Oh wow! I am flying high on urban energy and sleep won’t be coming anytime soon. What a night!!
This was the first tour stop where I had not bought a Christmas presale ticket. I can’t recall why, but instead I had bought from Ticketmaster during the regular Monkeyville presale. The seat was in the risers next to the stage, a bit higher than I would prefer (Row N), but not bad.
But when I arrived at the arena it turned out that I had a really weird seat. Whereas Columbia had been overly cautious about selling seats that might not have a perfect straight-on view (so didn’t sell seats in 2 sections of risers closest to the stage on each side), Charlotte went the other way and sold seats beyond the point of having a full view of the stage. My seat was the farthest one in in row N, so it was approximately in line with Chris’s seat behind his drums!! When you are that far to the side and back of the stage you are not going to be able to see the screen. So although I had a rather unique view of the stage (and some of the backstage area), I was far enough up so I knew I’d really miss being able to see the big screen. Another weird thing = my seat was literally at the stop of a staircase (a staircase that ended pretty close to the stairway at the far edge of the stage). The first 2 photos to the left I took while sitting in that weird seat. looking down the long stairway. I was wearing a dress and felt rather peculiar perched at the top of this stairway, having to watch how I sat.
As the arena filled during Jake Owen’s set I noticed a lot of empty seats down by the bottom of my stairway, In fact, whereas my stairway seat was seat 12, the first several rows had no one sitting beyond seat 4. So I made an executive decision: I’m going to move down there, at least until the actual seatholders show up. So I went down to seat 6 in the first row, which put me right by the stairs to Keith’s side platform (the third image to the left is the view from this new seat; the yellow edge stairs sre to Keith's left platform). I so expected to eventually have to move back to my weird seat that I didn’t bother carrying my full cup of pop down with me. But I later learned that those seats were empty because they had not been sold just because they were a little close to the confetti cannons. No problem!! They can shoot me with confetti if I get a better view of the show!! I was able to stay in that first row! Chalk one up for Linda!
As I mentioned, until I moved down no one in those bottom rows was seated beyond seat 4, and now I was off by myself a bit further down the first row. Maybe I looked lonely, maybe I stood out because of it - for whatever reason, all of a sudden, as I am singing along to Jake’s songs (which are becoming quite familiar now), he dashes down the ramped stage and head’s straight over to me!! He hands me a drumstick, then takes my hand as he continues singing! He said something (????) to me (I was too stunned to catch it!) and I blurted out “I love you Jake!” (meaning I love his performance, but my mouth was not under the control of my brain at that point). And then he dashed back up on stage. People around me started asking “Do you know Jake?” (I wish!) “Did you know that was going to happen?” (No way!) and “Why did he aim right for you?” I could only give a giddy shrug and shake of my head. Chalk up another one for Linda! : ) Later a woman who writes Urban Country News came over and kind of interviewed me about Jake as well - hee hee.
I was later joined in row 1 by a fun group of gals who had also come down from poor visibility seats, so I had dancing and singing company for Keith’s set. Since we were sitting by the stairs he took to the platform we were able to sneak in little touches as he passed (although body guard Randy tried to insert his body in the way whenever he could). Actually each of the guys came up to the side stage during the evening - Brian and Danny multiple times - so we were sittin’ pretty! And when Keith returned from his You Look Good in My Shirt trip into the stands, he actually made a point of coming over to us on the side to slap hands before he went up on stage. Mmm - vitamin K tonight!! Chalk up another one for Linda! That put me over the top, rang the jackpot bell, and left me floating on a cloud when the show ended. SO glad I moved down!!
Okay - sorry to go on and on - I was just bursting! Other noteables this evening:
I love Danny’s mandolin (I think it is a large oval-bodied mandolin) into to Only You Can Love Me before Keith comes in on his acoustic guitar. He is a cutie too! He also played an accordian (!!)at one point in the evening but now I’m blanking on in which song.
In Keith’s initial conversation with the audience after the usual welcome and attention to each area of the arena, he initially mad mention of Saturday night quickly changed it to “Saturday night tomorrow - we’re happy to be in North Carolina with you on Friday night.” (I’m getting confused about what day it is too!) He later mentioned being glad to be in a Nascar state.
Tonight the sparkly spots of ‘starlight’ coming off the disco ball during Long Hot Summer changed color, so what was first golden spots throughout the arena turned magenta and blue and back to gold in turn.
When the big video screen is showing Keith singing Making Memories, they do so in black and white - kind of an nice artistic touch.
They were really pumping out the stage fog tonight so sometimes Keith was just a blur in the mist when I tried to shoot pictures even though I was relatively close. I wonder if their intention is to decrease videotaping? I kept trying anyway - here is the searing solo from Georgia Woods. and Keith and the guys during I Told You So.
Keith was right in front of me for Sweet Thing since I was a bit behind the side stage. I had a side view of the Kiss-a-Girl sing-off tonight and when they were all lined up in a straight row couldn’t see them all to videotape. There was a boisterous guy from N. J., a Charlotte hometown girl and a young girl from South Carolina (the eventual winner). One thing I hadn’t thought of before, but had an upclose view of this time, is what the contestants are up against after their moment of fame. They have to somehow try to get through the tightly packed front of stage crowd to try to re-join their friends or family. Not very easy -especially for the young girls. Last night’s winner looked totally intimidated by the masses as Randy tried to coax her back outside of the side barriers - poor kid!
Keith mentioned that the next day was his and Nic’s 5th anniversary and dedicated Without You to her. I’m thinking she must be here (or will be in Raleigh) for their special day.
Charlotte was a little rough with Keith when he went out into the risers on my side for You Look Good in My Shirt. Since the floor is basically a free for all, the front is jammed with people all the way from one side platform, across the front of the main stage, and all the way to the other side platform. And Keith has to get through that crowd to get to the side aisle for his off-stage journey. Well he got “stuck” beneath my side platform last night - totally surrounded by adoring fans. I couldn’t see what they were doing to his poor body, but I could see the stranglehold ‘hugs’ around the neck and that multiple individuals vigorously rubbed his hair! Don’t roughly manhandle our man!! They must have knocked something off him or made him drop his mike because I also saw him struggle to pick something up off the floor (not easy to bend over when you are surrounded!). He did eventually make it into the lefthand stands. When he gave his guitar away tonight the young girl who was the lucky receiver burst into tears of joy - very sweet!
I have forgotten to mention that Keith has been doing his little royal bow/curtsy and thank you to those sitting in the arena boxes the last few shows. “Thank you my lords for letting us play for you.” And then a knowing aside to the rest of the audience “Its good to be king!” Tee hee.
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