At LAST!!!

Finally.

And so, Gino and I finally met, in person, after his concert in Portland on Wednesday, October 20th. I think we look really good together - don't you?

The concert was held in a sweet little venue, the Alberta Rose Theater, on Alberta Street. Just up the road from the Radio Room, the home of the Art-O-Mat machine. Coincidence? There have been SO MANY coincidences. I doubt it was a coincidence.

The Alberta Rose theater has maybe 300 seats and at least 20 of them were empty. I could not believe people were not climbing the rafters to see Gino Vannelli perform. I mean, it's Gino Vannelli, for God's sake! The man whose music and presense has occupied most of my thoughts for the past 6 months.

Julie and I sat in the 2nd row, just to the right of center stage. It is where I'd always imagined I would sit at his concert. When we sat down, the woman seated next to us said "Are you from Seattle?" - I said "Why? Do we look strange?" And I forget what her response was. I then asked her if she'd been to many of Gino's concerts and she said she'd seen a few but that her friend had followed him "since the beginning of time". Odd, I thought.

The show began right on time, at 8pm. I had to take a couple of Rescue Remedy tablets as I was so nervous to finally see him. Prior to the show, I stiffened my resolve with a gin and grapefruit juice (surprisigly refreshing - you must try it!)

And WHAT A SHOW!!! The band was absolutely amazing. The musicians were so tight and so well rehearsed. And, this is rhythmically complicated music. Rock-funk-jazz fusion. That drummer! That guitarist! And Gino's voice. Too good. Did not even sound human it was so beautiful. I just about fell out of my chair when the second song of the night started. "Stay With Me" - this song has tremendous personal meaning to me for reasons I can't go into in this blog. But, lets just say that my Gino looks so hot on that YouTube video it always brings a flush to my cheeks. I grabbed my heart several times when I felt his voice resonate with my soul, during Living Inside Myself and It Hurts to be In Love. Gino moved like a dream on those very skinny legs of his. I was surprised he kept his jacket buttoned up the whole night. 'Cuz his chest is not so skinny. Man has a very nice torso.

I wanted to stand and dance the entire night, but I was very conscious that others in the crowd were just sitting still. I didn't want to block their view. But I was so compelled to move like a heathen that I wound up gyrating in my seat and waving my hands in the air and playing my air trap set. I'm sure I looked like a wack job.

I kept hoping Gino would catch my eye, since we were seated so close to the stage (maybe 10 or 12 feet away?). It only happened one time - at the very end of I Just Wanna Stop (When I think about those nights in Montreal...)And our eyes locked for only a split second. But it felt like fire, when it happened.

And now, I can say we've met. It was not everything I had hoped it would be. The moment I have been dreaming about for what seems like ages. But, it is a start. I don't know what will happen next.

But, I think we look GREAT together.