Rockin' with the FloMax Crowd
Well, the evening proved to be everything I thought it would be. . . and more.
After a nice dinner at Ruby Tuesday's -- buy 1, get 1 free coupon -- we headed to the Tennessee Theater. This is a beautiful theater in Downtown Knoxville. It was recently renovated -- and the surroundings are just as beautiful as I remembered. But last night - - they were even more beautiful.
Mark parked the car after dropping me off at the front of the theater. I probably should have "hoofed up" up the hill with him -- because he had to walk up the street where the tour buses were parked--and he passed Boz Scaggs' bass player, background singer, and one other band member. He thinks he may have also spotted Mr. Scaggs himself.
. . . .yeah, I'd have been a mess.
We did a little "people watching" after Mark got to the front of the theater, and realized that the median age of the crowd was our age -- if not a little older. And then it hit me:
In the same way that I really like Corinne Bailey Rae and Jason Mraz (even in my aged state). . . back when Boz and Michael were on the Top 40 charts. . . people that are now MY AGE were listening to them, too.
. . .and they were at the concert with us last night.
We saw every manner of people. Of course, no concert would be complete without the hussies in gold lame shirts -- ready to shake their groove thing for the celebrities. There wasn't too much of that -- again, remember the age of the crowd -- so it wasn't as bad as other concerts I've attended in the past.
As people started filling in, we met the couple seated to my right. They live in Sevierville, and their adult-age mentally-challenged son, who lives with them, works at Dollywood. They moved to TN because it was his dream to work there. They spoke of him so lovingly -- and enjoyed the couple of stories I told about Caroline. So, I was happy with the people to my right.
I worried about the two empty seats in front of us -- the couple just to the right in that row were of average height -- and were about our age. So, at this point, they were not a visual blockage threat. But then he came in. . . .
Yep, the guy in front of me had to be 6' 2" tall. I remained calm. I realized that if I lean slightly to the right, I'd be able to see the center of the stage with no problem. Oh, did I fail to mention?
We were about 40 feet from the stage -- and DEAD CENTER. Happy girl? Oh yeah. . . .
So, after my visual obstacles were taken care of, I did a quick scan of the people around us.
And then they walked in. I couldn't make this stuff up.
A couple -- probably in their late 30s. . . with two toddlers. One was probably 18 months old. The other? Three, at best. These people -- who obviously either have NO family in the area, are too cheap to pay for a babysitter, or want to expose their children to decibels that will forever mar their children's hearing -- whatever their motive? They were in the row behind us. And yes, the baby cried.
The concert began -- and it was amazing. Boz Scaggs played for 60 minutes -- and came back out for a good 15 minute encore.
And then they walked. . . I mean stumbled in. Nope. Not the toddler-bearing couple. This would be "drunk couple on a first date" that were seated immediately behind Mark and me. She? Kept talking about how buzzed she was. He? Let's see -- HUGE samoan-type dude trying desperately to impress what I can only assume is a barfly he picked up on his way to the concert.
And to make matters worse? They spoke in outside voice volumes to each other throughout the concert. I wanted to do bodily harm. But again? He was a big dude -- and I wasn't looking for a rumble before Michael hit the stage. I started to pray.
That's right. I prayed during a Boz Scaggs concert -- asking God to shut them the heck up. (I think I said "heck" to God!) And, for the most part, God came through. However, when he was testing my patience and love for my brother, this is what we overheard:
BSG (Big Samoan Guy): So, what do you think? Are you allright?
DBFH (Drunk Bar Fly Hussy): Yeah. . .(mumbles something unintelligible)
BSG: Are you having a good time?
DBFH: (more unintelligible mumbling)
BSG: Do you like music? 'Cause, if you do -- and if you come back to my house -- I can show you my music. (etchings, anyone?)
DBFH: (nothing)
Pathetic. But we laughed. So, it was somewhat entertaining. Somewhat.
Highlights? Well, they had to be Lido Shuffle and Lowdown. He also did JoJo, which I remembered -- and then, he sang the song that made me cry.
Yep, I cried. It was as good as I could have imagined it would be. His band last night was a bit more animated than this video -- but you get the idea.
Totally.amazing.performance.
Then, it was time for the intermission -- and after a long, uneventful trip to the bathroom -- it was time for Michael to take the stage. While we waited, Mark asked me when I first began to recognize Michael as an artist that I adored so much. I told him that it would have been when he was with the Doobie Brothers -- and then started his solo career. I told him that when I was in high school, I used to buy sheet music at the record store -- and one of the songs I had bought was the Doobies' song, "Real Love." So, how did he begin the concert?
Well, what can I say? I was absolutely enraptured. Just ask Mark. He'll tell you. Actually, he'd tell you I screamed. He would be right. I did. I screamed.
Okay. . .but here's the part that got me. He came out in a white linen-ish shirt. Very, very nice. But he was wearing glasses. And, I cannot explain it -- it made him even more (ahem) attractive. He wore them for the first couple of songs -- and then they went away. I was a little sad -- because those glasses. Sigh. But still.
