He is SO good!! How can any one man be so good at so many things? Tonight I’m not talking about Keith Urban the musician, the singer, the performer - although he was so good during the show in San Jose as well. Tonight I’m talking about Keith Urban, the people person and how damn good he is at attending to his fans (or anyone I have seen him speak with) and making each one feel special.
Let me back up a bit. I have been blessed to be able to attend quite a few shows this tour (is that putting it too mildly?). And I have been trying, with each of the two dozen shows, to win the opportunity to attend this tour’s Backstage Experience. I put in my name for each BSE opportunity on the fan club site, I submitted several entries in contests offering a BSE, I went to as many of the Samsung store contests as I could and applied for other BSE opportunities on their Facebook page.After 40-some tries this year I was beginning to think it just wasn’t going to happen since there were only a few weeks of “Get Closer” to go. But hallalujah last week I finally received the email that I had been longing for - a Street Team BSE in San Jose!!
This afternoon hubby and I tried to pick up the BSE materials when the HP Pavilion box office opened at 2:00, but we were told to try again at 5:00. When we returned late in the afternoon there was a long slow line at the Will Call windows and I began to panic that I might not make it to the head of the line before the 6:00 deadline my BSE email had mentioned. In fact there were quite a few nervous ladies in that line with that same worry. Well, we did get out letters and stick-on backstage passes, but it was nerve-wracking for a while. I did catch sight of Danny Rader walking around, however, so said hi to him and asked if I could have his autograph. He was happy to oblige.
Shortly after 6:00 a staff member led a quite large crowd of us (maybe a hundred?) into the HP Pavilion, down the stairs to the arena floor (where Jake’s band was still doing soundcheck), and then down a long backstage corridor. I didn’t think I was that far back in the line, but when I entered the backstage room it seemed that half the seats were already filled and videos were already playing on the flat screen television! I grabbed a seat in the middle of the room, glad that at least some of the crowd headed for the food rather than the seating. They have taken some pains to create an attractive setting for the event. Six hanging lamps along the sides of the room provided mood-lighting. Each lamp had a large globe-shaped ‘shade’ of loosely woven randomly criss-crossed twine.
The light shining through these shades created an attractive branch-like pattern on the walls and ceiling that immediately made me think of being in the Georgia Woods, with moonlight filtering through treetops. This feeling was reinforced by the attractive modern leafy pattern of the rug on the stage and on the soft pillows on the three easy chairs that Keith and 2 radio personalities would later be sitting in.
Next they had us line up by group to have our photos taken. The Samsung sponsored crowd was first, then the Monkeyville fans, then some radio related folks and some individuals who had slash marks on their backstage passes (?). A black woman from Trinidad and I were at the front of the Monkeyville line. It seemed like it did not take too long for the Samsung people to finish up (perhaps they are not crazy Keith fans who try to prolong the experience like we might). I expected photos and meeting Keith might be handled much like last tour - Keith working his way down a long row of fans and finally inserting himself in the center of the line for the photo. But no - things were handled a bit differently this time, enhancing the specialness of the experience. They counted us off in to somewhat smaller groups of 8. As soon as we walked into the photo room Keith had his arms outstretched in welcome and gave first the black woman and then me a big hug, thanking us for coming and asking each of us our names. After introducing myself I asked if I could tell him about a benchmark I had passed this summer. I mentioned I had first seen him perform in 2004 but this tour passed the 100 concert mark. He asked how many and I said 106 now and that, according to Mapquest, I have traveled just under 110,000 miles to and from those shows. “”Good Lord!” he said - “I think you’ve been to more show than me!” (lol) I was momentarily stunned by the hug and conversation, so I missed his welcoming of the others in our group. But then I was surprised again as he stood there and continued to chat with all of us as a group. He asked 2 little girls and their moms if they were from San Jose and found that at least some of them had come up from San Diego. “That’s a long way!” he said and they replied they had been waiting to meet him for the longest time. Since distance had been mentioned I offered that I had come from Iowa. Keith then asked if I were at least able to stay in California a bit - I told him that my husband and I were making a weekend of it. He replied that San Jose was a great town to visit. He rounded out the conversation by asking the black gal where she had come from. She replied Trinidad/Tobago, Keith was impressed and asked it it was difficult for her to make the move to the States. She said no - she had lived many places and had even visited and seen him perform in Australia very early in his career, when he was opening for another band. She had also seen him at Tower Records very early in his career in the US, but had kind of hid in the crowd there since a black woman liking country music was so unusual. “You were just ahead of your time.” said Keith. After this rather leisurely conversation he said “Well, I guess we should take that photo.” He pulled us all in close and asked the Jamaican woman to stand on a little elevated platform right behind his shoulder so that all of us would be within touching distance (considerate, huh?). But there were so many arms wrapped around Keith’s waist that I was forced to rest my hand on the swell of his bum (absolute torture, I know : ) .A few of the gals had parting words for Keith but I managed to be the last so I could thank him for all the joy he gives to us. And Mr. Amazing, without skipping a beat, said “Thank you for coming Linda - it was good to see you.” and wrapped his arms around me for a second hug! My oh my!
