Murphy Theatre - Wilmington, OH on April 18, 1998 and

Carousel Dinner Theatre - Celina, OH on April 19, 1998
After a 13-1/2 hour drive, we arrived in Wilmington about 5:00, found our hotel and checked in. The Murphy Theatre was across the street and the show started at 8:00, so we had time to eat and get ready. We went and got in line just before 7:00 and talked to Glenda and Clarence Rummell for a few minutes while we were waiting. When they opened the doors, we went in, said "hi" to Jimmy and went and sat down.

I had been told since November that the show was sold out and I couldn't get tickets until about three weeks ago when I finally explained to them that we were coming from Massachusetts to the two shows in Celina the next day and we really hated to miss this show since we were driving so far. She then told me there were some obstructed view seats still available in the balcony if we didn't mind looking around a light pole, so those were the tickets we got, figuring it was better than not being there.Well, the seats were in the balcony, but it was a pretty small pole and it was mostly off to the side, so it really wasn't a bad place to be. Our worse problem was the people in that row who arrived late and left early having to crawl over us in the process. If we could drive almost 900 miles and get there on time, they had no excuse!

As usual, the show was great! It was not a good place to take pictures from (we were pretty high up), so I wrote down the set list. They did:
  • Just Because You Asked Me To
  • Doin' My Time
  • The Whiskey Ain't Workin'
  • Mr. Cobb Story
  • Country Girls
  • Oh, What a Silent Night
  • Burn Me Down
  • This One's Gonna Hurt You
  • Tempted
  • Don't Take Your Guns to Town
  • The Way Things Used to Be
  • Red, Red Wine and Cheatin' Songs
  • Soldier's Joy
  • Clyde
  • Now That's Country
  • Hillbilly Rock
  • Last Date
  • Back to the Country
Marty made a comment that it was time to put a new album out and that he'd be trying out new songs this summer. "The Way Things Used To Be" is a new one, kind of a recitation thing, that we first heard him do last fall; it has verses on Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt and, of course, Marty. "Red, Red Wine and Cheatin' Songs" is brand new. This was the first time I heard it and it's a wonderful, traditional sounding honky tonk song. I loved it, and I told him so later! He also mentioned the tornadoes in Nashville last Thursday and said Brad's house was damaged.

I did take a few pictures, but the light meter on my camera wasn't working, and the last time it did that, the battery was dead and I lost every picture. So I took very few and don't have much hope of them coming out. The first battery lasted eleven years (I don't use a flash), this one lasted three...it figures

After the show, we talked for a while again to Glenda and Clarence, who were also going to the Celina shows, and to two people who got to go through the fan club line and meet Marty because of Sherry's generosity. As usual, we had a great time talking with them. They love Marty and are planning to be at the fan club party at Fan Fair.

We left for Celina about 9:30 Sunday morning. It was only a two-hour drive. The theatre was out in the middle of open farmland. It was great! (I grew up on a farm, what can I say?) Glenda and Clarence were already there. We got together and went over by the door which opened at 12:30. There were two shows, starting at 1:00 and 6:00, but there were two opening bands at each and Marty came on at 4:00 and 9:00.

This was a dinner theater with chairs set up at long tables. We were on the front row of tables but way over to the right side, right in front of the speakers. About 14 people had bought tickets to both shows, and we were all at that table for both shows. There was a buffet available, so while the first band was playing, we went to get that and ate. Both local bands were good, though I liked the second one a little better.

Marty did his two shows at 5:00 and 9:00. I was still writing down the set lists because of my camera problems (same thing, I took a few pictures but don't have much hope they'll come out), and the shows were basically the same as in Wilmington. During the first show, the smoke was really bothering Marty and his voice was cracking pretty badly, so they cut it short. The second show was longer and they changed some of the songs. The first show was:

  • Just Because You Asked Me To
  • Doin' My Time
  • The Whiskey Ain't Workin'
  • Mr. Cobb Story
  • Country Girls
  • Oh, What a Silent Night
  • Burn Me Down
  • This One's Gonna Hurt You
  • Tempted
  • Red, Red Wine and Cheatin' Songs
  • Soldier's Joy
  • Hillbilly Rock
  • Last Date
  • I Love Them All The Best
The last song is another brand new one, a funny song about "....chasing everything in a dress....I love them all the best." It was a riot.

On the second show, he left out the "Mr. Cobb" story and "I Love Them All the Best," but he added "That's What Love's About," "Long Black Veil," "Swinging Doors," "Hey Baby," and "Now That's Country." All three shows were awesome even with the problems because of the smoke.

Because of the setup and buffet and it being two shows, the band and crew were coming and going fairly steadily, so by the end of the day we had talked to almost everyone and got pictures with most of them too.

They left soon after the second show and were heading home to Nashville. We stayed the night there and drove 14 hours home on Monday! It was a wonderful weekend and having three shows in two days made all that driving more than worth it!

Review by Margie Brodmerkle, Oakham, MA
Return To Concert Reviews Return To Home Page