Costa Mesa 2007

A Magical Evening

What a magical evening! I have had the opportunity to see Kenny in concert many times, but this one was the most special. Kenny and the band seemed to be having a great time and the set list was packed full and so many encores I lost count!

I was fortunate enough this time to have won Meet and Greet passes which added a wonderful touch to the evening. Kenny was so welcoming and accommodating to all his fans, he made it feel like we were old friends. I am submitting 2 pictures. As the story goes.... my husband was having 'issues' with the camera, so as Kenny and I were in 'pose', the camera finally snapped a picture with the flash going off ... well, at our feet! I imagine I am the only one with a picture of my 'feet' with Kenny's!  Kenny was wonderful, waiting patiently until 'the camera finally worked'. (The people behind us actually started clapping when we got the picture!).

People have since asked, "Is Kenny as genuine and kind in person as he seems to be on stage?" My answer is, "Yes, who he is in his music, is who he is in person...real, approachable and genuine." Thanks Kenny for the truth you share! ~ Cindy - Los Alamitos, CA

An Indelible Memory

To share a Kenny Loggins concert experiences as a family (my wife, myself, and our two sons 11 and 15 attended) makes what is already an incredible night listening in my opinion to the greatest musician of all time that much more memorable.

The Concert at Costa Mesa in the Pacific Amphitheater had many memorable moments. The first was when Dave Mason, who played an incredible set, had Kenny Loggins and Chris Rodriguez in the wings at stage right mesmerized as the guitar rifts and Dave's band took the crowd higher and higher culminating in the encore of "Feelin' Alright" (you probably know the Joe Cocker version but the song was written by Dave Mason). I could see Kenny clapping and singing along offstage.

Kenny was energized and very playful. He was in the best spirits that I have seen in the past three years (going back to the Greek Theater concert when Crosby and Bella joined him on stage). He is always great and talks to the fans like we are in his living room, but last night he was cheerful, smiling, laughing, relaxed, and having fun. He was truly having fun and joking around. He said, "It's a perfect night" (it was - Costa Mesa is close to the beach) and "I love being here" (the amphitheater is a larger venue but retains an intimate setting).

The new version of "This is It" was mind boggling that such a great song could sound greater. His songs off of How About Now blended well and clearly belong in his set list. A transition from "Angry Eyes" into "Vahevala" was seamless and a real crowd pleaser. But in the end it was Kenny being the Kenny we love with the incomparable talent of Chris Rodriguez and the rest of the band. The new bass player Paul Petersen was running about the stage flashing his contagious smile with his long hair rocker appearance adding a new dimension to the performance. I have all the respect for Shem and his perfection. Paul did not try to replace him and brought his own style.

The fans were up and dancing during the opening song, "I'll Remember Your Name", sang along to the traditional audience songs (Danny's Song, Celebrate Me Home, House on Pooh Corner) and in the end finished the set and the encores with the entire crowd on their feet dancing, cheering, singing, dancing, and cheering. We sat and listened to "Forever" sedated and hypnotized only to explode in one final extended standing ovation.

Having won two passes for the KL Meet and Greet, my wife and I decided that our two sons (ages 11 and 15) would meet Kenny. They were ecstatic when we told them the day before the concert that they would meet Kenny. The security personnel checked our passes and said that only two people could go in. A fan must have overheard the conversation and gave us a VIP pass that she wasn't going to use. The boys and their mom went to the Meet and Greet. They were one of the last to meet Kenny and he was expectedly tired, but still in a great mood. My wife noted that he appeared exhausted, but kept going for the fans. My younger son handed him our December CD to autograph and Kenny said, "Hey, little buddy that's my favorite CD." He autographed a shirt using my other son's back as an easel. He gathered the three of them for a picture. The Meet and Greet was somewhat quick, the memory indelible. ~ D. Yaffee