Psychedelic Furs October 30, 2024

*Author's note*: While I'm excited to write about the concert and what happened during that day, I just want to let you all know that there are a few things I'm going to leave out of this blog, mainly for sentimental reasons. Thank you and hope you enjoy.

On the 30th of October I saw The Psychedelic Furs for the sixth time at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon, and I know I keep saying this every time I see The Furs but I had one of the most awesome nights (maybe the best night??) of my life. It's been a week now since the day of the concert but I'm still in shock and over the moon about everything that happened. And to be honest the happiest I've ever felt in months.

The last time I talked about the tour was back in June when I got the tickets and I mentioned my brother wasn't able to go because he couldn't get the day of the concert and Halloween off. So my dad said he would go with me and he eventually got the 30th off; and I did as well.

But two unexpected things happened during October. The first is I got a text from my brother and he had exciting news. He was able to get those two days off! I was so happy, I really wanted him to go and I was glad things worked out after all. The second thing is on Instagram I got a DM from a Psychedelic Furs fan named Juli. We both follow each other on social media and on the Fall 2024 tour she saw The Furs a few times on the East Coast. Juli told me that at one of the concerts she attended she sent the guitarist Rich Good a present for him to give to me at the Portland concert (Juli and Rich are actually friends in real life). I was so touched, I thanked Juli and told her how sweet she was to do that for me, and then suddenly a thought occurred.... I would meet Rich Good again... It would be my first time meeting Rich in seven years. Last year at the concert in Eugene I didn't have the chance to meet Rich because my brother and I left the venue right away since he had to go to work in the morning, and my brother said he felt bad about the whole thing. Even though it didn't work out Rich and I messaged each other on Instagram throughout the day so at least we did get in touch. But to actually meet Rich again, after all these years?

Since I would be seeing Rich I thought this was a perfect opportunity to write another letter to The Psychedelic Furs, and so I began working on it during my lunch breaks at work and at home on my days off. When I started to write my first letter back in 2017 I wrote it in the Notes app on my old iPod Touch because if I wrote it in my notebook I would probably waste a bunch of paper. This year I did the same thing, but what I don't like about my Android phone is that it doesn't have its own notepad. So I thought of writing it as a draft on my blog and when I finished it, on the day before the concert, I finally wrote it in the notebook and deleted the draft. I tore the letter out of my notebook, sealed it in an envelope, and put it in my purse. And then I thought of something. I wished I bought a little gift for Rich Good, but with me being busy and tired from work I didn't even think of it. But suddenly an idea entered my head. I had a collection of shells, pebbles, and sea glass that I found during my visits to the Oregon Coast, and since Rich lives in the desert area in California I thought he would like to have a little piece of the Coast. I put the shells in a little bag, tied it up and tucked it in my purse along with my letter.

On the day of the concert I woke up at 5:20 in the morning and I got a text from my brother and he said he's on his way from Bend. I took a shower, got dressed, and packed up my stuff since my brother and I will be spending the night at a hotel. At around 8:50 my brother arrived and visited our family for a little bit, and then we left. Before we entered Portland we stopped at a Japanese ramen place in Beaverton and it was really good. I never had authentic ramen before so it was a fun experience.

My vegetable ramen.

After we ate we drove over to Portland and parked the car in a parking garage that was two miles away from the Crystal Ballroom. Then we walked over to the venue and stood by the entrance. There was a man and woman standing near the entrance as well and they brought their vinyl records with them. I saw they had Mirror Moves and the US pressing of The Psychedelic Furs' debut. I have to mention that it was pouring (as you would expect here in the Pacific Northwest) but I didn't mind at all; I love the rain.

The tour bus!

My brother and I were able to hear the soundcheck through the rain and traffic, and as I looked at my surroundings I became emotional. The first time I saw The Psychedelic Furs was at this very same venue, the Crystal Ballroom, all the way in 2015, and back then I never imagined I would be here again, nine years later, at my 6th Psychedelic Furs concert. I feel like I've come a long way since then, and I'm absolutely grateful to have these wonderful memories.

A little later the venue door opened and a couple people came out and right behind them was.... Rich Good himself. Rich instantly saw me and came over and hugged me. I was so happy and excited to see him, I couldn't help crying a little bit. Rich opened his backpack and took out a tiny box. It was Juli's present for me and inside the box were two beautiful bracelets. In the box there was a note from Juli and she wrote that the bracelets were made out of Rich's guitar strings that he used during the Autumn tour of last year. I actually remember during that time Juli messaged me and asked if I wanted to have the bracelets. Even though I wanted them, I sadly declined because I didn't want to give out my address for privacy reasons. It was so sweet of Juli to think of me after all this time.

The bracelets.

I gave Rich my letter, and before I took out the bag of shells I asked Rich if he had ever been to the Oregon Coast and he told me he went there a long time ago. I gave Rich the shells and he loved them. Rich gave me two guitar picks that he used during soundcheck and we got a picture together. After that Rich had to go to a hotel, and we said goodbye. I couldn't believe it. Did that really happen or was I dreaming? I finally got to see Rich Good again. I was feeling total bliss and I excitedly texted the picture of me and Rich to my dear friend Mary, who was happy for me.

Then 30 minutes later, while my brother and I were looking at his phone, the door opened and someone walked past us. I didn't look up to see who came out of the venue but suddenly I heard the man and woman with the vinyl records shout: "Richard!!" I froze. I realized Richard Butler walked by my brother and I. Richard Butler, the vocalist of The Psychedelic Furs. The two people ran up to Richard and asked him to sign their records. I still didn't look up because I didn't want to be nosy, and due to my shyness I didn't want to disturb Richard but yet.... I wanted to have that chance to meet him. I looked at my brother and I asked him "Should we?" But he told me we shouldn't. I accepted his advice. I have to admit I was kind of disappointed, but as much as I wanted to meet Richard Butler I'm glad we didn't approach him since we knew he was busy and had things to do. I also saw drummer Zachary Alford and keyboardist Amanda Kramer, but I didn't want to bother them.

