When 'Carmina Burana' started, the overwhelming feeling of an ecstatic child racing down a flight of stairs on Christmas morning hit me. Willing almost to leap from the landing in order to get to the presents sooner. And then The Doors of the 21st Century took the stage. The performance was spectacular.

Ray Manzarek's playing was inspired and fresh. Jazz, classical, blues, rock...THE DOORS. Robbie Kreiger's guitar was smoking hot. The interplay between the two was something you could tell your grandchildren about. Their call and answer spots sounded as if they had been playing together nonstop for a thousand years. It WAS jazz! These two original Doors did not rest on their laurels, they blew our minds.

How can you possibly fill the shoes of the untouchable showmanship and irreplaceable genius of Jim Morrison? Ask Ian Astbury. He took all of our greatest expectations of a Doors show, and filled them twice over. The new Shaman did not try to copy or steal the Morrison part, but brought to it a new spirit. A new mystical aura with otherworldly charm and insight. I believe Jim would be proud.

Manzarek's left handed Fender Rhodes Bass lines were the rhythmic soul of The Doors. These were stunningly reproduced by Angelo Barbera. He was able to keep it simple and driving, and not over bass-player it. And then with a glance from Robbie, he turned it up ten notches to an all out, one man symphony of notes and still kept it tastefully Doors. I did not see the reluctant John Densmore, but I heard him. His doppelganger Ty Dennis was superb. I won't deny my wishing that Densmore had signed on. But Ty was beyond reproach and the perfect fit.

After the show, a few die-hard Doors fans were fortunate enough to go backstage. I was one. We went through the line of people towards the backstage autograph table, and got to be fans in person. Ray, Robbie and Ian were there thanking the fans. I had met Ray a couple of times before, (once was the Toronto stop on his book tour. After the talk and autograph session, Justin (the guitar player from Mojo Risin) and I, had the unique opportunity of having a drink with Ray in the hotel bar. He actually came to the bar after Justins' wife asked if he would meet us there. Thanks, Ray, for taking the time to sit with a few fans and have a beer! If only I wasn't so tongue-tied, I could have asked the questions I wanted to.) he was just as gracious this time. We talked as he signed an autograph and shook my hand. Next at the table was Robbie. I got an autograph, talked, and payed homage to another idol. At the end of the table was Ian. He was suprisingly humble as we talked, he gave me an autograph and I thanked him for a great performance.

This event was every Doors fans dream. The show, stage, band lineup, set list was great. I got to hear all the favorites, Cops Talk, a new one, and a great jam of "Get up, Stand up" during the break in Light My Fire. The whole thing was powerful. During one of the songs, someone handed Ian an American flag with Morrisons' face on it. He immediately draped it, on display, on the drum riser. A little later, a few fans tried to rush the stage, then a couple more. After ushering one of the fans off of the stage, the stage manager ripped down the Morrison stars and stripes and took it away. That kind of shocked half of the crowd, myself included. I would think that if Ian thought enough of the flag tribute to display it, Marco had better leave it where it hangs. But I guess everybody has a job to do.

Being a keyboard player myself, I wish that Ray had been able to use some classic keys. Ray's playing was superb, but the sound was a little lacking. With all due respect, the sound of the Alesis keyboard just didn't do anything for me. It sounded sort of thin and artificial when direct boxed to the PA. A Vox, Gibson, something. Or at least their sounds. I had the old keyboard equipment in my van, about a minute away. I desperately wished I could have donated it for the show. It was like watching Robby play Light My Fire on a Telecaster.