I have been so inordinately lucky as a Keith Urban fan and blessed with what they call Keith Karma in terms of getting decent seats at concerts and winning meet and greets. Almost makes me feel guilty but, then again, I attend more shows than most so percentage-wise it probably all works out!
I think I got lucky this time because of the recent change in the fan club website management. I believe the diligent new staff is working hard to get things right and to tie up some loose ends from the previous echomusic management. I am a member of the fan club “Street Team” and periodically the former Street Team Manager Fiona would send out “missions” for us to complete to promote Keith with the possible reward of a Street Team Backstage Experience (BSE for short). I completed one of those missions way back about the time that Defying Gravity was just coming out, and sent the required “proof” of my efforts to Fiona. I also included information on this blog and sent her the link to look at it. She thanked me but then I never heard another word in all the months since, so I just guessed that-was-that and someone else had won for that mission.
Barely 48 hours before the Kansas City concert I got an email from the new Street Team managers apologizing for such a late invitation, but did I want to go to the Meet and Greet (their phrasing) at the Sprint Center? Did I!!?? Hell yes! Apparently they are going through Fiona’s old files and making awards that she did not get around to. Over at Monkeyville it looked like quite a few people won Street Team BSEs this last week for various upcoming concerts. Another new rule that may have played a role in my last minute invite - you now must respond to the invitation email within 24 hours. If you don’t you are out of luck and they invite the next person on their list. So maybe I benefitted from someone else not responding in a timely fashion.
When I arrived in Kansas City I stopped at the Sprint Center about 3:00 before going to my hotel to see if the backstage passes were at the box office. They were! (good sign because previously they often weren't available until about 5 pm). We were instructed to enter the arena via a special VIP door and to be sure to be there by 6:15. Nervous about finding the right door etc, I arrived at 6:05 and got right in. But lo and behold when they took me to the BSE room about 70 people were already there!! I guess I wasn’t an early bird after all. Luckily most were more interested in the BBQ buffet than I was so I still was able to find a stool in the second row in front of Keith’s little stage. By the time things got going there must have been 100 people there - 50 of them with seats, and another 50 standing around the edges or by tall BBQ tables. I guess the size of the BSEs has grown because of all the different groups served. They encouraged us to eat before Keith arrived (I was too excited so I only grabbed a bottle of water). When it was just about time they had everyone line up in the hall and divided us by category for photos, grouping together those related to the fanclub, those who were Verizon winners or guests and those who were Kingsford Charcoal winners or guests. The Monkeyville line (about 40 of us) got to go in for photos first, but I was near the end of that line. I could tell from the way they were counting us off that I would be at the end of a group of about 10, so I probably wouldn’t be close to Keith in the photo. Oh well - I had a plan. (I figured a plan might help me avoid something like last time’s “Can I smell your neck?” LOL) I wasn’t sure whether to wish he might remember or recognize me as familiar or not!
As usual there was a sense of time pressure with 100 people to meet, greet and photograph. They had things set up a little differently - we had to pass through a curtain to get to the photo set-up. Keith was on the other side of that curtain, greeting each person as they came through (rather than working his way down a row of 10 people like before). Luckily since I was the last in my group there was no one behind me waiting for their turn.
According to my plan I would not extend one hand for the handshake - I’d put out both arms for a hug. And I did have my wits enough about me to do so, saying “Could I have a hug? This has been a tough week for me.” ‘Of course baby” he said. At which point he wrapped his arms around me in a tight bear hug and held me, I swear, for a count of 10. No quickie squeeze - a big long bear hug. Only problem is that he apparently squeezed the brains right out of me! Because I remember almost nothing but the feel of those arms around me. Like where were my arms? I know I stuck them out on either side of his waist but then what? Did I squeeze him? Or was I frozen in my initial position by the feel of his touch?? I know he was squeezing me against his chest but were we pressed together all the way down?? Was my cheek against his hair? His shoulder? His face? What did he smell like? How could I not know these things when I went in so intent on remembering every second. My memory has betrayed me!! But at least I can still feel those strong arms wrapped around me.
When he let loose a little bit of brain function returned and I prattled on, thinking that now that he has a daughter he could relate “I just moved my little girl, my youngest into her very first apartment.” Keith expresses empathy with something like “Oh that’s a tough time.” And I continue “And she’s moving in with “the boy” as my hubby calls him. We’re worried he might end up being a ‘stupid boy’!” “ He replies “ Well, let’s hope not - we already have a song about one stupid boy, we don’t need another.” Ever the good host he remembers now that despite our clinch he hasn’t properly met me tonight. He takes my hand and says “What’s your name sweetheart?” I manage to say “Linda” before my brain disappears again. He slips into the middle of our group and they take two photos (I think). As the group exits to make room for the Verizon folks I turned back to him once more and just said “Thank you”. He smiled and said “you’re very welcome baby.” I made it back to my stool and just kind of grinned and swayed in my seat (yes there was music playing, although I was also in my own private reverie) until all the photos were taken and they turned on the terrific funny video about the band and the tour.
After the video a staff person introduced Keith. He sat down on his stool and looked us over saying something like “Gosh you all look familiar.” The basement room we were in was rather stark, with a ceiling of concrete beams. So first Keith says he feels like he is playing in a bunker. Or, he then suggests, maybe it is an underpass and we are some of the best-looking ‘homeless” that he has ever seen. He asks for requests and gets at least a half dozen suggestions (I called out I’m In) (“Sounds like we are going to be here two hours!” he says) He settles on Grace of God and does a terrific job, with lots of guitar flourishes. We please him by singing along on the choruses and he even asks for an extra chorus at the end. He then took 3 questions. First a teacher asked what he thought was the most important thing he could teach his daughter Sunday. “To listen to her mother.” was his reply : ) The second person simply asked “Could I have your pick?” and he complied. And the last was “Are you going to play your new guitar tonight?” and Keith said “Which one? - I have several” The woman was interested in the mirror guitar and Keith confirmed he would be using it. (we didn't know yet that Keith had added yet another beauty of a guitar to the several new ones being used in the 2009 tour). By that time it was 7:35 and we could already hear Taylor Swift singing above us, so he thanked us for coming and said he hoped we would enjoy the show. And how!!
I hadn’t had the chance to ask my question so when Keith’s assistant Randy came in I decided to try asking him. “Are there going to be 2010 tour dates added?” I asked. First he said something like “I would imagine so” then he sort of corrected himself by saying “I can’t confirm (wink, wink, wink, wink) or deny that there will be 2010 dates.” So I’m pretty sure we are in for some new dates after the holidays!! Yay!
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