Tiffmeister's "Day of Decadence" Concert-Backstage Adventures Part Deux!

Above signatures from left to right: top left corner in black-Ben Orr, bottom left corner-Scott Warren-Keyboards of Berlin, Mid center blue pen-Corey Feldman, bottom middle black pen-Dallon Baumgarten-lead guitar of Berlin, mid to right blue pen-Teri Nun-vocals of Berlin.

Here is the second part to the fabulous 80s Backstage Adventure that happened in the 90s...Day of Decadence..Sept. 5th, 1999--Hosted by The Channel 104.9FM

As the story left off...Liz, I, and a new friend from the crowd...Marge, had just gotten backstage just before the last band..Ben Orr and his Band..were about to take the stage....

So now the party begins backstage. After waving through the chain link to the others on the other side (who weren't too happy it seemed) we started hanging out, talking with techies, and got a beer. Ben Orr's band hadn't started yet, so we just hung out for a bit. Berlin was still around, so we talked to Dallon for a bit. Scott, the keyboardist, would pop by, and I got a hug from Teri Nun.

Just before Ben's band is to go on, one of the ladies in charge starts to ask us if we knew the words to the song..."The Night Life...". Ok, my forte is not lyrics, but I tried to help best I could. Liz got a few more lines recalled than I did. We even solicited help through the fence. Apparently Corey Feldman was going to try to sing some of a Car's song to introduce Ben's band.

After she past on that info, she came back to me and mentioned she had information for my friends and I(ie...Liz and Marge. IF you lost track.) Alittle bit later, she comes back with a piece of post-it note saying:

She whispers to me that Corey would like to invite my friends and I to his private party after the show. I say, "Sure no problem. I'll let them know." And she whisks off.

I inform my cohorts of the invitation, which they agree to. Liz and I start making clothes plans, figuring what I'll borrow(since I live at least a half hour away, she lives 5 minutes.) We decide on some pink numbers....tight, fuzzy. Liz will wear pink leather. We figured if we're doing the groupie thing, we rather as well do it right.

The evening is starting to wind down. Berlin is hanging out with the on-stage soundboard operator sitting on the speakers to get a good look. I'm hanging out with Ben on one of the speaker cases. He's added to his techie black an 80s style jacket(think Miami Vice) of an olive color variety with a pin on it that says.."I am God". (Told you techie's are cool.) When up walk our friends who Liz and I had come with. They looked alittle pissed, but we had told them we were going back stage, and they didn't have to wait. I run up and tell them, "We'll catch a ride home or cab. WE've been invited to the party after the show." They kinda shrugged off and left. I guess sitting in the hot sun will do that.

Well, seeing that we needed a ride home, Liz felt challendged to try to get a limo ride since that is the one thing she hadn't done yet...get a ride from a show in a limo. So I start looking around for some water..being thirsty again after along day in the sun. I discover this chilled half filled bottle of white zinfandel(and living in California, you know it's good wine.) I look around for a cup with Marge, who's joined me, and Liz comes over with us. All we can find, since the rest area is rather picked over is one glass used only on one side. Liz comments.."I'm not proud.", and downs a glass of wine. I shrugged, and pick an unused side, and down some GOOD WHITE ZIN>(OK, white zinfandel is like my favorite wine right now. ANd I was really thirsty.) SO after, I take the glass and go dance to the Cars song that is played by Ben's band. Unfortunately I should have known better. Liz accidently knocks it out of my hand, and it splatters all over Marge. Oh well, it's not a party unless you get something spilled on you. So I rush trying to find something to dry off Marge. I find a pile of towels(probably used by bands during the day, but reasonably dry) and rush back to help Marge. As Ben Orr's band is finishing on stage, I can sense the ending of the concert. I decide to find Marge whom has rushed off to get cleaned up. I find her talking with Scott-the keyboardist with Berlin. Liz has joined me since we both are tired from dancing. We sit on either side, and join in the conversation. Liz bumbs a clove cigarette from him, promising a pack later that night if he meets us in the Marriot Hotel bar at 9:30pm.(The Radio Station has booked everyone there for the night we figured out.) He agrees, and rushes off to catch his limo. We bump into Dallon, and ask him to meet us as well. We'd all hangout before going up to Corey's party. He agrees too. Finally, it ends. The Day of Decadence is over, but lo-, the night has just begun. Liz has been talking to one of the limo drivers, and it turns out she actually knows him from awhile ago. (I'm beginning to believe she knows everyone.) So, he says it's really up to the person he's driving, but he'd introduce us. She's the person that one the VIP Prize, limo for friends, backstage at the show..etc. SHe also gave Ben a ride to the concert since he forgot his band pass.(I start to connect to what the backstage entrance secruity guard said happened to him.) So she starts to mention about her ex-boyfriend, how she still likes him. We all agree men suck. But than she starts to mention he lives in Mt. View, she'd mentioned she's a teacher. And than I look at Liz. "Is he Canadian by chance?" When she mentions yes, we realize it's a friend of Liz and I that is her ex-boyfriend. We'd heard his side too. Looks like fate was to give us hers. We hang out with her, and see if Ben needs a ride back to the hotel. He doesn't need one it turns out since he decides to ride back with his band, but we talk a bit before he takes off.