When the doors were almost about to be opened more people showed up, and the venue employees were getting ready to scan the tickets. Suddenly there was a line of people who were coming out of the restaurant next to the Crystal Ballroom, and they went inside the venue first. Then I realized in a panic. They got the $15 deal. I remember when my brother and I went to see The Psychedelic Furs for the fourth time in 2019, which was at the Crystal Ballroom again, we went inside that restaurant and we were told that if we spend $15 on food and drinks we would get into the Ballroom a little earlier than the regular line. I wasn't sure if the restaurant was still doing that this year, but I guess they were. And then another thing happened which made me panic even more. We were not in the right line after all so we had to go back a little more. Thankfully the line wasn't long but I felt upset. We had been standing outside the venue since 2:00 PM and we were basically there first. It wasn't fair that we had to go back.

After my tickets were scanned we went through the metal detectors, and my brother went to get a drink while I hurriedly went up to the third (or fourth) floor where the stage was. I looked at the stage and to my relief, there was a little gap at the very far left of the stage. I walked over there as quickly as I could, and I made it. I made it to the barrier!! And it was the spot I wanted, because it's on Rich Good's side! I stood there in disbelief. There was a tiny part of me that thought I wouldn't make it, but I did. My brother came and stood behind me, and I wished he was right up at the barrier with me.

I looked at the interior and the architecture of the Crystal Ballroom and I forgot how beautiful the inside was. The venue was built in 1914 and I always have a fascination with old buildings and houses. I like to watch videos of people going into the abandoned old farmhouses, and it seemed to me that back then the buildings and houses were made with thought and care. They have a certain beauty, quality, and charm to them whereas the new houses and buildings don't. I don't like the new buildings nowadays and they are ugly and too modern for my taste.

The special guest for The Psychedelic Furs and The Jesus And Mary Chain tour was Frankie Rose, and she was absolutely great. I really liked the way she performed on stage. Then The Jesus And Mary Chain came next and they were great as well. They even brought Frankie Rose to sing with them on a couple songs. After The Jesus And Mary Chain performed we waited for The Psychedelic Furs to come on stage. The two songs that were the highlights from the intermission music were "Sound And Vision" by David Bowie (funnily enough, that song was played at the 2019 concert so it was like a deja vu moment) and "Bring On The Dancing Horses" by Echo & The Bunnymen.

And then at last, The Psychedelic Furs appeared. In my opinion, the best way to experience a Psychedelic Furs concert is being at the front row. If you're a few rows back, far away or at the balcony it's just not the same. I love the way The Furs interact with the audience and to me they are the best live band I've ever seen. I got emotional at points throughout the show, and when Richard Butler came over to our side I cried. I couldn't believe I was seeing him close up in person. Rich Good smiled at me four or five times (<3), and bassist Tim Butler sang right back at me during "Pretty In Pink" and I think "Only You And I".

On the 2024 tour Richard Fortus joined The Psychedelic Furs and it was awesome to see him on stage. Richard Fortus was the guitarist for Richard Butler's other band Love Spit Love in the '90s. Then in the 2000s he became a member of Guns N' Roses (along with Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer), and in 2020 produced The Psychedelic Furs' recent album Made Of Rain. Seeing Richard Fortus with The Psychedelic Furs on tour makes me wish they covered a Love Spit Love song. It would have been so cool.

The Psychedelic Furs opened with "The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll" and it took me back to when they performed that song in 2019, a year before Made Of Rain was released. It was absolutely awesome hearing "Pulse" and "Forever Now" live for the first time with my own ears, and The Furs brought back some songs I hadn't heard in a long time, like "Only You And I" (as mentioned), "So Run Down", "All That Money Wants", and "All Of The Law". I was happy they brought back "All Of The Law" and the first time I heard this song live was at my second PFurs show in 2016. And I loved how, like the 2016 concert, Richard Butler and Rich Good did the la la las at the end of "All Of The Law".

The three Richards. :) Good, Butler, and Fortus during "All Of The Law".

But even though I was having an incredible time, in my mind and heart I didn't forget saxophonist Mars Williams. I wanted to keep his memory alive and I liked to think he was there with all of us in spirit. On that night I was wearing my PFurs sweatshirt/hoodie but underneath I wore a T-shirt that had a picture of the band that was taken in 2021 (the year when Zachary Alford joined the band), and I wanted to wear it in memory of Mars Williams. And when I looked at the concert photos that people took on social media during the tour I noticed Rich Good was wearing a badge that had a picture of Mars, and I thought it was a lovely tribute. When The Psychedelic Furs played "Heartbreak Beat", during the intro of that song, Amanda Kramer played on her keyboard the part that was originally supposed to have the saxophone and it made me cry listening to it; the song sounded lonely without Mars.

When Mars Williams passed away I wasn't sure how the next concerts would be like and I was worried they wouldn't be the same without him. But after seeing The Psychedelic Furs that night I was wrong after all. They still put out a fantastic show and I'm glad they brought Richard Fortus with them to fill out the sound. He played the guitar and had this cool looking instrument that looked like a type of violin.

After the concert was over my brother told me he had to go to the parking garage to get his car before the garage closes at midnight, and asked me if I would be okay by myself while he went out. I told him I would be fine and as he left I went over to look at the merchandise. I bought a T-shirt that has the Made Of Rain album cover on the front and the tour dates on the back. After I bought my shirt I went out of the venue and stood by the entrance again. I wanted to see Rich Good one more time before my brother and I leave, and I prayed I would have that chance. My brother found me and we stood outside until Rich Good came out of the venue. Rich saw us and we talked for a little bit. I told Rich that it was seven years since we met face to face and he was shocked it had been so long. In my mind I wanted a second picture with Rich but I was afraid I would be asking too much, but suddenly he asked me if I wanted another one and I said yes. Rich got his phone out and took a selfie of us, then told me he would send the picture to me. We talked about other things and then we said farewell. I will always remember that precious moment and it makes me smile every time I think about it. Rich Good is just so wonderful, so kind, so gentle, and I will never forget everything he did for me. To think Rich actually knows who I am is just an amazing thought and I feel he truly understands me as a person, which means a lot to me. My family knows everything about me and Rich, and I really wish they can meet him because I want them to see how awesome he is.

