As John is on his way to Portland for yet another LMO concert and I'm stuck here at work sicker than anything (I'll never be able to handle "life on the road"), I thought I give you my review of Visalia...which is cool because I practically grew up in Visalia during my younger days!

After the Bakersfield concert the night before, I couldn't sleep and so I was up early that Sunday morning (October 19^th).  I decided to beat the traffic and take my time to Visalia, which was about an hour drive.  Luckily, the LMO set list that I put on my IPod kept me awake for the drive.    When I got to the Visalia Marriott hotel, I saw a tour bus parked out in front.  I guess, since I was "running on fumes," it didn't dawn on me that tour bus could have been Amy's!!    WAKE UP, JOSIE!!!!   So, I checked into my room and decided to get a bite to eat at the restaurant (Zhuo) downstairs.   Sound check wasn't until 3:30 P.M. that day and so I didn't want to be famished by then.   When I got there, I noticed a gentleman sitting by himself at a table.  I walked right by him and found me a cozy spot in the restaurant.   As I was skimming through the menu, I noticed two other guys joining him.   This time, my eyes OPENED WIDE and it was Ken and Chris (Eaton)!!!  (I later found out the guy sitting by himself was guitarist Mike!)  At this point, I was all nervous and didn't know what to do.  (Of course, now it has registered to me that if band members are around...Amy should be somewhere!!!)   I text messaged my friends Julie and Joe to tell them the exciting news!  I finally got enough nerve to walk over to their table since I knew that I would probably never have this opportunity to meet them again.   I introduced myself and the guys did the same.   Then I told them how much I enjoyed last night's show (Bakersfield) and how great musicians they are!!!   They were tickled!   Chris asked me if I had seen any of the original "Lead Me On" tour video because they were just watching it!!   Unfortunately, I told them that I have not seen any of the original tour.  I didn't want to disturb them any further since they were eating and so I asked if I could have a photo with them.   Mike walked us over to an area with a nicer background and got the waitress to take a photo.   After I got my photo, I thanked them and told them that I would see them at the sound check later on.   As I was devouring my vegetarian burger, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation.  I tried singing Amy songs in my head...but my ear kept turning towards their table!   All I can say is that they all liked the movie "Night In The Museum" (with Ben Stiller)!!!

After I finished my lunch, I decided to run upstairs.   I got a text message from Joe saying that Dasha was looking for me in the hotel lobby and got to bump into Amy.  OH MAN!!!    I missed Amy all because I wanted to "freshen up!!"   So, I quickly went downstairs and finally connected with Dasha in the lounge.   While Dasha and I were getting acquainted, my friends Joe and Debbie arrived.    We all headed back up to our rooms so that Joe and Debbie can unwind.   After a little while, Debbie and I went downstairs to wait for Joe and Dasha in the hotel lobby.  While we were sitting and catching up with each other, the drummer (sorry..forgot his name!) was sitting on the couch near us.   Finally, Joe and Dasha showed up. As we were "shooting the breeze" with each other,  Miss Amy decided to make a special appearance in the hotel lobby!   At this point, Dasha and Joe went to talk to Amy while Debbie and I stayed sitting on the couch.    After a while, Debbie and I decided to join them.   While all of them are talking to Amy, I was being a "silent bystander."  (As you all probably already know, I get so tongue-tied whenever I am around Amy and I really want to kick myself in the butt for that!!!)   Then the band members started loading into the bus and someone had asked us if we wanted a ride.  Of course, we're like. "No, the theater is only a couple of blocks away."  BIG MISTAKE!!!   We should have jumped on that opportunity...but then I can respect the bands' and Amy's privacy. 

So we all walked over to the Fox Theater, where there is already a group of fans waiting (Christine, Chip, Nicole and kids, etc.).   We all waited to get our sound check passes and catched up with old friends.  

When we got into sound check, we were seated to the far left of the stage.  So, needless to say, it was hard to get any good photos unless you walked towards the middle of the theater.   At this time, more of my other friends (Jake, Lionel, Karen, Janette) started showing up  and so I was more being a "social butterfly" than watching Amy perform.  WAKE UP JOSIE!!!  After all the "hello's" have been said and after all the hugs have been given, we finally settled down to watch Amy.  Amy sang "She Colors My Day" during sound check, which I loved!  Also, at the sound check, I passed out special "Lead Me On" goodie bags that I made for my friends.   (The bag included a small bottle of water, a bag of Lays potato chips, glowsticks, bubbles, glow crosses, candy and Amy's famous "Mud Puddle" cookies.)    I  handed some bags out in Bakersfield as well (Sorry if I missed anyone!).

After sound check, Amy met the fans.   When I got up to Amy, I immediately told her that I always get tongue-tied around her so she won't think I'm dumb.  NO COMMENT!!  (LOL!)  Then I told her that I am Laurie's friend (Laurie passed away from colon cancer last year) and thanked her so much for dedicating "I Will Remember You" to Laurie last year at the Greek Theater.  I gave her a big hug and told her how much that meant so much to me.   I told her that  Laurie had bought me a Canada sweater for Christmas, and that I was going to wear it to the concert that night.   Amy told me that she would look for me at the concert that night.  I then took a photo with her and again visited with more friends.  Janette gave Amy a black hat..a same one that she used to wear during the original LMO tour..to wear to tonight's concert as well as Jake, who gave Amy some funky 80's bright pink sunglasses.     I told Amy that I was wearing my spotted leopard sweater and offered that she can wear too, but Amy said that she would stick to her old, holey, black jacket!  