Oh? You wondered about BSG & DBFH? They came back after the intermission. And talked. Loudly. So loud, in fact, that Mark turned around during the first of Michael's song, and tried to shut them up.
[side note: That Chick - Stephanie - is a friend (blog buddy) of mine. I so wish that she'd have been with us. She's very bold. She's extremely brave. She uses words that would make Big Samoan Dude want to go back to the island. Steph -- we missed you last night! I could have used your bravery -- and wordsmith prowess!!!]
So, I admitted that I cried during Boz's song. . . but with Michael, I didn't cry. But I loved every single, solitary minute of it. He did songs that I scrapbook to. . . sew to. . .dance to. . . and. . .
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
What a Fool Believes
Takin' it to the Streets
Minute by Minute
Pretty much -- you name it, he sang it. And I loved it. And then, it was over. Of course, he came back for a 3-song encore. . .and then, it was really over.
Everyone -- let's do a collective sigh here. {{sigh}}
My title? Oh yeah. . . .that was the other fun observation we made last night. Being that we were the "median" age of concert-goers, Mark and I both found it fascinating, and mildly creepy that all the men (okay, all of the older -- older-than-us-men) kept getting up from their seats in the middle of the concert.
EEEEWWWWWWW!!! Getting old obviously has its downsides -- one of them being the need to visit the men's room more frequently. (But it gave us a laugh. . .and me a blog entry title!)
Prostate issues aside, it was a great concert. Both acts -- totally amazing. Unforgettable.
Thank you, Mark -- you made a couple dreams come true last night -- and in the process, made me fall even more deeply in love with you.
(I know it's sappy, but James Taylor might be coming to town next year. . . . .) Toodles!
After a nice dinner at Ruby Tuesday's -- buy 1, get 1 free coupon -- we headed to the Tennessee Theater. This is a beautiful theater in Downtown Knoxville. It was recently renovated -- and the surroundings are just as beautiful as I remembered. But last night - - they were even more beautiful.
Mark parked the car after dropping me off at the front of the theater. I probably should have "hoofed up" up the hill with him -- because he had to walk up the street where the tour buses were parked--and he passed Boz Scaggs' bass player, background singer, and one other band member. He thinks he may have also spotted Mr. Scaggs himself.
. . . .yeah, I'd have been a mess.
We did a little "people watching" after Mark got to the front of the theater, and realized that the median age of the crowd was our age -- if not a little older. And then it hit me:
In the same way that I really like Corinne Bailey Rae and Jason Mraz (even in my aged state). . . back when Boz and Michael were on the Top 40 charts. . . people that are now MY AGE were listening to them, too.
. . .and they were at the concert with us last night.
We saw every manner of people. Of course, no concert would be complete without the hussies in gold lame shirts -- ready to shake their groove thing for the celebrities. There wasn't too much of that -- again, remember the age of the crowd -- so it wasn't as bad as other concerts I've attended in the past.
As people started filling in, we met the couple seated to my right. They live in Sevierville, and their adult-age mentally-challenged son, who lives with them, works at Dollywood. They moved to TN because it was his dream to work there. They spoke of him so lovingly -- and enjoyed the couple of stories I told about Caroline. So, I was happy with the people to my right.
I worried about the two empty seats in front of us -- the couple just to the right in that row were of average height -- and were about our age. So, at this point, they were not a visual blockage threat. But then he came in. . . .
Yep, the guy in front of me had to be 6' 2" tall. I remained calm. I realized that if I lean slightly to the right, I'd be able to see the center of the stage with no problem. Oh, did I fail to mention?
We were about 40 feet from the stage -- and DEAD CENTER. Happy girl? Oh yeah. . . .
So, after my visual obstacles were taken care of, I did a quick scan of the people around us.
And then they walked in. I couldn't make this stuff up.
A couple -- probably in their late 30s. . . with two toddlers. One was probably 18 months old. The other? Three, at best. These people -- who obviously either have NO family in the area, are too cheap to pay for a babysitter, or want to expose their children to decibels that will forever mar their children's hearing -- whatever their motive? They were in the row behind us. And yes, the baby cried.
The concert began -- and it was amazing. Boz Scaggs played for 60 minutes -- and came back out for a good 15 minute encore.
And then they walked. . . I mean stumbled in. Nope. Not the toddler-bearing couple. This would be "drunk couple on a first date" that were seated immediately behind Mark and me. She? Kept talking about how buzzed she was. He? Let's see -- HUGE samoan-type dude trying desperately to impress what I can only assume is a barfly he picked up on his way to the concert.
And to make matters worse? They spoke in outside voice volumes to each other throughout the concert. I wanted to do bodily harm. But again? He was a big dude -- and I wasn't looking for a rumble before Michael hit the stage. I started to pray.
That's right. I prayed during a Boz Scaggs concert -- asking God to shut them the heck up. (I think I said "heck" to God!) And, for the most part, God came through. However, when he was testing my patience and love for my brother, this is what we overheard:
BSG (Big Samoan Guy): So, what do you think? Are you allright?