So she graces us with a limo ride back to Liz's place. We immediately fry up grilled cheese for dinner, and get dressed as quickly as possible. After all, we had to meet Scott and Dallon in the bar at 9:30. Since it was 8:45pm when we got home, we knew it was to be tight.

Liz and I get ready and rush over in my car to the Marriot, also just about a mile from her house. (Again, being sick, I decided to not drink the rest of the night, and just had cokes. So I volunteered to drive.)As we're walking in, Marge meets up with us. She's brought a guy friend with her, and we all head for the bar. Dallon and Scott arent't there yet, but other's are there from the concert. One Flock of Seagulls member, and another member of Ben Orr's band named Joe hang with Liz and I. Joe turns out to be our main squeeze of the evening. Basically, he tells us what it's like to live as a musician, as our conversation moves into what's it like to teach to living in Boston. Afeter one drink or two, Scott comes down and orders a meal.

Marge starts to hang with Scott(which I can see she's interested in a bit), and Ben comes down too to hang out. Eventually Dallon joins the group too, making it kinda a fun, large group in the bar area. Some of the musicians get into shop talk(how to audition someone, IE sharing the auditionie from hell story), and I start to look at my watch. It's about 10:30pm, and I mention to Joe, "Heah, let's check out Corey's party." So he agrees to head up with Liz and I, and we say good-byes to everyone saying we'll meet them all upstairs.

We link arms with Joe, and head up passing a couple of banguet rooms filled with apparent wedding receptions. We pass a group of girls while waiting at the elevator, and decide to ask them if they'd like to join the party.

Would you like to hang out with..(and than it hits me..these girls look about 16-18. Would they know Flock of Seagulls, Berlin , or who Ben Orr was?) Liz mentions...a party given by Cory Feldman? They pipe up with the comment that they'd been upstairs already and come back down. Later, we talk in the elevator mentioning that we all didn't think they knew who the rockstars were they hung with, so it wasn't very exciting for them. But they did to at least know who Corey was.

So, we get to the party finally, recognizing different people from the concert earlier in the day. Corey is hanging with his brother(at least that's what they said. Liz and I are still debating whether they were really brothers.), and offering drinks. Corey recognizes Liz, and they fall into a conversation comparing who did the worst drugs in the late 80s. IF you know some of Corey's history, Corey had a drug problem that he went into rehab for. And I could only give gold stars for him, joking about it with Liz. PLus, not to mention, the guts I was starting to admire about her for joking with him about it.

Well, I turned to Corey's brother(we'll just call him that since they did look alike) and took the drink he offered. Edin seemed nice, and we chatted as the lead guitarist from Flock of Seagulls walked in with this HUGE bottle of Jack Daniels. "Definately can't have a party till you have one of those!," I mentioned.

