On this last trip, I discovered the joys of lawn seating at concerts. I'd never been on the lawn. I love the rush and competitiveness of getting great seats to shows (for face!) so I've had my fair share of great seats.
But just this once, my little group decided to sit on the lawn at a massive show, and we loved it so much that we gave away our tickets for the next night and sat lawn again on purpose. Lawn is brilliant because you can 1. stand up and dance, 2. sit down and watch or 3. lay down and almost fall asleep - all depending on your mood!
I have one favorite memory from that last night on the lawn. There's a new song, one that I am really loving. All three of us laid down on our blanket, staring into the stars. When the chorus started (my favorite part) I reached my hand up to the sky and started to swing it left to right. Almost as if it were scripted and without speaking, my two friends reach up and start the motion too. Then we all raised both of our arms, swinging them in the air left to right, in unison, and to the beat. I have no idea what the people around us thought, all I know is that it was a magical moment. And every time I hear that song, I will immediately be back in that moment, in the most beautiful place, laying down, and watching for shooting stars.
Thursday, September 7, 2006
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
DMB, the Gorge in George Washington, Labor Day Weekend Part 1
The Gorge is the most amazing music venue on earth.
You know how sometimes you go on a vacation that has lots of potential, but then it actually winds up being stupid and boring and a huge waste of money and time, but instead of actually copping to that, you make up stories about how wonderful it was?
My vacation was the exact opposite of that. :)
I was worried.. we had less people coming than usual, we're all older and have more responsibilities, I was hanging out with a married couple - third wheel syndrome, anyone? But none of that mattered... we picked up right where we left off. Three stooges. So many moments that were hilariously perfect.
I could write probably 50 pages, but noone would ever read it, right? So, probably randomly, I'll just offer up tidbits as they come to me.
The first one is not about the trip, really, but something interesting on the plane ride home. On the last leg of my long journey home, a man entered my plane. He was, quite simply, a giant. A true, living, breathing giant. Now, I may be short, so many people are "tall" to me, but this man was bent in half as he walked down the aisle of the plane. I'd never seen anything like it.
I immediately thought of how annoying that may be, to have a physical characteristic that truly sets you apart from every single other person and makes people stare. I may be fat or short or anything else that defines me, but I know I'm not THE fattest or THE shortest or THE whatever that anyone has ever seen. I wondered about his life, and the challenges he has to endure.
This entire trip was my first time in first class. I had lucked out on a promotion where I got the ticket for free. I decided that first class isn't all it's cracked up to be. While it's nice to have extra room, it was room that I didn't need... my feet barely touched the ground and I could have barely touched the seat in front of me if I stretched out my legs. So as I sat there in my first class seat, thinking about this man, I was overwhelmed with the desire to go back and ask him if he wanted to switch seats so he could have the room. I thought about it and thought about it. I'd love to end the story with me having done it and him having eternal gratitude, but of course that's not the case. My natural reserve and dislike of calling attention to myself overrided the desire to do it - and, I wasn't sure how he would react. Would he have been offended? I'll never know.
As we waited for our luggage, I got my first good look at him standing up. He had to duck as he came through the doorway of the large baggage claim area! I found the second tallest guy in the room who looked to be about 6'5 and this guy was clearly heads above him, so the giant was probably closer to 8'0 if not over. He was in his 30's, very good looking. I watched as the 100 or so people in the room pretended not to be staring (just like me, I'm ashamed to admit). Again, how weird that must be? Although if you've never known anything else, maybe not?
You know how sometimes you go on a vacation that has lots of potential, but then it actually winds up being stupid and boring and a huge waste of money and time, but instead of actually copping to that, you make up stories about how wonderful it was?
My vacation was the exact opposite of that. :)
I was worried.. we had less people coming than usual, we're all older and have more responsibilities, I was hanging out with a married couple - third wheel syndrome, anyone? But none of that mattered... we picked up right where we left off. Three stooges. So many moments that were hilariously perfect.
I could write probably 50 pages, but noone would ever read it, right? So, probably randomly, I'll just offer up tidbits as they come to me.
The first one is not about the trip, really, but something interesting on the plane ride home. On the last leg of my long journey home, a man entered my plane. He was, quite simply, a giant. A true, living, breathing giant. Now, I may be short, so many people are "tall" to me, but this man was bent in half as he walked down the aisle of the plane. I'd never seen anything like it.
I immediately thought of how annoying that may be, to have a physical characteristic that truly sets you apart from every single other person and makes people stare. I may be fat or short or anything else that defines me, but I know I'm not THE fattest or THE shortest or THE whatever that anyone has ever seen. I wondered about his life, and the challenges he has to endure.