Anyway, after my brother and I left the Crystal Ballroom we drove to a hotel and spent the night there. While I laid in bed my feet were hurting and I felt exhausted, but my mind was racing with excitement about the concert and all of the things that happened. I was on cloud nine and I cried a bunch because I was so happy. It took me a while to fall asleep but eventually I did. At about 5:30 AM my brother and I left the hotel, got coffee and a few things to eat, then headed home. It was hard having to go back to work, reality, and life in general after I had such an incredible day. I really didn't want to go back, I wanted to stay in my happy little bubble forever. But I was happy in my cloud of thoughts while I worked, and the wonderful memories made my work nights go good.

I want to thank The Psychedelic Furs for putting out an awesome show and for coming back to Portland. I hope I will see them again someday.

And special thanks to Rich Good and Juli for making my day and night a very memorable one. I will treasure it forever now and always.

Thank you, with all my heart... <3

Setlist:

1. The Boy That Invented Rock & Roll

2. The Ghost In You

3. So Run Down

4. All That Money Wants

5. Only You And I

6. Wrong Train

7. Love My Way

8. All Of The Law

9. President Gas

10. Pretty In Pink

11. Mr. Jones

12. Pulse

13. Heartbreak Beat

14. Forever Now

15. Heaven

*All photos by me*

Psychedelic Furs October 2, 2023

It has been a long time since I had written a concert blog and it feels really good to write another one.

On October 2 I went to my fifth Psychedelic Furs show at the Silva Concert Hall in Eugene, Oregon. It was one of the most wonderful, beautiful and emotional nights for me. I can't believe I finally saw them after waiting for four years.

I remember when I arrived home after seeing The Furs for the fourth time in 2019 I thought of how in 2020 the band would go on tour to promote the upcoming (at the time) Made Of Rain, their first album in 29 years, and getting to hear more of the new songs live. I was ready for it and I felt in my heart that 2020 would be a great year for The Psychedelic Furs and for us fans.

But sadly 2020 took a turn for the worse with the pandemic happening and because of that The Psychedelic Furs had to postpone the Made Of Rain tour. I was heartbroken for the band because I knew they were looking forward to touring for the new album and performing the new songs. Why did the pandemic have to come at that point in time and ruin everything? It just wasn't fair.

Even though the tour got delayed, at least we were all fortunate enough to be treated with the release of Made Of Rain, which is a beautiful album. But we all waited patiently for the tour to happen, whenever that may be.

In the Autumn of 2021 The Psychedelic Furs started doing some shows on the East Coast and I was happy they finally got to play the new songs. On YouTube someone uploaded the full concert at one of their shows and I watched the whole thing. The Made Of Rain songs sounded awesome (I actually teared up) and I wanted to hear them so much with my own ears.

The Furs toured again in 2022 and during the Summer that year they went to two towns in Oregon, Forest Grove and Jacksonville. I was surprised not seeing Portland because the band always goes there whenever they would tour. I really wanted to go to those shows, but sadly I wasn't able to. I was disappointed but I hoped I would have the chance to see The Furs again soon.

Fast forward to 2023 The Psychedelic Furs toured for a little bit in the Spring, and soon after that they announced a tour in the Fall. They were coming back to Oregon again, this time in Eugene, at the Silva Concert Hall, which is located in a building called the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. This was my time to go, and so I bought two tickets; one for me and one for my brother, who's always my concert buddy. I didn't get the front row tickets because they were too expensive, so I just got the seated ones a little further back which were much cheaper. I wasn't bummed out that I didn't get the front row ones, because what mattered most was seeing The Psychedelic Furs for the first time in four years. Plus it's good for my feet too, since my job is overnight stocking and I walk a lot.

In late August at work I requested to have October 2nd off and two weeks later it got approved. Then I discovered to my relief that on my work schedule I got the day before the concert off! I had a feeling I was going to work on that day but I got it off instead. I could just rest at home before the big day.

But the plans for October 1st changed because at around 5:00 PM my brother called me on the phone and asked me if I wanted to go to Bend with him to visit his fiance. He said that we'll spend the night there at a motel, and on the next day head over to Eugene. I heartily said yes, and so I got ready, packed my stuff, and at around 6:30 my brother came to pick me up and we drove over to Bend. When we got there the three of us went out for dinner, then went to the motel which my brother's fiance paid for, and went to bed.

I went to bed at about 11:00 PM and unfortunately I didn't get enough sleep. I had passed out three times but they only lasted an hour. When I woke up the third time, it was 3:55 AM and I tried to go back to sleep but I just couldn't. I wasn't used to sleeping in a motel bed (the last time I slept at a motel was 13 years ago) and I forgot to bring an old T-shirt that I always use to cover my eyes when I sleep. So it was hard trying to fall asleep with my eyes uncovered.

At around 6:30 AM my brother's fiance left to go to work and my brother and I tried to sleep a little more; but all of a sudden my brother didn't feel tired so we just got ready at 7:00 and left the motel. We did some sightseeing in Bend for a little bit and before we left the city we stopped by where my brother's fiance worked. We visited him on his work break, and after that we headed out to Eugene. Instead of going on the freeway, we went on a different route that was more scenic, with mountains and forests. While we were on that route we stopped at this place and stayed there for a little bit. It was really nice and quiet.

Photo by me.

After that my brother and I headed on to Eugene and we got there at around 4:30 PM. We found the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and parked at the venue's parking area. It was actually raining in Eugene and I liked to think the rain appeared because The Psychedelic Furs were there, and too it fits the theme of Made Of Rain. My brother and I did some more sightseeing, and at 6:30 we went inside the venue.

We saw the merchandise area and went over there to see what they had and I bought two things. I got a T-shirt that has the band's name with the purple star behind it, and to my delight a hoodie that says The Psychedelic Furs on it. I always wanted to have a band hoodie and I am happy it's a Psychedelic Furs one. I feel like it represents who I am.

So then my brother and I went into the Silva Concert Hall, and I think I read that it was built in 1982 and the interior is supposed to resemble a theater from the 19th century. We found our seats, sat down, and waited during intermission.

