Pala

A friend (now an ex-friend!) rang me on my mobile at 4.30am as he didn't realise I was in the US! I then only dosed until I got up at 6.30am so I felt quite tired all day. I had the included breakfast and had some work to do so I left at 10.00am.

I set off for the Los Angeles area along the 101. It's a really pretty route down the West Coast and although most of the time I couldn't see the Pacific Ocean, it was lovely and sunny and there were always mountains in the distance. Although it's not an Interstate road (the closest the US gets to a motorway) most of the time the speed was 70mph or 75mph.

I expected to get to my friend's house at 4.00pm and then she was going to drive us to Pala. Unfortunately due to things that I won't go into here, my friend had to give someone else a lift to the show so they went ahead and I made my own way there. Unfortunately the directions I'd printed off before I left UK were from SF to my friend's house and there to Pala, plus from SF directly to Pala which didn't go down the 101 so I ended up having to drive to her house and then back up north to Pala! As it was the rush-hour at this time in LA, it meant that I didn't reach Pala until 7.00pm ..... I was shattered as I'd driven for 17 hours since yesterday morning!

I went into the venue and got my ticket. Blondie had already started playing but, as I wrote in my review on KasimInfo.com, they were SO loud! I go to a lot of concerts but that was ridiculous. I stayed for one song and then stood outside listening. Even with the doors closed it was plenty loud enough. Some people I knew came out and chatted so it was very sociable. The person I was supposed to have gone with had done into the soundcheck and apparently Todd arrived late so Kasim sang lead on Bye Bye Love!

As soon as The New Cars came on stage lots of people rushed the stage! There was no way that I could stand for all that time (a couple of people today thought it may be broken but I don't think it hurts enough for that - I just can't bend it at all and all the foot is swollen) and as I was near the front I soon couldn't see as more and more people stood there so I moved back a few rows and sat there. I took quite a few photos today but most didn't come out too well...my videoclips were okay though!

After the concert I set out for my friend's house. Although it was *only* about 90 minutes I found that really tough going staying awake as I was so tired. I got to her house at about 12.45am. Another fan was staying too that night and instead of going straight to bed we ended up chatting and looking at photos until 3.00am!