1. Part 1. Pre-Concert Happenings.
2. Part 2. The Concert.
3. Part 3. After the show.

Part1. Pre-Concert Happenings.

I drove through the evening Friday along the mighty Columbia River rolling toward the ocean at Portland, Oregon. To the Silver Cloud motel--auspicious name, I thought. Up in the morning to catch the shuttle to the airport and a short flight to San Francisco. As I walked from the plane, I saw a pretty blonde-topped face peering at me around the first corner--I know at once it was my friend DogstarLuvr, who I had never met in real life before. There to meet me and take me to Dogstar Heaven. Ain't the Net wonderful?

We schlepped the way to the International terminal to meet another friend, AJ, who, if she was lucky enough to get a stand-by seat, would be coming in from Germany a few minutes after me. Lucky that customs was thorough in its work--we were able to get to the gate before AJ who emerged shortly with her beautiful smile and those pretty roses on her cheeks. We recognized her instantly from the picture she had sent. Already we were having a great time. Ain't the Net wonderful?

We got in DogstarLuvr's red Fun Runner and rode to Santa Clara to the music of Dogstar. "Don't you have any other music?" I said. I was lucky not to be ejected from the vehicle instantly. On to meet MisSirius (who lives two doors down from DogstarLuvr) to settle in at her house. Then to the Pizza place for dinner where we met another friend from a Keanu list. Ain't the Net wonderful?

Eat and talk Keanu. Back to MisSirius' to watch Ke tapes. Watch Rosie, slow the tape, back it up, run it forward. They say you can see Keanu and Charlize looking on from the wings! We spot them. Jubilation!!! You would think we had met Keanu in person. Little did we know we were only on the outskirts of Dogstar Heaven.

Watching Point Break--oh, la, don't he look good! Someone asks, "I wonder how many people went in to see Swazie and came out with only Keanu in there eyes?" "EVERYONE!" we answer. Oh, man that chase scene, precursor of The Matrix foot-chase scenes. Kick that dog Ke. Oh man, our man can really run. "Did you know Laura Petty is really the only one of Ke's leading ladies that he ever had an affair with?" "No?" "Yes." "The others were all rumors?" "Really?" "Man, where did you get this tape--they cut out the best part, the morning on the beach." "This is bogus." "I'm sending you a new tape. Shoot!" Four hours later we finish watching a two hour movie.

Up on Easter morning for brunch out under the lemon and orange trees. MisSirius takes a nap in the chair with her little boy, her shiny, long, red hair streaming out around them. DogstarLuvr goes off for a family gathering and leaves AJ and I her Fun Runner to cruz Santa Clara. Ain't the Net wonderful?

We cruz to the mall where the Backbeat is located. We meet up with a whole group of Net friends. I see many of the same peeps that were there at Slims and the Catalyst in December 2000. Back to MisSirius's to change clothes--though we found there was no dress code after all. We pick up DogstarLuvr and take off for the Backbeat. We get back there around 3:45. We haul out folding chairs--well someone sat on them, but not us as it turns out. We talk to the bouncers, nice guys, those. They take our tickets and put green wrist bands on our wrists. Poor men, they try to be so delicate about the whole thing. DogstarLuvr says the green band clashes with her teal shirt--the bouncer guy looks genuinely worried that he's spoiled her ensemble. DogstarLuvr brings her Fun Runner around and cranks up the Dogstar music. Shoppers going mundanely to the Alberston's grocery store and the Rite Aid drug store wonder what the heck is happening in their little shopping plaza. Little do they know--it's become the gateway to Dogstar Heaven.

About four p.m. one big sucker of a stretch limo--white, all white--comes wandering through the lot on a circuitous route. Who does the driver think he's fooling? The limo pulls around in back of the Backbeat. Why we don't go immediately around back I don't know, but hey, we're cool. Eventually we bestir ourselves and go sauntering around the building. "Be cool." "Hey, AJ, this is why you came all this way--to see this alley. Ain't it great?" Ah, but OH. There is Kiki standing twenty-five feet away behind a shiny silver barrier. He's taking a smoke, looking good. Looking relaxed in black jeans and a black suit jacket. He's got that scarf round his neck--if I remember correctly--the one we saw at the premier of The Gift. He kind bounces on the balls of his feet every now and again. We wave to him. Call "Hi." He waves and says "How you doin'?" Man, that is our man. I call out to him that "She came all the way from Germany," pointing to AJ who tries to escape around the corner. Ke kinda strains his neck to hear. I'm not certain if he understood. Off we go back to the front as he goes inside.