This entire trip was my first time in first class. I had lucked out on a promotion where I got the ticket for free. I decided that first class isn't all it's cracked up to be. While it's nice to have extra room, it was room that I didn't need... my feet barely touched the ground and I could have barely touched the seat in front of me if I stretched out my legs. So as I sat there in my first class seat, thinking about this man, I was overwhelmed with the desire to go back and ask him if he wanted to switch seats so he could have the room. I thought about it and thought about it. I'd love to end the story with me having done it and him having eternal gratitude, but of course that's not the case. My natural reserve and dislike of calling attention to myself overrided the desire to do it - and, I wasn't sure how he would react. Would he have been offended? I'll never know.
As we waited for our luggage, I got my first good look at him standing up. He had to duck as he came through the doorway of the large baggage claim area! I found the second tallest guy in the room who looked to be about 6'5 and this guy was clearly heads above him, so the giant was probably closer to 8'0 if not over. He was in his 30's, very good looking. I watched as the 100 or so people in the room pretended not to be staring (just like me, I'm ashamed to admit). Again, how weird that must be? Although if you've never known anything else, maybe not?
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Marc Broussard, Richmond, VA 8.16.06
My night as a wanna-be roadie..
Tonight I volunteered to work the merchandise booth for Marc Broussard. For those of you who have never checked him out, I cannot recommend him enough. He's from Louisiana and is what good old fashioned Southern Rock is all about. I simply love every single song on his Carencro album. He was performing tonight as the opener for Umphrees McGee and Bela Fleck.
I arrived at the show not really knowing what to expect. It's really just a tiny stage in the middle of a gravel parking lot, with a small segregated seating area and then people with lawn chairs and standing in the back. I arrived and picked up my ticket from the Guest List. I asked for the merchandise manager, Brian, who turned out to be an insanely adorable little guy. He told me to go enjoy Marc's set and then meet back afterward. Turns out the ticket I had was "Gold Circle" which meant I could go into the seating area and sit right there in front row. Marc is a genuine little rock star and I loved his set. Looking around, there was only maybe 50-100 people there that early.. Bela Fleck sat in for a song and I am convinced he and I had a little moment.. :)
When the set was over I went to the booth, which was set up within feet of the stage. Brian explained the merchandise and gave me a wad of money and then went on his way. The night was perfect weather, and perfect for people-watching.. my favorite stories of the night:
One of the first guys to come up was proclaiming how amazing Marc was, how he was blown away. He bought a CD for his girlfriend, then asked for a t-shirt. "Twenty dollars," I said. He handed me a wad of money and said "keep it, keep all my money, give it to him, he's amazing." I open the wad and sure enough there's a $20 along with several ones and fives.
Absolutely stereotypical hippie boy with the loose clothing and tye-die and dreadlocks comes up and asks to use my pen. He's getting the phone number of another guy and I listen to his conversation. He is in law school at UVA. I mention I live in Cville and we get into a long conversation. He says how proud he is to have been accepted into UVA and how it took him 6 years and how he will be a first generation college graduate from his family. He owns his own home and has some investments and hopes to be able to open his own practice one day. In the end, he thanked me for being so hospitable. Yet another reminder that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Oh! And the guy who he was talking to? His email addy is bikerslutt. I asked him if he puts that on his employment applications. He said yes. I told him we laugh at him.
Drunk guy walks up and asks me to get him some beer coupons. I tell him I have no idea what he's talking about. He goes on to tell me how much he likes Marc but he really came for Umphrees McGee. He LOVEEEES Umphrees McGee, he exclaimed. I leaned in close.
"Do you really,LOVE Umphrees McGee?"
"Yes!"
"Well, you may be interested to know they're standing right next to you."
The guys backs up like he thinks I am crazy, but when he looks around and actually realizes those guys were indeed standing right next to me signing stuff for people, his mouth dropped open - "OH SHIT!" lol
All in all, it was quite the fun experience. I was a bit put off by the fact that Marc walked around a lot after his set - went and got beer, in fact, but never came up to the booth. I would think he would just to sell more merchandise, but also to maybe shake the hand of the fan who volunteered to work for him for a night? But maybe I expect too much...
Umphrees McGee and some of Bela's people were around a lot. Too bad I couldn't have picked them out of a crowd. I actually had people asking my permission to go up to the artists. Of course, I had a power trip and told them no.... ;) Just kidding!
