Wrapping up 2011

Tags

concert, Needtobreathe, Taylor Swift, travel

This will be my last post on this blog in 2011.  It’s been a while since I have posted and I have been to several shows…but of course the one I want to post about is my road trip to see TAYLOR SWIFT!!

Let me start by saying I have been a fan of Taylor’s for as long as she has had her first record out (2006).  I was listening to her long before most other people were, and way before some of her fans were even born!  As you may or may not know, I became a fan of country music in middle school.  It was pretty much the only music I listened to for a while.  In the last few years or so my tastes have broadened, but back when Taylor debuted her first album, Taylor Swift, country was all I listened to, and I was hooked from the first time I heard “Tim McGraw.”  If you know anything about Taylor, you know that the guy who produced her first album was just starting out and decided to take a chance on Taylor.  She still works with him today…and I bet you anything he is thanking his lucky stars he “took a chance” with the bubbly blonde 16-year-old begging for a recording contract.

I have basically been wanting to see Taylor live since I first started listening to her.  But next thing I knew everyone else was realizing just how amazing she was and started buying up her concert tickets like they were 75% off Christmas decorations.  Try as I might, I couldn’t seem to get a ticket.  And the tickets I did find were so overpriced there was no way I could afford them (and even if I could have I would never have bought them; I’m not lining someone else’s pockets!).  Fast forward to this year…Taylor’s Speak Now tour dates were released and I was determined to see her.  Unfortunately, her two PA tour dates (Pittsburgh and Philly) were days that I already had things scheduled.  Thwarted again!  So after some research, and thinking, and a quick discussion with a friend, I decided a road trip to see Taylor was in order.  Next thing I knew I had purchased 11th row seats to see Taylor in Columbia, SC.  Oh and I should mention I bought the tickets off of StubHub (for only $10 more than the original price thank you!) so of course I was a bit nervous.  Here I was, committing to take a day off of work, drive several states away, stay overnight in hotels, all to see Taylor, with no actual guarantee that the tickets would be real.  You can call me crazy if you want, but I prefer to be called a dedicated fan and lover of music. )

The short version of the weekend goes like this: Thursday night drive with Latia about five hours to Richmond area VA and sleep in a hotel.  Friday morning drive six hours to Columbia, check into hotel, eat sushi, go see Taylor rock out (yes, thank goodness, the tickets were in fact real), crash at hotel.  Saturday morning drive six hours back to Richmond and crash at friend’s house, thank goodness for Emily and Matt!  Sunday drive home again five hours.  A whirlwind weekend no doubt, but soooo worth it!

Taylor puts on an amazing show.  I have never before been to a concert that seemed like a cross between a concert, Broadway show, and acoustic house party.  Yup, you read that right: house party.  Because only Taylor can put on a show for 13,000 people and make everyone feel like they are chilling with her at her house on a Friday night and she just so happens to be singing some of her songs.

The costume changes, the sets, the back up dancers and special effects, made for an unforgettable show.  And made it feel like you were truly watching the stories of her songs unfold.  However, even without all of that, it would have been a great show.  Because despite what I have heard from others, Taylor’s voice and musical talent (I lost track of how many different guitars and instruments she played) was brilliant live, and I loved every song and every minute.

The extra special added bonus was her surprise guest for Columbia.  Along the tour she has had special guests show up, but being that we were seeing her in Columbia I was not sure she would have anyone.  Lucky for us Darius Rucker happens to be from SC, so he made a special appearance.  It was pretty cool seeing Taylor and Darius sing “Alright” together.  Icing on the already sweet cake that was the T. Swift concert.

Well this is already longer then I thought it would be…but I need to also mention Needtobreathe, who opened for Taylor.  It happened to be their hometown show, and I am pretty sure some of their family and friends were seated right behind us.  Latia and I had seen them before, at The Note in West Chester when Green River Ordinance opened for them.  The last time we saw them, in all fairness we were both tired, and didn’t really have the energy to listen and decide if we liked them or not.  But this time, wow they were awesome.  They really put on a good show, and they genuinely seemed thrilled to be playing such a big show in their hometown.  I bought their CD and have been enjoying it since, and I think I will be adding some more of their music to my collection soon.

I went back and counted, and this year attended over 25 shows.  A slower year for me, but then again it’s been a busy one.  I’m looking forward to many more in 2012 (first up on the calendar so far is Kelly Clarkson!).  Happy New Year everyone!!

