Concert Memories: Meatloaf, Cleveland Ohio. 12/18/1999

I'm sure that you have heard about the passing of legendary singer Meat Loaf.  I hated to hear it too, but it got me thinking about the larger than life vocalist.  I actually got to meet him once, and I saw him play a show in Cleveland, back in 1999.

So, thinking about that show, I got out some of my favorite Meat Loaf albums, which may have included a bootleg or two, and I thought about the man and his music.

Meat did a book and CD signing in town a few months before the show.  I went and got to meet him.  He was very friendly and chatty with everyone who came through the line.  He did photos and all. 

Oh, his book was a good read too.  There is an interesting story relating to the JFK assassination.  Another story involved him meeting Charles Manson. 

On December 18th, 1999 he did a show at the Cleveland Music Hall that my wife and I attended.  It was a great show, and it seemed to be pretty long too.... You got your money's worth.  I recall him doing Zevon's "Lawyer's Guns and Money" which is just a great song anytime.  He told a story about hearing that song and wanting to put it on his album.  He was unaware that the song was really well known at the time.  His band let him know he did not pluck that one out of obscurity.  It was a great story for a great recording of the song.

On this tour, he was doing a "storytellers" type of show.  You could ask him a question or comment about his music.

Oddly, it seemed to me that most people wanted to tell him stories about what his music meant to them.  I do recall a lady telling Meat that one of her children was conceived listening to his music.  

Meat Loaf was a vocal personality in his songs, and in his interactions with the audience.  He could have done stand up comedy.  I do recall him getting a lot of applause when he told a heckler to "shut the f--- up."

This was just a fun show, and I am glad that I have my memories of it.