The opening band Squeeze came on and they were fun to watch. I'm only familiar with a few of their songs because a couple of Squeeze's songs were in the Rock Band video game which my brother and I used to play, and the song I remembered the most was "Tempted". They played that song and it was great hearing it. While Squeeze was performing the thought of seeing The Psychedelic Furs in a moment entered my head and I got super emotional. I tried not to cry but a tear escaped out of my eye. I wiped my eye and composed myself. I couldn't believe it would happen soon.

After Squeeze performed we waited during the second intermission and it was so cool seeing the new look of The Psychedelic Furs' drum kit. And then at last, the moment I had been waiting for came. The lights went dim, the introduction music started, and The Psychedelic Furs arrived on stage. The band members were the ones to arrive first, and after when they got settled in their positions vocalist Richard Butler appeared. When I first saw them walk on stage the tears were finally let loose and I started crying. It was actually happening, and how did I live without seeing The Psychedelic Furs for four long years?? It absolutely felt like old times again, before all the crazy things happened in the world.

The newest member to fill in former drummer Paul Garisto's place on the drums was Zachary Alford, who first joined The Psychedelic Furs in 2021. It was cool to finally see Zach in action and he's an awesome addition to the band. And it was so wonderful to see saxophonist Mars Williams back on the stage. When The Furs did the first part of the 2023 tour Mars was sadly unable to join them because he had been going through treatment. I can't imagine a Psychedelic Furs show without Mars. He's part of what makes The Psychedelic Furs' music so great and he's incredible on the saxophone. I hope Mars is enjoying the tour and I hope his health continues to improve and get better. I shouted out "We love you Mars" twice and I don't know if my voice was loud enough but I hope he heard me.

On my blog about the second concert I attended I mentioned that the setlist for the 2016 tour was my favorite setlist, mainly because two other songs from Midnight To Midnight were played, "Angels Don't Cry" and "All Of The Law". But this setlist...  it is definitely the best one for me. All of the songs were so fantastic but I will talk about the ones that stood out to me the most.

The Psychedelic Furs played "In My Head" from their 1991 album World Outside and it was delightful hearing it. It's one of my favorite songs on that album. And the Made Of Rain songs.... Wow.... they were so amazing and I finally got to listen to them live! I'll start with "Wrong Train" first. In 2015 when I first saw The Furs, they played this song but at the time I wasn't familiar with it. But now since it's on Made Of Rain it was great hearing the song. "This'll Never Be Like Love" was very fantastic, especially when guitarist Rich Good and Mars Williams gave it their all at the end. They played beautifully.

But the two songs from Made Of Rain that made me become very emotional were "No-One" and "You'll Be Mine". As I said many times, "No-One" is my favorite Psychedelic Furs song of all time and I was in tears when they played that song. I was so glad I got to hear my favorite PFurs song in person. It was glorious. I was in awe throughout the whole song.

After when The Psychedelic Furs performed "Heaven" I knew "You'll Be Mine" was next since I looked at the setlists from the previous shows. And let me tell you, the performance of "You'll Be Mine" was something that I will never forget. It's one of those moments that stay with you forever and it makes me emotional, even cry, thinking about it. It sort of felt like a religious experience in some way, and in my opinion it was even more powerful live. On my review of the Made Of Rain album I wrote that if I heard "You'll Be Mine" live I would probably break down in tears. And it turned out I was right all along. I cried throughout the whole song and even though I really wanted to sing, I couldn't and just remained silent. It's hard to believe that three years ago when "You'll Be Mine" first came out the world was in shambles. I didn't know what would happen in the coming days, weeks, and years, and I felt like all was lost. But as I listened to the music, even though the song's about death, it gave me hope. Back then I never imagined I would be back at a concert, three years later, seeing The Psychedelic Furs and hearing them play "You'll Be Mine". It meant so much to me that they played this song and I want to thank the band with all my heart for doing that.

There was no encore this time, and when the lights came back on my brother and I left our seats and went out. Deep down I was kind of hoping we would stay for a little bit, in case we were lucky enough to meet Rich Good again but we left right away. My brother had to be at work at 11:00 AM and the drive home was an hour and a half.

My fifth Psychedelic Furs show, and my first concert in the 2020s, was absolutely wonderful. I never wanted that day to end and I wish I can go back in time to relive it all over again. I can't believe it actually happened and I really hope I will see them again next year.

Setlist:

1. Into You Like A Train

2. Mr. Jones

3. Heaven

4. You'll Be Mine

5. Wrong Train

6. President Gas

7. The Ghost In You

8. In My Head

9. Pretty In Pink

10. No-One

11. This'll Never Be Like Love

12. Sister Europe

13. Heartbeat

14. Love My Way

15. Heartbreak Beat

*All concert photos by me*

Psychedelic Furs July 22, 2017

After feeling the excitement from the second concert in 2016 I hoped The Psychedelic Furs would return to the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon someday. The venue was awesome and I really wanted to go back there; and luckily it happened. When The Furs came out with the dates for the Summer 2017 tour I discovered the Revolution Hall was added again and I was delighted. But there was something I wanted to do, and that was to give The Psychedelic Furs a letter.

In June (a month before the concert) I bought a notebook to write my letter in, but before I wrote on the notebook I used the Notes app on my mobile device. I didn't want to write on the notebook first because I would probably waste a lot of paper, so using the app was very useful. I can't remember how many weeks it took me to write out my letter, but I finished it on the Notes app. Then in July on the day before the concert I officially wrote it on the notebook and tore the paper out. I was excited.

I took this picture right before I started my letter; July 21, 2017.

The big day finally came, and my original plan was to be in the front row again and try to give my letter to vocalist Richard Butler or throw it on stage during the show. But unfortunately my plan got backfired, because my brother (who went with me again) had a blister under his foot and he said he didn't want to stand for a long time and so wanted to sit in the balcony. I told him that was fine, but deep down I was really disappointed. At first I thought of not bringing my letter, but at the last minute I decided to take it with me, thinking "Well, just in case..." I prayed that there would be a way for me to give The Furs my letter. I wanted it to happen so much.