So how does he do that - stay in the moment with each of so, so many fans each night?? What a guy!!
I was warm with that urban glow and it wasn’t even showtime. I returned to the BSE room and just sat grinning for the next half hour that it took for the remaining photos to be taken. I didn’t care - I was euphoric.
When Keith finally finished greeting fans a member of his staff introduced the local DJs and Keith. They conducted a great interview - interesting, oh-so-funny and yet serious in parts. I don’t know how closely it had been scripted ahead of time but I have to admit it was great - much better than the sometimes shallow and ditzy questions that attendees sometimes asked at the old BSEs. Here is my attempt to re-create most of the interview:
Staff member: From 95.3 KRTY we have Gary and Julie, and Keith Urban!
K: Hi everybody! These poor people in the front row (who had presumably been first through with photos) who started first - I thought you might be asleep by now! You guys good?
G: Isn’t this cool!! Isn’t this the coolest thing you’ve ever seen as far as being this close and talking to him? Well we’re gonna find out a few things and hopefully when you leave today you will know Keith a little better.
K: Or I will.
G: We told him backstage we’d be talking about West Bank issues and the death penalty and stuff like that (lol) Well, first things first - how is the family?
K: The family’s good.
G: What’s the most popular, the most read book in your house right now?
K: Olivia
G: How about Red Fish, Blue Fish? That’s real big in our house.
K: What about your kids? What do they read?
J: Hey, hey - Cut out the funny stuff!
G: I hate it when they are better than me - it sucks so much.
G: This is really cool, but what would have happened if this hadn’t panned out? What would have you done? What if you were not Keith Flippin’ Urban? What if you were just Keith workin’ over at....
K: Keith Flappin’ Urban
G: What was the backup plan?
K: I didn’t have a backup plan. No plan B.
G: You just came over to Nashville - like here I am?
K: It never felt like a plan - I think that’s why it didn’t feel like an A or a B. This was just this is my life - this is what I am going to do.
G: Wow! You’ve got some stones man!
K: The good thing is that I didn’t think too much about it. I’m sure if I had it would have worried me, you know what I man? I think that’s most people’s journey - you look back and look at the things that you’ve undertaken and think “What was I thinking?? I wasn’t thinking, thank goodness.
J: What would you say if one of your kids said “Hey, I’m gonna go to Australia and try to be a hit”??
K: If it seems like it is their passion and their destiny, I would stay out of the way.
J: Okay, so what did your parents say?
K; They were totally supportive. I started playing guitar at 6 and they could tell early on that this is what I was going to do. I left school when I was 15 and was playing in a band 5 nights a week.
J: I would have grounded you. Absolutely not!
G: Oh please let his daughter do this
K: It’s coming - oh Daddy can I leave school? I’m fifteen!
G: She’s gonna stand up and out of here.
K: I needed to get out of school and get an education
Within 3 years of hitting the road I learned so much more than I ever learned in school.
G: It is not that you learned what to do,you learned what not to do, right?
K: All of the above.
We were talking to Jake Owen yesterday - you know Jake Owen don’t you?
K: Yeah - I’ve met him...
G: Have you ever written a song about him?
K: I think you have to be the opposite sex that writes the song, right?
G: Not always - we’re in Northern California! But here is the best quote about you:
Jake quote: “You know the best thing about Keith? He would prefer to be the climate and not the thermometer.”
K: That’s stoner conversation.
G: Whoa! I’ll ask you again, have you met Jake Owen?? (lol)
K: Touche! That might have been a bit of a Spicoli thing (Fast Times at Ridgemont High reference). Dude! (in his stoner voice)
G with more quote from Jake talking about Keith: “He is the most unflappable guy - he just doesn’t react - he is just there.”
G: Is that what you have learned? We know about your travails. Has that taught you to just let life come at you? Or do you try to attack it?
K: I try to be just more present. Otherwise it is a bit overwhelming. Just try be in the moment. Take each moment as it comes and don’t think too far ahead. What’s the old expression - “My life is full of great tragedies, most of which didn’t happen?”It’s true.
G: That’s good.
J: That’s much too existential for me. What do you mean by that?
K: (in his stoner voice again) Whoa, what did you just say?? Dude!
J: Put the doobie down....
K: (serious again) You know there is this Scottish comedian Billy Connelly?
G: I know him.
