July 4 1987
Saturday, 7:30pm
RGHT: Row H, Seat 36. $17.50
Pine Knob, Clarkston MI
A Parrot Looks at Forty

A new addition to the Audio Island:
now experience this entire concert in MP3 format!

The concert started with "Fingers" Taylor leading the band in blues and R & B songs. Buffett eventually joined in and the concert proper began.


    Definitely one of my favorite Buffett concerts.
    Jimmy was in rare form, talkative and playful. There were lots of stories and even some skits. The show began with Fingers leading the band, and Jimmy came out to join in on "Barefooting". He immediately took over with "Meet Me in Memphis", and the memorable night proceeded as above.
    This is my first recording of a Buffett show, and my second ever bootleg. It was recorded with an old AIWA cassette recorder. I was such a novice I simply set it on the ground, at my feet; but the sound quality is still quite clear. Incidentally, We were sitting on the extreme right, about midway from the stage, in the Pine Knob pavilion.
    Although it's rather common nowadays, this was one of the first tours where Jimmy featured a horn section. Co-writer Marshall Chapman was also part of the band, and I distinctly remember Jimmy giving her a big embrace after they sang "The Perfect Partner". Another highlight involved a skit in which Jimmy throws a (rubber) brick into the face of Charlie Dallas, his rotund guitar tech (referred on stage as "Louie DePalma"). The rubber gloves Jimmy refers to were actually being held up a few rows behind me ("Praise the Lord and pass the condominiums").
    Unfortunately the evening was marred by Pine Knob security, who were a bit too thorough in searching for contraband and, presumably, Fourth of July firecrackers; and many people did not make it in until halfway through the show. Construction and a competing Rod Stewart show didn't help either.
    As the second half began, Jimmy apologized, saying he didn't know we'd had to pass through customs to get in, and he promised to play as long as we wanted him to. He didn't -- the concert did end -- but it was a great night.

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