TOUR JOURNAL

I had a great experience working the Gateway Table at this show. I drove up with another Gateway member from Miami, having worked the table down there the night before. The band was soundchecking "Dark Day Program" as we pulled in to the parking area and it sounded awesome even from outside the arena.

I met up with Flarcus and Bob, my table partner, and we set up just before the doors opened. A constant stream of Gateway members greeted us and grabbed stickers and candy before the show. People were very generous, not only with their positive recovery energy, but also their pockets, as we collected $70.00 in donations for the Gateway.

We took turns working the table, and our passes allowed us into the pit area in front of the stage. The security team was tight with access to this area, resulting in lots of room to dance even right in front of the stage. For me, the highlights of the first set were "Hatfield" and "Clinic Cynic". Todd's vocals are like a Panic secret weapon that they should deploy more often, in my opinion. The set-closing "Life During Wartime" totally rocked the house and left everyone in a great mood as we met up at the table for the set-break meeting.

There were about 15 people at the meeting, and as always it totally inspired me to feel the kind of energy this type of meeting can generate. There is nothing like it. I always know that God is working miracles in my life when I can see the looks of serenity and happiness on the faces of people enjoying music that they love while trudging the happy road of destiny that is recovery!!

Right after we said the "We Version" of the Serenity Prayer to close the meeting, the band ripped into "Can't Get High", as if they were telepathically connecting with us. "I'm sober every night, I can't get high, no I can't get right!" Little do most people not in recovery know that we don't get high because we choose not to, and that for us, sobriety is definatly is how....(cont. next page)