To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Monday, August 16, 2004
Toby! Toby! Toby!
Here goes my first attempt at a review:
Last night we drove down to the Verison Amphitheater near San A. to see the Toby Keith "Big Throwdown" concert (we being hubby, R, her hubby and me). We had a blast! (OK, hubby had an ok time- I had a blast!)
First, we had to get there. Drove southbound on I-35- no signs for the amphitheater. R thought she remembered that it was X exit, so we took it. Nope, but, that's where they ate, so it has to be back up the access road in the other direction. No prob. Stopped into a Rudy's BBQ - the worst bbq in Texas according to the sign- and asked direction. "Turn left, go under the bridge, and follow the signs." OK, I can do that. At the stop sign where we're supposed to turn, there's actually a sign. Good. Start driving down this little two lane (that's being generous) road. Passed a goat farm. Decided we'd gone WAY too far, we turned around. Came to an intersection (which I had BLAZED through the first time) and there's a small handpainted sign on the corner "Concert" with an arrow pointing to the right. We follow it (pass another edge of the goat farm) until we get to the nice police officers who are directing traffic. Turned into the lot- and drove past a third side of the goat farm- cute goats.
Parked and walked up to the gate. Guys in one line, girls in the other. You got patted down prior to the handheld metal detector going over you. Then you can go inside. I know it's necessary now, but that doesn't mean I don't long for the days when you just walked in and sat down.
Bought the t-shirt (didn't get the Whiskey Girl shirt- but that's another post). Purchased the margarita, found our seats. Very good seats.
Had a brief debate with hubby over whether or not rock music fans are snobs. I won- they are. (my argument- they get so wrapped up in their subset of a genre that they refuse to listen to other genres- yes, I'm stereotyping. Country music fans, while they may not like all other genres, they usually respect them and will listen to them.) This all got started because the walk in music was a mix of blues and 70s and 80s rock. Hubby was confused.
Spent the remaining time before the opening acts looking over the technical aspects of the amphitheater and the cool toys the bands brought with them. ( I can no longer just "go to" a concert- I now analyze the equipment, dissect the cues and lighting choices, listen for proper mix, and contemplate blocking and transitions) They had some cool toys that I would love to get my mits on. Just for a little while.
Scottie Emerick was the first opening act. He did a great set, even if it was only 15 minutes long. Terri Clark put on a wonderful show also, and she played for about 40 minutes. Made me want to go out and get her greatest hits cd. (I think one of my very few complaints about the evening was the amount of time between acts. If it was intentional, to give everyone a chance to grab another beverage and use the facilities, then ok. It worked. Seemed like a long time to me, though.)
A large white sheet (for lack of a better term) hung in front of the stage. This was for the traditional pre-act video that has become a staple of Toby Keith concerts in the last couple of years. Awesome video (nope- not gonna spoil the fun in case someone reading this is going to see the concert later). The screen is removed to show the band and the set (basically, the inside of a bar, complete with the restroom facilities.) What followed could be called many things- all of which are synonymous with "wonderful."
Some highlights include: the "duet" with Willie Nelson (via video- I was impressed with the flawless sync between the live band and the audio from the video); some of the more colorful changes to the lyrics (to fit the location and the potential rowdiness of the crowd); and a cover of Bob Seger's "The Fire Down Below".
The coolest parts of the evening revolved around two songs. Toby pointed out a group of soldiers who had just returned from Iraq (with the admonishment that "if you want to know what's going on in Iraq, ask a frickin' soldier who's been there, not some Hollywood celebrity.") (Amen! Preach on!) Then he sang "American Soldier," which never fails to bring just a little more patriotic pride to my heart and a tear to my eye, followed by "The Angry American (Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue)." That always gets you. At least it should.
That's how the concert ended (well, the encore was the Seger cover, which was cool). We finally found the van - we knew we left it out there somewhere. Got into the line of cars getting out of the parking lot like ants in a line, not really knowing how to get back to the highway, just following the car ahead of us, right past... the goat farm. Hubby was wondering if you leave goats out at night, or do you put them away. We had no idea. Got back to R's house sometime after 1am, woke the boys up, got them into the car, and headed for home. I'm convinced it took me 7.3 seconds to fall asleep once my head hit the pillow.
I'm so happy that Toby is enjoying all this success. With the Dixie Ch*cks feud and everything, it could have gone one of two ways. And I think it went one way for Toby, and the other for the Ch*cks. Country music fans are nothing if not patriotic. The battle between Toby and Natalie is over, but they are both remaining true to their beliefs and feelings. The Ch*cks are doing some dates with the Moveon crowd to try to get W ousted. Toby is singing about the American soldier and putting more pride in America's heart. I know whose cds I'll be buying from here on out.
Last night we drove down to the Verison Amphitheater near San A. to see the Toby Keith "Big Throwdown" concert (we being hubby, R, her hubby and me). We had a blast! (OK, hubby had an ok time- I had a blast!)
