7/6/96 atlanta GA the masquerade by sonny

I went to this show on the hopes I could get a ticket. I do not live in atlanta so I could not get tickets when they were sold. I drove to atlanta only to find that most tickets were being scalped at $60 plus. Well I only had $80 and my girlfriend definitely wasn't going to wait in the car. So we tried and tried but the only scalper left was pure asshole and the lower his ticket supply got the higher his prices got. So we gave up on getting tickets and just hoped tickets could fall from the sky.
Meanwhile we had seen mike watt comes in and of course all we could say was "mike!" He turned and smiled. He passed again later carrying his bass which I totally expected from him. We seemed to be the only ones recognizing band members. As peter also came out as though to kind of meet the fans only to find not many people recognized him. We stopped and said hey to him. He told us he had just had a baby {my girlfriend was 6 months at the time). Peter acted though he wanted to move on and check out the crowd so we stepped aside. We still needed tickets.
So now the opening band had started and we had just about given up(james hall band). When we see peter coming back from mingling with fans. Some others did finally recognize him. So my girlfriend wanting to see perry bad(she had never seen jane's) says she is gonna ask peter if he can get us in. I am freaking out, but why not. She tells him how we came from alabama to see them and couldn't get tickets can he get us in. he says wait a minute and starts up the outside stairs. We think, oh well he blew us off. All of sudden he starts back down and says "come on!" and so we did. Peter escorted us through backstage and into the front row. We start thanking him madly and he just smiles. We couldn't believe it.
The opening band was still playing and the singer was a mad man. I think they were a local band. They were good and definitely a good opener.
We couldn't wait for porno for pyros and it was not long before they started. Opening with "oh, porpoise head!" perfect song to start with. Not really sure what the complete song list was. I liked the dress though. The whole band was dressed in island like robes. Even mike watt, which was quite a change form his flannel and jeans. Perry had paint here and there on his face and he seemed much, much happier than when I had seen him with jane's addiction. He is very positive with this band. Screaming "we are PORNOOOOOOO FOR PYYYROOOOOSSS!" throughout the show. Perry's smile was biggest of all as though he was happier to see you than you were to see him. They played maybe 6 songs and then perry says "we're gonna take it island style for ya". Kinda like the second stage on relapse but stripped down even more. Peter on acoustic, mike kept his telecaster bass, and stephen with a tinnie drum between his knees which he hit with his hand and a bag of beads. I know they played 'kimberly austin' and maybe three other songs. That is the closest I have ever been watching perry perform and it made me wish I had known about jane's in the early days.
As the show ended we bought some shirts and a sticker. We went outside still high from the show and talked with some people. We noticed the tour buses pulling up and we thought lets see if the band comes out. We did wait and it was worth it. Mike came out first and we watched as other fans crowded around, a couple with the tugboat album in hand for autograph. He talked with fans. Stephen was next so I ran to the fence to see if I could just say hey. All of sudden he looks right at me and says "here ya go" and hands me some drum sticks. I don't know why but then he goes "is that the guy" and this girl says "no" so he takes em' back and gives them to the one he obviously meant to give them to. And I get a "sorry!" and a smile of course. Does stephen ever not smile? I am of course now waiting for perry to come out so I can tackle him... I mean say hello. Next is peter and we thanked him yet again and spoke to him a while and as he walked away he said "god bless your baby". What a great guy I think. So he talks to other fans. Now all three members are talking to different people and I can't help but wonder if perry hasn't already come out. And then a crowd of about 6 surrounding perry starts coming out and the tour bus pulls up and I know they are going to just push him through. I get ready to at least say hi. And well I did. I shoved through took perry's hand and said "hey, perry". He looked pretty high and probably never even knew I was there. I felt like such a dork but how could you not. He was wearing an adidas jump suit, navy blue with a hat like fred sanford. I was pushed to the side as perry borded the bus. I couldn't believe all this happened and I didn't even think I was gonna get in the show. Well my meeting with perry, stephen, peter, and mike watt may not be a great one with pictures and all but there it is. I have to say I am glad perry can play clubs this small. It was one of the best days of my life.


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