I went and saw the Time at the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, LA on Sunday September 3, 2006. This was show #29 and just when you think you have seen and heard it all something even cooler happens.

When we last left this story, we had just left the Biloxi show and headed to out hotel in Slidell, LA. We stopped at the awful waffle and got some victuals and then checked into the hotel closing in on 3 a.m. Nobody got a good nights sleep that night as the room was certainly hotter than we liked, plus we were right by the pool and the rubes were in there by 9 a.m. blaring Bad Company and Journey. We checked out around noon, got some Taco Hell and got on the road for our next hotel just over a couple hours down the road in Lafayette, LA. Checked into that hotel, chilled out for a few hours and got ready for the show. Got back on the road again for our 90 minute or so drive to Marksville. No problems until we got off the interstate. Then we had about 20 miles of back roads with about 10 road changes and there weren't many signs showing the way. We just hoped and prayed mapquest was right. This was BFE and a half. I don't think I've ever seen so many corn fields in my life. I swear I heard banjos at one point. We were almost where the casino was suppose to be and we figured we were lost as hell. We were just at the point where we were going to backtrack thinking we missed something when we decided to go around one last corner. Well suddenly we were in Sleepy Hollow. Trees covering the road in both directions like a tunnel and it was way too dark for the after noon. I kept waiting for a pumpkin to come flying in the window. Then I swear to god we all heard that strange noise you hear in the horror movies before somebody gets killed. Right when we were all about to freak out we came out of our tunnel and the casino was just down the road. What a relief.

Well we went to will call and they didn't have our tickets. I tried to call Jerome, but got his voice mail. I went outside to try and get a better signal and call Tori. No dice. I was almost in panic mood when Jason decided he was going to walk down where some moving trucks were and peak around the corner. He went back there and right before he was about to get run off, he got Padre's attention who in turn flagged down Jerome. We were in thank goodness!!! We went to the backstage area and hung out with the whole band with the exception of Morris for about 45 minutes or so. We got our setlists from the day before signed by the rest of the band. We also got pictures made with everybody. Lots of fun hanging out and shooting the shit with the fellas. Jerome was pouring me shots and I was good and loose by Showtime. I was the subject of some good natured ribbing. I had a leopard print shirt and a purple pimp hat with a leopard brim. So I was superfly and Tori was bleachfly in honor of his new do. Morris came down right before the show and we joined the fellas in their pre concert prayer. We were given these kick ass all access passes and showed to the VIP section to the left of the stage where we joined the other friends and family of the band.


Here is the line up
Morris Day- Vocals and Cool
Jerome Benton- Vocals, percussion and general mischief maker
Jellybean Johnson- Drums
Monte Moir- Keyboards
Stanley"Chance" Howard- keyboards
Ricky "Freeze" Smith- Bass
Tori "Bleach" Ruffin- Guitar


The setlist was exactly the same as the day before

1. The Skillet-!!!!!
2. Cool
3. Get it up
4. Pandemonium
5. Chocolate
6. Wild and loose
7. The Stick
8. Blondie!!!!
9. My Drawers!!!!
10. Fishnet
11. The Oak Tree
12. Jerk Out
13. 777-9311
14. Girl-small instrumental bit
15. Sometimes I get lonely- small instrumental bit
16. Gigolos get lonely too
17. If the kid can't make you come-extended instrumental
18 The walk
19. The Bird
encore
20. Jungle Love

We had a cool view of Monte and Freeze from our angle. You really don't realize how much Monte gets into the steps when watching the show from the front. The crowd was strange. You had your typical casino crowd, your typical Time crowd of folks in their 30's and 40's and rednecks. There was this one old dude in a big cowboy hat who was all into it. Jerome got down and danced with him. Classic. The show rocked. I could listen to that opening with the Skillet forever plus Blondie and My Drawers again. That kicks ass. Jerome came by one of those times he was in the crowd and said something about the shots he had been giving me and believe me that stuff had kicked in big time. I was feeling no pain that's for sure. Well during the Walk, James came by and said that we were getting on stage for the Bird. Now I turn Jerome down just about every show, but when some seven foot dude tells you to do something you don't argue. So I finished my beer and Jason's and got ready. We went up there and perfectly perpetrated the dorky white boy stereo type dance. Just before the "white folks your much too tight line" I got moved up next to Morris and perfectly executed the tight dance and followed that up with the more traditional version when he did the next line. Then I slinked back to the back and got in the line. I was all hyped for the Chili Sauce which I again did perfectly... Except I went in the opposite direction of Morris and Jerome. When the song ended we went back to our seats and watched them close with Jungle Love. Another kick ass show that's for sure.

After the band left the stage, we made our way backstage. The room was quickly filling up as other fans came to get autographs and pictures made with the band. I took this opportunity to go back to the car and get a bag of stuff I hoped to get signed. The main thing I had was a poster from a show in 1999. I had at one point or another got all of the band except Chance and Monte to sign it so I wanted to make sure to get both of them while they were still there.On my way to the car I was complemented on my participation in the show. That's hilarious : ) When I came back, the room had cleared out considerably. It was mostly the band and the friends and family that were there earlier. I got all kinds of stuff signed and we got a picture with Morris and Jerome. Morris said I fit into the act perfectly which just made my day. About this time, the rest of the food showed up and everybody chowed down. we must have hung out for atleast another hour enjoying the food, drink and each others company. I talked to Morris more that night that all the other shows put together. Kick ass!! At some point we got Morris and Jerome going about scooters and it was like something straight out of a purple rain skit. Good Stuff. Everybody started to go their own ways as the night went on, but we were invited to come down to the bar and hang out if we wanted to.

We went and put our stuff in the car and went to the bar. There was a band in there playing some P Funk stuff, Morris and his entourage came in and sat in the back. After awhile we decided to wander around and see if we could find anybody else. We ran into Tori and talked to him and decided to go back to the bar. He was standing by a scooter and we just knew he was just going to take off on it. We went back and hung out some more. We said our good byes to Morris and were about to head out when Tori drug us back to the table and we stayed another 45 minutes shooting the shit. Finally we made our way out of the casino and started on our drive back to the hotel. At some point I was once again told what a great show I put on. Seems like I'm a rock star now so where are my groupies

We actually found our way through the back roads easily and aside from the little trip to the corn field where I thought I was going to be attacked by mutant komodo dragons. we made it back to the hotel fine. what can I say. This weekend was probably the most fun I've ever had, atleast with my clothes on. Bring on the big show #30. I am more than ready for it.