DBFH (Drunk Bar Fly Hussy): Yeah. . .(mumbles something unintelligible)
BSG: Are you having a good time?
DBFH: (more unintelligible mumbling)
BSG: Do you like music? 'Cause, if you do -- and if you come back to my house -- I can show you my music. (etchings, anyone?)
DBFH: (nothing)
Pathetic. But we laughed. So, it was somewhat entertaining. Somewhat.
Highlights? Well, they had to be Lido Shuffle and Lowdown. He also did JoJo, which I remembered -- and then, he sang the song that made me cry.
Yep, I cried. It was as good as I could have imagined it would be. His band last night was a bit more animated than this video -- but you get the idea.
Totally.amazing.performance.
Then, it was time for the intermission -- and after a long, uneventful trip to the bathroom -- it was time for Michael to take the stage. While we waited, Mark asked me when I first began to recognize Michael as an artist that I adored so much. I told him that it would have been when he was with the Doobie Brothers -- and then started his solo career. I told him that when I was in high school, I used to buy sheet music at the record store -- and one of the songs I had bought was the Doobies' song, "Real Love." So, how did he begin the concert?
Well, what can I say? I was absolutely enraptured. Just ask Mark. He'll tell you. Actually, he'd tell you I screamed. He would be right. I did. I screamed.
Okay. . .but here's the part that got me. He came out in a white linen-ish shirt. Very, very nice. But he was wearing glasses. And, I cannot explain it -- it made him even more (ahem) attractive. He wore them for the first couple of songs -- and then they went away. I was a little sad -- because those glasses. Sigh. But still.
Oh? You wondered about BSG & DBFH? They came back after the intermission. And talked. Loudly. So loud, in fact, that Mark turned around during the first of Michael's song, and tried to shut them up.
[side note: That Chick - Stephanie - is a friend (blog buddy) of mine. I so wish that she'd have been with us. She's very bold. She's extremely brave. She uses words that would make Big Samoan Dude want to go back to the island. Steph -- we missed you last night! I could have used your bravery -- and wordsmith prowess!!!]
So, I admitted that I cried during Boz's song. . . but with Michael, I didn't cry. But I loved every single, solitary minute of it. He did songs that I scrapbook to. . . sew to. . .dance to. . . and. . .
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
What a Fool Believes
Takin' it to the Streets
Minute by Minute
Pretty much -- you name it, he sang it. And I loved it. And then, it was over. Of course, he came back for a 3-song encore. . .and then, it was really over.
Everyone -- let's do a collective sigh here. {{sigh}}
My title? Oh yeah. . . .that was the other fun observation we made last night. Being that we were the "median" age of concert-goers, Mark and I both found it fascinating, and mildly creepy that all the men (okay, all of the older -- older-than-us-men) kept getting up from their seats in the middle of the concert.
EEEEWWWWWWW!!! Getting old obviously has its downsides -- one of them being the need to visit the men's room more frequently. (But it gave us a laugh. . .and me a blog entry title!)
Prostate issues aside, it was a great concert. Both acts -- totally amazing. Unforgettable.
Thank you, Mark -- you made a couple dreams come true last night -- and in the process, made me fall even more deeply in love with you.
(I know it's sappy, but James Taylor might be coming to town next year. . . . .) Toodles!
posted by Angie at 9:02 AM
9 Comments:
Great blog entry Angie, as always. I can only imagine Mark trying to shut the Samoan dude up. I'm glad you enjoyed the show and the evening with your hubby.
LOL! You know I'm actually pretty shy until you get to know me and then? Well. There's no stopping me.
I would have LOVED to be there. Sounds awesome!
And James Taylor! SWOON! My favorite! Jason and I saw him in concert in Raleigh back in...I think 2003 or maybe 2002. If he comes here, I am SO THERE.
awwwwww!! I'm glad you had so much fun Ang! You all deserve it!
i just wrote a monster blog post, and was thinking people wont know how to comment it is soooo loooong. and i read yours... haha.. but two things that stick with me... one: our randy bachman concert gave me similar thoughts, these people are old (unlike me and Tony) and when did people forget how to behave during a concert... two: you came away with how much you loved mark... which is how all pretend celebrity boyfriend moments should end, and like my blog post... this long rambling diary of events ...ended with "i am rich"... miss you angie
You crack me up. Thanks for the phone calls. Both made my day!
:-D)
"Prostate issues aside . . ." That totally made me laugh! Great post!
Gee, I had wondered where our neighbors went last night--they must have snuck out of the 'hood and headed to TN to sit right behind you and annoy YOU for an evening. Otherwise they'd be here, annoying ME. Thanks for taking them off my hands! :)
I listened to the music while reading your post...I would have shoved a sock in their mouths. No not really but I would have wanted to.
I'm glad you had a wonderful time.
Prostate issues are not a "side" thing. They're a - ah, never mind.
Glad you had fun. Even the annoyances were amusing.
i didn't know he was part of the doobie brothers...my mother-in-law one saw the doobies and it always cracks jonathan up to think of his mom going to such a concert, haha!
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