MSG Finale Flag Report, a.k.a., Yes, that flag was THE Flag.

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="bella"]Am I the only one who is going blind trying to find the very last signature on the flag? I don't know why, but I feel I MUST see it. Where the hell did BABA sign it?[/quote]

Try again, Bella. I changed the gallery so that you can get to the original (bigger) file:
http://copelandia.smugmug.com/gallery/5 ... 2691_KLDzw

It's small, but it's located on some pretty prime real estate.

[Lynne]

Is that it, just above Lara's heart and to the left of mine?

[bella]

[quote="DirtyMartini"][quote="bella"]Am I the only one who is going blind trying to find the very last signature on the flag? I don't know why, but I feel I MUST see it. Where the hell did BABA sign it?[/quote]

Try again, Bella. I changed the gallery so that you can get to the original (bigger) file:
http://copelandia.smugmug.com/gallery/5 ... 2691_KLDzw

It's small, but it's located on some pretty prime real estate.[/quote]

Location, location, location. Kel, I don't know about you, but prime real estate in my neck of the woods is waterfront property, so I'm looking alllll along the coastline. After I've made that trek about three times, I finally decide to look at the only other possible location and tada!

[DirtyMartini]

HAHA. Apologies. I was thinking flag real estate. Next time I'll try to use universal Monopoly terms.

[nancyrose]

[quote="DirtyMartini"]HAHA. Apologies. I was thinking flag real estate. Next time I'll try to use universal Monopoly terms.[/quote]


What's with all the chitchat here, Martini? Don't you have a magnum opus to be wrapping up?

[luddite lady]

Don't feel bad, bella. I'm supposed to be talking to a man about a car today, but instead I'm straining my eyes to find BABA's signature, too. There's just something about the last ever signature that makes me all shivery.

I <3 BABA. That's a fact as well as a hint for those of you still searching.

[tamalynx]

Does it make me freaky if I ask for pointers to where Jeff Seitz signed it?

[English-lion]

My Gong I'll be potty training by the time I'll see the end of this story

[DirtyMartini]

Previously on "The F-Files," our narrator had given up on consistent verbs and was considering committing random acts of low-level Latin, a pointerific drummer was about to take the stage, and -- somehow, some way -- a flag was too.

Yes, Mulder, you twit -- the Flag is out there. But where? . . .

The band hitting the stage with "Sunshine of Your Love" was certainly a surprise -- although I do admit (forgive me, Stewart) that I missed the opening gong. But having the NYPD drum corps invade the stage for "Message" was an absolute scream.

An even bigger scream: watching Stewart pointing *around* the drum corps. If you check out some of the MIAB videos, you can see Stewart pointing at both the Flag and his peeps over and under the various arms blocking him. Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor corps of drums shall stay the Stewart from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.

In addition to having folks around the arena share in Flag Duty with their paper flags, I had asked some of the folks in the pit to share using the actual Flag. I know lots of folks had been voting for me to hold the Flag for the last show -- and that's really sweet -- but like I've said, it's not about me and it's not *my* Flag anymore. It only seemed right for everyone to have the chance to wave the Green Love that night, whether the original or a facsimile.

Pecos had already asked if she might be able to hold the Flag at some point, so she had the honors during the opening of the show for "Sunshine" and "Message" -- and damn, if that girl didn't trip the light fantastic with that green goblin. I just about hurt myself laughing listening to the full-on drum-corps/signature snare attack while Stewart leaned into a hole between bodies to point at a flag and a Pecos in a wig and tiara. (The Pecos wore the wig and tiara, not the Flag.)

From there, the Flag got passed down the line to the nutters on Andy's side. (Unfortunately there were a few interlopers who had gotten between us and Dietmar, Nancy, Samburu, and plempty at center-stage, so I couldn't maneuver the Flag to them as well.) Dive had the Flag for "Walking on the Moon," then passed it on down the line. Dermot, sockii, vespa, EQ, Bongo -- I'm not sure who took a turn or who had which songs, but I know they were flying the colors and showing the love.