Fall=Tour season

Tags

concerts, live music, music

Hey all!  I know it’s been a while, but I have been super busy ever since work started up again.  I don’t know what it is about the fall, but it seems like that’s when a good 2/3 of my favorite musicians decide to tour.  Great for me, bad for my schedule and wallet.  Anyway, I have a few tour reports…

Andrew Ripp/Steve Moakler

Went to see these two play at The Tin Angel in Philly on Sept 17th.  Shari was nice enough to accompany me.  My first experience was not love at first sight with The Tin Angel, and it was not for Shari either.  However, this time around it gained a few points back.  The sound was great…it really is like a small listening room on the second floor of a row home in the Old City area of the city.  Both Andrew and Steve ran through amazing sets.  The crowd, well they were all over the board age wise, although most of the listeners were in their early 20′s.  And the best part of all was Steve’s biggest male fan sitting behind us.  He was a hoot.  Can’t wait for these two to roll through town again!

Graham Colton/Ben Rector

Wow.  All I can say is wow.  These two put on an absoultely amazing show in the upstairs of The World Cafe Live on Sept 28th.  It’s been a really long time since I have enjoyed a show, the entire show, as much as I enjoyed these two.  Graham came out first, acoustic style, and did a great job of warming up the crowd.  He is such a genuine person, and the fact that he has become involved with the movie project, The United States of Autism, makes me love him even more.  Go here to find out more information about this project: http://youtu.be/td1pxNXNjjU  Anyway, after Graham, Ben came out and totally rocked Philadelphia.  It was his first time headlining a show here (to my knowledge) and he certainly gave Philly a great first show to remember him by.  My favorite part was when he insisted that we all sing along, loud as possible.  He made sure he could hear everyone by running out into the crowd, standing on a table, with a glass of red wine in hand I might add.  Two more artists I can not wait to see again!

Next there was Sleeperstar on Sept 30th.  As I have converted my coworker Sharon, and her husband Ed, into major Sleeperstar fans, they agreed to accompany me out to the Berks Penn State campus to see the guys play a show for homecoming weekend (unfortunately, my fellow Sleeperstar lover Latia had to work that night).  We made it just in time for the start of the set.  It was a small crowd, but we were dedicated, and there were even some newbies who I think walked away big fans.  They guys put on an amazing show despite the small crowd, and we enjoyed the personal feel of the small show, even getting a few shout outs and making requests.  We were sad to be missing Brandon from the group, but Geoff who covered for him on base was awesome, and really nice too, so he fit right in with the group!  We also got to hear some new songs, which was a great treat!  The guys will hit the studio this fall and hopefully head back out on the road again in the spring…and we can’t wait!

Last for this post we have Matt Nathanson.  Ah Matt, I have been wanting to see him live for a while now.  I finally had my chance on Oct 1st when he came to town with Vanessa Carlton opening for him.  Shari was kind enough to agree to tag along since she knew some of Matt’s stuff, and bonus points, also happens to be a Vanessa Carlton fan from way back.  First, let me just say that neither one of us were fans of the venue.  The Electric Factory is probably one of my least favorite places to see a show.  Too big, no places to sit, and the staff can be a little mean.  The sound also leaves a bit to be desired.  And let’s face it, I have now been spoiled with much smaller venues and shows, and I don’t really like the bigger crowds anymore.  But anyway, the show overall was good.  Vanessa was good but when playing her newer stuff no one really knew it.  Matt was…entertaining to say the least.  They guy can sing, and play guitar, and generally rock any place out like no other.  But he also has kind of a strange stage presence and personality.  And he also curses a bit, which truthfully was kind of a turn off, especially once he knew there were younger fans at the show (it was all ages, so we are talking as young as 8 years old or so).  I did enjoy seeing him perform, and I definitely loved how he came out for the encore in a Phillies jersey, but the rest of the “theatrics” I could have done without.  Overall I think we both walked away realizing we would probably not go see him again live any time soon.

That’s all the adventures for now…but there will be more to come soon as I have several additional shows coming up in the new few weeks!