The encore of the show, with all three bands on stage, was amazing. Me and the merchandise guys for the other bands were dancing our butts off. Brian came in and out during the show and we chatted some. He told me stories of going out with the band, and we compared notes from him visiting Louisiana for Mardi Gras. At the end, we settled up money-wise and he told me I could take any merchandise I wanted.. I just settled for a couple live recordings.
And thus fulfilled my dream of working on a tour!
Tonight I volunteered to work the merchandise booth for Marc Broussard. For those of you who have never checked him out, I cannot recommend him enough. He's from Louisiana and is what good old fashioned Southern Rock is all about. I simply love every single song on his Carencro album. He was performing tonight as the opener for Umphrees McGee and Bela Fleck.
I arrived at the show not really knowing what to expect. It's really just a tiny stage in the middle of a gravel parking lot, with a small segregated seating area and then people with lawn chairs and standing in the back. I arrived and picked up my ticket from the Guest List. I asked for the merchandise manager, Brian, who turned out to be an insanely adorable little guy. He told me to go enjoy Marc's set and then meet back afterward. Turns out the ticket I had was "Gold Circle" which meant I could go into the seating area and sit right there in front row. Marc is a genuine little rock star and I loved his set. Looking around, there was only maybe 50-100 people there that early.. Bela Fleck sat in for a song and I am convinced he and I had a little moment.. :)
When the set was over I went to the booth, which was set up within feet of the stage. Brian explained the merchandise and gave me a wad of money and then went on his way. The night was perfect weather, and perfect for people-watching.. my favorite stories of the night:
One of the first guys to come up was proclaiming how amazing Marc was, how he was blown away. He bought a CD for his girlfriend, then asked for a t-shirt. "Twenty dollars," I said. He handed me a wad of money and said "keep it, keep all my money, give it to him, he's amazing." I open the wad and sure enough there's a $20 along with several ones and fives.
Absolutely stereotypical hippie boy with the loose clothing and tye-die and dreadlocks comes up and asks to use my pen. He's getting the phone number of another guy and I listen to his conversation. He is in law school at UVA. I mention I live in Cville and we get into a long conversation. He says how proud he is to have been accepted into UVA and how it took him 6 years and how he will be a first generation college graduate from his family. He owns his own home and has some investments and hopes to be able to open his own practice one day. In the end, he thanked me for being so hospitable. Yet another reminder that you can't judge a book by it's cover. Oh! And the guy who he was talking to? His email addy is bikerslutt. I asked him if he puts that on his employment applications. He said yes. I told him we laugh at him.
Drunk guy walks up and asks me to get him some beer coupons. I tell him I have no idea what he's talking about. He goes on to tell me how much he likes Marc but he really came for Umphrees McGee. He LOVEEEES Umphrees McGee, he exclaimed. I leaned in close.
"Do you really,LOVE Umphrees McGee?"
"Yes!"
"Well, you may be interested to know they're standing right next to you."
The guys backs up like he thinks I am crazy, but when he looks around and actually realizes those guys were indeed standing right next to me signing stuff for people, his mouth dropped open - "OH SHIT!" lol
All in all, it was quite the fun experience. I was a bit put off by the fact that Marc walked around a lot after his set - went and got beer, in fact, but never came up to the booth. I would think he would just to sell more merchandise, but also to maybe shake the hand of the fan who volunteered to work for him for a night? But maybe I expect too much...
Umphrees McGee and some of Bela's people were around a lot. Too bad I couldn't have picked them out of a crowd. I actually had people asking my permission to go up to the artists. Of course, I had a power trip and told them no.... ;) Just kidding!
The encore of the show, with all three bands on stage, was amazing. Me and the merchandise guys for the other bands were dancing our butts off. Brian came in and out during the show and we chatted some. He told me stories of going out with the band, and we compared notes from him visiting Louisiana for Mardi Gras. At the end, we settled up money-wise and he told me I could take any merchandise I wanted.. I just settled for a couple live recordings.
And thus fulfilled my dream of working on a tour!
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Charlottesville, Va 8.1.2006
Pics from the Robert Randolph and the Family Band show.
Monday, July 10, 2006
John Hiatt and North Mississippi Allstars, Charlottesville, VA 7.10.06
Wow. That's the only way to describe this show last night. I had bought the tickets awhile back, not necessarily being a huge fan of either act but moreso because it was a benefit concert for the Music Resource Center.
But how good were they?? John Hiatt is a little rock star - very fun and charismatic! And I love the diversity of crowds that come to these shows - old and young and everything in between, on their feet and dancing their asses off.
But how good were they?? John Hiatt is a little rock star - very fun and charismatic! And I love the diversity of crowds that come to these shows - old and young and everything in between, on their feet and dancing their asses off.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)