding the reserved seating areas, the guys behind the bar, the young English woman at the check in counter, and Jackie... ...words are not enough to express our thanks to Jackie.

Friday... ...it was amazing, like I wasn't even there... ...oh yea, I wasn't... ...a little misunderstanding of the Indiana time zones had us walking in during his final song... ...he sounded great and looked rested and happy. We wandered around awhile, drove around awhile (How many times can we pass the 'Bun Boy' restaurant in one trip?) and finally decided it was time to settle in and play guitar until the wee hours of the morning.

Saturday... ...time zones or not, nothing would keep us from being at this show so we slept on the showroom floor. Okay, to be truthful we did not, but Sylvia and I were there in plenty of time and waited for Kim's arrival. She arrived and we chatted and snapped pictures and then went in for the show. We were shown to our seating area where we met up with other online friends; Diney Boo and Hubby, Old Tennessee Alvin; Kevin; Juan; Linda. We had approximately an hour to chat before the flute music started and the lights went low.

During this time an emcee came on stage giving out tour t-shirts... ...one went to a man that had shaved his legs for a Deanna Carter "I Shaved My Legs For This" show... ...another went to a man looking like Dan from the Nether Lands LP... ...this guy also ended up getting Dan's autograph on that lp.

He then started soliciting from the audience as to where we came from to see Dan at Belterra. I yelled out "Arizona!" and I think that was the furthest traveled. Hey, why didn't I get a T-shirt?

Finally...

Ladies and Gentlemen

Please Welcome Dan Fogelberg!

He walked on stage looking happy and rested. He took his place in the old wooden chair and began chatting. He talked of how he liked the sound in this place. He said it was great, "Me, my guitar, my piano and you good people." to which everyone cheered.

He then played 'Part Of The Plan' and I finally realized I was there. It was a joy to here him strumming that guitar again... ...I still do not know how he makes it sound so clear. Next he played 'Hard To Say'... ...it may never come again"... I certainly hope it does.

So far no sound problems. A few requests from the audience and Dan went into the bit about yelling out requests when he goes to the symphony.

He then started talking about 'Forefathers' to which he dedicated it to anyone who is a child. He jokingly said he wasn't sure if he meant that physically or metaphorically. He dedicated it to Parents. He dedicated it to Grandparents as well. He dedicated it to anyone who has a child, or to anyone who has experimented with the processes... ...the crowd responded with cheers and laughter. He then played this song to perfection.

He then said he was going to play 'Beggars Game'. He said it was from the 'Phoenix' album he thinks... ...or whatever album it was... ...which brought more laughter from us all. He went to the piano and played this song and I told Sylvia that this was my favorite piano work of his. He did not let me down in the deliverance. It is such a powerful number.

Next up he talked of Paris... ...he talked of Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky... ...he talked of Larry Bird being from French Lick, Indiana... ...He said "There sure seems to be a whole lot of licking going on." and then "What's this licking all about." A women from the rafters yelled; "Like you don't know Dan!" and this brought the house down with laughter and cheers and it appeared all Dan could do was smile. He said something about Illinois being "The Land Of Licking" throwing a curve on the word Lincoln... ...okay, I think Dan is ready to go into stand up comedy.

He then played 'Paris Nocturne' and I had to rethink my choice of favorite piano pieces... ...okay, I love them all. Next up was 'Don't Lose Heart' and I had made it through so far so good. I had not thought much upon the year before. But then he played 'Make Love Stay' and my emotions got the better of me. Part way through the song someone leaned over and said, "Doesn't he look like Henry Winkler?" and it brought me out of the pain. And yes, he can look like Mr. Winkler at times. Take a look at page 24 in the Portrait booklet.

Next up he talked of John Lee Hooker and dedicated 'Road Beneath My Wheels' to him. Will someone please come over and show me how to play some slide guitar. Dan, ya busy? How about you Bonnie Raitt, got a few hours to kill? He then played a John Lee riff and I do not know the name of it... ...sorry. 'Buckaroo's Midnight Ramble' came next in a dedicatory to Chet Atkins. This song is fun to listen to. I could picture the cat amidst the nocturnal romps while this song played on. Dan spoke of his appreciation for both of these men and the contribution they gave to the music world.

Yes the special effects were great but much too short-lived. I could've watched Dan play with the baby powder for hours - hee hee.

'Run For The Roses' came up next and if I remember correctly Dan was making some jokes about the Indy Derby instead of the Kentucky Derby... ...in reference to the Indy 500. Having just driven through some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen, and passing by a place that probably treats horses as well as or better then Belterra treated us (If that is possible), I realized the dedication to the thoroughbred in this song... ...and to the derby itself... ...more than I had ever felt before.

'Longer'... ...well, we've all heard it a million times... ...in elevators with CEO's humming along, in grocery stores next to little old ladies thumping melons, in the doctor's office sitting in the waiting area prior to going into the little room to wait some more... ...and we've all wondered why they don't play his other songs. Well my friends, this time it was like hearing it for the first time... ...it was truly a joy to listen and I thought of his Mother as I did. She must be mighty proud of her 'little boy'.

And next came thoughts of his Father as he did 'Leader Of The Band'. Trying to decipher my notes (I skipped writing in the dark 101 in college.) I think Dan stated he wrote this in 1975. We know it was released sometime after that, in 1981 on The Innocent Age lp... ...now we know when it was written... ...anyways, I thought of Dan's Father and how proud he too must have been, and what a joy he must have felt when he first listened to his 'little boy' sing this song to him.

As the others have stated, Dan then started talking of Peoria, of Christmas Eve, of Irish Coffee and of whipping cream and how you can't have the kind in the can (He made the 'Swooshing' sound that is made by that kind...) He talked of Abington Hill and yes, I got it straight from Ms. Abington Hill herself that this is the correct spelling. Then he sang the encore of 'Same Old Lang Syne'. Okay, it wasn't really an encore... ...I just pretended he had walked off and then back on to give me that affect. Anywho... ...He sang and there were no flaws, he played to perfection, the sound in that room was heavenly... ...Dan still has it and he let it show. He can play and sing like there is no such word as retirement.

And then he waved goodbye and was gone... ...Abby got the set list... ...and we just all looked around and then slowly left the theatre... ...many pictures were taken of each other and we headed off to find some seating and get to know each other better... ...The next two, three or four hours (?) were the best... ...finally putting faces to names and the humor in you all is never ending... ...and the stories you shared... ...it sure made the after concert feelings of PDS-Post Dan Syndrome or PDD-Post Dan Depression - much easier to avoid.

Vevay, Indiana - 2001

Gone but not forgotten!

That Spelling Is More Like It!

Goodnight!