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Fanview of the Common Man
cd21miller
Columbia, MO Posts: 302
It's been a week since returning home from seeing the last 4 shows of 08 tour and I wanted to share.
First, a warning. I have no stories of meeting Ed at a sushi bar, having Mike throw me a pic that he used after a blistering solo or winning the ticket lottery three nights in a row. Or even winning it once, for that matter.
Instead, my journey was one of the common man.
What started as a two-day trip to the Hartford show by myself quickly evolved into a 4-show mini-tour (justified to my family as being part of my 'bucket list' as things I've always wanted to do) with my wife and 2 daughters. In the blur of getting tickets to the last 3 shows, we somehow added 4 airline tickets to Hartford (almost drove, but gas costs from Missouri would've sucked...), a 2-day jaunt into NYC (and what do you know...PJ is playing MSG that night!) while visiting some college friends who we haven't seen in 7 years or so.
In a nutshell, this 2-day quick trip to Hartford ("I gotta see JUST ONE show...that's all I need!") had turned into an epic family production ("I really think we can make the last 4 shows!").
I won't go into all the details. Just know that along the way these things happened:
1) Despite having a mid-range 10c number (217,xxx), my tickets were never in the lower arena. always in the second tier and always good. would I have loved to been in the lottery -- you bet. But I do know that I was around other fans like me and I know they would've loved to have won the lottery like me. So, no complaints...despite the initial "shit! no lottery!" each time i got my tix.
2) Spent 8 days in the NYC-Boston-CT triangle and never spent a dime on hotels (thanks to good friends and my sister coming thru big time in NYC for a freebie at the Marriott Marquis).
3) Took my daughter to her first concert ever. She was supposed to go to the last show, but got bumped to the 1st Mansfield after a friend who was supposed to go had an emergency appendectomy. What was a stressful day turned into a great family night with my wife and daughter about 15 rows back on Mike's side, which was great, because my daughter loves Mike. Got the tickets from my new friend Eric (cheers to the solo man from Michigan who did it up right -- except that 24 hour train ride home -- yikes -- just buy the round trip next time, dude!), who scored the lottery and gave me his. Special thanks to new friends Allison and Rick for helping my daughter to enjoy the show and being OK with her standing on the chair next to them. Thumbs down to the tool in the aisle that needed a 15-foot radius to enjoy the show and thus complained (after I asked for his permission) to have my daughter stand in the aisle so she could actually see.
4) Found a 10C ticket in the message pit for NYC that worked out great. Thanks, Therese! Wished the 6-2 guy in front of me wouldn't have been trying to hold a conversation with his date all night, but it happens, I suppose. I do hope they hooked up later...otherwise, my bouncing on my toes all night to see went for naught. Otherwise, a great experience at the Garden. Walked there by myself, strolled into some pubs along the way and met my sister after until 3 or so for drinks because I was still so jazzed from the show.
5) Mansfield 1 -- the parking lot adventure. One way in, one way out. Should've known I was in trouble when the guy next to me got back after the concert, popped open his truck and set out a grille, 3 coolers and some burgers/brats. Spent 2 1/2 hours in the parking lot -- solo -- but ended up having a great time with new friends Renee and Mike and the grille guy who happened to have a few extra beers. Could've sucked to get home at 2:30 (when the show ended at 11 -- stupid-ass curfew!), but instead, it was a highlight.
6) Hartford...what can you say that hasn't been said? Great setlist -- especially for the seasoned fan. Took my college buddy to his first PJ show. Didn't know most of the songs, but he still hasn't stopped talking about the crowd and the energy and the whole environment. Went to the Wishlist Fundraiser beforehand. AWESOME time. All PJ people (how does a bar run out of cold light beer?) and raised a bunch of money. If you haven't done a pre-party with Laura and the gang, it's a must. Great causes and it really gets you right before a show. My favorite night of them all -- and imagine that...in Hartford?!
7) Finally, the shows...saw 15 PJ songs I had never seen before in my previous 10 concerts. Missed out on Oceans, but got Rats. No Tremor Christ, but got Love, Reign O'er Me. Got the "We belong together" end of Black -- finally. Betterman at Mansfield 1...an amazing moment that can only be described by being there. Atomic Dog before Blood in Hartford. Black Diamond in NYC with Mike and Matt on the vocals. The list goes on...In Hiding! Sad!
And so, despite not having that one special moment of running into a band member or winning the ticket lottery or any of the other great things to happened to people, I had one of the best times of my life. Had saved for years to do it, took my kid to her first show, converted my wife to being more than just a casual fan (she now knows all the hand gestures during the songs...not taught by me, I might add) and lived out a dream.
Thanks to all that made it happen...and for those of you who couldn't go, but have always thought about doing it...just GO! Make it work..you won't regret it.
