Sunday, April 27, 2008

Daughtry, Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban: Worth the Tinnitus

I have a new addition to the list of songs that, when heard live by the original artists whose genius spawned them, brought me to tears.

1. One Sweet World - Dave Matthews Band
2. Dream On - Aerosmith
3. Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

I spent this weekend going from one rock concert to another. The Daughtry/Bon Jovi show in Nashville was simply amazing. Daughtry was hot, and he needs more songs for me to learn and love. I wondered why the venue did not have his beautiful face on the jumbotron? We were puzzled. Bon Jovi was so high-energy, that Rose and I got tired just watching him. I was a little worried he would focus too much on new stuff and neglect his loyal old fans like myself, but he delivered. He played my favorite classics. I didn't realize I liked "Bad Medicine" so much. I will seek to attend his concert again. You seriously have not lived until you've heard Bon Jovi songs, played by Bon Jovi, live.

Now for Carrie and Keith, we have a similar quality of music, but a different experience. Let's focus on the positive first. They both rocked. Carrie has greatly improved her stage presence since American Idol and I seriously thought for a second that she was Stevie Nicks on stage with Mr. Urban when he played "Stop Dragging My Heart Around." Kudos to the girl for doing a Stevie song justice. Keith Urban is an unbelievably talented guitarist who was almost upstaged by a teenage girl from Hazard who he brought up on stage. It was one of the many times that night they brought down the house. I am a new Keith Urban fan. They informed us that all the cameras were around because they chose Rupp as the location for their new live DVD. I cannot wait to purchase this DVD to look for myself and relive the night. For the downside, I think I will just write an open letter sharing my feelings and letting go of the negativity instead of posting a recipe.

Dear Fellow Concert Goers to all Future Concerts that We're Both Atending,

I am certain that you are just as big of a fan of (insert band/artist name here). I am sure you work just as hard for your money as I do, and when you spend an ungodly amount on tickets to see (aforementioned band/artist), which angers you because you know how cheap they used to be but you won't complain because you LOVE live music and feel it's important to support the artists who bring you so much joy but sometimes for me I end up spending for one night of entertainment more than what I make in an entire day and I get very sad, you hope to get a good return on your investment of at least $60 for the seat, $10 to park, and $6 per beer. However, and I am speaking directly to you Sec 29 Row D seats 1 & 2, the answer is NO - I will not sit down during my favorite songs so that "everyone else can see," especially if I am not disruptively dancing like a drunken idiot (i.e. last row of floor seats, guys in jeans & button downs). If I am standing, tapping my feet the best a white girl can do, to the best of white people rock, attempting to have rhythm and sing along and have a good ol' time, I repeat, I will not sit down. Rather, YOU should get off your lazy ass and stand up. You are at a concert, not an opera. Not a play. Not a musical. Today's concerts involve standing, dancing, singing, and an attempt to relax, unwind, and let loose. Forget about the fact that you are old, and try to act young. It will make you feel young. For real!

Further, your request for me to sit down placed me in a more awkward position, as I was trying to give Rose more room to get away from her neighbor in seat 5 who reeked of cigarettes, pot, and old whiskey, wearing knee-length jean shorts and a cutoff white button down shirt, who kept trying to talk to her and was looking at her with that redneck-I'm-gon-git-my-gun-crazy look and whose nasty, unwashed, long, fried hair kept rubbing up against her. Said patron in Seat 5 did not smile, sing, or dance, save when Keith Urban played a medly of classic rock tunes which resulted in his tossing his nasty hair-head back, whistling, and head banging. This was such an ordeal that even the patrons in Row E took note, pointed and laughed. I was standing partially to give her the opportunity to get further away from skank-man. You messed up our plan.

I am glad you decided to leave two songs into Keith Urban's setlist. You missed a 2 1/2 hour tour finale, Nicole Kidman coming out with Carrie during the show among the crowd to support, the band coming out to that weird circular thing at the end of the stage which would have placed you within 100 feet of them in their hotness and talent, the beautiful & pure & acoustic "Raining on Sunday," and the last song that brought Keith Urban to tears. Yes, your leaving gave us room to get further away from Seat 5, and also allowed me greater opportunity to avoid Farty McFartster, the patron in Row C seat 3 standing directly in front of me who decided to "let loose" whenever he stood up.

In closing, please refrain from asking us to sit down during concerts. Instead, please try to behave more like the patrons at Daughtry/Bon Jovi who were in the nosebleed section with us but were just as die-hard fans as we were. The nice ladies on either side of Rose and me talked briefly (she had a wanna be singer, I had a midlife crisis bleach blonde who was not studying for her dental hygiene final that was the next day but had brought her teen boys to enjoy Bon Jovi), and sang along and danced with us. Here again, we were not drunken idiots ruining anyone's night (as we were during the Dixie Chicks show last year, sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Bald Man, for rubbing your head over and over); we were simply enjoying the music. If someone standing up at the concert is blocking your view, proper protocol dictates that you must stand as well in order to see. Just as paper smothers rock, rock dulls scissors, and scissors slice through paper, standers take sitters.

Sincerely,
Sec 29 Row D Seats 3 & 4

No comments: