After Stones and After Thanksgiving Blues
Mood:  lazy
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday yesterday. Hope you didn't get stuck in the middle of your travels due to the snowstorms in the midwest & east. I actually changed my plans from going to Thanksgiving at my parents house 4.5 hours east of here, due to being sick since I returned from the Calif. trip and also due to the weather.

We had about 2" of snow here yesterday and it was windy wit white-out conditions. Today the sun is shining, but the temp was 12 when I got up, with a windchill of 3! I don't remember having a White Thanksgiving, but here comes winter!

So, my Stones tour ended on Nov. 15 in San Francisco. And a great first leg of a tour it was! I think back to May 10 when the press conference was going on and everyone was freaking about tickets and I was kicking myself for not going to the press conference...who knew what great things would be in store?

I count my blessings for all the cool things that have taken place between Aug. 10, 2005 when I went to the Phoenix Club gig in Toronto to kick off the tour and Nov. 15 when my tour ended in San Francisco front row center at SBC Park. I gave Keith a scarf at the club gig. I got a guitar pick in return. I gave Keith a shirt in Toronto and he wore it into Pittsburgh my hometown. I got some great pictures of the Stones in Toronto, Philly & San Diego. I was backstage in the Rattlesnake Inn 7 times. I got to walk across the Stones stage at the Hollywood Bowl Nov. 6 before the show. I saw all of the Stones numerous times in person and talked to Keith, Charlie & Ronnie. I went to Ronnie's art show. I saw Bernard & Blondie sing at the Joint with Waddy Wachtel. I saw Tim Ries play two shows in LA & SF with Bernard & Michael Davis. I hung out with Keith's daughter Angela in Pittsburgh, DC, LA, San Diego & San Francisco. I ended up with probably about 10 guitar picks of Keith's-one is a rare one with Keith Richards printed on it. I also got one from Ronnie that Ronnie put into my hand at the B stage in DC. Also one front Blondie & one from Daryl. I got a custom made skull ring that says "Blue Lena + Keith" on the skull thanks to the generosity of Tony Creed at www.tonycreed.com. I saw 14 awesome Stones shows in 9 different cities and was in the front row 5 times...never farther than the 7th row.

SO I HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR!!! Special thanks to BB, BC, TR, KR & TC for their kindness and generosity.

Looking forward to MORE STONES in 2006! Chicago is the start to my tour in the New Year...and then Las Vegas in March seems like a good bet.

HERE'S TO THE ROLLING STONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The California Tour Itinerary
Mood:  party time!
Ok, tomorrow morning (Sat. Nov. 5) I fly from Pittsburgh to LA, arriving at LAX at 5pm. I'll be meeting my Stones friend "E", and then we're headed to Beverly Hills, where we'll be staying until Nov. 9. We will be seeing both Hollywood Bowl shows, catching my friend's band play in San Francisco on the 10th and then flying to San Diego for the Petco Park show on the 11th. On the 12th we head back to San Francisco and will see both SBC Park shows, as well as Tim Ries, Bernard Fowler and Michael Davis play in Oakland on Nov. 14. Then it's back home on the 16th. So, that's the whirlwind tour of California. These are my last shows of 2005, but I have already scheduled in the 2 United Center shows in Chicago for Jan. 2006...so there is more Stones to come in the New Year! Wooo Wooooooo

Birthday with the Stones
Mood:  celebratory
Today is my 38th birthday. About 26 of those years have been spent listening to the Stones. About 11 of those years have been spent following the Stones on tour. About 8 of those years have been spent running The Keith Shrine web page. About 6 of those years have been spent editing Stones Planet Fanzine and running the US branch of the Rolling Stones Fan Club Office. Here's to another 38 years (and more hopefully) of loving the Rolling Stones!

My co-workers gave me a little party today, complete with signs with little Stones tongues on them, a skull flower vase, and a red blow up guitar!

I know what my wish is. It could have came true in September when the Stones were in Pittsburgh. A certain someone could have made it come true, but didn't. Perhaps, it will come true sometime this tour. Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind.

See ya'll in LA, San Diego & San Francisco in November! Woooo Woooo

Where are my boys?
Mood:  lazy
Ok, so they're on break for a bit until Calgary I think. Perhaps working on some new setlist additions? Hmmmm, we'll see. I am off to California on Nov. 5 and I can't wait. I'll see 5 more shows between Nov. 5-16 and then I think that's it for me until Jan. 06...I just scheduled a trip to Chicago for Jan. 22-26 to see the 2 United Center shows. Remember how cold it was last tour in Jan. in Chicago? Man, it was bone chilling rough. Good news is, on Jan. 27 I fly to Miami for a week!

