Placebo

Shalom shares her Anaheim Moments

Our trip to Placebo started early, Starbucks was not even open (yeah early!)We were
already exhausted I had not slept and Pen, she decided to stay up all night? So it was
a bad start already. (But we had fun with it)
After misreading signs {I won?t get into it} before we even hit Provo we knew the ten
hour drive was bound to be an adventure.

It was all fun and games when we arrived in Las Vegas to eat at the Hard Rock
Hotel (and were sat by the NIN promo hmmm it was sign!) We were a bit more
lively after food and the infusion of a Starbucks Quad(road side assistance) and
headed out eager to hit Hollywood that night for fun and even more to add to this
little story, however, as we were making our way to the California.. We noticed
something?..Traffic? It was 1 pm and we had bumper to bumper traffic? so we
waited ?..And waited??and waited some more? it was three hours before we were
in BAKER!!!
This became a horror.. We thought we may arrive in time for sound check.
We made friends in the traffic jam and shared victory arms and claps as they hunted
for crackers and found them after climbing out and retrieving them as we all waited
not moving before Death Valley. So another three hours go by and we are in
Victorville... Our ten hour drive suddenly became the pilgrimage to Placebo!

And it was bumper to bump all the way to San Bernardino*Slams my head on the dashboard. At this point a car in front
of us pulls closely to the truck aside of it and bums a fag. By now it is nearly 8 pm ?and we were annoyed amused and
needing to sleep?BADLY!

We entertained ourselves with our own Sleep deprived madness and commentary.
Yes we arrived in Anaheim at 1115 pm We were so happy to see that little mouse I think I could have kissed his little
mouse ASS but sleep beat out the sleep deprived urge to kiss the golden Mickey Statue in the lobby.

So we get to our rooms and did what any smart little girl would do and we passed out... I don?t think I got undressed until
6 am when I was awakened by the excitement of the day?s events... I got up got undressed and then yeah ?I did me went
back to sleep...
A few hours later I awoke and hurried to get ready and get out of the room we hit the local Denny?s And Can I tell you
nothing tops the Denny?s in Salt Lake really it is uncanny. This was bad food no tea bags! (All the water I wanted but one
bag HI!!!!!)
Then we headed out to the House of Blues... find the venue and
scope out fans waiting at 1 pm to get a glimpse of the great
Brian Molko. They were not disappointed as he sauntered his
way out in all his glory with a loyal tech to partake of the great
antics of the world of Disney. He signed autographs and chatted
pleasantly with them and us and then was off for rides and
theme park food.

From there we did what any Placebo fan would do and went all
Fan girl... Back to the hotel to call loved ones back home about
how good he smelled and the details of his wardrobe( I wasn?t
kidding we went fan girl I stuttered. I have never stuttered while
talking to anyone)

We got ready for the night?s events and got armed with rolls
of film and cameras. We headed back to the venue at
5 pm.

The line had begun to snake for the sold out show. We watched
and waited on the Photo passes {which had been
approved but?} had not yet arrived and neither had Placebo?s equipment.
We tried not to panic. Note tried. Will there be a show was their
problem with Our Photo pass. Should I take the cameras back three
hours later after
annoying the House of Blues ticket office every twenty minutes and
some encouragement From Stefan and Friends
I had the pass in hand!

But being the eager journalists we started talking to people how
long they have been fans where they came from
and the lot. We met some great girls who had come up from Long
beach and had seen Placebo before, they were
newer fans but just as die hard as the old school fans who were standing with us as well. We spoke with a
gentleman drove up from Mexico City to only find the gig was sold out and he could not find a ticket to attend the
gig. Another gal from Mexico met Brian with us reshow and got his autograph... It seemed most fans had driven
from surrounding cities and countries to see the band play this show and those who like us made the trek to see
them could have never expected the show we got. It was not only an acoustic set but it was a one of a kind that
could have never been even requested from an old school Placebo fan.

The doors finally opened at 730 and we went in with cameras in tow. A quick stop off at the Merch booth
and we headed for our spots to shoot the gig.

And then we had a problem one pass three cameras and only one person to stand in the barricades and
or upstairs.. So we asked what we could do? Kevin at the House of Blues scurried off for us and spoke with Placebo and had Pen
approved another pass. I ran off trying to find her as we had split up and after
a quick Laurel and Hardy moment she had her pass I had mine and we were ready to shoot the gig. She
took Low I took high.

The venue was packed wall to wall people all in anticipation to the event to play out before them. We got shots of our new friends in
the pit and took some crowd shots for prosperity and to check our cameras yeah they worked.

Eagles of Death Metal went on stage and after we talked to Kevin and he had ran off to aid us in our pass issue. I took a few shots
and was genuinely impressed. They were a rock a Billy fun time and I would encourage you to check them out. He danced
and did a great jig! It was fun and lead up to the main event we were all waiting for..

As the lights went down we all stood mesmerized as Mr. Molko walked out with drink and fag in hand. And he spoke...