Shaken Not Stirred and a girl named Rachel

Tags

concerts, music, Philadelphia, Rachel Platten, Straight No Chaser

Hey all!  It’s time for another post.  This one will be about music.  In fact, most of my posts for a while will probably be about music as I am back to work again and therefore I have less time to travel.  I love my job, don’t get me wrong, but it kind of gets in the way of one of my favorite hobbies!  Oh well, we can’t have it all…

Anyway, first up I would like to discuss the wonderful melodies of the group Straight No Chaser.  If you have watched PBS lately, or ever surfed YouTube with the terms “a cappella group” or “12 Days of Christmas” then you probably know who these guys are.  If not, then it’s about time you know them.

Start here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/mikado95

Then go here (one of my favs):

And finally, one from my own collection:

These guys all went to the same college (Indiana University) and sang in an a cappella group there.  A video was recorded (in fact, many were probably recorded) They all graduated and started their respective lives.  A few years later it was posted on YouTube by one of the guys.  Shortly thereafter they were signing a recording contract.  It’s a great story, and you can learn more about the group here: www.sncmusic.com

I was able to see these guys live for the second time this past summer while on vacation at the Jersey shore with my parents (see previous post).  They are positively amazing to watch and listen too.  The songs they produce, using only their voices, range in genre, decade, and difficulty.  They have a few CD’s, but nothing beats seeing these guys live.  And as you watch them, their talent and personalities shine, and it is evident that they are all good friends…and they most definitely like to have fun with each other!  In addition, they are very good to their fans.  They hold an autograph/meet and greet session after every show at Harrah’s (they may also do this on tours, but I have only seen them at Harrah’s so far).  They are gracious and seem to enjoy meeting their fans, especially the serious ones who are known as “Chasers”.  Oh, and I should also mention that they encourage all kinds of photography and videography at their shows.  They want their fans to share their music with others!  So to recap, be sure to give these guys a listen.  And if you have a chance, go see them live, and make sure to say “hello” to them after the show.

 

Now, I must also mention another musical favorite in this post.  In the past month I have had the pleasure to see Rachel Platten not once but twice in Philadelphia.  First, Tia and I ventured down to World Cafe Live to see her play with Alicia Witt, who was very good in her own right (she, by the way, is also an actress…her new site is coming soon, check her out at http://aliciawittmusic.com/).  We were there to sell merch, but of course enjoyed ourselves a great show at the same time.  Rachel is bubbly but brash all at the same time (in a good way, I promise).  Her songs have great melodies, and she kicks butt playing the keyboard on pretty much every song.  Her drummer, Craig, should also get special mention.  The guy can play, you only need to watch him for a few seconds to figure that out.  The two of them combined put on an amazing show.  For the WCL show she was also joined by guitarist Martin, and he rounds out the sound very nicely.  The second show was this past week at the Hard Rock Cafe.  It was a very rainy night, but Tia and I were able to make it into town to once again sell merch and listen to Rachel rock the house.  This time she was playing with Nick Howard (check him out at nickhowardmusic.com).  The two of them did several songs together, and their voices were a great match.  Rachel will be back again November 1st, this time with Matt Hires (another favorite of mine, check him out at www.matthiresmusic.com).  I will again be working the merch table, along with Tia, so come on out and say hello, and see for yourself how awesome Rachel is (you can check her out at http://www.rachelplatten.com/).  And if you chat with her after, make sure to tell her Sara sent you. )

New Jersey Shore + Earthquake + Hurricane

Tags

beaches, Earthquake, Hurricane Irene, New Jersey shore, travel

Well, it’s been quite an eventful last week!  It’s hard to believe a week ago we were sitting on the beach in Avalon, NJ when an earthquake hit.  What a crazy experience!  And since then, we have returned home and a hurricane has hit not only the New Jersey coastline but the entire northeastern part of the United States.  Let’s recap:

My parents and I took our yearly Jersey shore trip Aug 19-24.  We again returned to Avalon, NJ, one of our favorite shore points.  Although let’s face it, we love them all.  It does not matter where we stay (usually Avalon or Cape May) we always schedule at least one evening at all major points.  Yearly, we hit Atlantic City for the casinos, buffets and shows, Ocean City for the boardwalk, Avalon/Stone Harbor for the quiet town, nice beaches and shopping, and Cape May for the history and shopping.  We even sometimes manage to hit Wildwood for dinner.  It’s hard for us to go to the shore and stay in just one town for the whole time, as each of these towns are very different and such diverse qualities.  If you are lucky enough to fall in love with just one, you save in gas money for sure!  However, if you look closely at each location and fall in love with each for different reasons, you get nothing but the most extensive shore experience one can have at the Jersey shore.  Here are my favorite parts of each:

A.C: Best variety of food (buffets, hello!) and best entertainment (for the non-bar hoping crowd)

Wildwood: Urie’s Restaurant on the bay

Ocean City: Boardwalk

Avalon: Beaches and Concord Suites (where we stay)

Stone Harbor: Downtown shopping area

Cape May: Best for beach combing and two of my most favorite shops at the shore

 

Now on to the excitement provided by mother nature.  The earthquake was quite an experience.  At first I thought it was wind pushing my beach chair, but I quickly realized it was something more.  My mom mentioned the word “earthquake” and I leapt out of my chair.  By that point the “shaking” had stopped.  I jumped on my phone hitting Facebook and Twitter.  Long before news stations, or even news websites were reporting it, I found out through social media that there had in fact been an earthquake.  Crazy!  And then to find out how far it spread across the east coast, even crazier!

But mother nature didn’t stop there.  On no, she felt it necessary to send the same area a major hurricane within the same week!  By the time we got home Wednesday night, we were sure hurricane Irene was headed our way.  Thursday and Friday were spent in large part frantically trying to find a battery back up pump system for our basement.  No luck, everyone was sold out.  So we spent Saturday taking every other precaution we could. We got a ton of rain, and for a moment around midnight (right after the tornado warning as mother nature thought she hadn’t quite given us enough to worry about already) we started taking on water in the basement, fast.  My dad and I worked together to switch out the burned out pump with a fresh new one, and that coupled with a lull in the rain allowed us to catch up and greatly reduce the water in the basement.  After a night spent awake monitoring the power and sump pumps, we made it through with just a slightly wet basement.  We never even lost power.  We were one of the lucky ones for sure.

I should probably mention here that I have always loved living in the Philadelphia area considering we don’t really have any natural disasters.  Floods from rain yes, but that’s it.  In the last week I have lived through an earthquake, a hurricane, and a tornado warning.  I think perhaps it might be time to research other non-natural disaster areas.

As a total side note, it is fun to travel with the prospect of seeing friends.  I was able to see two friends while down the shore.  First, Shari was staying at the hotel right up the street from us so we got to spend a day together at the beach.  What a treat!  We also saw each other on the earthquake day (PS-like some, she did not feel it, totally random).  I was also able to see a good friend from work, Bonnie, down in Ocean City one night.  It’s a good reminder, no matter where you go, you will always find friends.

I will be writing more posts shortly about two music shows I have recently been to…check back soon!

London, oh London

Tags

England, London, travel

This will be a short post…to the point.

Right now London is in major turmoil.  It breaks my heart.  I have visited London twice.  I love the city like I was born there.  I sincerely hope they can get things under control soon and restore the calm.  I hate to see any city like this, but it especially hurts when it is a city you love.  London, you are too good for this type of behavior.  Get it together soon.  In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Home again

Tags

road trip, travel

Well I have arrived home again, safe and sound.  I actually got back last night, but it’s been a bit of a whirlwind (and many loads of laundry) so this is the first I am getting to blog.  I figured I would finish up by going back to my list of road trip must haves, creating a list of road trip “don’t needs” and also finish up my pro/con list of traveling solo.  Here goes…

Items needed for a road trip:

All previously mentioned definitely still apply.  I would also like to add that it is very important to carry enough cash, or make sure you have an easy method of getting more cash.  As good as credit and debit cards can be, not all places take them, so be sure to carry cash with you at all times.  A good way to get more cash while on the road without incurring fees (if, say, the bank that has your money does not have locations where you are staying) is to go to any store that allows cash back on a debit purchase.  I did this several times and it worked out great, no fees!!

Now, items that I took that I definitely did not need:

1) Jewelry accessories: I literally packed extra necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc… that I never used.  I used the same earrings, watch and hair band (as a bracelet) the entire trip.  I probably could have accessorized in different ways, but I never did.  Needless to say, it was not necessary to bring.  Same goes for the two hats I brought and never used.  Oh well, lesson learned.

2) Snacks: Ok I did use some of the snacks that I brought, however I think I over packed on those too.  Cause inevitably I saw something else I wanted to snack on and just bought that, or I forgot to take a snake with me when I went out for the day and when it was 2pm and I was starving in the middle of Franklin, TN, my granola bars back in the hotel room were doing me no good.  So take a few snacks for the car or emergencies, but don’t go crazy.  Chances are they will have stores that sell food somewhere along your path.