K: I toured with him in 1997. He came to Australia and I would open his shows, play my acoustic guitar, play 30 minutes and warm up the crowd, get them singing along. And he used to finish his set with a song on acoustic guitar. Well one night I did the show as a duo act rather than a solo. When I performed with my duet partner I played the electric guitar rather than my acoustic. This is a long story but I’m getting there... We at a place that is a couple hours from the hotel where we are staying atand Billy comes in an asks “ Keith, can I borrow your guitar?” (Keith is now speaking in a Scottish brogue) I apologized and said I had my electric tonight and asked “Where’s yours’?” And Billy said “ Oh the crew left it at the hotel” (in brogue again).
K: I went completely nuts and I said to Billy “ What the f___, I would fire the guy, rant rant rant...” Billy was just standing there looking at me and Billy said “Are you finished? ( in brogue again) “It is not here and it is not gonna be.” And walked out of the room.
K: There are certain things that happen in life that just stay with you the rest of your life. Whatever that moment was it became the most powerful profound lesson on just accepting something because if that had been me I would have fired someone, screamed at everybody, completely ruined the evening and I still wouldn’t have had my guitar.
J; Okay everybody, what is your mantra: “Its not here and its not gonna be.”
K: Literally, since 1997, if I’ve lost my luggage or whatever I just say “Okay, sowhat are we going to do. What the next plan? What’s the point of getting all stressed out? It’s not worth it.
J: I am so gonna use that!
G: You have had this great list of hits. Have you ever had to be talked into one of your hits. The old story is that Ronnie Dunn had to be talked into My Maria. Have you ever had to be talked into one of your songs.
K: Not really. The only one I hesitated on was You Look Good in My Shirt. I wasn’t sure if it was really me..
J: You are so wrong.
G: She used to think you were a lot smarter.
K: I held onto it for a while and listened to it a bunch of times and then finally decided it. That’s the only one. I have passed on other songs that have been hits for other people.
G: Oh come on you’ve got to tell us which.
K: Not going to do it.
J: Oh come on...
G: “It is not here and it is not gonna be.”
K: There are certain songs that I knew would be hits but I just couldn’t see me doing it night after night after night. That’s an important part of it.
G: On the other side of this, what’s the coolest thing musically that you have done?
K: One of the coolest moments?
G: What’s the coolest thing musically, professionally, that you have gotten to do - something that stands out in your mind.
K: There are so many people I have played with where it has been really surreal
G: If you had to pick one...
K; I could probably make a huge list of ones that stand out for different reasons.
If I just picked one out of the air - the first Crossroads that I did was with John Fogerty from CCR. John came to see me play at the Wiltshire and I went to see him play at the Ryman, Then we had to meet out in L.A. about a week before the show - at someone’s house (a friend of John’s). The object was that we would both have our acoustics and sit in the living room and play songs to each other. That was pretty surreal. Sitting right here next to John.
J: Imagine how we all feel.
K: I had played so many CCR songs growing up and here was the guy who wrote and sang those songs sitting right here with me. I would say “I’m gonna do a song called Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me” and play a little bit for John. Then he would say (and Keith uses his best John Fogerty voice) “I’m gonna play a song called Proud Mary...” and it goes like this..
K: Yes John - we all know Proud Mary! And then I would tell him “I’m gonna play a song called Somebody Like You.” and played a little bit. Then John said “ I’ll play a song called Bade Moon Rising” and it goes like this and Keith again had to stop him and say EVERYONE knows Bad Moon Rising John!
G:I would imagine everyone has seen your cool video with Brad Paisley. What were the outtakes like? I’m not talking about the video - what was it like when you two just started shredding it?
K: What happen is that when I played my guitar part on the record we sort of did it in steps. Brad had already done his part and I had to learn all these harmony parts. Brad is from another planet let me tell you. I’m not sure what planet it is but it is complicated. His dexterity and way of playing is like nobody else I’ve ever seen. He is phenomenal. And so I had to learn all these harmony parts and it took forever and it was a whole day’s work. It ended up great and I was really happy with it. But when he called and said we were going to do a video I had to say I don’t know the parts (because you can’t do a video in parts). So I ended up flipping around the guitar and playing it backwards and just stupid stuff and we went with that.
J: I wish my scre-ups were like that! Before we came out we were talking to one of your tech guys outside and he said “You need to understand how important the Backstage Experience is to Keith - he puts a whole lot of personnel on this event and there just aren’t many that do that. So thank you so much Keith!
G: So when you go out and watch the show and you’re gonna know this guy!
K: Oh that’s right - I have to go do a show.
G: Yeah, mama said don’t come home without the paycheck.
K: And I’d tell Mama - “Mama, its not here - its not gonna be.” (lol)
No BSE memento like the key chain or apron of previous years, but the sweet memories are memento enough! Thank you Keith (and Monkeyville) for the opportunity!
