I received the email and three photos from Teresa Marchisio. She and her family are such great fans and they have contributed to the site quite often in the past. It's always great hearing from them at daveamato.com!

She writes:

"We make it a point to go to at least 3 REO shows every year. Our next one is in October (2008) and we are flying out to Reno to see them perform. This will be our second time in Reno seeing them the first was four or five years ago with STYX at the Reno Hilton.

The picture of Dave with the whole family (four in the photo) was in Lakeland, Florida. I think that was three years ago. This picture was taken the day of the show and we had just checked into the hotel and were headed for the car to go and do some sight seeing before the show and Dave walks in as we were walking out."

She continues:

"I think we may just be the only fans that Dave signed a silk tie for my husband in Verona NY last year and my husband actually wears it to work in the Law Firm that we work in, It is quite a conversation piece and every time he wears it we end up going down to the car and getting "Find Your Own Way Home" and lending it to someone.

The other two pictures are the after party at Ruth Eckard Hall in Clearwater, FL last year. This is what happened! My son and I drove from St. Lucie to Pennsacola to see REO and STYX, we left the concert and drove right back to St. Lucie (taking turns driving and sleeping) we got home just in time to grab Dad and get to West Palm Beach for the show with .38 Special and STYX at the Cruzan Amphitheater then took a day off and my husband and I drove to Tampa to see these guys (for the third time in four days) at the Ruth Eckard Hall. Someone, god knows who, was so impressed that they gave us two back stage passes after the show to the after party. "

Teresa, WOW ... you got the tie signed ... the law firm digs Speedwagon and rocks out to "Find Your Own Way Home" ... and you experienced an intense three show sprint! I'm impressed too! You are my kind of fans!

YOU ALL ROCK!

I received the submission below from Lee Haworth. Lee caught up with REO last year during their UK tour ... then again this year. He writes:

"Just coming to terms with the post-REO-tour depression! I had to wait 22 years (I've been a fan since I was 10) then they came, then again within 12 months as promised, then they've gone again.

Both shows in the 2008 UK tour were awesome and I was at front for both between KC and Dave.

As for the shows, Rock City in Nottingham was "like the bar days" in the words of Kevin Cronin and really rocked. The 2,000 capacity standing venue was crammed full and the place just rocked ... Dave was clearly having a great time, there was no faking it! ... Can't Fight (This Feeling) ... and Son of a Poor Man were done to perfection, Dave just blew the crowd away. Dave and Bruce really put on a  guitar show for the crowd while KC took care of the vocals ...

(... and at The Indigo2 show...)

REO played ... Find Your Own Way Home ... and also the band left KC to do I Needed to Fall as an acoustic number on his own.

I reminded tour manager Walter "Wally" Verson that I was invited to the band's hotel last year so he brought me backstage at the Indigo2 in London to meet the guys. I got to talk to the band and spent a while chatting to Dave. We shared a laugh about the differences in our native dialects and one of my proudest moments was sharing a pizza with REO's axe-man! What a guy!!
Anyway, Dave signed a couple of photos and I came away with a beaming smile ...

... It was a great experience as the guys are so down to earth and fun to chat with. Dave told me about his trip to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool which he and Bruce visited last year.

Dave said he'd had a great time and hoped to be back in the UK same time next year. I can't wait!

WOW ... GREAT "REPORT" LEE AND THANKS FOR THE PHOTOS. CHECK THEM OUT EVERYBODY:

Scott Walters from www.speedwagonworld.com has been a great fan to the site and he submitted this photo below of Dave rockin' out with the very cool "Find Your Own Way Home" stage set in the background. He writes:

"It's been a while. here is one of the new pix of Dave on my site. it's from the show at the Wisconsin Dells earlier this year: "

I then received a cool submission from Billy Schommer. He writes:

I was the lead singer in the opening act (1st Degree) on May 23 (2008) for REO in Appleton Wisconsin. I took some nice pictures of Dave and I'm sure he would love to have them. 1st Degree consists of Jesse Coonen(Lead Guitar), John Kettleson(Bass) and Nic Tassone(Drums). Jesse the guitar player is 13 and John, Nic and I are 15. The boys from REO were so nice to us and treated us with such respect, it was great.

Cool photos Billy and great to hear your band jammed out before REO that night. Goes without saying: You allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll rock!

REO/Dave fans! You guys are awesome! Thanks for the submissions ... and to everyone else ... thanks for reading!

You guys are the fuel that keep the gears of the Speedwagon pistons firing and propel the band into high gear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU ARE ALL AWESOME !

Terry Lacny ... Photo Editor ... www.daveamato.com!