After everyone had met Amy, we all went to dinner at El Tarasco Mexican restaurant just down the street.   Jake skipped out on dinner to take a hot bath and catch a power nap in my hotel room.    After a few margaritas later and food in our tummies, our happy group was READY TO PARTY!!   A group of us decided to head back to the hotel to change for the concert.     So, we woke up Sleeping Beauty and we all got ready for the concert.    Lionel joined us and pretty soon we were singing to the "spotlight" in the room...a bed light on the headboard of the bed.  Everyone was singing Amy tunes and I was admitting that I took the shampoo and sewing kit from the bathroom!   TOO HILARIOUS!!!  

Finally, we met everyone outside of the hotel and we all walked together to the theater.  Like John mentioned, I wished we would have planned everything more better because we all scattered like little mice looking for our seats.  I was sitting two seats down from Janette, but the nice couple in between us offered to move down one so that I can sit with Janette.  That was so sweet of them!!  Janette and I sat together in the pit in Bakersfield and so Visalia was like déjà vu!

The Visalia crowd was a lot more mellow than the Bakersfield audience.   There wasn't a pit and so there was no place to dance...but in your seats..which was kind of crowded.   Janette and I sang and boogied in our seat throughout the concert.   I'm sure everyone around us thought we were weird...but we had a lot of fun!!!

A couple of highlights from the Visalia show...  Amy wore Janette's hat during "Shadows" and Jake's sunglasses during "Wise Up."  How cool was that?!?!  Also, it was a guy's 16^th birthday and so Amy sang a little of "Thy Word" for him.    During the encore, Amy brought out her daughter Sarah to sing a duet (a Mindy Smith song?) with Brooks on the keyboards.   She said that this was Sarah's second time to sing in public.   It was so funny because Amy was telling Sarah something before she started to sing, and Sarah was like "Huh?"...not realizing that the microphone was on.   PRECIOUS MOTHER & DAUGHTER MOMENT!   At first, when Sarah started singing, she was a little shy and holding back.   However, she gained her confidence shortly thereafter and really impressed the audience. (I tried closing my eyes to see if I "heard" Amy..but Sarah has such a lovely and unique voice of her own.) While Sarah was singing, I was watching Amy and Amy was looking so lovingly at Sarah and was tapping her hand to hear heart.   You can tell that Amy was so proud of her daughter!  After Sarah sang, everyone gave her a well-rounded applause and Amy was so touched.

I won meet and greet passes through the local radio station (KSOF 98.9 FM) after the show.   Actually..they gave them to me after I told the deejays about my friend Laurie.  Debbie was supposed to go with me, but she decided to hit the road since their drive home was 3 hours.   So, Janette took Debbie's place and joined me in line.   The line was long and we thought about ditching meet and greet since we already got to talk to Amy during sound check earlier that day.  However, we decided to stay, but let the people, who have never met Amy before, go before us so that we could be more towards the end of the line.   (Plus, we would be able to have more "me" time with Amy!!!)   At this point, Christine and her boyfriend Jerry  "crashed" the meet and greet line.   Sure enough, when we got up near Amy, the staff personnel was no longer checking meet and greet passes and so anyone really could have just came along.    A professional photographer was taking photos of us and Amy, which was really good because my battery in my digital camera died!!!   While we were waiting for our turn with Amy, Christine and I got brave and asked for a photo with Sarah (There was a guy before us, who asked Sarah for her autograph, and her friends and stage crew were giving her a hard time about "her first autograph."), who was just standing around and waiting for her Mom.  Sarah was sweet enough to oblige.   (The last time I saw Sarah was during Amy's "Hollywood Walk of Fame" star presentation two years ago.)   When it was finally my turn with Amy, I showed her my leopard sweater, which she thought was neat.  Again, I froze up and just took my photo with her.  I am such a dork.. On my way, I yelled, "Thanks, Amy" and I heard her say "You're welcome!"   TOO CUTE!!   At least Amy knows that, even though I don't say much, I still mind my manners!  (LOL!)

Janette and I were too excited over the concert and seeing Amy and so we ended up eating grilled cheese sandwiches at Denny's before turning in for the night...or morning, in our case!   On my way home the next day, I was sad to know that this was the "end of line" with me with the LMO tour..  Little did I know that I had one more show (Modesto) up my sleeves!!!!!

Visalia was definitely a night to remember and I enjoyed seeing all my "FOA" friends!!!  Thanks, Amy, for including Visalia to your "Lead Me On" tour!!!

All photos on this page (except Sarah giving the autograph, and the larger picture of Sarah singing) are copyright Josie Parks. Please do not copy, or re-post without the written permission of Josie.

Back to Lead Me On - 20th Anniversary Edition