Oh, I am so thankful I still have this tape. Bear with me, this story is long. Hahaha.

(I am the first “woo!” at 5:37 haha)

I remember getting home on Sunday night from a weekend away somewhere with my family and I made my routine weekly call to the Live 105 hotline to see who would be on Alex Bennett’s morning show that week. I about pissed myself when the recording said Erasure would be there. I think I called back like four times to make sure I heard it right. I ran out into the family room hysterical – how else could a 14 year old girl be at the prospect of meeting her favorite group of all time? Anyway I don’t recall it taking much convincing, they knew how obsessed I was. I love my parents.

My mom was tasked with taking my boombox and 4 blank tapes to work with her (at a BANK haha) and being in charge of recording the whole show for me. It’s because of her that I have this tape. I love my parents.

My dad and I drove into San Francisco at 4:30 am to be there for the show. I don’t have the tape on hand at the moment so I can’t remember who else was there this day (I think it was Michael Rapaport). Maybe 3 hours into the show my dad stepped out to use the restroom and came back and whispered, “I saw Erasure out there, they’re coming in soon.”

“No way!”

“Yeah! I saw the one with the long hair, with a guitar.”

I was like…….. who tf did you see? That ain’t Vince or Andy. Haha.

Not long afterwards, they finally came in, accompanied by Nic Johnston (solving the long haired guitar man mystery). I had been to Alex’s show a few times to meet comedians in the past…. but I had never felt so starstruck, and haven’t again since, not even close. Andy Bell and Vince Clarke were standing and sitting 8 feet from me. I had peaked.

After a short introduction / interview, they performed Stay With Me. After the song they were thanked, then whisked away to the hall and into a room behind a closed door.

Almost all of the audience followed to wait at the door. My dad and I were the last ones out, and found that a woman had taken everyone’s items into the room to get signed. I had an old issue of Record Collector I “borrowed” from my neighbor (oops). The woman came out and handed out everyone’s signed stuff, and I was worried I was too late. My dad asked (persuaded) her to take my magazine back. It took a few minutes, but eventually, after everyone had gone off downstairs, she came back and handed me my very first Erasure autograph. Off to the elevator I floated.

I gushed about the performance all the way down the hall, vaguely aware of someone smoking behind us. At the elevator, I glanced behind me and – yes, you guessed it – F’IN ERASURE were following us. I had breathed in Vince’s second hand smoke. We were all about to be in an elevator together. We were going to all chat and become best friends and they were going to adopt me and move me to England. I thought I was going to die. NOW I had peaked.

My dad, being my dad, made small talk with them, complimenting the song, and introducing them to me – sadly I was in complete shock and couldn’t say a word. I may have said “uhhhhh” at some point. I hope they thought I was cute, at least. Haha.

We did not discuss adoption or relocation to England.

Once outside, a small group of fans that waited surrounded Vince and Andy and I just kinda held back and watched, still in awe. Eventually we walked back to the car and headed home. I don’t think I shut up the whole drive.

I’ve met (well, you know. sort of met) them twice since then, in 1997 and 2005. I like to think my composure in their presence has improved greatly 😀

I’m really surprised that in 25 years, I have never seen anyone else put this online. So to anyone who finds this, I hope you enjoy it! And if you were there, I hope you enjoy our little trip down memory lane together. If anyone has any photos from this day, I would LOVE to see them (especially if I’m in them, haha. I was wearing a denim & floral dress).