tr-i@chicago.parkwest.nye

This WEB-site was put up for those who attended Todd Rundgren's New Years Eve concert in Chicago (and of course everyone else who heard about it somewhere in cyberspace and finally wants to see some pictures.) CathyLeeB.'s hotelreservation for 'The Coalition For Utopia' sold out one entire hotel and led to this unique gathering of people from all over the US (and Holland:) who had met before only virtually, through electronic media like the awizard mailing list, the TR newsgroup and Compuserve's TR-I forum. This site is on a webserver in Holland and contains the contributions of many who attended. Pictures and stories will be added as they come in, so visit here as often as you can or better: send in your own material. Thanks everyone, especially Cathy for your efforts on behalf of the 'Coalition' and -naturally-: TR for music and inspiration (...it's always a pleasure to check your references!) Lion Keezer

Well, I think I have recovered enough to attempt to put into words the year-end event that took place in Chicago recently! Believe me when I say, the older you get, the longer it takes...

"Started on New Year's Eve Day, a chance for us to get away..."

After being unceremoniously dumped by my hubby, for the Green Bay Packers playoff game, Deby Baker (my partner-in-crime at the IMUSIC Forum) offered to be my date for the evening! What a gal-pal! At 3 PM, she picked me up at home, with her shiny, new "TRI ROX 1" license plates, and we headed for the city. Pulled up to the hotel and started scoping people..."Does that one look like a Todd fan?" Deb got settled in her room; I was to change rooms four times! But that's another story-suffice to say at one point I met Phil, & Robin Ambrose, who was sleeping in my bed! A lot of walking wounded, probably fallout from the two previous shows, and a touch of the flu going around. Deb & I went downstairs to check the restaurant set-up for the dinner party and bumped into Jackie Rae and Jack, Paula Stewart, and from Amsterdam, Lion Keezer and Teresia! The dinner date was imminent, so we hied back to our rooms to get ready.

I was a bit late for dinner, what with the room shuffling, but when I arrived, I was ever so delighted to see a table for 20 filled with happy TR fans! Mary & Mark Adams, John Hermanson, Bill Pierron, Cordt Holland, the Zettermans, Kurt & Diana Boehlien, Kurt S., Lani Hanson, who popped in from Japan, on a whim, and Ken Owen and the aforementioned, also. We all reveled in pasta, toasting, pictures, and stories of tours past! Jackie bestowed beautiful, jeweled gifts on the ladies and medals of honor on the men! Mary handed out her handsome, handmade "Individualist" pins, and she & Lani shared their TR photo albums. Tulip bulbs from Holland were tucked away gently for spring planting. Wonderful, warm feelings all around! But, show time was drawing near...let's boogie!

Back to rooms to prepare for the show or for waiting in line, whatever. Lani popped up and we tried to find her a room for the night, in an overbooked hotel! She showed me her "goodie bag" for TR, which included cool things from her travels in Japan & Australia. I tossed in a few things, too- a pink, electronic mini-guitar & some tulip bulbs.

About this time, my nearly-departed date, Joe B., showed up. We ordered him pasta take-out and left him to his own devices as we scrambled over to the Park West, nearly running over Linda Hildreth in the process! The PW management wouldn't let me bring in the bag of shrimp...planned on hurling it back at TR, after hearing about the Cleveland incident! Maybe shrimp was the cause for all the ailing tummies? Got our excellent booth and started cruising the club, handing out flyers for B&W, and saying 'Hey' to faces we'd missed at dinner. It was an extreme pleasure to sit & chat with Michele & Rex Rundgren between bites of Sausalito cookies! I felt like a Fairy Todd-mother, running around & trying to connect people who were looking for people they'd never met! I was having a blast and the show hadn't even started! Bumped into Garry Nordenstam, Ed Vigdor, Nancy Mearkle, Pat & Becky Bultemeier, Tom Atkins & Seattle Pam, Chris & Vicki Williams, who I rescued from the nosebleed section & ended up sharing our booth! We even got Chris' super-cool Newton-ish thingy autographed on by TR! Hope it recognizes his scrawl...I finally connected with my beloved Kimmie B (and sweet Sophia)! Introduced her to Michele and they did pix for Momma Ruth.

Show was fabulous. I won't repeat set lists, but I found willing dance partners, think I saw TR do a solo with the pink mini-guitar and then cried during The Wheel (causing mascara to run, so I apologize for ruining anyone's pictures by looking like a demented racoon)! Couldn't have had anything to do with the dreadful free champagne I was guzzling... ;-)

After the show, we were all to meet up at Gamekeepers, across the street to carry on the festivities. I officially apologize for trying to set this up! The place was Pukesville USA, waiting to happen. Greenish-white faced, twentysomethings who looked like they wanted to fill your shoes with something left over from their dinner! We left quickly and headed back to the hotel for more late-night partying. Heard TR showed up at Pukesville about 3 AM, was told there was no party & no food and went back to his hotel, too! Good for him, and thanks for trying, TR! We were up til 5 AM, then people started dropping like flies, much to the joy of the room neighbors, I'm sure! Brunch the next day happened sort of spontaneously...same great group with some additions; John Heslin & Dan Ehman. We were all rather "cashed", but we all had the same permanent grin-on (that's a facial stiffy, TR!).

Sorry to have gone on so long here, but this really was an incredible 24-hour period! I wanted to try to mention all the names, but I'm sure I left some out...sorry. Each and every one of you has left a special impression on me, and that Todd is the tie that binds us together, means it will be a lasting one! Now I'm getting verklempt...Hoping the planets align similarly in the not-too-distant future, so we can DO IT AGAIN!

Love- Cathy

PS to all: Send pictures, PLEASE! Mine didn't turn out at all!