It was my only Journey concert experience. I THINK it was December of 1987
when they came to town on their ROR tour.
During their performance of WHEEL IN THE SKY someone threw an object towards
the stage. Steve stopped singing but the band continued to play not knowing
that he had just been hit in the eye. When the band recognized that Steve
was not singing any longer they stopped as well.
After a few moments of holding his face he grabbed the microphone and said;
I want to know who the c_ _ _ _ sucking, coward mother f_ _ _ _ _ _ bastard
who threw the!@#$@@%@%@!$@ %#^$%^$^$^#@$^%@#$%*%^*^& ($^$&%^&#$^#^@# $^$%@$^
@#%@#%#^# %!#%!#$%#%#%$ #^$%^ $%^$%&$&$^ @%#!%#$^$%^$^%^$$%#@
@$^$%^&@#@$%^$@^$%&...........
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, afterall isn't this the guy who sings
faithfully, open arms etc.?
You could hear a pin drop in that place. When he asked who the bastard was
it seemed that everyone in there turned and pointed to this one fellow. Man
I felt bad for him. How embarrasing it must have been.
Well, after Steve had identified the loner he said some vulgar things
directly to him via the microphone then jumped off the stage, ran through
the crowd and was ready to kick some butt. I think he would have had his
body guards and the police not held him back. The person who threw the
object was removed and within a half hour, after a break, the band
continued. I heard rumors after that incident where Steve said he would
never be back to Greensboro. I was ashamed of us.
Anyway, when Steve was promoting his FTLOSM release he had a phone interview
on a local radio station (107.5 the Eagle's Murphy in the Morning Show).
During that interview a special call came in. It was the guy who had trown
the object. Steve couldn't believe it. It seemed very emotional to me. This
fellow had been waiting for years to tell his story and to say he was sorry.
He said that he and his girl friend had been drinking, got into a fight. She
gave back to him a watch he had given her and he simply threw it out of anger.
Steve accepted his appology (sp?) and said that he had thought of that night
several times throughout the years. He asked for the guy's phone number so
he could contact him later after the interview.
I'm still not sure whether a new friendship was formed or if Steve just
wanted to finish some unfinished business.