Concert Season Part 2

Here's part 2! I have never been to so many concerts in one year, and have also never been so exhausted. But man has it been so much fun! So earlier this year when we started buying tickets for the concerts, we saw that some of the concerts were back to back. We shrugged it off and said we would handle it like champs. And we did, but that didn't mean we didn't pay for it the following days after. But we survived and have stories to tell of all the fun. So let's dive in:


Daughtry:

My second concert of a million up at good ole Usana. I know how to get there in my sleep now, as well as how early we really need to leave to make it on time. So there's that.

Daughtry was actually amazing, Chris' voice was spot on, whether the videos portray that or not. For some reason my phone would pick up the sound great at times and not so great at other times. But believe me when I say that he and his band sounded terrific. Being on the grass was so nice too. This time it wasn't cram packed, and we could actually sit and listen to the music and not feel like sardines. It's kind of one of my favorite ways to go to a concert. Nothing super eventful happened during the concert, other than some great music, and Jordan learning she loves them. Which means it was a success.


Goo Goo Dolls:

 

The Goo Goo Dolls brought their A-game and rocked it. We got to hear all their hits sans one in particular which left us really sad. Why couldn't they just play Give a Little Bit??  I'm not one for covers usually, but they did an amazing job and it rivals Supertramp's. I would have loved to have heard it live. Aside from that the concert really was great, they sounded perfect, and the night was just the right kind of cool.

 

Steve Miller Band:

The very next night after The Goo Goo Dolls we were back for more fun. And I just have to give a shout out to Jordan's dad, because he is awesome. He got the best seats for this concert, and we had an absolute blast. Steve Miller was so much fun, and his backup vocal dude was so damn fun to watch. He quickly became our favorite person. You will see him on the right in the videos, he was dancing all over the place and we loved it. Steve played all of the songs you'd hope to hear, even Serenade for Jordan. This being my first time seeing him live, I was so excited, and he didn't disappoint at all. And the night was only half way through!


Journey:

It's no secret that I don't like it when a band replaces their lead singer with someone and then tries to sell it as "he sounds just like blank blank, we promise!" This band (and one other) I hold dear to my heart and have had the hardest time coming to terms with not having the original lead singer. If you've been reading my blog since the beginning, or know me in person, you'll know that Steve Perry's Oh Sherrie is my all-time favorite song. Yes I realize it's not Journey that sings it, but Steve Perry solo. But still Steve Perry to me is and always will be the heart and soul of Journey, and his voice can never be replaced. This being said, new dude held his own. Looking back at the videos I recorded, he really does sound pretty good. Not spot on like some have said, but really close. And for that I have to eat a little crow. This was probably the funnest concert we've been to yet. I knew just about every song they played, and we danced and sang our little hearts out and I regret nothing. It was worth the hoarse voice the next morning and the very sore hips and feet. Totally worth it.


Don Felder (Formerly of The Eagles):

When we heard the Eagles were coming, we immediately looked at getting tickets and about died at the prices. We had to realize that we weren't going to be able to go, and it made us really sad. It's a goal to see them, and one day it'll happen, just not this time around. Well I feel like this concert made up for that a little. Don Felder was so good! He sang quite a few Eagles songs, and it made us really happy. He sounded great, and although he wasn't the original lead on the songs, he did his best, and I couldn't care less at the time. One Eagle is better than nothing. The other bonus for this concert was that we got seats for it, and they weren't half bad. Especially for buying the tickets through Groupon. We got a deal. Three great bands for $15. Can't complain there.


Foreigner:

So I learned after Foreigner was done playing that they too didn't have their original lead singer. I'm glad I found out after the concert. I don't know how much it would have changed my opinion or not, but I do know they were awesome. They rocked, and even brought out a local school choir for "I Wanna Know What Love Is" which was really neat. They played all the songs we hoped they would, and we had some serious fun. This was my first time seeing Foreigner and I was way too excited. I'm so glad I got the chance!

Styx:

 

So if you've read my past posts, you'll know how much heartache I've had over Styx in the past I believe 12 years. Styx is one of my all-time favorite bands, they're actually third in line after The Beatles and Travis. So with the fact that they don't have Dennis DeYoung anymore, I've had a hard time wanting to see them live. And honestly I wasn't thrilled to see them this time, and mainly went for Foreigner. So I was happy when I found myself enjoying them, and singing to all of the songs, and downright having a great time. I tried to ignore that Dennis wasn't there, and that new dude (whom I haven't bothered to learn his name) didn't sound like him at all, and instead just enjoy myself and the music of the band I really do love. We even wore old Styx concert shirts of mine to help with the fun. Honestly it was a good time, and they did great. They even played a couple songs I haven't heard live before, so that alone made me ecstatic.  

