From: Erica May 16, 1999
Star Pavillon
Hershey, PA



First of all I have to say that this is my 2nd Goo show and it was just as incredible as my first one. You couldn't ask for a more beautiful day for a concert. We got to the Star Pavillion around 2 or 2:30ish and just stood in line for a while. Finally we saw the unmistakeable Goo tour bus pull to the other side of the pavillion. I moved to the front of the gate so I could listen and try to see them do the sound check. I could spot John's cowboy hat, along with Mike in his blue jacket (I think that's what color it was) along with Mr. Adorable, Robby!!! We tried to yell to them to get their attention, like it was gonna work from where we were standing!

Anyways, the doors opened at 6:30. I was one of the first couple of people in. After the usual inspection I ran to the front of the stage. Low and behold I got front row this time!! I was thinking Holy Crap they're gonna be right there!!! Waiting for the show to start seemed like FOREVER! But let me tell you, when Fastball came out, they put on an excellent performance. I felt bad for them though because not many people were moving around and hardly any were cheering for them. So, after Fastball is done, and there gear is gone with the Goos stuff out....it goes pitch black. Dave comes out with the usual organ music, which went back and forth from the speakers on the left to the speakers on the right....totally awesome!! I could see Johnny and Robby getting ready on the left side of the stage. Mike comes on and starts beating on his drum. The music is getting faster, and faster, and faster, and then you hear that first chord of "Dizzy" which always makes me go wild with excitement!! Johnny and Robby come exploding onto the stage. Dizzy rocked so much!! It seemed like a whole different audience than when Fastball was on. The crowd was so pumped and was just screaming.

So, a little ways into the concert John is in the spot-light. Everyone else is in the back and it's pitch black except for John. He's cracking some jokes and I decide it's time to give him my gift. It was a plush Hershey kiss that I bought from Chocolate World before the concert.I had written on it: A Kiss 4 John; and Love Erica. Now, I have really bad aim, so I asked the man next to me to throw it on the stage for me right by him. (It was the first thing of a few items to be tossed on the stage). So, the Hershey Kiss doll hits him. He jumps and says something, then picks it up. He says "well isn't this sweet. What does it say here...and reads A kiss for me," Then he makes my night by continuing, "well, thank you Erica" and runs to the back of the stage and places my Hershey Kiss doll on Mike's Drums!!! I was trying to let him know it was from me, but it he didn't see the few people pointing to me saying the doll was mine. Oh well. So he finishes talking and they begin to play more songs. I was right in front of Robby the whole night. John wasn't that far away from me though. They worked the stage very "Goo"d. Robby smiled at me a lot and I'd wave or blow kisses. He'd play peek-a-boo with us. Totally amazing. What entertainers!!! So, not even half way through the show I figure it's time to hold up my poster. It said: Saw you in Wilkes-Barre; Here with you tonight; See you in Scranton (May 26th). Robby saw it first, since it was closest to him. I think I was like the only one there with a poster. He smiled at me. Johnny comes over after a little and bends down a little to read it. (He's smiling the whole time and playing his guitar). Then he chuckles a little and sings the song. Sorry, but I don't remember exactly what songs were sang when all of this stuff ocurred, I was too into the guys!!

He took off his cowboy hat eventually and threw it back towards Nathan. Then when he walked back there, I don't know who had it, but he says "hey, don't F--- with my hat!" and laughs. The rest of the night was beyond words. After playing Iris (which I might add that Nathan played a wonderful solo in), they all left the stage once John had said it was all over. But you could still here almost the same effect that was in the beginning. They come back for the encore. Before Two Days in February John tells a little story about it, using "hypotheticals" I understood where he was going with it b/c I'm die-hard goo, the other people laughed just as much as me though, which was great. So, it's just him and Robby on stage. He sings it as usual, but sings "because I don't wanna pay $500 dollars for my f---ing phone bill" (sorry if that's not entirely word for word there). That was hilarious. Then he changed another part to "i think i'm gonna call you collect, i know that's not what you expect" where he says I know you're living way out west, don't get me wrong I'm not impressed". That was GOOd, too.

In case you were wondering, John wore grey adidas pants with orangish-yellow strips, a white wife-beater, and his cowboy hat. Robby had no socks (of course), his brace :( (I HOPE YOU GET WELL SOON ROBBY!!) and this black velvet shirt with a thin white pattern on it and black pants. I couldn't really see Mike; Nathan wore a white t-shirt and black pants, and Dave had on a burgundy shirt and black pants. After the concert I stayed for a little and managed to get Robby's guitar pic AND Johnny's guitar pic. I was thrilled!! We weren't allowed to stand by the tour bus for autographs though :( because you needed to have Meet and Greet passes for that. But my night was excellent, so much fun!! I can't wait until Scranton!!! GO TO A GOO SHOW EVERYBODY, AND YOU'LL HAVE A WHOLE NEW RESPECT FOR THESE GUYS. THEY PUT ON THE BEST SHOW I'VE EVER SEEN! Oh, and if you want, check out my fan encounter from Wilkes-Barre on the Fan Encounters page!