Before we left the National Trade Centre, the hotel people agreed to meet up with the hostel people back at hotel at 6:30 that evening (got that all straight?). Once we were all freshened up and back at the hotel, myself, Jillian, Dockie, Ricky and Pipsey went out for pizza. The pizza place ended up being kiddie-corner to a strip club, which had an interesting sign:

HOT BLONDS LONG LEGS GORGEOUS WOMEN XXX NUDE DANCERS ALL ADULT SEXY SHOWS GO RAPTORS

Um.... Go Raptors? LOL :-) Good to see they have their priorities straight... women women women women basketball....

We got to the Opera House, where the concert was taking place, and Jillian had to help me and Pipsey get inside, because it was a 19+ show and Pipsey and I are still waiting for the big 1-9. But, we did get inside with very little problem, so all was well.

As soon as we got inside, Jillian headed right up to the front of the stage, while I stayed back a bit with Ricky and Pipsey. We were still only about 8 rows back, if that, so I wasn't complaining :-) I hung around with them for the first two-thirds or so of Rosho's set, and then ChainLit and PhredLit (the other big bosslady) told me to come up to the balcony with them (ahhh, the perks of being on the organizing team). We were standing by the bar on our way upstairs when I looked over and saw Andrew MacNaughtan. CL and PL went over and introduced themselves while I hung back a little (it was a bit crowded), and then we went upstairs.

The show's opening band... all the way from Brazil... Rosho!
(featuring Spicketeric's head...)

Rosho's guitarist rockin' out!

These were taken from the balcony... unfortunately they came out pretty grainy... this is Rosho featuring Spageddy Lee from Freewill (the guy in the vest and sunglasses).

Two more shots from the balcony...

Rosho's setlist, as deciphered by members of TRI-NET (in no particular order):
=======================================================
Anthem
Entre Nous
Red Barchetta
The Camera Eye
The Analog Kid
Chemistry
Countdown
The Body Electric
Marathon
Territories
Show Don't Tell
excerpts from Roll the Bones
Dreamline
Animate

I spent the last few songs of Rosho's set upstairs, and during the intermission I came downstairs and introduced myself to Andrew MacNaughtan. He is really really cool -- he's the one who generously donated the Presto portraits to RushCon's charity auction, and got the guys to sign them! Andrew rocks! :-) I spent the first couple of songs of Merely Players' set standing back there, and I got to watch Rosho talk to Andrew for a while.

The guys from Rosho posing for a pic with Rush photographer Andrew MacNaughtan (the guy being pointed to... lol).

After a while I returned to the floor and found Ricky and Pipsey again. For the first chunk of Merely Players' set, they were having some pretty bad sound difficulties, but when they played Limelight, suddenly everything seemed clearer! :-) They sounded great after that, and a fabulous time was had by all. It was so cool -- you'd be in your own little world, singing and dancing to your heart's content, and then you'd make eye contact with someone. Then the two of you would sing and dance together for a few moments before returning to your own little world again. It was neat :-) You put a couple hundred people who have been in Live Rush Withdrawl for at least four years in a room together, and then put a tribute band up onstage, and blammo. Instant fun :-)

The second band of the night... all the way from... uh... Wisconsin... LOL :-) Merely Players!

Right before the intermission, the band started 2112. Just then Kurt, the guy who would interview Terry Brown on Sunday, walked by me and said, "Hey, you want to come up on the side of the stage?" Ummm.... okay :-) I brought Ricky along and we stood at the side of the stage for the entire song. We got to stand by a guy who was wearing a Geddy's Pub shirt! :-) When the song ended it was time for intermission, so we figured that it was about time to return to the lowly masses of non-backstage-people :-)

These were taken from the side of the stage while Merely Players performed all of 2112. Check out the shirt of the guy in the second picture! (bottom right-hand corner)

The show continued on, and they played a LOT of good stuff. I did a lot of dancing that night -- I'm surprised that I didn't collapse from dehydration! This is Merely Players' setlist, as posted on TRI-NET by Hemisteve, for Sean Jones (the guy who did all the singing and could miraculously still talk the next day! :-):

Merely Players Set List
================
The Spirit of Radio
Freewill
Test for Echo
Subdivisions
Red Sector A
The Fear Trilogy:
The Enemy Within
The Weapon
Witch Hunt
The Big Money
Bravado
Everyday Glory
Turn the Page
Limelight
Beneath, Between, and Behind
2112

Set Two
======
Cygnus X-1
Hemispheres
Fly By Night (w/ extended intro)
Distant Early Warning
The Pass
Totem
Natural Science/No One at the Bridge
Tom Sawyer
Available Light
Medley:
Something for Nothing/
Finding My Way/
La Villa Strangiato
YYZ
Closer to the Heart (Extended)

After the show, a bunch of us took a cab back to the hotel, because there were various parties going on at peoples' rooms afterward. It was a very long but fun night, that resulted in my getting to bed as the sun was coming up. I was able to have a quick nap before getting up the next morning. Whoops :-)