We report our adventures to the others who stayed at the front. More people saunter back with us. But, wait as we will, no one appears. Oh, well, the opening act arrives and piles out of the van. A bouncer asks us for smokes, but we don't have his brand. We meet a friend of Miho's from Japan. And some younger fans who are just here to try to glimpse the guys because they are too young to go to the concert. Bummer, they just missed Keanu. And Bret and Rob have not been seen. Ah, but they are in there. We here the music and walk around the front. Some people look thorough the only unobstructed window and catch glimpses of the guys doing their sound check. We hear Bret. Yep, they are really here.

Will they go out again for food? Maybe they will get back in the limo? But no, there is no action round back. We go out front because another friend, TigerStripes, is arriving. TigerStripes and DogstarLuvr talk across the lot on their phones as they walk toward each other. "Didn't I see this in a Keanu movie not too long ago?" Ain't technology wonderful? But better is hugging TigerStripes and getting to see her up close and personal in her tiger-stripped top. What a group! We are having a time. What time is it? Time for a group photo. Get everyone together. Have the bouncer take the flick. Make him use several cameras. The everyday shoppers wonder even more--what the hell is going on in their little corner of Santa Clara?

Form a line. A single line. Wait a minute--crush up together. Take the chairs to the car. Is there time? Yes, says the bouncer dude. Race across to the Indian restaurant and go to the bathroom. Come back and stand in a single line. Luna arrives. Egads! "Your are here?" "Yes," I say. Hugs. A four-foot-two is getting worried. How many friends do we have? "Don't worry, we'll put you in front."

Six o'clock. The gates to Doggie Heaven swing open. We are admitted! The four foot two gal is right in front. She is beaming. The stage is no higher than my desk. AJ, neochick, and I are right in back of the short woman. How many hours to wait? Only four till Dogstar plays. Only four? "He will really be right there?" pointing to the stage. "Yes, right there." Just the short gal, a barrier, two feet to the stage, a speaker and Ke right there behind it. Within spitting distance. No--not spitting, within sweat dropping distance, sweat from Keanu. "Can you believe it?" "No." "Hold my place." "Where is everybody?" "Lots of people will come later." "They sold nine hundred tickets." "No?" "Yes, so they said."

"My feet hurt." Listen to the nondescript music. Watch the swirling colored lights. Swirls like oil in water. "I can see E.T.'s face in those lights." "Hm, maybe." "Everything has gone so well. I can't believe it. We are really here." Too loud to really talk. Turn around. Look around. The crowd grows. Penny and Jen gone to the low balcony, out of the crush. DogstarLuvr and xia and spuddie down in front of Bret. Wait. Wait. Wait.

Welcome some D.J.'s. "Are you ready?" "YES!" "Welcome Electromotive [?]" Clap. The bass player looks like a young and sneering Michael Keaton. "Look at the belly button action on that guy." The group throws CD's into the audience. Anja catches one! Hope she likes the group better than I do. At least they make me forget about my tired feet. Every song of there's has a one-word title. "Blind" is good. Something flies out at my feet from the stage. A silver band--maybe a wedding band. Pick it up. It's probably the singer's. Give it back to bouncer whose sitting down in the "gap" nearby.

Wait. Wait. Wait. At least there is the removal of equipment to watch. And then the set up of equipment to see. Wait. Wait. Wait. Activity at last. A guy comes out. "Are you ready for Keanu? And Dogstar?" Luna leans over and hisses to me, "That's not right." Bring on some local D.J.'s. "Are you ready for Keanu and his band Dogstar." Luna tugging on me again. "I know. I know. That is bad." If only I didn't have this cold and no voice, I'd scream at them "It's Dogstar, not just Keanu." Or something like that. The guy speaks again, "Keanu wanted me to thank you for coming out on Easter." Did he really? or are you just saying that?

Wait five, no ten, more minutes. Finally the angels of Dogstar Heaven come on stage.