This Past Weekend in Southern CA
Wed., Dec. 16. 2009 9:20am EST
We finished up our 2009 tour -- 94 shows in 40 states -- this past weekend with three concerts in "supposedly sunny" Southern California -- Ridgecrest CA, Palmdale CA, and Moreno Valley CA.
It was a lot colder than we expected, although still warmer than our home in Pittsburgh PA, especially after that Thursday-night Steelers loss to the Cleveland Browns. We got to see a good bit of the Mojave Desert in our travels, too, but our fans did not desert us, and the concerts were anything but barren.
Sunday's concert had a couple of special treats. Paul Nigh, who owns the Delorean sports car/time machine from the movie Back to the Future II, complete with all the gizmos, brought that vehicle to the concert, and we all got to ride in it and get our photos taken. Paul also sat in with us on bass on the song "I Love Apostle Paul," and he did quite well. To see the car (and Paul) for yourself, go to http://www.myspace.com/timecar
Also on hand was Kenny Metcalf, the original keyboardist for the Christian metal band Stryper. In fact, Kenny was the one who originally led Michael and Robert Sweet to the Lord. You can read more about Kenny in the Wikipedia entry on Stryper.
Here's a great email from Friday's concert coordinator:I just wanted to say thank you to the band and your support staff for the great concert in Ridgecrest. It was truly a blessing, and I can't tell you how excited we are to have had you here. We've had many in attendance request that we try and bring you back at some point in the future - the near future. :)
Thanks again for your ministry and willingness to come. In a word - and one I heard used by a number of people after the concert - AWESOME!
Tim Allen
Ridgecrest CA Here are some email excerpts from fans who attended this weekend's concerts:Our family thought the Palmdale Concert last weekend was really great! Thanks for coming here!
Rebecca Thompson
Lancaster CA
I wanted to thank all of you for being so awesome. The band made my first experience fantastic (December 13 in Moreno Valley CA). You are so funny and some of the lyrics are so funny that myself and my friends could not stop laughing. The message was amazing and I know for sure it hit home for a lot of the people especially the kids. Thank you -- all of you! You did great. I know that God is proud.
Jessica Estrada
Cherry Valley CA
Thanks for a great concert, you guys are truly glorifying God! Amen brothers. We're truly impressed with both your musical & lyrical skills. Thanks, guys, and may the Lord continue to bless your ministry richly.
Michael Bremmer
Moreno Valley, CA
This was our first concert with the Tom-Toms and we cannot believe what a great show that you put on. Your stage presence, comedic timing, vocal range, and cohesive sound surpass any show that we have seen before and we cannot stop telling our friends what a truly spiritual and entertaining show that we were blessed to see. We cannot wait until you come back to Southern California. We also think that The Boys Aren't Backin' Down is your best work ever and we cannot wait for the extra tracks to come out.
God Bless,
Todd and Donna Harker
Escondido CA Special thanks to:
Our concert coordinators: Tim Allen (Ridgecrest), Bob Carr and Steve Stucky (Palmdale), and Pastor Jason Ingram (Moreno Valley)
Our merchandise coordinators: Megan, Heather, and Susan (Ridgecrest); Kristi and Susan (Palmdale); and Mandy (Moreno Valley)
Our sound and light crew: Randy Hyde, Kevin McKee and Vince (Ridgecrest, Palmdale, and Moreno Valley)
Our radio support: Mark Christian and CCM Radio
Our drum tech: Eve
Our chauffeur: Mandy
Honorable mention to: Randy Hyde, our longtime friend in Orange County, who supplied sound, light, and ground transportation for all three concerts for free. He's not your typical "Mr. Hyde."
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