 

The Wallflowers:

 

 

 

 

 

I have loved The Wallflowers since their first album came out. And it didn't hurt that Jakob Dylan was not only cute, but had a sexy voice to boot. It helped even more that his dad is Bob Dylan, but not much more. He can hold his own. So when I heard they were coming and not only coming, but the concert was free, I was down. I didn't know it was a goal to see them until I could. We decided to ride the train down so we didn't have to deal with parking, and conveniently it takes us right to where we need to be. We found what they called "Beer Garden" and got into the elite fenced off area to drink our beers (only in Utah would you find this), and settled in for a fun night. They sounded great and Jakob's voice was still as sexy as ever. It wasn't too packed at first in the Beer Garden, or anywhere else really, but toward the end of their playing it started to really fill in, and I started to get a little anxious. I don't do big crowds very well when I feel like I'm trapped. But regardless, it was still a lot of fun.

 

Train:

 

 

 

 

 

Train was the second half of the free concert, and by this time it was packed! I got the lucky opportunity to have obnoxious people next to me banging into me as they danced, and even making out while leaning on me. Not cool people. Have some respect while having your fun. Anyway, Train did great, they played all their hits, and toward the end we decided to leave Beer Garden and find Port-a-Potty Lane. It was a lot less crowded back there, so we finished out the concert in the back where we could actually move and dance a bit. It was really nice. I love that we were able to see two great bands for free, such a cool idea. We finished our night by walking several blocks to get pizza, missing the last trax pickup to the train, renting bikes to ride to the train, and nearly missing the train, but making it with two minutes to spare. Did I mention I did this all while in a dress? I love adventures like this, especially when they're unplanned.

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for Part 3! Because we are not done yet. Here's what's left to see:

 

Boston

Doobie Brothers

Paul McCartney

Mury

Hawthorne Heights (maybe)

Rewatch: Smallville



It was unplanned, and done on a whim. I got this sudden urge one night to watch the pilot of Smallville. I really don't know what brought it on, but I had to please the desire. Well we all know what happens when you watch a pilot right? You have to watch more. At least that's the case for me. Next thing I know I'm watching every episode, and not only watching, but binge watching. It's what I do best. It's very apparent I don't have much of a life if I can watch an entire 10 seasons in a month. I may have fallen severely behind on my summer shows, but they could wait. This was important. So here I am a month later after my pilot watching whim, and I'm feeling that typical emptiness I call TSAS. I've seen the show before, I watched it as it aired. Hell I even rewatched the entire series after it ended because I was so enthralled with the series finale. And even then I managed to watch all 10 seasons in a month as well. It really is a sickness. And one I'm actually perfectly fine with.

Anyway, it had been three years since I'd watched an episode, and I'd only seen the later seasons twice. Once on TV as it aired, and then again in my first rewatch. So it was refreshing to watch it again from start to finish, and I had forgotten a lot of what happened. It was a blast to be reminded of all the tributes paid to the original movies (Christopher Reeve and Margo Kidder guest starred and the musical score was used), and even to Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher guest starred) which we all know is one of my all-time favorite shows. I didn't realize how much emotion I would feel watching the show over again. From the death of Jonathan Kent (not really a spoiler if you know the Superman story), to the major feels I got in the final last two seasons between Lois and Clark. I'm a hopeless romantic man.

I was also reminded of just how much of a badass James Marsters really is. Gotta love me some Spike wherever you can get it. The Luthor saga was always one of my favorite things. Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor) made bald super sexy, and John Glover (Lionel Luthor) was perfect. And the eventual friend to frenemy to enemy dynamic between Clark and Lex is always intriguing to watch. Of course there were characters I didn't much care for, and as much as I shipped the Lana/Clark relationship at the time, it will always be Lois and Clark in my heart.

The one thing I learned from this newest rewatch is that the 10th season is probably my favorite. And there are a lot of seasons to choose from, but this one gave me the most feels, and had the most developmental progress I think. And for that I enjoyed it the best. And honestly the series finale was done so well. It was nice to be reminded that a finale can actually be done correctly and give a satisfying ending. Although of course no matter what I will always want more. Thus my TSAS.




