It was real. The keyboard tech you referred to, whose name I cannot recall at the moment, (I'll ask Roger Hooper, he will remember), purchased a fair amount of gear through me when I
worked at Washington Music Center. I was comp'd tickets when they passed through town, impossible to get tickets at 930 Club (because it's so small).
They had been playing stadiums in Europe and then do this club gig. Was the best show I ever saw there, and I have been there many, many, times.
Sorry to go off topic, carry on.