My brother and I got into the Revolution Hall and we went up to the third floor (where the balcony was) to stand in line. As I mentioned before, the venue used to be a high school many decades ago and seeing the old lockers by me was cool. While in line a middle-aged couple who were standing behind me noticed the 2016 tour t-shirt I was wearing and we started talking about The Furs. I actually enjoyed it, and it was fun talking to them about my favorite band. After that the doors opened and we went inside. The balcony was curved and so my brother and I sat on the left side of it.

There was a backstage door facing my direction which was open, and while opener Robyn Hitchcock was singing a lady appeared in the doorway to watch him and then left. I realized she was the keyboardist Amanda Kramer, and a little after she went away guitarist Rich Good came and watched Robyn, too. I looked at Rich and I thought about the time I met him the year before. Through the doorway I also saw Richard Butler, his brother and bassist Tim, and saxophonist Mars Williams.

Right after Robyn Hitchcock's performance somebody from the bottom floor threw something on stage. Seeing that suddenly gave me a great idea. I took the letter out of my pocket, got up from my seat, and threw it so that it would land on the stage. But as I threw my letter I saw it floating down to the floor below instead of the stage, and I sat back down with my hopes crushed. My brother wondered what I threw and I told him it was a letter for The Psychedelic Furs. I was devastated inside and I felt like I did it all for nothing. I thought of how the audience under me would probably find my letter, pick it up and read it, and I got a sick feeling in my stomach thinking about that. I really didn't want them to, because my letter was supposed to be personal and private.

Once again The Psychedelic Furs put out an amazing show and the songs I got excited hearing were "Dumb Waiters," "So Run Down," "No Tears," "Alice's House," "All That Money Wants," and "House." I wasn't familiar with the latter song when The Furs played it at the 2016 concert because I didn't have Book Of Days at the time. They also performed another song I didn't recognize back then, and it was a cover of "Believe" by Richard Butler's other band Love Spit Love.

When the concert was over my brother bought me a t-shirt and we went out of the building. I had a good time but I was sort of still disappointed with the whole affair of the letter. But when I watched The Furs perform I never knew that something special would happen after the show, and it gave that night a happy ending for me.

My brother and I were about to cross the street but we couldn't because there were too many cars passing through. So we went around the Revolution Hall, and as we were walking my brother looked over his shoulder and suddenly whispered to me, "Sarah, behind you!" I looked back and I saw Rich Good walking out of the door of the venue. He had a drink in his hand and was heading the opposite direction. I yelled out hi to Rich and he turned around, looked at me, and said happily, "Hey, how are you doing Sarah?!" When Rich said my name I got so excited. I was blown away that he remembered me, and even my brother was too! Rich came over and hugged me, then pulled something out of the pocket of his jacket and said, "I got your letter!"

He was holding my letter... My letter... 

I was absolutely stunned. I thought it disappeared. How did Rich find it? I was like, "What?"

Then Rich said, "Yeah, I found it by my key pedals and it was really lovely and it made me tear up."

After Rich said that I was in a shock and tried to process what I heard. Then realizing my letter actually made it to The Furs I broke down crying tears of joy and relief, and as I cried Rich hugged and comforted me. I knew there were people around us who could hear me sobbing my heart out, but I didn't care... I was the happiest girl in the world that night, and I was so thankful my prayers were answered.

Rich talked to my brother and I for a little bit and asked us how our day went and if we enjoyed the concert. Then I got a photo with Rich and he gave me another guitar plectrum! As we were preparing to leave Rich hugged me, said bye, and left to go visit a couple friends of his. Rich Good is one of the most nicest and awesome people I've ever met, and I will always remember his kindness to me. I even got five hugs from him! <3

I was still in shock when we left and before my brother and I went home, we stopped by at an area where there were food trucks and benches and so we got something to eat. I didn't eat that much though because I was too excited about what happened. That night definitely ended on an awesome note, and looking back it gives me a comforting feeling to know that Richard Butler and the others saw my letter, too.

The next day I was looking at the pictures that I took at the concert and on some of the photos there was an amazing discovery. There was something laying by Rich Good's key pedals and after remembering what Rich said to me, I realized that was my letter! It did land on the stage after all and he probably found it when the show ended. My family was very happy for me when I told them about that wonderful moment. It's a beautiful memory that I will cherish forever...

My letter laying near Rich Good's key pedals during the concert!

Setlist:

1. Dumb Waiters
2. Heartbeat
3. The Ghost In You
4. So Run Down
5. Heaven
6. No Tears
7. Believe (Love Spit Love cover)
8. Highwire Days
9. Love My Way
10. Angels Don't Cry
11. Alice's House
12. Mr. Jones
13. All That Money Wants
14. House
15. Pretty In Pink

Encore:

16. President Gas
17. Heartbreak Beat
18. India

The guitar pick given to me by Rich Good.

*All photos by me*

Psychedelic Furs July 26, 2016

The second Psychedelic Furs concert I went to was at the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon in 2016, and as I said on my previous post, it is my favorite concert of all time because so many awesome moments happened on that day.

My brother went with me again and we left at about noon. After we entered Portland we found where the Revolution Hall was and went to look for a parking spot. We found one close by and walked over to the venue. While we were walking over there, at a distance there were two guys heading towards us. When they came closer I realized one of them was guitarist Rich Good, and as we walked by I said hi to Rich and he said hi back. After we said hi my brother asked me if that was the guitarist and I said yeah. He asked me why I didn't get a photo with him and I told my brother I was nervous. Also I was afraid I would be a bother but I didn't mention that to him.

We got to the Hall and walked around to take a look at the venue. After looking around we saw Rich and the other guy again. My brother asked me if I wanted a picture with Rich and I remember saying, "I'm nervous but it would be so awesome!" We went up to Rich and my brother asked him if he could take a picture of me and Rich together. Rich said yeah and we both introduced ourselves and got the photo taken. I was very shy, but Rich was so kind and after the photo he gave me a guitar plectrum! I hugged Rich and told him thank you, and then we said farewell. I was happy that I got the chance to meet Rich Good and getting the plectrum was exciting. By the way, when my brother and I were checking out the venue we saw saxophonist Mars Williams by the tour bus, but we were far away from him.

