Big Sur Part 2

We arrived at Henry Miller Library at 2pm all fighting for a good parking spot as spots were at a minimum. The place is compacted against the redwood forest and about a handful of parking was available in front of the venue. Bobby refuses to walk far (Lordy) and we got the last spot on the end. Adam and Marnie ended up parking behind us using what was left of the dirt spot to get their car in there.
The setting was beautiful. Think of an expanded front room out in the woods - I think it was the best setting I've ever seen. My favorite venue Al's played in. Marnie and I sat on the wooden deck across from the stage while the band got their equipment set up. Adam was on the phone making sure his boat was ok. Seems they had a mishap a week ago with the propeller and he was worrying about his baby. Adam LOVES his boat. Marnie and I were joined by my friend LuCindi who was sneaking in to see soundcheck and the venu patrons were going to ask her to leave. Marnie and I talked her into staying and she sat with us to watch what would become a 3 hour soundcheck. Al was determined to get it right. This show was really important to him since he was debuting live a lot of the new songs and he was in his hometown. Most of the new stuff was covered in soundcheck several times over. It was due to the multiple plays of San Simeon and Lookin Down the Coast that I became very fond of these songs. Al wanted them done perfect. Stevie Kalinich came and sat with Marnie, Lu, and I for awhile and he chatted about all the fun he had at Adam and Marnie's wedding in Italy a few years before. Stevie doesn't get on well with over the counter drugs and had a cold while there and got a major buzz on the cold medication.
The people at the Library are super nice - and a bit stuck in hippiedom. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I'd just never seen anything like it before.
It was after 5pm when the band got off stage and everyone was ravenous, and starting to get a little cranky because of it. We had to be back at the venue at 7:30 so there was no time to go up to Nepenthe like we had planned and we drove back to the lodge to have dinner there. It wasn't too bad and Tom Jacob joined us as he was just checking in having just driven up from LA prior to soundcheck. So now we had Tom, Billy, Adam and Marnie who were checking in after the show, and us now at the lodge. We were all scattered too. Bobby and I were at the far end of the grounds - Billy and Tom were in the same complex and Marnie and Adam were down the road from us a little ways.
We were all rushed to get to the show, and again get some parking. Bobby and I rode with Billy that night as we were all trying to do as much carpooling as we could. We squeezed the car up as close as we could to the stage and managed to get two more cars in there. Al's car was already in there from soundcheck earlier as he had ridden home with sons Robbie and Drew. The backstage was the deck behind the actual library and it was decked out with all kinds of yummy lager, some very bold wines and lots of snacks. The only drawback the long lines to the restroom back there. All but Billy and Bobby were dressed for the show so all the guys were using it to get changed in.
Loads of photos were taken and then we made our way to the stage. Stevie was the opening act doing some reciting to the music of the cello. I didn't get to see much of it as we were walking through the crowd at the time and there were loads of people there that night. The place was overflowing with happy locals and Beach Boys fans anticipating this intimate setting. Some were even laying out on a lawn rug placed in front of the stage. LuCindi met me by the side of the stage and we pretty much stayed there throughout the show. I was able to video some of the show - mostly the new stuff, Sail on Sailor and Runaway. And I'm not the best videographer as I tend to focus mostly on Bobby..biased maybe? Lol.
Once the show was done, and to a roaring applause and standing ovation we were all going to head over to Fernwood for the after party that Magnus set up. It was pretty much a bar placed in a motel but it was definitely the place the locals went to hang out. The place was packed and the bartender was actually not very happy about it at all. He was quite rude to the band when they ordered drinks and even denied Jared what he was asking for. We did manage to have some fun though. Bobby and I were still riding with Billy so we got to have a few drinks and not worry about the drive home as Billy doesn't drink. Al and Stevie even had a pint with us and Billy  was out on the dance floor with a pretty lady doing some line dancing type moves.
We left when Hinsche left and come to find out later that the bartended got so fed up with all the people there he closed the place down at 11:30pm and made everyone leave! Adam and Marnie with their two friends and neighbors came down to our cabin about midnight and stayed til about 2am while we drank and laughed much to the annoyance of our neighbors I'm quite sure. We were quite loud. Good thing we didn't have anyone else next to us on the other side.
I behaved that night. I let Bobby have all the fun but boy was he going to pay for it the next day with an aching head. We had to drive from Big Sur to San Simeon that morning for the next gig and he was probably in no shape to do it, but he was a trooper and was going to make the effort since I was still too traumatized from the drive up. (at least he got to do it in the daytime!) We were all going to try and meet for breakfast first. We wanted to attempt to eat at Deetjens again but they had already told us the big room was occupied ( I think they just didn't want our noisy party there..lol) so we stopped at the Loma Vista Bakery. Insane prices, but the food was actually fantastic. Jeff Peters had the biggest pancake I had ever seen in my life. Bobby and I had a most awesome omlette with a breakfast salad, which I've never had before. Everyone including Al and MaryAnn joined us that day although they had already eaten. Adam and Marnie were the only ones who missed out and I think it was because they had stopped at Deetjen's. Al when he came out to see us all sitting at a picnic table made the remark "Looks like the last supper here with the Endless Summer Band".
End of Part 2....part 3 next...