Whirlwind Tour
Mood:  cheeky
I promise that I will update the Shrine with all the nitty gritty details of my on the road escapades as soon as I get a minute. I have basically been running from town to town, with only a bit of working at my "real" job in between. I went from Toronto, to Pittsburgh, to Hershey, to DC, to Philly in a matter of several weeks. I have tons of photos to upload and lots of reviews to write. I have three weeks to catch up before I am off to LA, San Diego and San Francisco...then that's it for me until the new year and who knows what lies ahead from there? Special thanks a while to Blondie & Bill...and a special kick in the ass to Bernard who owes me one BIG favor from Pittsburgh ;-)

Never A Better Time in My Hometown-Pittsburgh Rocked
Ok, so I danced like a fucking lunatic...I was 5th row center on the catwalk for Christ's sake what could I do? The boys loomed in front of me all night. We took over the VIP Lounge, we were the only ones there and it was a beautiful night by the river, what more could we want? We got "Rocks Off", "Wild Horses" with Eddie Veder, "Get Off my Could" and "Paint it Black". Smoking. B-stage front row Ronnie's side-guitar picks, thanks to TR. Lots of gifts were shelled out to the entourage as well. Hope ya'll like the rings and scarves boys. Keith wore my shirt I gave him in Toronto...and now his daughter Angela owns my shirt that matched Keiths. Happy 31st to Dominic by the way! So many stories, so little time. Look for the real review elsewhere here when my head stops spinning. Thank you Rolling Stones for another great Pittsburgh hometown show! And a special thanks and hello to Bill, in case he peeks in here ;-)

It's Here!
A Bigger Bang was released today in the US...only $9.99 at Best Buy, what a steal! Playing it LOUD right now. Everytime I hear it, I like it more and more. THANK YOU ROLLING STONES for this fantatic album! The 8 year wait was worth it! LOL

New Album and onto Chicago's Soldier Field
Mood:  celebratory
Well, I've been listening to "A Bigger Bang" for a about a week now...and loving it! This album is definitely the Stones getting back to their rock n' blues roots, with the guitars in the forefront.

Now playing "Biggest Mistake", which could have been an Alfie outtake for Mick, seeing as how the lyrics would fit the movie so well. My favorite tracks so far are "Back of My Hand", the sublime blues number with Mick playing some stellar slide guitar; "Rough Justice" for the true rock n' roll of it and the amusing lyrics; "It Won't Take Long", "Sweet Neo-Con" great harp, nevermind what the fuss is about; Keith's new heartfelt ballad "This Place Is Empty" and the Wino's-like "Infamy". So far the 4 tracks that were played "live" in concert so far have come off well, and there are plenty more to choose from.

Interestingly, I hadn't heard any of the new tracks on the radio locally yet! Until yesterday, when I finally caught "Streets Of Love".

Album is due Tuesday! And then you can play it LOUD! It's been getting mostly raves from the media, which is a breath of fresh air. It's being called the Stones best new album since Tattoo You certainly, or "Some Girls"...and some are stretching back as far as "Exile" only because "A Bigger Bang" has 16 tracks.

I am leaving Friday for Chicago and Saturday will be taking in the Soldier Field show. Look for a review here next week.

DON'T FORGET STONES PLANET FANZINE'S AUTUMN 2005 ISSUE HAS BEEN PRINTED AND IS ON IT'S WAY TO THE USA FOR DISTRIBUTION. THIS ISSUE COVERS THE TORONTO CLUB SHOW AND OPENING NIGHT IN BOSTON. TO SUBSCRIBE GO TO AND CLICK ON THE JOIN BUTTON OR RENEW NOW!!!

Oh, and PS. TODAY IS MY HUSBAND'S AND MY 12th ANNIVERSARY!

Boston Opening Night Review is Posted Today
Boston Fenway Park Opening Night of A Bigger Bang Tour

My Review is Coming this Weekend!
Just getting back into town on Tuesday at 2am and having to leave for work at 6:30am for a 10 hr day was rough. I will have the review of opening night posted on the Shrine this weekend I promise!!!!