3) Insect repellent and bug bite /sting remedy: Arguably, I could have used this one my trip.  I had it with me the whole time, but I never remembered to apply it.  So, unless you are going camping, or going on a road trip that will have you in bug territory quite a bit, skip packing it.  You can always buy some at the store if you need it.

4) Gym clothes: Ok, I had all intentions of using these.  But I just did not have time.  With all of the driving and sight-seeing, hanging with friends and planning the next days activities, I had no time, or energy, to work out.  So, unless you are exercise crazy and will get up at 4am to work out, don’t bother.  For the most part, you will get some exercise while walking around sight-seeing.  And although I must admit with all the very good food I enjoyed on this trip I will have some exercise making up to do over the next few weeks, I am glad I did not waste my valuable time to exercise when instead I was sleeping, driving, or seeing the sights.

Pros/Cons

Pro: You can do whatever you want.  You have full control over what you are doing, when you are doing it, how you are doing it, etc…  If you want to get up early and go out sight-seeing, you can.  If you want to sleep in a little late, you can.  If you want to spend two hours at the zoo, you can.  If you want to stay in and watch TV, you can!!

Con: No one to discuss various plans with.  No one to sight see with.  No one to create inside jokes with. (

Pro: Speaking of TV, you can watch it in peace.  And you can listen to your music uninterrupted.  You can read in silence.  You can write in silence also.  Unless of course there are people shouting in the hotel hallway, but I digress…

Con: You have no one to talk to for a good portion of the trip.

Pro: The satisfaction of knowing you, by yourself, conquered a solo road trip.  I did all the driving (3,488 miles of it thank you).  I did all the planning.  I paid for it myself.  I navigated unknown territory myself.  I ate in restaurants by myself.  I went on tours by myself.  I was Miss Independence (thank you Kelly Clarkson) for the two weeks that I went on my road trip.  I survived, and I loved it!

Con: Nope, just can’t think of one!

This may not be the last post about the road trip.  I am still trying to catch up with things now that I am home.  If anyone has any other post ideas, please leave me a comment!!

Grand Ole Opry

Tags

Grand Ole Opry, music, Nashville, travel

On Saturday night, my last night in Nashville, I had the opportunity to see a show at the Grand Ole Opry.  What an experience!  But first, the tour earlier in the day…

I started Saturday with a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry.  It was really cool to see the backstage area, dressing rooms, and “Family room” (what they call their green room).  Then, we got to stand on the famed Opry stage, a once in a lifetime experience!  It was fantastic!

Later that night, I went back for a show!  First, there was a CD signing by Mark Wills.  Then it was inside for the show!  What an amazing experience!  For those that don’t know, the Opry still puts on a live radio show.  That means there is an announcer and commmercial breaks during the show.  The seats are “pews” which is cool but also puts you up close an personal with your neighbors.  I was on an end which was nice.  Another cool part about the Opry is that no matter where you are sitting, you can get up at any point during the show and go right up to the front of the stage to take pictures (just no camping out there).  Oh yeah, they allow pictures, with a flash!  Pretty cool, and not something most places allow.

I got to see hold greats like Little Jimmy Dickens and Loretta Lynn, as well as more recent favorites including Mark Wills and James Otto.  It was a fabulous show, and I plan to go again next time I am in Nashville!

Pictures of my Opry experience…

 

 

Quote from Brad Paisley

One of the dressing rooms

Green room

The black bar shows the flood line

The original piece of the stage is brought back in after the flood

Another dressing room

The original piece of stage

Me on the stage!

Meeting Mark Wills

The announcer

Little Jimmy Dickens

James Otto

Mark Wills

Loretta Lynn

 

How to a good travel deal: Hotels

Tags

deals, road trip, travel

It was suggested I post about how to get good deals while traveling.  I thought it was a great idea (thanks Shari) so here goes: Hotels.

Before you even search, you need to decide what is important to you in a hotel.  This will make your search much easier.  Important things to consider: location of hotel, amenities that you require (as opposed to those that would just be bonuses or those you could care less about), number of people and number of rooms.  For example, on this trip I knew I wanted hotels that came with breakfast to make it easier and faster to get out on my travel days.  I also knew I needed free internet access.  Anything else was a bonus.  And I didn’t care if the hotel allowed pets.  Figure out what you need (and want) then start your search.