Peace...hope to see you all again in '09!
First, a warning. I have no stories of meeting Ed at a sushi bar, having Mike throw me a pic that he used after a blistering solo or winning the ticket lottery three nights in a row. Or even winning it once, for that matter.
Instead, my journey was one of the common man.
What started as a two-day trip to the Hartford show by myself quickly evolved into a 4-show mini-tour (justified to my family as being part of my 'bucket list' as things I've always wanted to do) with my wife and 2 daughters. In the blur of getting tickets to the last 3 shows, we somehow added 4 airline tickets to Hartford (almost drove, but gas costs from Missouri would've sucked...), a 2-day jaunt into NYC (and what do you know...PJ is playing MSG that night!) while visiting some college friends who we haven't seen in 7 years or so.
In a nutshell, this 2-day quick trip to Hartford ("I gotta see JUST ONE show...that's all I need!") had turned into an epic family production ("I really think we can make the last 4 shows!").
I won't go into all the details. Just know that along the way these things happened:
1) Despite having a mid-range 10c number (217,xxx), my tickets were never in the lower arena. always in the second tier and always good. would I have loved to been in the lottery -- you bet. But I do know that I was around other fans like me and I know they would've loved to have won the lottery like me. So, no complaints...despite the initial "shit! no lottery!" each time i got my tix.
2) Spent 8 days in the NYC-Boston-CT triangle and never spent a dime on hotels (thanks to good friends and my sister coming thru big time in NYC for a freebie at the Marriott Marquis).
3) Took my daughter to her first concert ever. She was supposed to go to the last show, but got bumped to the 1st Mansfield after a friend who was supposed to go had an emergency appendectomy. What was a stressful day turned into a great family night with my wife and daughter about 15 rows back on Mike's side, which was great, because my daughter loves Mike. Got the tickets from my new friend Eric (cheers to the solo man from Michigan who did it up right -- except that 24 hour train ride home -- yikes -- just buy the round trip next time, dude!), who scored the lottery and gave me his. Special thanks to new friends Allison and Rick for helping my daughter to enjoy the show and being OK with her standing on the chair next to them. Thumbs down to the tool in the aisle that needed a 15-foot radius to enjoy the show and thus complained (after I asked for his permission) to have my daughter stand in the aisle so she could actually see.
4) Found a 10C ticket in the message pit for NYC that worked out great. Thanks, Therese! Wished the 6-2 guy in front of me wouldn't have been trying to hold a conversation with his date all night, but it happens, I suppose. I do hope they hooked up later...otherwise, my bouncing on my toes all night to see went for naught. Otherwise, a great experience at the Garden. Walked there by myself, strolled into some pubs along the way and met my sister after until 3 or so for drinks because I was still so jazzed from the show.
5) Mansfield 1 -- the parking lot adventure. One way in, one way out. Should've known I was in trouble when the guy next to me got back after the concert, popped open his truck and set out a grille, 3 coolers and some burgers/brats. Spent 2 1/2 hours in the parking lot -- solo -- but ended up having a great time with new friends Renee and Mike and the grille guy who happened to have a few extra beers. Could've sucked to get home at 2:30 (when the show ended at 11 -- stupid-ass curfew!), but instead, it was a highlight.
6) Hartford...what can you say that hasn't been said? Great setlist -- especially for the seasoned fan. Took my college buddy to his first PJ show. Didn't know most of the songs, but he still hasn't stopped talking about the crowd and the energy and the whole environment. Went to the Wishlist Fundraiser beforehand. AWESOME time. All PJ people (how does a bar run out of cold light beer?) and raised a bunch of money. If you haven't done a pre-party with Laura and the gang, it's a must. Great causes and it really gets you right before a show. My favorite night of them all -- and imagine that...in Hartford?!
7) Finally, the shows...saw 15 PJ songs I had never seen before in my previous 10 concerts. Missed out on Oceans, but got Rats. No Tremor Christ, but got Love, Reign O'er Me. Got the "We belong together" end of Black -- finally. Betterman at Mansfield 1...an amazing moment that can only be described by being there. Atomic Dog before Blood in Hartford. Black Diamond in NYC with Mike and Matt on the vocals. The list goes on...In Hiding! Sad!
And so, despite not having that one special moment of running into a band member or winning the ticket lottery or any of the other great things to happened to people, I had one of the best times of my life. Had saved for years to do it, took my kid to her first show, converted my wife to being more than just a casual fan (she now knows all the hand gestures during the songs...not taught by me, I might add) and lived out a dream.
Thanks to all that made it happen...and for those of you who couldn't go, but have always thought about doing it...just GO! Make it work..you won't regret it.
Peace...hope to see you all again in '09!
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