Edin moved off as I noticed Joe by himself and moved over to chat. Liz joined us, and met with this fellow called Jeff, we'd seen backstage as well. After some more small talk, we noticed people going upstairs to the bedroom(it's a bi-level hotel room, with tv and couch, dining table downstairs.) So Up Liz and I go, following the cigarette smoke to the upstairs.

Well, by now, things were really getting started, and Liz, having a bit to drink, was at her party peak.So she started to conduct auditions for the Moon the Internet page she and I build. Basically, we have bare butts mooning of course, so she convinced two guys and a girl to show off their butts. Needless to say, this brought a few more people upstairs. Well, Liz than sat on the bed next to this other girl, Corey, and Edin. Behind them was another girl I'd been talking to downstairs that was a movie producer. I couldn't pass up bouncing on the edge of the bed like Marilyn Monroe did in "GentleMen Prefer Blondes", where she distracts her boyfriend as he's trying to warn her to be good on the trip.

I don't know if I was as distracting, but remember, I'm wearing a tight, clingy, pink fuzz dress. SO, It's nearing about midnight, and I start to think about going home. After all, it has been a long day. The smoke is starting to get to me as well. But, Liz gets out her handcuffs, so I figure to stick around alittle longer. She gets on the bed with the producer, and cuffs herself to her.(She got the cuffs at Al's too. They're pink and fuzzy, with auto release. No keys.) So, I get Corey's attention to see he's got two women handcuffed on his bed. He did seem to enjoy that. I start to look over the railing down to the living room, chatting with the drummer from Flock of Seagulls beside me. This girl downstairs has found the bottle of Jack Daniels on the table, and starts to chug it. So Bobbie(Drummer's name) and I start to wince alittle as she doesn't let up. "I tell you," I mention to him, "Had a few bad experiences with Jack Daniels that I can't do that anymore."

I notice now that Liz is now trying to handcuff Corey, which he declines, but the other girl(who turns out to be a stripper) says yes. Now, it's about 12:30am, and I start to think it's time to go. Liz takes off downstairs handcuffed as I go to Corey and thank him for inviting me to his party. I let him know it was a real rager, and make my good-byes to people that at the beginning of the day I wasn't on a first name basis with.

I go down the stairs, as Liz is coming up, still handcuffed, and let her know I'm leaving. On my way out, I notice the girl who'd given a ride in her limo(the VIP winner) talking with Ben Orr on the couch. They seemd a bit close and cuddleley. Maybe she'd get over her ex-boyfriend afterall.

As I was leaving, Corey came out into the hall to talk to some secruity guards. Carol, the promoter in charge of all this, was outside as well. I let her know, that it had really been the most awesome concert I'd been to in a long while. We chatted a bit about PR, how she'd had problems getting the phone turned on for Cory without a deposit already. Said good-bye to our Limo driver, who had also been at the party. HE gave me directions how to get back on the freeway, and I looked back at the scene in the hall.

Carol was looking in her datebook, Corey was talking to the guards with his brother, and some others from the party were standing and chatting in the hall. I shook my head and thought, no one will believe me. Good thing I got some of them to autograph my pass, because I don't know if I'd believe me either.

Note of Party after I left(from Liz): Apparently, after I left, Corey came in and told everyone that the cops were on their way and the hotel security was shutting down the party. Turns out I left at the right time. And of course, a party isn't the best unless it's shut down by the cops.

And that's it folks.....that's what happened at the Day of Decadence Concert. A TRUE 80s Experience in the 90s.

The cool thing was I think the people behind the scenes enjoyed themselves as much as the fans. All the bands just had a great time, relived some of the 80s flare they first became populr during. We even partied in 80s style at the end. I must say....CAROL...If you read this page, and I know I told you I was going to write it, plan another Day of Decadence soon. More 80s bands, more 80s memories in the 90s. I think the bands liked it as much as the fans. KEEPIN THE 80s Alive!!---The Tiffmeister--Sept. 12,1999

Have great 80s stories of your own...Sign the 80s Music Connection GUESTBOOK!

Or sign in your story at my 80s Story Page. Maybe add one of your own!! (This story was just one I had to create a page of it's own though.)

Leave me a private message!