First, we had to get there. Drove southbound on I-35- no signs for the amphitheater. R thought she remembered that it was X exit, so we took it. Nope, but, that's where they ate, so it has to be back up the access road in the other direction. No prob. Stopped into a Rudy's BBQ - the worst bbq in Texas according to the sign- and asked direction. "Turn left, go under the bridge, and follow the signs." OK, I can do that. At the stop sign where we're supposed to turn, there's actually a sign. Good. Start driving down this little two lane (that's being generous) road. Passed a goat farm. Decided we'd gone WAY too far, we turned around. Came to an intersection (which I had BLAZED through the first time) and there's a small handpainted sign on the corner "Concert" with an arrow pointing to the right. We follow it (pass another edge of the goat farm) until we get to the nice police officers who are directing traffic. Turned into the lot- and drove past a third side of the goat farm- cute goats.
Parked and walked up to the gate. Guys in one line, girls in the other. You got patted down prior to the handheld metal detector going over you. Then you can go inside. I know it's necessary now, but that doesn't mean I don't long for the days when you just walked in and sat down.
Bought the t-shirt (didn't get the Whiskey Girl shirt- but that's another post). Purchased the margarita, found our seats. Very good seats.
Had a brief debate with hubby over whether or not rock music fans are snobs. I won- they are. (my argument- they get so wrapped up in their subset of a genre that they refuse to listen to other genres- yes, I'm stereotyping. Country music fans, while they may not like all other genres, they usually respect them and will listen to them.) This all got started because the walk in music was a mix of blues and 70s and 80s rock. Hubby was confused.
Spent the remaining time before the opening acts looking over the technical aspects of the amphitheater and the cool toys the bands brought with them. ( I can no longer just "go to" a concert- I now analyze the equipment, dissect the cues and lighting choices, listen for proper mix, and contemplate blocking and transitions) They had some cool toys that I would love to get my mits on. Just for a little while.
Scottie Emerick was the first opening act. He did a great set, even if it was only 15 minutes long. Terri Clark put on a wonderful show also, and she played for about 40 minutes. Made me want to go out and get her greatest hits cd. (I think one of my very few complaints about the evening was the amount of time between acts. If it was intentional, to give everyone a chance to grab another beverage and use the facilities, then ok. It worked. Seemed like a long time to me, though.)
A large white sheet (for lack of a better term) hung in front of the stage. This was for the traditional pre-act video that has become a staple of Toby Keith concerts in the last couple of years. Awesome video (nope- not gonna spoil the fun in case someone reading this is going to see the concert later). The screen is removed to show the band and the set (basically, the inside of a bar, complete with the restroom facilities.) What followed could be called many things- all of which are synonymous with "wonderful."
Some highlights include: the "duet" with Willie Nelson (via video- I was impressed with the flawless sync between the live band and the audio from the video); some of the more colorful changes to the lyrics (to fit the location and the potential rowdiness of the crowd); and a cover of Bob Seger's "The Fire Down Below".
The coolest parts of the evening revolved around two songs. Toby pointed out a group of soldiers who had just returned from Iraq (with the admonishment that "if you want to know what's going on in Iraq, ask a frickin' soldier who's been there, not some Hollywood celebrity.") (Amen! Preach on!) Then he sang "American Soldier," which never fails to bring just a little more patriotic pride to my heart and a tear to my eye, followed by "The Angry American (Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue)." That always gets you. At least it should.
That's how the concert ended (well, the encore was the Seger cover, which was cool). We finally found the van - we knew we left it out there somewhere. Got into the line of cars getting out of the parking lot like ants in a line, not really knowing how to get back to the highway, just following the car ahead of us, right past... the goat farm. Hubby was wondering if you leave goats out at night, or do you put them away. We had no idea. Got back to R's house sometime after 1am, woke the boys up, got them into the car, and headed for home. I'm convinced it took me 7.3 seconds to fall asleep once my head hit the pillow.
I'm so happy that Toby is enjoying all this success. With the Dixie Ch*cks feud and everything, it could have gone one of two ways. And I think it went one way for Toby, and the other for the Ch*cks. Country music fans are nothing if not patriotic. The battle between Toby and Natalie is over, but they are both remaining true to their beliefs and feelings. The Ch*cks are doing some dates with the Moveon crowd to try to get W ousted. Toby is singing about the American soldier and putting more pride in America's heart. I know whose cds I'll be buying from here on out.
Comments:
<< Home
Excuuuuuuuse Me!! Rockers ARE NOT Snobs, just because we happen to be intellectual about our music, does not make us snobs!!
By the way, nice digs you got here, I'll keep coming back just to irritate you and leave my dirty socks on the floor.
Mr Minority
Anything you'd like to add?
By the way, nice digs you got here, I'll keep coming back just to irritate you and leave my dirty socks on the floor.
Mr Minority
<< Home