Circa 2001 (Season1)

Circa 2004 (Season 4)

Circa 2008 (Season 8)



Circa 2010 (Season 10)

Concert Season Part 1

The concert season has begun! And I could not be more excited. So many bands, so much good music, and friends to spend the time with. Who could ask for more? We've already hit up three of the bajillion we're going to, so here's a run down of the concerts so far, and then a list of ones to look forward to hearing about:

Jimmy Eat World:

This was the first concert of the season and occurred back at the end of May. It was at the Depot which I love because it's more intimate, and the sound is awesome. The down part was that it wasn't a 21 and older concert, so us beer drinkers were exiled to the upstairs and crammed in the small area, while the kiddos and non-drinkers enjoyed the stage area. It was alright though, the view was still great, and we got to enjoy the music just the same, but with beer. Which is always better. The opening act, which I don't even remember their name was a piss poor band of two who used background music and they played guitars on top of that, and mumbled words into the mics. I was slightly embarrassed for them. Jimmy Eat World or as Jordan and I lovingly call them, JEW, was much better and played all the classics you would expect. It was a good night.

Coolio:

Wow so ok. This was both mine and Jordan's first full fledged rap concert ever. And we were out. of. place. We got there at what we thought was on time, but turns out we were so very very wrong. So we chilled at our booth that we totally earned because we were so damn early and drank beers. 4 1/2 hours later, good ol' Coolio decides to grace us with his presence, but not before we have 2 hours of DJ's playing their versions of other rap songs, and then the opening "act" Space Ghosts. Yep. Space Ghosts. They actually came out on stage with space helmets on their heads and started rapping. And then Coolio made it out on stage, but we were so engrossed in our phones trying to ignore the amazing Space Ghosts we missed it. We look up to see Coolio's onstage rapping with our ghosts from space. Coolio then started rapping his own songs starting with the Keenan and Kel theme song and ending with Gangsta's Paradise. Oh by the way there were only three other songs in between those. Then Coolio runs off stage and is done. We spent 4.5 hours waiting for five whole songs. Someone please tell me, is this how all rap concerts go? Because if so, this will be my first and last. I do have to say despite the ridiculousness of it all, Jordan and I did have a good time, and I even had a moment with Coolio. Just before Gangsta's Paradise started, Coolio ran off stage and tried to run outside but chose a locked door first. After he tries to open it and fails, he looks straight at me and I back at him and I shrug. He then tries the next door and outside he goes. It was kind of an important moment we shared I feel.

Def Leppard & Kiss:

So this I say is the first BIG concert of the season. No disrespect to JEW or Coolio, but this concert was massive. And by massive I mean the crowd size. It was my first time at Usana (a lot of firsts this summer I'm noticing), and so I myself have nothing to compare it to, but Jordan assures me that it's never as full as it was for this concert. After our 2 hour drive getting there, we parked a mile away and hiked to the GA section. There we wormed our way to the front for the GA section and staked our ground by standing there. We got there just in time for Def Leppard to start and it was so good! They sounded great, I knew most of the songs and we sang and half-danced our hearts out. Then came intermission before Kiss started. By the time they did it was after 10 and we're old so we agreed to hear a few songs and call it good. We were honestly there for Def Leppard, so it wasn't a hard decision to make. We made it through two songs and then hiked our mile back to our car and deemed it a successful night. I was happy to at least watch Kiss come out on stage on a giant spider in their infamous makeup. So mission accomplished for me. Turns out the concert was record breaking. It was sold out, and it was the first date on their tour. So Utah wins! And I mean Utah because the whole damn state was there "rock and rolling all night long".


And stay tuned for the following reports. They are bound to have stories because that's how we roll.

Daughtry & Goo Goo Dolls
Steve Miller Band & Journey
Styx & Foreigner
Train & The Wallflowers
Boston & The Doobie Brothers
Paul McCartney
Mury

Decisions

Sometimes decisions have to be made, and they aren't easy. And sometimes they are, and you wonder "am I an ass? It should not be that easy". And with that comes the feelings of guilt, but only for a moment, because you realize that life is better and calmer because the decision was made for the better of everyone involved. Toxic things are toxic for a reason, and working hard on something to make it work is not how it should be. You have to learn to say goodbye and move forward. I've had to do this a lot in life and every time has been for the best. I've been happier after I've made the decision. It helps to write it out too. So I bid adieu to that spot in my past and move forward with my head held high knowing that it's going to be alright. The decision is made and I will continue to be happier. So is life.