?My name is Brian Molko and I will be your master of ceremonies for this evening?
He shared with us a monolog of the day?s events, how they pondered and what they should and then spent their day at
Disney land and do a cabaret show a cabaret of Desire if you will. We decided to play skeletal broken down versions of
their material and explained they downloaded lyrics to do songs they had

never played before..?Not only have we never
played them live we have never fucking played them ? He spoke.
He called out the rest of the band and then the crowd sang Happy birthday after he, he smiled though he barked he had
nine more days and then thanked the crowd and then the night got more and more intimate as the show progressed.

The set list and break down of the events of the show that was a one time event?

He opened with Special ok and the crowd sang along nearly drowning him out. Next up?
Well he did a very raw version of this picture with drums piano and bass following him. Again he was joined by the
whole crowd.

He was cheeky, teasing and laughing with fans and his band and it was more like a party where they got up to play a few
songs than a concert. I felt as if I was in Brian?s living room more than at the House of Blues.

Brian then heard a request for Nancy boy which he replied that to do Nancy boy in this style would be comedy.. He then
pointed out that Stefan was gracing an Eagles of Death metal guitar in a collection one of one and after the normal take off
your clothes and you are so hot commentary from the crowd he went into Every You Every Me. And again the crowd
participated singing with him.

He went into the ideals of Beauty and how the statue of the Venus was very different than Kate Moss he told the crowd
to be themselves and went into a very broken down version of Plasticine and we all again sang along like we were his
back up.

Commenting on how ?this song makes him smile? he went into Teenage Angst and right on cue the crowd followed his
lead singing with him as if we were all around a camp fire in the woods somewhere with the exception of no fire no bugs
and well we were in a club.. Ok back now

After playing Holocaust and hearing the men call out the admiration for Brian and Stefan over and over again they
performed Commercial for Levi. Explaining it is a cautionary tail and teasing Stefan for the crowd, and heckling back a
drunken fan with sass and class, and once again Brian had help with the crowd belting out the lyrics with him.

After Peeping Tom and a few technical issues with a touchy Piano Brian finished the song in a talking style shrugging and
enjoying the Murphy ?s Law that was still a part of the show.
Stefan really jammed out playing a free style ending with the guitar.

After teasing Stefan again for the crowd all smiles he walked about the stage drinking his beverage and went into
Centerfold. The crowd listened to him with a few hecklers still trying to convince Brian it was in his best interest to be in
the Nip(or naked)

More I love yous and then more uplifting words of wisdom? and went into Slave to the wage. Again with back up we all
sang along and other calling out how much they loved him and his reply ?So what? He got up in front clapping
encouraging the crowd to sing RUNAWAY with him smiling and calling out Come on making the crowd bellow louder
with him.

Again he was cheeky with the crowd and then turned to the little binder of lyrics.. And we listened to him go off about
how he had never played it before and then??

Brian shocked us all by performing Hurt by Nine Inch Nails and dedicated the song to Johnny Cash. It was remarkable..
Mind blowing and all I could think was Holy Shit It is fucking NIN !!!!! As he began the crowd went fanatic singing
screaming and others like me still in shock of witnessing this rare treat. He opened up at the end wailing out in a full belt I
felt the shiver climb up my arm and I needed to compose myself not to loose it and keep getting the shots?

If this was not enough to make you jump and down for joy? it was the second time they ever played hurt the first being at
5 pm in the dressing room earlier that night.

More jokes Crying girls and guys asking for Brian to get naked among other things to be performed on Stefan? As he left
the stage and thanked us all we felt like we had just had a very personal and unique show that just got better as they came
out for the encore?.

After a speech about great vocalists like Bjork, P.J.. Harvey, Patsy Cline and Janis Joplin Brian expressed that he was
about to perform one of his favorites songs but he had to cheat? as with all my favorite songs I don?t know the lyrics?

We laughed and Squealed all of us knowing that maybe Running up that Hill or Jackie would follow but no he leapt
forward clapping a wide eyes grin upon his face and went into Janis Joplin?s Mercedes Benz? We all were in delighted
shock singing along with him and clapping out to the beat of his palms and the tambourines.

He ended it with a twang in his voice at the end and smiles with pride ?That?s it?
He thanked us and once again said it was a unique event and could not have done it with out us..

. He stepped back getting hi fives from Steve as we were all still recovering from the revival that just occurred and then
moved forward and ending our special night with Jackie...

The crowd was in awe as he dropped to his knees singing with feeling and heart as he always does. We were all in awe
and knew that tonight was not only rare but would probably never happen again.

Brian Steve and Stef came up and bowed and hugged and thanked us all and we all left that night to where ever we lived
our hotels as they climbed on their bus and headed off to the next town. This show will be one of those highlights of my
life that I can never fully explain to anyone really other than those who were there

Brian ended the night with a sweet heart felt speech and we felt that Placebo walked away with as much of a piece of us
as we did them..

So to review this show would be hard how can you review a one time event a concert that turned into party with a few
close friends and special performances just for you?

You can just smile and tell a person If Placebo comes close to you if you get a chance to see this band play it is a must?
You never know what might happen.

I would like to thank Kristen, Brian, Stef, Steve and Kevin From the bottom of our hearts. I have seen thousands of
shows worked with hundreds of bands but I have never been so impressed, so charmed and so delighted after a gig in my
years of this business.