This page is dedicated to my trip to L.A. to see DM in concert.

12-17-98
We left for LA Thursday morning. Our first stop was Disney Land which was fun except that I thought the weather was going to be the same as it is here in Visalia. It was 87 degrees and that's not all that bad, but I bought a tank top anyway so I wouldn't get a gross farmer's tan before the DM concert. My tank top was black and it said 'grumpy' in white embroidered letters. It was perfect for me. We got to ride the new ride Indiana Jones, but my favourite is still the It's A Small World After All ride. They had it all decorated up for Christmas and the little people were singing a medley of Jingle Bells and It's a Small World. I think I got my most expensive slice of pizza ever at Disney Land...I swear that place is really making a profit! After Disney Land we checked into our room at the Best Western Royal Palace & Suites Hotel. Then we went looking for a place to eat. I wanted to be waited on, but the only place we could find was a place called the Santa Monica Cafe. I don't think we're ever going to go back to that place. Our waiter acted like he didn't want to be there and they were out of everything we wanted so we had to settle for pasowness. I did like the breaded mushroom appetizer though...I'd probably go back there because I do believe in second chances, but I'd have to go alone because Muttboy and Ben didn't like it at all. After our meal, we went back to the Hotel (Muttboy made a stop for beer) and went straight to bed.

12-18-98
Friday morning was really pasow. I remember tossing and turning a couple of times before I actually woke up because it was so damn hot in that hotel room. We all wanted to sleep in that morning, but I felt like I had gotten all the sleep I was going to get so I got up and looked at the clock and it said it was about 10am. We had gone to bed at around 1am and I felt really rested because I had gotten so much sleep. I woke Ben up, but Muttboy was still sleeping. So Ben and I made ourselves some of that hotel complementary coffee and watched some TV in the other room. After about 2 hours, we decided to try and wake Muttboy up, but when we looked at our watches, it said it was barely 10:30am...that damn hotel clock was 2 hours ahead! Then I felt all confused and like I hadn't had enough sleep. All 3 of us lounged around the hotel room til about 2pm when we decided to go out and have some breakfast. We found a Denny's and ate there. Then we went across the parking lot to Rite-Aid and I got some disposable shavers and a new brush. Eating and going to Rite-Aid took about 2 hours because it took us forever trying to figure out where everything was by reading the map (I also think it had something to do with Ben's driving). By the time we got back to the hotel, Vicki had already gotten there (Ben and I got out own room so that Vicki could stay with Muttboy).

We got to our rooms, said 'Hi' to Vicki and separated to shower and get ready for the DM concert. It took me about an hour and a half to get ready because I always have trouble trying to do my make-up in those hotel mirrors. It's so bright, it washes everything out. Vicki and Muttboy kept calling to see if I was ready yet. Vicki borrowed some of my Candied Apple red fingernail polish and Muttboy bought himself some polish while we were at Rite-Aid...it was called Black Box which was major pasow. After we were ready, we met in their room. We all looked sharp...Muttboy had some tight fitted black pants and a nice button up red shirt. It's a good thing he had it buttoned up because I guess he thought it'd be funny to wear his Iron Maiden shirt underneath it. I swear...he can be such a dork. Vicki wore some nice black pants, a black top (she was cleavage woman), her necklace that she got at the last DM concert and some really cool black boots she got at Macy's. I wore the dress that I wore to my Uncle's wedding, but I wore the jacket that came with it too, some Victoria's Secret thigh highs with the seam in the back and my cool black shoes that I got at Macy's (and a touch of glitter here and there). Ben just wore jeans and a sweater. I made tags for all of us...me, Muttboy and Ben wore the tag around our necks (Muttboy and Ben tucked it into their shirts) and Vicki wore hers attached to her waist.

We ended up leaving the hotel around 7pm. We had about an hour before the concert started, but we weren't all that in a hurry to see Stabbing Westward. The traffic was horrid...we didn't actually get to park til about 8:15. It was really pasow because I guess you had to have coupons to park in the actual Forum parking lot. I don't remember it being like that the last time we saw DM there. We had to park in this other parking lot that they directed us to. I really wanted to meet my friends from #Depeche, but I knew there was no chance of seeing them in all the commotion. After we got to the concession stands, I bought myself a t-shirt, a bumper sticker, a poster and a DM pin. Muttboy had to use the restroom really bad ever since we were trying to park so Vicki and I decided to meet Muttboy and Ben at the seats while they tried to find the restrooms. It was freaky climbing up those stairs to the seats because they're so steep. It took us a while to find our seats, but we found them finally and it took even longer for Ben and Muttboy to arrive because they were too busy buying beer for themselves. When they finally got to the seats, they had to slide in front of this couple and Muttboy knocked over the girls drink...it was major pasow. There were all different kinds of people there...people our age, younger peoples and Ben even said he saw some guys with mullet heads, but I didn't believe him.