My brother and I stayed outside for a little bit, then we went inside the Hall. The Revolution Hall actually used to be an old school called Washington High School and was built in the late 1800s. Right when we went inside we bumped into Rich again! He said to me, "Hi, how's it going?" and I said "Good!" Rich had his guitar with him and he went away to rehearse with the band.

My brother and I went up to the second floor where the auditorium was (where the show will take place), and there was also a third floor which led to the auditorium's balcony. At the second floor there were benches lined up against the outside of the auditorium and so we both sat on the bench. It was very quiet and we were the only ones in there. Suddenly we heard music coming from the auditorium and we realized The Psychedelic Furs were in there soundchecking! They did the songs "The Ghost In You," "Love My Way," "Like A Stranger," "Angels Don’t Cry," and "Mr. Jones." It was amazing hearing that and the vocalist Richard Butler sounded fantastic.

A couple hours later more people showed up in line, and as the doors were opened we went inside and made it right up to the center of the stage. But the awesome thing was there was no barrier at all! The opening band was The Church again, and it was nice they came back to tour with The Psychedelic Furs for the second time. After The Church played we waited for The Furs to come on stage, and at last the walk-on music started. The song was David Bowie's "Warszawa" from the album Low (1977), and when my brother and I realized what that song was we looked at each other and cheered loudly in appreciation. I got emotional because I knew it was a tribute to Bowie, who sadly passed away in the beginning of 2016. Then the band members arrived, and after the intro to the opener "India" Richard Butler came on stage. Rich Good recognized me in the crowd and he smiled at me as I waved at him.

Out of all the PFurs concerts I went to the setlist for this show (and for the 2016 tour) is the best one for me because "All Of The Law" and "Angels Don't Cry" were included, and it was great hearing those songs live. Even bassist Tim Butler said in an interview once that the latter was his favorite song to play during that tour. Speaking of Tim, he sang right back to me many times and at one point as I was taking pictures of him, he noticed and looked at me!

One of the reasons why this concert is my absolute favorite is because of what happened during the show. I had gotten four handshakes from Richard Butler! At the start of the second song "Fall" he went over to where I was to shake some of the people's hands, and when I lifted my arm he shook my hand. I looked at my brother with a huge smile on my face. At the first concert I tried to get a handshake two times but I wasn't able to, so when I finally got one I felt deep satisfaction. Richard shook my hand again I think during "Like A Stranger," and the last two occurred during "The Ghost In You" and "Heartbreak Beat." But the third handshake is the most special one...

Richard Butler was on the right side of the stage during the first chorus of "The Ghost In You," and when the second verse began he headed over to my direction. As Richard started to sing the line "Stars come down in you" he shook my hand and I looked at my brother again excitedly. But when I looked at my brother I realized my arm was still lifted, and as I looked back Richard held my hand and was singing to me, looking at me! I honestly never expected that would happen, and when he was about to go I yelled out hi to him. It was a very special moment and I'll never forget it for the rest of my life.

At the end of the last song "Pretty In Pink" Richard Butler left while the band was finishing the final part, and after when the music ended the band members went also. While they were leaving Rich Good was walking by and stopped to shake some hands. He saw me, shook my hand, and said to me "Hi again!" and I said hi back. The performance of "Pretty In Pink" from that concert is on YouTube, and it showed Rich shaking my hand!

Screenshot of the video by uploader Steve Herzog.

When my brother and I got in the car after the show I was overcome with emotion and cried. I turned my face to the window to hide my tears because I didn't want my brother to see me cry. I was feeling total happiness from the concert but I was also sad that it was over. The whole night was wonderful and I really didn't want it to end.

A year later The Psychedelic Furs came back to the Revolution Hall and I was happy about that because The Hall quickly became my favorite venue after that night. I went there for my third PFurs concert, and once again the Revolution Hall gave me another special moment to remember.

Setlist:

1. India
2. Fall
3. President Gas
4. Love My Way
5. Like A Stranger
6. Mr. Jones
7. The Ghost In You
8. Little Miss World
9. All Of The Law
10. Angels Don't Cry
11. House
12. Heaven
13. Danger
14. Heartbreak Beat

Encore:

15. Into You Like A Train
16. Until She Comes
17. Pretty In Pink

Tickets and Rich Good's guitar pick.

*Note: All photos are by me, except the screenshot from the video*

Psychedelic Furs September 2, 2015

Over on my Green Day blog I wrote about the moment I saw the band live in 2017 and after writing that post, I thought of redoing the ones for the first three Psychedelic Furs concerts I went to. When I used to be on WordPress I had written about those PFurs concerts and I even saved them when I moved here to Blogger. But while looking at the posts I felt like I should write about them again because my writing has improved over the years, and I wanted to give those stories their own new posts (the old ones are now deleted). Today I am going to start with the time I first saw The Psychedelic Furs when they performed at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon almost seven years ago.

Before I talk about the concert I want to give you all a little backstory of how I got into The Furs. I heard a few of their songs growing up (thanks to my parents) and even liked them, but in November 2014 they somehow came into my thoughts and I decided to try out their other songs. So on Amazon I bought one of their greatest hits albums and after listening, I loved the music and I became a fan right away. That Christmas I got Forever Now and Mirror Moves which made me love them even more, and then later I got the other albums.

A while after becoming a fan the thought of wanting to see The Psychedelic Furs live never really entered my mind, but in late July of 2015 I was looking through my Twitter and there was a tweet that said: "CONCERT ALERT: The Psychedelic Furs at the Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR September 2, 2015." The moment I saw that I was ecstatic, and I told my mom about it and she got the tickets for me as part of a birthday present. The fact I was going to see The Furs made me so emotional I started crying.

When the day came my brother went with me since he liked some of The Psychedelic Furs' songs and while driving to Portland we listened to Midnight To Midnight. As we got to downtown Portland I got excited and had butterflies in my stomach because we were getting close to our destination. We found a parking spot and walked over to the Crystal Ballroom, then stood in line outside of the venue. We were by the tour bus, and while we were standing there was someone who went inside the tour bus. Later he came out and headed to the Ballroom, and that person was saxophonist Mars Williams. It was cool to think that he walked nearby where my brother and I were standing. I might have seen keyboardist Amanda Kramer too, but I can't remember.

