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Seoul to Sasebo

Posted by manicdrums in 2002 VCR Far East Tour

What an action packed couple of days we have here. After a relatively relaxing day off in Seoul (I swam in the pool at the hotel, had a sauna and a massage – much needed), the day dawned yesterday with monsoon rain beating against my hotel room window. Not a good sign, as there is no cover for the stage at the gig here! In the end, the skies cleared about mid-morning, and I was bussed down to our venue (baseball field at the base) where I discovered they were nowhere near ready for me (the rain having delayed it all by a couple of hours). So I took the bus back to the hotel, and had lunch. By the time I returned to the field, they had set up the kit and were in the process of sorting out the backline. The kit was a slightly worn, but perfectly usable, Drum Workshop maple kit, with gold metalwork: a bit gaudy, but I actually quite like it! The heads were a bit old, and dead, but I managed to get a decent sound out of them nevertheless.

The rest of the band arrived around 2pm for a somewhat hectic soundcheck, before we all bundled back in to the bus, to the hotel for a quick shower & change of clothing. By now the sky was a cloudless lue: perfect for gigging! By the time we got back to the field, it was about 1/3rd full. It appears there was not much publicity surrounding this event, but people must have heard sound check! We went on stage just after 5pm, and within 30 minutes there were more people streaming through the gates. Apparently, many of them had been called via cellphone by people already here (‘get down here quick, these guys are great!’). Despite the heat and the sweat, I had a great time. The crowd were certainly appreciative! By the end, they were screaming for more…. we kindly obliged with an impromtu rendition of “Superstition”, followed by a spontaneous version of the “Star Spangled Banner” (started by Alex). This was a truly moving moment. I looked out on a field of people at attention (those in uniform were saluting), singing for all they were worth. It added a suitably poignant perspective to the show. All the way through, we thanked them for what they were doing out here, so many miles from home.

After packing up our gear, we were bundled into the bus, and taken to dinner at the Navy Club. This was a riotous affair, starting with a standing ovation as we walked in. Then we had a good ol’ American style meal, after which we signed autographs for a huge long line of people. On our way out of the club, there was a band playing and singing, Karaoke-style. So Joe Lynn got up and sang “Smoke on the Water”, and after that, Fergie got up and sang “Rosanna”. They were greeted by total pandemonium! Good move, guys! This will be a night they’ll remember for a long time – as will WE!