This was posted on my web site when I returned to PA after my first trip to California in 1997.

Bret Michaels Show at Billboard Live, August 14, 1997

For starters, the show was WONDERFUL! Bret put on a great show. He said he was “rusty” but I didn’t notice. He had all the moves down and was having a great time up on stage.

I was there with the Bret Michaels International Fan Club. The fan club get together was organized poorly compared to other fan club events I’ve been to, but Riki Valentine and Janna (and Tim) Elias did a great job getting us all together and to the before and after parties, the show, and to meet Bret. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Meeting Bret was well worth it!! (As I understand it, poor Riki Valentine was sooo busy, he couldn’t keep up with everything…that where Janna and Tim helped out. We had no tickets or passes to speak of, but Janna made sure we got where we were supposed to be. I vote that Janna be the fan club president!!!)

My story begins with a 2800+ mile road trip from Glenside, PA to Hollywood CA. It was a beautiful drive through the southwest. We arrived in Hollywood on Tuesday morning. We did the tourist things (Disneyland, Universal City, the LA Zoo). But, Thursday night was the best night of the whole trip!!

We met at Janna’s room (she was elected Fan Club President for the show…hopefully she can be the Fan Club President for real) at the Hyatt on Sunset. We waited around for Riki Valentine until like 8pm or 8:30 pm or so. About 30 fan club members met there. Once Riki arrived, we got in cabs and headed to the show. We waited outside for a little while, then we went in to the club and went downstairs to the listening party. They played the CD and show video clips from the movie, Hard Copy and TNN Country News.

I guess it was around 10:15pm or 10:30 pm that we went upstairs for the show. We were standing right in front of the stage. I started out at about the 5th row, but somehow got closer with all the pushing and shoving, etc. I could kick myself for not taking more pictures (I took two of the show…I know WOW…) I was just enjoying myself. I’m short, and there were taller people in front of me, but I saw Bret just fine. He played about 14 songs. All solo stuff except for Rock and Roll All Night. The songs were great. Funky lyrics…the music was a blend of rap, rock, country, blues. The lyrics of the songs have some lines form Poison songs. The songs were similar to Poison songs, but different, too.

After the show we went back downstairs to the party. I saw Taime Downe as I walked in and Slash a little later. Other fan club members saw Matt Sorum, Brad Pitt, CC DeVille and Rikki Rocket, among others. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to see Rikki. I saw Gerri Miller several times, back and forth, here and there….she seemed very busy.

I got to meet Bret at about 1:30am or so. He was so cool, friendly, sexy, sweet. An all around nice guy. It wasn’t the meet and greets I got used in country music – hi, bye, and autograph and picture (if you’re lucky). Bret talked with the fans, autographed CDs and show flyers and stuff. He took pictures, sometimes more than one with the same person, just in case. (The only other celeb I ever seen do this was Vince Gill at Fan Fair in 1994…he was so sweet.)

I’m a shy person, but I had no problems talking to Bret. He’s very personable and friendly. I told him I came all the way from Pennsylvania to see him. He said “I love Pennsylvania. I’m from Pennsylvania, did you know that?” I said yes. He asked “where from?” I said outside of Philadelphia. He asked, “Upper Darby?” I said no, but I have relatives there. I said Glenside, he said “I know the area.” I’m thinking to myself COOL! It may not be a big deal to anyone else, but it’s a big deal to me. I said HI from the gang on AOL and he said HI back. (I got a big hug and a picture in the process, too!!) He signed my show flyer “P.A. Rules Bret Michaels.” Then he realized he signed it P.A. as in P.A. system, oh well. I know what he meant.

When the club closed at 2 am, there were still some of people there getting autographs as we were asked to leave. My brother and I walked back to the Hyatt…about a mile a way. The Sunset Strip was dead at 2 am!! There was nobody around at all! It was weird, like a ghost town.

For the ladies…Bret looked FABULOUS!!…Tight black velvet pants, tight black shirt, and velvet leopard print jacket. He had a bandana around his head. His hair’s just about shoulder length. The man looked great in person! (Hmmm…wonder why he kept checking his zipper?????) I loved the way his tattoos and biceps glisten with sweat…

Hehehe…

Anywayz…I had a great time. It was well worth the road trip to see Bret and the show.

The ride home was long…cause I couldn’t wait to get home to get my pix developed and see my kitty cat, Cookie. I also knew it would take hours to get caught up with the boards on AOL, which it did.

I would gladly do it all over again!!!! (and again, and again…..) Why, oh, why did I take that week of in June??? Man, I could go see him again…Damn!!!

I had so much fun!! It was an experience like no other I’ve had in my lifetime.

Bret Michaels Show Flyer, Billboard Love August 14, 1997

Bret Michaels Billboard Live, August 1997

Bret Michaels and Christine A Ellis, August 1997