After waiting we finally got in and went over to the right side of the stage, and we were up to the barrier! I was happy we made it to the front, because since I'm a short person I would never want to be in the back where I probably couldn't see anything.

The opening band was The Church, and what's interesting was I heard somewhere that in 1988 The Psychedelic Furs and The Church wanted to tour together but it never happened. 27 years later the two bands finally did and in 2016 they toured with each other again. After that it was time for The Psychedelic Furs to appear, and I'll never forget the moment I saw them with my own eyes in person. The band members were the first to arrive, and after Mars Williams played the saxophone intro to the first song "Heartbeat," the music kicked in and vocalist Richard Butler came up on stage. It was so awesome seeing Richard in person and as I was watching him, I thought to myself, "That's him! That's the Richard Butler!" The whole concert was filled with magic and The Furs were just magnificent.

Bassist Tim Butler sang right back at me during "Heartbreak Beat" and there was one special moment that occured, and that was my first encounter with guitarist Rich Good. And this happened a year before I actually got to meet him! At one point during the show Rich was standing in front of me and suddenly he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back at him, and when the show was over the band members were leaving and as Rich walked by, he waved at me and I waved back at him. Back then I never knew a year later I would eventually meet Rich and it's amazing to think about that.

After the concert my brother and I went to the merchandise area and I got a t-shirt that has the Mirror Moves album cover and a 2015 vinyl remaster of that album, which was autographed by The Furs! When we got home I went to my room and I cried tears of joy. I couldn't believe I saw them and it was one of the most awesome nights of my life. I told myself that if The Psychedelic Furs came back to Portland I would definitely want to see them again. My wish came true because in April 2016 The Furs announced the Summer Tour for that year and Portland was included, but at a different venue called the Revolution Hall. What happened at that show quickly became my favorite concert ever, and I will write about it very soon.

Setlist:

1. Heartbeat
2. Mr. Jones
3. Heaven
4. There's A World
5. Love My Way
6. Little Miss World
7. Until She Comes
8. Susan's Strange
9. The Ghost In You
10. Only You And I
11. Wrong Train
12. Heartbreak Beat
13. Highwire Days
14. Danger
15. Pretty In Pink 

Encore: 

16. Sister Europe
17. Sleep Comes Down

My autographed copy of Mirror Moves.

*All photos by me*

Psychedelic Furs August 1, 2019

The second Psychedelic Furs concert at the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon in 2016 was the best concert that I ever went to, and still is to this day. But do you know what's my second best concert? The one that I'm going to talk about right now. Two nights ago I went to my fourth Psychedelic Furs show at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland. The fourth concert was honestly one of the most awesome and beautiful nights of my life, and probably the most emotional one for me.

On the day before the concert I couldn't believe I would see The Psychedelic Furs again, and it didn't even feel like it was going to happen. I was looking forward to it, especially since I wasn't able to see The Furs last year. I had been waiting for that moment to happen, and it finally did. After two whole years of waiting.

Two days ago at around noon my brother and I left for Portland and after arriving at 2:30 we drove around town to find a parking spot that was available. I think it took us like 15 minutes but finally we found one and then walked over to the Crystal Ballroom. We decided to go to this place that's across the Ballroom and it was a record store called Everyday Music. Before we went inside suddenly we heard a faint sound, and we realized it was The Psychedelic Furs soundchecking! They were performing "The Ghost In You" and it was so awesome. It's amazing how you could hear the music outside. After noticing the sound we went inside and it was a really cool store. I checked the place where The Psychedelic Furs' albums were and there were two copies of The Psychedelic Furs' first album, and one of my favorites, Midnight To Midnight. They were all the 2018 reissues. An employee mentioned to us the soundcheck outside and said she wished she could see The Furs. She regretted not going but she had seen them live before. I expressed my sympathy to her, because I totally knew how she felt.

After looking around we went back to the venue and just stood by where the magnificent tour bus was, waiting. It was hot though, like 88 degrees but thankfully we weren't in the sun. While standing someone walked over to the tour bus to go inside and I kind of glanced at him. I realized that guy was the drummer, Paul Garisto, and it was cool seeing him. Not long after Paul went inside the bus he came out and went back to the venue. The Crystal Ballroom is part of the McMenamin's building and next door to the venue was a restaurant and pub. Suddenly the manager (?) of the restaurant came up to us and asked if we were waiting for the concert. My brother said yes and she invited us inside the restaurant, which was really nice of her. As we went inside she said that if we spend $15 on food and/or drinks we could get into the venue a little earlier. Now that was awesome.

My brother and I went to a table and sat down, and it was really nice in there; much better than being in the hot weather. We got some water and shared something to eat. For drinks my brother got a mango habanero margarita and I a Coke. While we were sitting comfortably my brother told me "Sarah, look behind you." I looked over and through the window outside I saw the one and only Richard Butler by the tour bus. Some middle-aged guy walked up to Richard and Richard was signing something for him. I was in awe, and I kept looking back and forth at my brother and Richard. After shaking the guy's hand Richard went inside the bus, and at points through the window I saw Paul Garisto again, Tim Butler, the bassist and Richard's brother, saxophonist Mars Williams, keyboardist Amanda Kramer, and guitarist Rich Good, who I had met twice before. To think I saw all of the band members was absolutely amazing.

At about 6:00 the venue staff came inside the restaurant and were scanning some of the people's tickets. We got ours scanned and then 25 minutes later we went in line. While waiting I looked at some of the people ahead who got the $15 deal like us and I became really nervous, because I wanted to be in the front row again and wondered if we would make it after all. Finally we got in the venue (15 minutes earlier than the normal line) and we went up the stairs. We were about to go in a room but my brother realized it was the balcony. We hurriedly went down and walked into the right area, then went over to the barrier and successfully made it! There was a gap between the barrier and the stage so that the security and photographers would walk through. We were on the left side and it's definitely an awesome spot, because we would be facing Rich Good! I wondered if Rich would recognize me.

