Columbus, Ohio 06/16/2002 Just got home from The Columbus Polaris DIO Concert!!!! I have some GOOD news & some BAD news....... The concert was on about the same level as the one in Cincinnati. GREAT!!! And there were far more people there for DIO!!! The set list is staying the same except for the encore this time was Rainbow in the Dark. I also played about half the show to a friend, over my cell phone til the battery faded out. The good news is that I got a LOT of photos including one with Ronnie looking directly at me and giving me The Horns Up!!! Slightly out of focus BUT: This one is a KEEPER!!! The BAD news is that the fucking tape jammed up and I lost the show. I would deeply hope that someone here might have captured RITD tonight??? I had hoped that a D.D.T. could be made with both encore songs. Let me know is this will be possible......? I got my After Show Pass after some trouble with them locating my name for it. So then I went to go backstage and it seems that none of the idiot security people knew where ya go to get in there. I was sent from one side to the other until I found a higher up security person who had a clue. It was on the left side way in the back. Right where I was told it was NOT, about 10 minutes earlier. Then when I got there, the jerk at the gate tells me that I was late and I could not enter unless someone from the band comes out and gets me.....yea RIGHT!!! So I hung out at a nearby concession stand while DP played. Interesting enough, this was when 2/3's of the pavilion chose to do a restroom/snack/beer break. Makes me wonder where they would have gone if The Scorps had already played. While hanging out, I met a couple fans who remembered me from some old shows. I invited them to join in here and reap the benefits. So who knows......? I also bought a short sleeve shirt. Glad I did, even though it is overpriced. $30 So DP got to Smoke.....an I figured that there was no way I would get back there. So I went to the lawn to set up for The Scorps. About 20 minutes before they were to come on, some young punk security suckass, comes over to me and says "that's a nice camera." I kinna tried to not say much and move on, but he stats off with saying....."but it sure DON'T look like a disposable." I told them that it was checked as I came in (an It was), and it was ok'd. But he insisted that I come to the front gate to have some "specialist" check it out. So what could I do? At the far side of the entrance the wiz-kid proclaims that I had a digital kind of camera and I would have to give it to him or leave. HAHAHA!!!! So I left....... This was where my spare ticket came in handy. Sometimes I get an extra one, and this time I had one. I had used it to get in and then went to my 3rd row seat after I was inside. So I dropped off the camera at the car and went back and they checked me right back in at a different gate with no problem. I made it to the seat with about 3 minutes to spare.....and all this was recorded too. The Scorpions come on and just blew the place away!!! At least I DO have that one. In Cincinnati, during The Zoo, Klaus saw me wave at him and tossed me a drum stick, but the throw was slightly short and the girl in front of me grabbed it, and I just let it go. But tonight he sees me again and THROWS it to me, and some fool behind me jumps over 3 rows and tries to grab both ends of it to get it out of my hand. I had it in the center. He goes and falls to the floor pulling on it, and I reached down and slid one of his hands off the one side and pulled it right out of his other hand. Then he tries to grab it again, just as security comes by and sees it in my other hand as he is PUSHn' at me. They walked him off and I enjoyed the hell out of the rest of the show. It was longer and a whole LOT better than the Cincinnati middle spot they did. There was another adventure after the show, but that is another story......(ha). But once again I will ask for a RITD donation, if possible. And if ANYONE has had any reservations about seeing the show, I can tell you that it is well worth seeing.....especially if The Scorps close. NOTE that THIS is MY own PERSONAL opinion. But.....ya KNOW I am Always RIGHT!!!
an......THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DIO CONCERT!!!
***DIO RULES***
TeRRy