When the concert finally started everybody screamed, shouted, cheered and clapped. I think I was one of the first ones to stand in my section...it took a while for everybody else to follow. Throughout the whole concert we screamed and clapped. My throat ended up getting sore after the concert, but it was well worth it. We felt lucky to have the side where Martin was. Every now and then I would look down at the floor to see if I could see any of my #Depeche friends. I had no luck because there were so many people in the audience, but I figured it was worth a try. It was so cool when they would turn the lights up during the arm thingy on Never Let Me Down Again to see everybody's arm waving left, right, left, right. They did it again for claps and such in later songs like Personal Jesus and I Feel You. I think Muttboy didn't expect to have so much fun, but I could tell he had fun with his little rock dances and horse dances. He kept shouting 'ANDY I LOVE YOU!' and he was saying that Andy was doing a humping dance and he kept imitating it. He made me laugh til I got tears in my eyes. Vicki got emotional and cried after Martin sang Somebody. It was a touching moment for all the couples in the audience (except for me and Ben since Ben hates DM). Dave put a white cowboy hat on during Personal Jesus and then he threw it out into the crowd.

The concert was over before we knew it and then the lights came on and everybody had to crowd into the isles to get out. It took forever to get out into the parking lot. I looked for the KROQ van like Chan said because we were supposed to meet there, but when we found it, there was nobody there. So we figured we might try the KROQ stand where they were giving out DM stickers. It was major crowded there, but I forced my way in there and got my sticker. Vicki somehow got 3 all at once. After we got our stickers, we had to force our way out and then low and behold, I saw my friend Daniel and his friends. It was so weird...the chances of seeing him there amongst all the other people. We chatted for a while and then walked back to our cars. He says they bought scalped tickets...4 for $200. He said he felt robbed. I was just happy to see him. I felt like...I didn't get a chance to meet my #Depeche friends, but at least I got a chance to see a friend from Visalia. =)

When we finally got to our cars, I put my Speak & Spell CD on and played 'What's Your Name' blasting loud. It was funny after hearing everybody playing Black Celebration, Violator or Ultra. On the way out, Vicki bought me one of the bootleg DM t-shirts and gave it to me for Christmas. I had originally wanted to go out dancing afterwards, but I guess we're getting major old or something because we all got really tired and wanted to go back to the hotel and eat. We ordered from room service and surprisingly enough, my food was excellent. I ordered a Spinach & Bacon salad and Pasta Primavera. Vicki and Muttboy ordered sandwiches that they weren't too pleased with. Vicki gave me her German chocolate cake because it had too much coconut (she's allergic to coconut) and they forgot my cheesecake.

12-19-98
The next morning, we checked out of our hotels and Vicki and I decided to just meet Muttboy and Ben at the LA Museum (I wore my new DM t-shirt) since Ben had to buy an ice chest for all my food that I didn't finish on the trip. Vicki and I arrived at the Museum in no time at all, but it took ages for Muttboy and Ben to get there. By the time they finally got there, we had already bought all 4 tickets and reached the front of the Picasso line (it was a special Picasso exhibit that day). It's a good time they didn't show up any later or else we would have had to go to the back of the line again. The museum was cool...I love museums. The only thing is that we always start out reading the titles and such in the beginning, but toward the end we get tired of all the reading and just fly by all the art. Ben and I got ourselves some Picasso mugs, Muttboy got a big Picasso book and Vicki got a Picasso calender and Kelly (her son) a toy in one of the other gift shops. We said our goodbyes and parted with Vicki on the way back to our cars after the museum. On the way home, it was major foggy and we ended up seeing Vicki driving her car which was really weird. We stopped in Bakersfield for a bite to eat and headed back home again. Ben and I dropped Muttboy off and went home. We checked our mail and saw that my Victoria's Secret card had come along with some Christmas cards and junk mail. I was upset that my new Visa still hadn't arrived, but there was a big surprise still for me in the mail...my parcel from Surfpunk had arrived! WooHoo! Even more DM CD's and not only that, but I got a new Ministry Of Sound CD too! WooHoo! it's like Christmas already! Thank You Surfpunk! That night I went to bed happy. =)

Take a look at some pictures from our LA trip!

"Black celebration
I'll drink to that
Black celebration
Tonight"
~Depeche Mode~

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This page was last updated on January 13, 1999
Copyright © 1998 by Janet Moos