End of Tour Thoughts and Hats

I realized that I never really did a post to wrap up the L.A. shows or the tour in general. It's been over a month since the tour ended, and we each arrived at our respective homes. The day after the last show (in L.A.), I flew back to Oakland and took a Lyft straight to the Middle School to run the PTA Membership table. Definitely no rider there. In fact, I could barely get anyone to find me a table. A funny return- but I think a good one, because it thrust me right into the business of normal life, which as my friend Peter said, "ain't so bad either." I love being on the PTA at my girls' school, because it makes me feel like I'm part of a community. Just not a stoned Cockney one anymore.

I had never known what an important role that Erasure played in a lot of people's lives growing up. Some friends told me that when they were teens, and before they had come out as gay, they used to sit in their bedrooms, listening to Erasure as some beacon of hope that one day that they'd be able to come out themselves. That explains why there were so many gay couples tearing up at all the shows. Of course, the loyal following wasn't just relegated to gay men. There were plenty of women who loved Erasure in college and still loved them, and came to the show with their college friends. Then there were the self-professed "synth nerds" who would follow Vince to Siberia if they could afford the airfare. Those particular fans always stood right in front of Reed so that they could watch him play the Buchla.

On the last leg of the tour, we finally solidified our friendship with Tour Manager Andy, who had always scared us a bit. Reed and Vince had gone hat shopping one day (yes, that's right) at the end of the tour, and when Reed got back to the venue, Andy admired Reed's new hat. Reed let him try it on, and it just so happened that it looked very nice on him, so Reed just gave it to him. Not so coincidentally, that was the first night he ever came to our dressing room just to hang out. So all it really took was a hat.

On a similar note, I learned some things about engaging with the audience. It turns out that it isn't very complicated at all. You just have to give any sort of shout out to the balcony, like "How is everyone doing up there?" or "Don't fall!," and everyone's happy. I wish someone had told me that before the first leg of the tour. But once I tried it, I did it every night from there on, and it never failed me. Except that it was a little embarrassing in front of the few people who came to multiple nights in one city. They were on to the fact that it wasn't spontaneous. The other trick that worked like a charm was when Reed played the line from "Just Can't Get Enough" at the very end of our set, during "Electrons." People were already fired up at that point because they knew Erasure was about to come out, and that just amped up their excitement. Reed also started throwing a line from "Funkytown" into that song every night. Then every once in awhile, he'd play the melody from "Love Will Tear Us Apart" for a second without me expecting it. That always threw me a bit, but it also made me laugh.

The very last night of the tour in L.A., Reed and I both made the rounds saying goodbye to people. Andy Bell gave me a big hug and kept saying how brave we were. Brave? I'm not sure about that. But it was sweet. He and I had an unspoken kinship, I think just from both being the singers. Of course, I only had to sing for 28 minutes, whereas he sang for about an hour and a half every night, and danced, and talked to the audience. He really gave all he had on stage - it's understandable why their relationship to their fans in so strong.

When Reed and I left to go back to the hotel that last night, there were a bunch of Erasure fans waiting for autographs. When they recognized us (me in my non-sequiny, civilian gear, Reed wearing the only outfit he ever wears, on stage or off), they clapped and then a few of them asked for selfies with us, which we of course obliged. As Reed and I walked away, I said to him, "you realize, that's the last time a stranger will ever ask either one of us for a selfie, right?"