(Funny enough, Mo didn't quite get the memo on this one, so he kept looking at me, not seeing the Flag, and then freaking out as to where it was. It took him a couple of reassurances and pointings at the rest of the Andy-side gang to get the idea.)

Eventually the Flag looped back toward where I was standing, and turns were had by GinaSuperCat and policerule ("Don't Stand"?), Hannah ("Driven To Tears"), and smudge ("Hole In My Life"). Hannah and I had a nice tense little moment during "Driven" when a security guy walked into the camera area and stopped dead in front of us. Hannah had been holding the Flag by the corners with her hands leaning on the railing -- so when security guy came along, I leaned in to hold the Flag from the middle of the top edge. I learned later that there was some jerkwad in the audience behind us that the security guy was probably keeping an eye on; but at the time all I could think was that the Flag was going to have to rip in half in order for Security to get it on the last night of the tour. Big props to Stems with the perfect coif and the nonchalant death-grip.

For "Magic" I passed the Flag to stevel -- who immediately shot the thing straight into the air. Haha. I swear that Steve spent the entire night with at least one arm in the air at all times. I defy you to find a photo of Steve during the show in which at least one arm is not in the air. So far I've only seen one, and his arms were subdued to use his camera. The man simply emanated joy.

I got the Flag back for "Wrapped" -- toward the end I got a bit teary realizing that I wouldn't get to witness this incredible arrangement again; sockii appeared next to me for "De Do Do Do" so we shared custody for a while; and throughout the show, Stewart was smiling and pointing at both a cloth flag, paper flags, and familiar faces all around.

Then "Invisible Sun" began. . . .

[Charliearnoid]

OMG Kellie... you're killin' me over here

[Grace]

I had also noticed in one of the MIAB Youtubes that Stewart was pointing a-go-go!
So awesome!
Wonder what a$$hat was there in the pit using the lost ticket. (Why didn't I think of that? )

Can I have some more, please?

[Madgrad]

Pecos wore the tiara to MSG!? Cool! Damn, that thing's come a LONG way from it's humble beginnings at a Target in Apex, NC! Schmaff made a good call passin' it along.


And another thing: Get on with the tale, dammit!

[samburusunset]

[quote="tamalynx"]Does it make me freaky if I ask for pointers to where Jeff Seitz signed it?[/quote]


He's in the upper left quadrant. It's pretty small and in cursive.



That's not to say *Jeff* is small. He's HUGE in our book! He's the man behind The Man! Go Jeff!

[Grace]

OFF-TOPIC & maybe already linked somewhere, but this one's got some of the afforementioned point action captured for any of you who missed it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IX2g2wj ... re=related

[DirtyMartini]

Not long after "Invisible Sun" opened, someone appeared directly in front of me on the camera track. He wore a laminate and I think a headset and was clearly Crew and not Security -- but after going on guard during "Driven To Tears" earlier, it's likely that I met this nice man with a cold-eyed stare. Or whatever close approximation my two wonky eyes can manage.

But crew man showed me his measuring tape, I relaxed, and while Sting sang about statistics, I again pointed out grommet holes. I'm not sure either of us actually spoke; just a lot of pointing and gesturing and measuring in the dark.

[Jeff, would you please send my thanks to this gentlemen and any other crew members that got drawn into this scheme? Their assistance and complicity is greatly appreciated.]

Looking back, I'm a bit confused as to why the crew man came to me and measured in the dark when the Flag was scheduled to go backstage and into the light -- but in all things Flag, the path of most resistance is king. So the crew man left without the Flag, the song continued, and soon after Brad (whom I owe greatly) -- wit and Stewart-wrangler extraordinaire -- appeared.

You know, I'd love to say that the Flag hand-off was full of pomp and circumstance, to paint you guys A Moment awash in blue lights and scored by moody guitar tinklings and muffled tom-toms. And if you want me to lie, I will.

But it was all pretty simple: Brad came out. I handed him the Flag. Brad and the Flag went away. "Can't Stand Losing You" soon began.

Heh heh. And I just this very moment have realized that little song-cue irony. . . .