Backstage with Sweet Sweet Keith

>I was sitting at my desk at work, grading student exams, when my computer made its “You’ve got new mail” sound and the sender was listed as Monkeyville. Thinking it might be notice of a new concert date or presale, I opened the email immediately. But, praise the Lord, it wasn’t either of those – it was a “You have won a Backstage Experience in Omaha”email!! “Yes!!” I shouted and did one exuberant happy dance in my chair, reading and re-reading the message! My youngest daughter (my concert partner this time) would be a little jealous, but she had won a BSE in Memphis, so she couldn’t complain too much, right? Besides we know those BSE passes are non-transferable, right? Okay, Mom is not going to feel guilty about going to the BSE.

We arrived in Omaha about 4:30 and stopped at the Qwest Center Box Office. “Do you have the Keith Urban Backstage Experience envelopes?” I asked the woman manning the ticket window. “No, we don’t know anything about backstage passes.” she replied and my face no doubt fell. But luckily a voice from the back room of the box office chimed in and said “Oh yes we do!” and another woman carried out a box of envelopes. She checked my photo ID and pulled out an envelope with KEITH URBAN and the tour’s heart symbol on it, with my name written across the top. It was really true! I had a pass!

I arrived about 15 minutes before the stated meeting time, only to find about 50 others with BSE passes were already there. The staff seemed a bit disorganized – I guess every arena set-up is a little different – so first they lined us up one way, then they changed their minds and moved the line to another location. Then they started marching us in, but once again changed their minds, so back in line we went. Finally the staff led us backstage and lined us up once more for pictures. Gosh there seemed to be a lot of us – some with Monkeyville passes, some with radio station passes, some with Verizon passes. While we waited Chris McHugh was talking to some of the fans.

When Keith finally came out to greet the first photo group he looked gorgeous. Dark blue new looking jeans, light brown button down shirt nicely unbuttoned, with pockets on both the right and left sides with pearly looking buttons; hair shiny, straight and smooth - that new haircut is looking great! Sweet shyish smile, hands often going in his jeans pockets when he was not greeting fans. Mmm – fine!

I was in the 3^rd group of ~10 to be photographed. Of course I was hoping to get to stand next to Keith, but in fact I was the very last person in my group so was actually the farthest away from our man. Still happy to be there I hoped the photographer got the far ends of the line of fans in his photo (he promised me that he did : )

No hugs for anyone tonight, but Keith did go down the line of fans, saying hello and shaking hands with each and every person (now I can’t wash that hand again!). When he took my hand I prolonged the moment and said “Thank you for your wonderful music Keith!” (as he continued to hold my hand :) , He replied “You are entirely welcome Sweetheart!” . Sigh – my first “Sweetheart”! Then our group was directed to a dark passageway across the hall leading to the backstage experience room. My group, no offense, kind of moved like an unruly group of cattle. A big guy in front of me, who had been moving forward, made a sudden backstep. I, in turn, had to backstep to get out of his way, bumping into Keith and nearly knocking him over in the process! (really – the full body contact (back to back) was accidental! I swear!) Frightful images of me wounding the star attraction moments before the show popped into my mind! (“We’re sorry to announce the show has been canceled because Linda rear-ended Keith.”) I apologized profusely for nearly toppling him over. “Not a problem Baby!” he replied. Ooh – a “Baby” for me too, in that wonderful accent. I was floating on a cloud.

Down the winding dark passageway was the velvet-curtained, dimly lit BSE room. Considering that I was in the 3^rd photo group I was happy to find a chair just 2 seats away from the stool Keith would be performing from. Klutz that I am however, I nearly fell into that seat but the gallant cowboy in the next chait caught me. I believe the funny and endearing video they showed us about the band and the tour was an updated version with some different segments than what was shown in 2007. Thoroughly enjoyable – all the guys are so funny and Keith was positively droll.

After the video Keith came in, sat on the stool just a few feet away and asked what we’d like to hear him sing. Someone immediately said MMOU (I would have chosen a song that was not in the concert set list). But of course it was beautiful to hear up close and personal. It made me wonder whether he sang it any differently at his wedding.

I so enjoy that Keith never hesitates to make fun of himself. Tonight, before singing, he first reported that he got lost in the dark winding passageway and ended up in a different room before finding us. The he looked at all of us and confessed that he was wondering how in the heck to gracefully get rid of the gum in his mouth in front of 50 people. And proceeded to take it out and stick it to the candle table next to him. (a woman promptly asked if she could have his chewed gum!!!). He then said that when he put the gum down he worried for an instant that he was going to burn his arm on the nearby candles – only to realize they are fake candles, at which point he pressed the “lit” end of a fake candle against his cheek. Too funny!

Then the Q & A. The first question was about his Ipod (most listened to song right now and most embarrassing song). Keith said he had bought an album today and was listening to the music of Ashton Shepard (not sure that is her spelling) over and over. He said he had a lot of “guilty pleasures” on his Ipod but he couldn’t think of what was most embarrassing. One guy piped up with “the Carpenters?” but ever diplomatic Keith said he liked the Carpenters…..

A guy congratulated Keith on his upcoming fatherhood and asked if Keith was hoping for a boy or a girl and did they have names yet? Keith said they felt very blessed and just hoped for a healthy baby. Another guy asked about what guitarists influenced him. Keith mentioned some of the usuals we have heard about in interviews (like Knopfler) but also mentioned he learned a lot from local Australian guitarists that his parents took him to see at local pubs and clubs, starting when he was just 9 (and made a joke about his folks taking him to bars at that age). He also mentioned Vince Gill, a person I don’t recall Keith citing as an influence before.

My question was “Is there a concert DVD coming in the near future?” Keith seemed to like that question and talked about it for a few minutes, saying they had filmed at at lot of the venues on the first leg and thought that they were nearly done, but then the second leg expanded and Keith decided they needed to keep filming. He mentioned they would film at the 2 Atlanta shows and also the Lexington show, and then probably will be done.

But they will have a huge amount of footage to go through to make the DVD and probably will include a lot of bonus segments as well. He didn’t sound like they had a firm date in mind for the DVD’s release.

So our sweet sweet man was such a pleasure to be with, even if I didn’t get to cuddle up next to him in a photo or get a hug and a smell of that lovely neck. Something to hope for and look forward to I guess!