Day 8
Pabst Theatre, Milwaukee, 4 May 2005
It could all have been so simple. We had a plan, a Pabst Theatre plan, because there was a door that led directly from the stage to the street.
Our strategy was flattery. We decided to do a version of 'Spirit of Radio' during the gig. In my long practise sessions with Jason he had constantly been repeating the widdly riff, and I had tried and been unable to keep up with him. He had laughed darkly and beaten me with a floor-tom leg, so I knew he would lose no time taking to the stage to show me how it was done. Similarly, Matt knew that when he introduced the song and said he wanted it to be sung by 'a special guy, a great singer, and a true friend', Cary would not be able to resist running on with his hands in the air, that way he does. The plan was to stop after the second chorus and run like hell to the bus where we would liberate Roberto from wherever he was hidden and make our escape.
It was not to be. The plan was working perfectly up until the second verse and suddenly the PA cut out. There was confusion, and a familiar voice cried out from the back of the hall, "Don't worry boys, I'm here!", and sillhouetted against the fire exit was the unmistakable figure of Roberto, brandishing two heavy mic stands. Wherever he had sprung from, his rebellion was prematurely ended by Claire, who dropped him with a devastating throat-chop from behind.
The PA was turned back on again, but our plan was in ruin, and Cary and Jason forced us to play 'Xanadu' until the theatre was completely empty.
