2006-03-10 - 12:24 a.m.

we call it the family

Just so you don't think it's all gloom and bitching lately... it's so not. My 2006 concert season started last month and I've been having a blast. Even if I am getting kind of sleep deprived. It's been fun already.

Mid-February I went to a show at a place on the beach in NJ. Yes - Jersey - February - beach. It was freezing cold yes, but the show was indoors so who cares. Small show, had a great time, ended up being a guitar stand to the stars again. The front row was so close and the gig so informal that while the performer was setting up it was like, hey, can you hold my guitar for a minute while I plug in? What, I'm gonna say no? It was so much fun. He does kinda sorta know me - at least well enough to know that A) I'm not going anywhere with his guitar and B) I'd go through considerable personal pain and suffering before letting anything happen to it.

After that I went on a trip to see another of my favorites, doing an unusual solo show away from his band. Fantastic and truly an event.

The next week I went to see my band after a long, cold wintry drought of them being off the road. Well okay, 10 weeks. That's a LONG LONG TIME, come on. RSP seemed happy to see me and quite amused to find me right in my favorite spot at the stage (that's what waiting in line for 6 hours SHOULD get you, and this time it did). I'm sure it added to his amusement since that spot (and the stage, and the show) happened to be approximately 3000 miles away from my home. But he wouldn't be surprised. What, I'm going to miss the first show of the year when it's on a Saturday? It was so much fun.

The weekend after that I intended to stay home and get some rest, but that's when the Vegas trip came up. As of Tuesday I had zero plans on going anywhere. Wednesday the magic words appeared... "front row ticket." Sooooo off I went. That was awesome. He said my name from the stage three times. Which, did I mention? Never. Gets. Old.

I've also seen a couple of local shows, and was supposed to see another one tonight, but the band cancelled because of illness. Kinda sucks but it is $100 back on my credit card so that's nice.

Of course I spent it right off again tonight, buying a front row ticket to see my band this summer. That was funny. The show is once again a couple thousand miles away, but it's a Saturday and after all... front row. When calling for tickets this morning though, the poor guy running the VIP process was dealing with a computer system that wasn't functioning, so he took my name and phone number and all that and noted the time I called, and said he'd be calling people back in order to get things all set. He didn't call back all day and I figured I wouldn't hear from him until tomorrow. But at about 7pm I was in the supermarket and the phone rang. I automatically figured it was my husband calling to say "don't forget to buy cat food" so I just clicked the phone on and answered "yeeeeeeeessssss?" Oops, it's ticket guy, yes, how are you? So he asks how many tickets I want, I say one, and he says HOW IS SIXTH SEAT FROM THE CENTER?? Well he didn't say it in all caps but I heard it in all caps. I was nearly hopping up and down in the middle of the florist section where I had pulled my cart over to be out of the way. Man, you'd think I'd never seen them before. You'd think I'd never been in the front row before. But that's the thing. After 112 shows, I still get THIS excited about seeing them again. When I don't, that's when I'll ease up a little.

When the guy on the phone found out where I was from, he said, "are you part of the mafia of fans who have been calling all day who all know each other?" And actually, no one else had told me they'd be calling for tickets, but I figured that anyone who would, seeing as how the tickets just went on sale today, would be someone I'd know. He listed three names for me and sure enough I knew them all - and they are all from different states. Funny thing? One of the names he mentioned was Ms. Strawberry from yesterday. So I don't want to hear ANY fucking guilt trips from the fruit basket about me planning to go to shows and not telling them in advance. And Ms. Strawberry would totally have a conniption if she knew he told me her name. Anyway. He said, "you guys are crazy," and I said, "yes we are." Turns out he is actually the organizer of the entire event, and he said, "I *have* to come down to this show and meet you all." And I said, YES, you do! He asked how many times I see them in a year, and I said, well I've seen them twice this year already, so go from there. Really funny. The event is a festival, and three days worth of shows went on sale this morning. When I called, he didn't say, which show are you calling about? He said, Are you calling about the _____ show? That's when I knew I wasn't the first!

By the way I'm blocking out the fact that he probably went on down the list, giving the next people *my* name as one of the crazies who will be there. Oh well. I'll live.

But funny that had my other show not been cancelled tonight, I wouldn't have been available to take that call at that moment, and someone else probably would have gotten that seat... I would have still gotten front row, but probably not that close to the center. Mmmmm. I'm looking forward to it already. Even though I'll be seeing them at least 3 more times between now and then. Hopefully more.

I bitch and I whine... but things are good.

my mood -

the mood of the whole world wide bleepin' web -