First, you want to search early and often.  Use as many online tools as you can.  Some of my favorites are Expedia, Priceline, and a new (invitation only) site called SniqueAway (if you want an invite let me know).  Also, if you have any memberships such as AAA always search for those rates, specifically on the individual hotel’s websites.  There you can also find discounts for military personnel, seniors, teachers, etc…  And don’t be afraid to call up the hotel and ask for rates over the phone.  I have heard of people getting their cheapest rate this way.

Also another tip, most sites drop their rates for 24 hours between Tuesday at midnight and Wednesday at midnight.

If you are traveling last minute, you can also get good deals.  Check Expedia’s last minute deal section, good for about two weeks prior to travel dates.

Now before you book, you must, must, must check out reviews.  Check reviews on Expedia.  Check reviews on Yahoo or Google.  Check reviews on Trip Advisor (my favorite for reviews).  And please, please check the Bed Bug Registry (not a guarantee but at least a warning).  You can also use Trip Advisor to do an easy rate comparison, just plug in the dates and check the boxes for the sites you want to compare. So easy!

So that’s it, all the tips I have for now.  If you have any to add…leave a comment!

Learning on the road

Tags

history, Nashville, road trip, travel

While traveling, I am always one to see the sights of the area I am in.  One of the main things I enjoy doing is learning the history of the area and it’s former residents.  Many people, especially my age, would find this type of vacation activity very boring.  I on the other hand find it extremely interesting.  It is not only a way to keep up on my history, but to expand on what I learned in school.

As less focus is being put on history and social studies in schools, in favor of math, reading and writing since those are the subjects being tested, it will become even more important for families to incorporate history lessons into their every day life.

While in Nashville I have visited two historic places: The Belle Meade Plantation and The Hermitage.  I am going to focus on the The Hermitage, President Andrew Jackson’s former home.  I visited today, and boy did I learn a lot about our seventh president.  Here are just a few pieces of information I took away:
Andrew Jackson was married to a great women, Rachel Jackson.  She was very religious and heavily involved in the Presbyterian church.  In fact, Andrew Jackson joined the Presbyterian church later on and eventually paid to have a Presbyterian church built not far from his home.
Jackson did not believe in rights for slaves and felt his religion supported this. He was also responsible for the removal of thousands of American Indians from the east, thus creating the Trail of Tears.  However, some argue that due to his unwavering stance on rights for white men, he set the standard for future groups (i.e. African Americans and women) to demand the same rights for themselves.
He started the democratic party.
Andrew Jackson was the only President in American History to pay off the national debt and leave office with the country in the black.

As people say, history repeats itself and we must learn from those who have come before us.  Learning about Andrew Jackson and his family gave me a greater appreciation for the government and some of the freedoms we have today.

So next time you are on vacation visiting some place new, do yourself a favor and check out some of the local history.  Just don’t tell the kids they are there to “learn”!!

Nashvegas baby!

Tags

music, Nashville, road trip, travel

Hello everyone from sunny, very hot Nashville!  It’s my first full day in Nashville and boy is it hot!  I am in the room recovering from the day so far before heading out again tonight.  I wanted to recap on my adventure last night…

I arrived in Nashville around 4pm (Nashville time, one hour back).  After I got settled in the room, I decided to surf the net looking for cool shows.  Boy did I find one!  I ended up at the Mercy Lounge for a show: FOR PETE’S SAKE: YOU’VE GOTTA HAVE HEART – A Benefit For Pete Huttlinger.  This show featured Featuring Vince Gill, John Oates, The Long Players, Mark Selby, Joe Robinson, Baillie & the Boys and many more.  All for $20…that went to a great cause!  Find out more about Pete here: http://www.petehuttlinger.com/

Pete is pretty famous here in Nashville, one could tell by looking around the room last night.  I felt a bit like I had crashed a personal party for the guy.  It made the experience even better.  I also made friends with a couple from Ohio.  They were super nice and we shared Nashville tips with each other.

Highlights included touching John Oates butt (ok well actually his butt touched my knee as he passed by…but it was still cool) and I was able to shake Vince Gill’s hand and tell him what an awesome show it was.  It was a great first evening here in Nashville, and I it will be tough to top!