CHIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

Hello all of our fans out their in Honeymoon Suite Land .. I am pleased to be able to give this review of the Honeymoon Suite concert at the Toronto CHIN Picnic .. at the CNE grounds .. July 2, 2004

It's been nearly 15 years since I've seen the band live at the Kingswood Music Theater at Canada's Paramount Wonderland and they certainly have not slowed down .. lost their edge or their ability to captivate a crowd .. I was totally taken back to being 18 years old again and they were the crushes that I had postered all over my bedroom wall ..

We were doubly blessed when at 4:30 pm or so Johnnie Dee himself came out amid the dance rehearsals and began the soundcheck .. I sat not less than 10 feet from him and managed to catch his attention and he came over smiling and I introduced myself to him .. and he pleasantly offered to pose in the picture for me and gave me express permission to take photos from the stage as he was setting up.. let me tell you that this girl's hands were shaking so much from excitement that I could barely contain myself .. it took me trying over 10 or so pictures with my digital camera until I could hold the camera steady enough to get quality shots of the set-up ..

As you can see .. I have ample photos of Johnnie and the other band members performing their soundchecks and the personal appreciation they all have for one another with the joking and horsing around between mike checks .. told me that this band were not just a group of musicians .. but friends and family .. dedicated to giving their all .. and it shows .. in every minute detail ..

As I was watching them intently .. I was doubly blessed by having a relative of Johnnie's sitting next to me and gave me some info into the band and what was upcoming in their roster .. their summer is booked solid with tour dates and we can only hope that they will come back this way again .. and do a full set where they can showcase all of their musical talent .. not just an 80's retro venue playing only their older hits and chart toppers .. Johnnie will making time in the fall to do some solo touring to promote the hotly selling "Songs in Dee" ..

As the sound check began to wind down .. Johnnie was beginning to worry as Derry had still not arrived and just as they were about to leave the stage .. Mr. Grehan himself sheepishly approached Johnnie and they joked around as Derry quickly jumped into gear and blasted off a string of solo's ..

Soon .. it was time for the opening act and all the CHIN sponsors with their speeches and pronouncements to take the stage .. so Johnnie turned to me and waved as he left the stage to prepare for their set .. I smiled back and continued to take pictures ..

We had to wait the longest and most painfully brutal 90 minutes before they came back onstage at 7:00pm .. the crowd was both wild and anxious for them .. Brett & the guest musicians [as Peter and Rob were not in the set] joined the stage first and then Derry followed by a cool and calm Johnnie grinning and waving to the crowd .. wearing black pants & shirt looking slim & amazingly toned .. he walked to the microphone and greeted the crowd with a cheer and more smiling .. "Helloooooooooooooooooo Toronto" he shouted above the crowd .. the crowd rejoiced with a "Hello Johnnie" and began to jump and howl with delight ..

They opened the set with Other Side of Midnight and had the crowd hopping before Derry could ring off the first guitar solo .. Johnnie's thundering powerhouse voice rang out and silenced the crowd as he still belted out those high notes and his rythmatic movements to the music made the crowd .. and this girl .. jump out of her seat and start singing right along with him ..

They moved onto Burning in Love .. then Feel it Again .. then Johnnie stopped and spoke briefly to the crowd .. and they jumped into What Does it Take and then Stay in the Light .. fans young and old jumped out of their seats and this gave the band a much needed vibe to crank up the energy on stage .. as Johnnie wavered from playing his trademark guitar to swinging and slamming the tambourine against his thigh .. hopping around and joking with the band .. there was nothing dated or stale about this homegrown gem of talent parading around in front of me ..

The only downside is that some of the sound was still creating some static and Johnnie would saunter over to the board midsong and have the technician come out and make an adjustment .. even then .. it was astounding to see a man who lives for his craft .. be totally in control of every aspect of his show ..

The end of every song was greeted with an enthusiastic howl from the throngs of people who had pushed from the grass to be right up to the stage barricade ..

We were treated to a special privilege when the band took a quick break and Derry launched into a guitar solo .. which lasted long enough for the guys to cool down with a drink and view the audience from the sidelines .. there is really no end to this man's talent .. both as a lyricist and as a musician ..

As they walked back onstage .. and started the second half of the set with Looking out for #1 .. their absence, though only momentary, seemed like an eternity .. and as the hour was waning and they finally launched into their swansong of New Girl Now .. it was obvious that the time we had been graced with was almost gone and I felt my heart sink into my chest ..

Derry broke into the most amazing and unscripted guitar solo to introduce New Girl Now .. he and Johnnie and the guest bassist huddled into a cirlce and jammed for a full three minutes or so until Brett broke it down and began the hugely recongized powerhouse knock that begins their first North American hit and the song that launched them from smalltown band to the best and without question, the most defining band of the 1980's ..

When the song was over .. they stopped and smiled and waved to the crowd .. Brett threw out his drumsticks and they had disappeared backstage .. gone .. like a thunderflash .. we were graced with this brilliance that lit up the early evening sky and then in puff of smoke .. it was gone ..

The band were quick to leave as they had a nearly 6 hour drive to North Bay to play at Sturgeon Falls .. then they are off for a week and then they begin the second leg of their summer touring .. in August they are supporting April Wine & Loverboy in Quebec .. and then we will see them swing back to select dates in Ontario .. I can tell you honestly .. that a day or even overnight trip to a neighbouring town to catch them again was in order ..

I can only and honestly say that after their hugely wild and successful venue yesterday .. they've got me tasting blood and I want more ..

Peace Out ..

.. Lisa