Saved!

We got back from last night's gospel revival meeting, I mean Dave Matthews Band concert a wee bit past midnight. I wish I could successfully post some of the footage I captured but since I can't, I can at least share photos here. Thanks again to Grammie-Jammie for babysitting the kiddies! Woke up this morning tired but exhilarated and with Cornbread in my head! Comparing notes, Kenny had Too Much in his head.


Last night was just stellar. We left the house around 6:30p, and traffic was horrendous per usual, but made much worse because everyone was on their way to the Bowl. We couldn't take the slow snail pace we were making up Highland, so and we ended up pulling into a parking lot across from the Kodak Theatre. Walking up the long blocks leading to Pat Moore Way, I felt terrible for Kenny and his foot. Limping along as he was, Kenny reminded me of Hugh Laurie, so I took to addressing him as Dr. House.


We met Mike and Maria a little past our predetermined time of 7:30p. Said our hellos and began to make the crazy trek to our seats. I was on the look out for this year's poster commemorating their two night stint at the Hollywood Bowl. I found it, but because they were selling like hot cakes, it took me going to 3 kiosks before being able to purchase one. It looks like the work of Methane Studios, though there is no indication that it is, so it very well might not be since all the other ones that I've seen by MS include their logo. Signs displayed next to the posters state there is a limited edition of 800 and they are numbered and signed. Mine is No. 653. At forty bucks a pop the powers that be have limited the number of posters a person may purchase to 10. Standing in line I overheard a couple discussing purchasing some to put up for auction on ebay!


Shortly thereafter we separated. Mike and Maria going to grab a bite while Kenny and I slowly made our way to our seats. We were nearing our section when Kenny and Jana spotted each other. Funny thing about me and Jana is that we used to work together at MTV (she's still there) and her husband and Kenny both work at Family Guy! AND we bumped into each other at Target Saturday afternoon! Anyway we stopped to say hi, and promised that yes indeed we were stalking them! By the time we finally made our way to our seats, great ones by the way (Section E Row 5! Thanks again to Jacki and Tom), we had a few minutes wait before the band came on!


Mike and Maria arrived about 10 minutes into the show arms heavy with dinner and wine. The crowd of people around us, no make that practically everyone in the amphitheatre were quite boisterous. The atmosphere was filled with excited anticipation and a pleasant herbal aroma much akin to patchouli (wink wink). Kenny made a comment towards the end of the evening about how he keeps smelling it in sporadic wafts, but couldn't locate the culprits. I suggested that maybe the band had it piped in for atmosphere?


The concert was made much more compelling this year with the inclusion of the new backdrop. It's this amazing screen that they assembled in layers, it looks like long diaphanous cloth, and when turned on it can throw images live from the stage in amazing technicolor (or not!). It can also project prerecorded images much like any projector from a computer. The whiz behind that is a genius. Throughout the concert I found myself staring at the screens trying to decipher the images (and possible meanings behind the images) that they chose to accompany the set list.

Monday Oct 1 2007
Hollywood Bowl

One Sweet World *
Pantala Naga Pampa *
Rapunzel *
Dream Girl *
#27 *
Everyday *
Ants Marching *
The Stone *+
Satellite *+
Corn Bread *+
Eh Hee *+
Bartender *+
Louisiana Bayou *
Jimi Thing *
Stand Up [For It] *~
So Much To Say *
Anyone Seen The Bridge *
Too Much *
_________________
Grace Is Gone *
(Black Water) *
Tripping Billies *

Show Notes:
* Rashawn Ross
+ Danny Barnes
~ Joe Lawlor
(song name) indicates a partial song
indicates a segue into next song
Set list taken from the davematthewsband website.


I don't usually enjoy listening to jams much less watching them, but to watch Dave and friends jamming onstage is mesmerizing. I find a strange vicarious joy watching them because I realize that they are having so much fun up there. They are the perfect example of how following your bliss will lead you to rewards far beyond fame and fortune.


After the show we exited left and were rewarded with images of people milling about the backstage area above us. Even more exciting were the array of tour buses parked on that side. (I know. I know. I am a total GEEK! But what can I say? It doesn't take much to impress me). All of the buses were so clean and sparkling it would have made Monk proud! There were more interesting ones further down the drive. These we could tell were like movie trailers fit to be lived in. They looked very comfortable and very luxe. Each bus was discreetly tagged with a silver decal of the fire dancer on the front window. Many of the vehicles were modern and the majority were white and silver with touches of crimson; then there were older buses that had a fifties flair, and they too were gorgeous and sparkling from a lot of wax and love. Kenny urged me to take photos for the blog but I was way too embarrassed. We were all walking en masse with crowds of people leaving the show and I just felt too conspicuous. Of course I'm regretting it now. I did manage to snap this one when I first spotted them.


On our long walk back down to our cars we chatted about this and that, making plans for a dinner at their place and for a movie opening in December in support of one of Mike's projects. Sounds like fun! Count me in.

At breakfast this morning Henry asked, "So how was the Dave Matthews concert, Mommy?" I told him that we had a great time and that we had wished that he and Rhys could have come along. Especially after we saw a little boy about 10 or 11 sitting behind us dancing and singing along with his parents at the show last night!