I buried my head in my hands, feeling so relieved. I'm at the barrier. I made it. The last time I was in the front row was three years ago, when my brother and I saw The Psychedelic Furs the second time. The third time we saw The Furs we couldn't make it to the front row so we had to sit in the balcony. The third concert was great like always, but sitting in the balcony feels like you're looking through a window watching them. I didn't mind being at the balcony when I saw Howard Jones back in June, but with The Psychedelic Furs, my favorite band, it's so much fun being in the front row. You want to be in the center of it all, and you want the band members to notice you, to know that you exist. Plus you get to see them up close in person. As I've heard someone say, there's nothing like being at the barrier.

The first two bands were James and LA band Dear Boy, and they were great. Dear Boy performed first, since they're the special guests for The Furs' Summer tour, and the lead singer Ben Grey sort of reminded me of Richard Butler, mainly with his light brown hair. Before Dear Boy performed the last song Ben thanked The Psychedelic Furs and said that The Furs are one of the band's major influences. I thought that was awesome, imagine touring with a band that you look up to. After the concert when my brother and I went to the merchandise area Dear Boy was there selling their stuff and talking to people. We shook Ben's hand, and he was really nice.

After Dear Boy and James performed we waited for The Psychedelic Furs to come on stage while listening to the intermission music. The two songs that were the highlights were "Sound And Vision" by David Bowie, and to my surprise, "Christine" by Siouxsie & The Banshees. I sang along to the latter song, and last January I got into The Banshees after reading my Psychedelic Furs biography (they were mentioned quite a bit in the earlier chapters) and also hearing Morrissey and Siouxsie's 1994 duet "Interlude." Now Siouxsie & The Banshees are one of my favorite bands, and I wish I got into their music earlier.

After waiting 30 minutes the moment finally arrived. The walk-on music was some opera, and the band members came on stage first. I was ecstatic, I cheered, it was really happening. And then Richard Butler appeared. They all looked fantastic in person close up, especially Richard. Richard said "hello" to us and the band started the first song, "Love My Way." The setlist was amazing, and it was great to hear "Sister Europe," "Into You Like A Train," "So Run Down," the new song "The Boy That Invented Rock And Roll," and "Sleep Comes Down." "Sister Europe" was mesmerizing, and the way Rich Good played was calming and beautiful. After being familiar with "The Boy That Invented Rock And Roll" it was so awesome hearing it in person. On "Sleep Comes Down" The Furs brought one of the members of James to perform alongside Mars Williams.

Richard Butler was absolutely wonderful and I admire him a lot. During the show Richard would go over to our side and perform to us, and it was so cool seeing him close up. He was wearing his sunglasses but I could tell he looked at me at times. While watching him it made me want to write a blog about how awesome Richard is. He's definitely my favorite male vocalist of all time, and there's no one like him.

While the concert was happening some great moments happened. Tim Butler would sing right back at me many times and I even got a photo of him looking at me. When The Furs performed "Pretty In Pink" Tim was singing to me again, and as I stood on my toes singing right back at him suddenly his face lit up while he looked at me. I had a strong feeling that Tim noticed my t-shirt, which has a picture of The Furs from the "Pretty In Pink '86" days. I thought that was awesome and it was fitting wearing the shirt while the song was being performed. During "India" Tim and I sang the line "See the ceiling raining spit/The beach is backwards/Isn't it?" to each other and he gave me an approving nod. It was great!

But the highlight of the concert was something that made me so happy, and I still can't believe it happened. The highlight was that... Rich Good remembered me. Rich Good recognized me. Can you believe that?! It happened during "Love My Way" and I looked up at Rich and he looked at me, smiling. I waved at him and then his face lit up with recognition and did a little wave back! I was blown away, and after he did that I shouted to my brother "I think he remembered me!" Then later when they performed "The Ghost In You" Rich was singing the backing vocals during the first chorus and I was looking up at him. The whole time Rich was singing he looked at me and smiled, and he waved again!! After when he waved at me I got so excited, it was one of the most awesome things that happened to me. Throughout the show Rich smiled at me two more times. As the band members were leaving to go prepare for the encore Rich threw his guitar pick at our direction and I, my brother and a couple people tried to catch it but one of the people got it. I totally didn't mind though, because I already have two from the times I met him. Having Rich Good remember me was the greatest gift I got from him on that night.

During the concert I was in Heaven. I was cheering, singing along, and became emotional. I cried a little bit while watching them, because I was so happy to be there and being at the barrier seeing them for the first time in two years. When the show was over my legs were numb and sort of wobbly, and I was emotionally drained. When my brother and I got in the car I sat in my seat just dazed. I was tired (I only got a couple hours of sleep), my legs were hurting, and I was hot from the weather but I was really, really happy. I was on cloud nine during the ride home, and I quietly broke down to myself.

Now this wasn't the first time I cried during a concert. The first time that happened was when I saw Green Day in 2017 and I remember telling my mom (who went with me) I would probably be an emotional wreck. At that show when I saw Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool come up on stage I almost broke down because I had waited 12 years to see them. Then I cried during "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" because it's my favorite Green Day song, and I got emotional during the encore. Even though I cried during the Green Day concert I wasn't an emotional wreck after all, and I thought I would be. I still love Green Day after all these years but... The Psychedelic Furs are more special to me.

It's because The Furs had changed my life, had helped me so much, and made me become a new person through their music and seeing them in concert. When I would think about the years before I discovered The Furs I didn't like who I used to be. Before I felt like I'm stupid and not good enough at times. Now I'm happy with myself, and I feel I am worthy after all. Plus all of the great moments happened like meeting Rich Good twice and giving The Furs a letter. Back then I never imagined those things would ever happen to me.

I'm now sad that it's officially over but I will always remember that night. Like I said earlier, it was one of the most beautiful nights of my life and is now my second favorite concert. Thank you Psychedelic Furs so much for everything you had done for me. I can't believe I got to watch you for the fourth time and you were all incredible. I miss you a lot right now and I hope I will see you guys again soon. Thank you... <3


Setlist:

1. Love My Way
2. Mr. Jones
3. The Ghost In You
4. Sister Europe
5. So Run Down
6. Heaven
7. Into You Like A Train
8. The Boy That Invented Rock And Roll
9. Pretty In Pink
10. President Gas
11. Sleep Comes Down
12. Heartbreak Beat

Encore:

13. India

*All photos by me.*