(Blogger.com seems to be having trouble keeping videos running.Every so often Ticketmaster comes through with a “bonus” of sorts. Last week I received an email from them offering free tickets to see Jo Dee Messina in a small venue show at a casino just outside of Des Moines. Although it was taking place the evening after I was seeing Tim McGraw in Madison, I couldn’t pass by “free”, especially since hubby would still be out of town. I made arrangements to meet my youngest daughter for dinner in Ames beforehand (she’s still not old enough to get into the casino so couldn’t go to the show with me). I drove straight through - Madison to Ames - without stopping at home. Annie and I had a fun dinner at a new Mexican restaurant and then off I went to the Meadows Event Center at the casino.
Jo Dee’s show was billed “From the Music Room” and was truly unique. Specifically geared for small venues, it makes use of a stage set modeled after her music room at home - with sofas, chairs, lamps and a grand piano. A few band members are hanging out in the music room with their instruments. Jo Dee was dressed casually and told us her goal for this show was to let her fans get to know her more as a person. The show had the atmosphere of an extended ‘meet and greet”! Throughout the ~90 minute performance Jo Dee took many questions as well as musical requests from the audience. Of course some predictably requested her hits, but others asked for lesser known tracks from her albums and she was game for them all. Some asked questions about her music, others about her family. One (silly) asked if after the show she was going to go down the street to see Tim McGraw at the Des Moines arena where he was playing that night. She had fun with that one, acting out how she would say “ Hi Tim - came all the way to Des Moines, IA to see you even though you live a half mile from me...” She talked a little about the trials and tribulations of making albums and says she hopes (but cannot promise) that her new album will be out April 13. Here she is doing “I Can’t Make You Love Me” http://www.youtube.com/user/iowalw#p/a/u/0/Zux3MgTSFas
Jo Dee has quite a sense of humor and sometimes cracked us up with her ‘monologue” about her band or family. She was struggling with a bit of a cold and complained about how flying with her head all stuffed up had been miserable, and had affected her ears, so we should pardon her if she “sounded like Taylor Swift at the Grammys”. When everyone howled with laughter she followed it with “And now I’m going to hell in a handbasket, and you all are going with me!” (she later said she was just joking and had Taylor’s music on her Ipod). She invited a few fans up to sit on the comfy sofas on stage while she performed. Here is a bit from “Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye” http://www.youtube.com/user/iowalw#p/a/u/1/qgXq4qBCVLU
A favorite ‘personal’ moment - Jo Dee borrowed her husband’s cell phone (he was in the audience) and, holding it up to a microphone, played a couple minute video of her one-year old having an extended belly laugh that just went on and on and had all of us laughing along.
One of her last songs was “I Wish You Love” http://www.youtube.com/user/iowalw#p/a/u/2/zzRqLtw2mXs
I enjoyed all of Jo Dee’s songs, but really enjoyed this very novel, very warm interactive treat of a show for her fans. I’ll add a few shorter clips below including a bit of a new song from Jo Dee.
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