Petaluma, CA

August 8, 2002 ... McNears Mystic Theatre

REVIEWS

• Chris: On an average day in the small town of Petaluma, a cold breeze that comes from the bay, keeps the hair blowing and the smiles going. On this night the 8th of August, I attended the Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions concert. I bought my ticket a few days prior, with the last pay check I received from a great pizza place that let me go. Old Chicago paid for my concert.

  I went to the show alone, but made some friends. Hours before the show I traveled that long road downtown Petaluma. I waited to see if I could meet Hope before she performed. To my surprise she wasn't there. The bus was, so my friend (Alex) who did not attend the show (just isn't a fan of Hope or even Mazzy Star) waited patiently with me. She was out with her friend admiring the town I resided in for the past year and a half. Finally my time came and I spoke to Hope. She was in a hurry and needed to do her sound check. She was 45 minutes late for the sound check. After exactly 22 minutes, I was in sheer amazement at what I just heard. The soundcheck was very much like listening to the CD, only a little bit of comical conversation going on between the men in the band and at times the Shy wonder herself would giggle at the comments in between the magical sound the Warm Inventions and Hope were creating.

  Hope after the soundcheck came outside where I was waiting, and as promised, took a photo with me. Getting the photo was not easy as I found out she was truly a very shy lady and as for myself I'm pretty much a forward man. Well, she tried for me to take a photo with Al Browne, but I refused and rightfully so, I waited over three hours to meet her and have my photo taken with Hope, not Al.

  Well, after the photo was taken, there was about a good half hour before the doors opened. I went to the local Deaf Dog and enjoyed an Italian Soda (raspberry and coconut) As I usually do. I was in company with two friends, Alex and David.

  After about 20 minutes at the Deaf Dog, I went back to the venue, roughly about a block away. I went inside and waited for the show. After a pleasant opening band, it was time. You could feel the heat from the small tight sold out venue. You had to get your spot and wait. Then came the band. Hope Sandoval starts the show off with some warm vocals. They opened the show with Lose Me On the Way. It was so pure and natural. The setting was very sweet and extremely classy. Hope wearing a cute grayish maybe black wrinkly long dress, with a black top, with her sexy belly showing. A candle in a blue holder adding a touch of magic to the set. And very powerful lights switching on each member. The lights would go from strictly blue, to red, to a rainbow. It was truly a night for everyone there to be moved.

  Then later in the show came the shock. The live version of Butterfly Morning (one of my personal favorites on the album) It was almost acapella with the sound of almost a backing sound just to stop it from being an acapella song. I was in my own aura. I was stunned. I cried throughout the show as I was not alone. Many people around me were crying, from the true beauty of it all. Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions were truly amazing, singing great songs from the album such as Charlotte, Clear Day, Drop, and some covers, Silver and Gold and an encore of the Rolling Stones' Play With Fire.

  I left the show in such a state of mind, all I could do was go to the nearest park and just relax and take in what had happened to me. I was very much in an altered state. I was truly one with the music. I was just so completely free. I felt free after watching the concert. I felt motivated, to go on and live my life to the fullest. Hope and her music with the Warm Inventions and her work with Mazzy Star helps me when I act (I'm an actor in the works) and when I paint. The show was such a personal and spiritual moving experience for me. Thank you so much for this experience, and the man at this site, thank you for letting me share this. Colin I am very grateful to you and in great awe to you.