Leelanau Sands Casino - Suttons Bay, MI on November 26, 1999

Ellie and I started at 6:15 Thursday morning, drove to CT to pick up Pat, and then we headed out. Instead of taking the long way around through PA and OH we drove across NY and Ontario into MI. The weather cooperated, it rained a little off and on for part of the day but later cleared off. We stopped at McDonald's for Thanksgiving dinner and got to Saginaw, MI around 9:00 p.m., where we spent the night. We left Friday morning about 9:00 a.m. and got to Sutton's Bay a little after 12:30 p.m. The weather was wonderful, cool but nice enough to be outside, with no wind at all, so we looked around, went and got gas for the car, and had a late lunch. Pat and Ellie played the slot machines for a while. Ellie won a few dollars.

We saw Mike, Les, Randy, and Jimmy to say "hi" to not long after we got there, and later when we were waiting for the theatre doors to open Brad, Gregg and Steve walked by heading for dinner so we said "hi" to them, but didn't get to talk.

There was a comedian opening the show, and he was so bad they lowered the curtain on him...a man next to Pat threatened to throw a boot at him -- it was that bad! Finally it was time for Marty to come on and the show was wonderful. They played "I'm Still Here," "Country Girls," "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'," "Blue Train," "Tempted," "Little Things," "Dark As A Dungeon," "Burn Me Down," "Sometimes The Pleasure's Worth The Pain," "Red Red Wine And Cheatin' Songs," "Hobo's Prayer," "Southern Accent," "Now That's Country," "Rocket Ship," "Hillbilly Rock," and the encore was "The Pilgrim" and "Western Girls." It was a good audience, they loved the show, and a lot of people signed up for the fan club.

We waited in the theatre for the M&G and, after Marty met with radio winners and such in another room, he and Mike came out. I had Marty sign his book and a second copy of the R&R Cowboys Christmas tape and CD...I already had one copy of each, but I play it a lot and wanted backup! I also had him sign a picture I took of him after the Virginia Beach show when he was in the truck stop taking pictures of some of us. It's a different view of him...Marty in action with his camera! He said the pictures he took of me, Ellie, and Pat came out good...and that the truck stop check bounced! We talked with Mike for a few minutes, but it was normal casino security so we never got to talk to anyone else other than saying hi to those few earlier. Then we went out to the car, and we left there a little after 11:00 p.m., heading for Indiana.

Review by Margie Brodmerkle, Oakham, MA