My take on the final 3

Oh, October 2010, how you have become a memory embedded in my mind, forever. The good and the bad. Lessons learned, music loved, friends reunited, tears cried, team power, front row and many unusual decorations.

I definitely needed to rest up and save up from my travels in September, so really haven't been out to see much music until this past week.

Happily I got to see Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights on their run through here with JJ Grey and MoFro.  Thanks to my sweet partner for staying out late on a school night, so I could see them.  The JJ Grey fans that were standing around me, were really impressed with JTNL!  As I was the first time I saw them as an opener. People kept coming up to me, saying, they're good.    Who are they?  So I'm pretty sure JTNL left Bloomington with some new FUN JJ Grey fans.  In fact, some of them are already contacting me, via twitter.    

Thank you JTNL for playing your hearts out and running up and down the highways so that we can hear some music worth listening to, oh and the jagerbomb Jonathan.    Until we meet again, I will spread your word. :)

The upcoming weekend plans have been in the works since Cross Canadian Ragweed announced their break.  So we were all pretty excited to see each other. We were all there to wish them farewell. I can't even begin to name everyone, but it was fantastic to see such a great turnout for the final three shows.  I personally secured EIGHT tickets for fans that weren't going to be able to attend. After the original sale dates.   Just kept watching for them to turn up and they did.     One Ragweed fan from Kentucky sent 4 of them in the mail to me and trusted that I would send him the money, $150. WOW what great fans, Ragweed has created. A real family. 

Many of us arrived a day early in Iowa, to rest up for the trifecta.  An extremely uneventful evening. Checked out Diamond Jo's casino, had the buffet, did some intense people watching, wow.  Every second person arriving was using a walker on wheels. Look out too, they're on a mission to spend that social security. I've never really seen that many people using those walkers at once.  Guess I haven't been to the "casino's" in the Midwest. I had forgotten about public cigarette smoke, too. We don't have that in Illinois anymore. Seemed everyone was doing it.  Cigarette smokers and  casinos must go hand in hand.   I adjusted my nose back to a time when I was just as bad as they were. I managed.  Again Thursday in Iowa was pretty boring and just what we needed.

Friday morning the excitement was off the charts.  The phone is ringing, people are texting, facebooking, tweeting and making arrangements.  I did a little decorating in our suite for our after party. Jammed to a bunch of Ragweed and waited for everyone to roll in. 

Everyone from the "green team" arrived about the same time.

 We proceeded to head over to the casino to claim our spots in line.  Ragweed Rick, Gina and Lonely Girl were already waiting along with some others.  And from there they just started coming from everywhere. Can't really say I met any new fans from Iowa though.  California, Georgia, Minnesota........I decided I didn't want to miss anything over the next three days, so I didn't consume many alcoholic beverages. I don't think I had to leave the front row, but maybe once to use the bathroom. 

I found out later it was a good thing I didn't drink too much because apparently Diamond Jo's frowns on drinking too.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnetworkedblogs.com%2F9Ka86&h=f02ac

Tonight was the night for the "Green Team" to show their support to the Boys' from Oklahoma.  I wanted to get them some fresh flowers, but.....couldn't figure out how to transport and all that so I got creative.   

Managed to get these on stage to the band and crew, including Shannon. Luckily there was no problem from Diamond Jo with this sort of thing. 

                                                              Or this

The show was absolutely fantastic from the start to the very end. The finale

Finale video http://www.facebook.com/ajax/share_dialog.php?s=99&appid=2309869772&p[]=1224212105&p[]=172365516107425&action_link=share

 was INCREDIBLE! The energy the boys had and the crowd's energy made for a extremely great night. 

a few of the crazies!

Got Grady's first pic he gave away and quietly tucked it in my pocket and smiled.  :)

Not my pic picture, but i'm using it.

After the show we headed over to the attached hotel to partake in some beers and fellowship.  Not sure how long we were actually in the room, before we received our first warning to be quiet.  Keep in mind the hotel is housing the whole band and tons of partying fans.  But we were just too close to the front desk, I think.  So right before the party broke up, there was a very LOUD knock on the door.  5 of Iowa's finest.  Hello fellas.  Obnoxious behavior report.  Thank you front desk. Real gems.  Our bad for not being quieter. But you could have let us stay in the hotel and not in our CAR. Oh well, no worries, no tickets, no trouble. Just some "concert" friends getting together for the final three shows they will ever see their favorite band play.  Do be QUIET in IOWA, because anyone laughing is bound to draw attention. 

So......after trying to sleep in our car for a few hours we decided to wake up the other two that were supposed to share our room (in their cars too)and headed to Dubuque! Arriving with practically no sleep, I called ahead for an early check in and was in the room sleeping by 1:30 I think.  I slept for about two or three hours and woke up ready to spend another evening with some great people. After my french coffee fix of course. 

This show will be the second to last show  and the seating was not GA, so everyone was still early trying to figure out how the night was going to play out.  While we were getting our tickets at will call, we found out you could upgrade your seat for FULL price. $40 for 2nd and 4th rows.  But with no credit for your originally purchased ticket. Huh.  Trickery?  One friend said she was almost kicked out for giving away her extra ticket, WHY? The setup once on the inside was just bizarre, seats, yes seats.  This is when I realized Diamond Jo's has no CLUE.  I heard that, the band, tried to get the seats removed, but to no avail.  The "rent a cops" down front were actually asking people to sit down and quit dancing, during Six Nights Alone's opening act. WHAT? sit down, it's a flippin concert.  One group of people said every time the "rent a cop" had someone touch him, he had a punching jerk reaction as to protect himself. Protect himself from what,  the fans.  Several people didn't even know who Ragweed was.  The Casino definitely didn't know who they were. Bet they do now! 

I was talking to one fan about how calm it looked down front.  Didn't seem like too many people were getting into the show.  She's all, come down here with me.....I'm all woohoo, sure.....she's all, that's my seat over there. Four chairs in,  so I climb over the chairs and of course fist pump it a little, when I was asked to stand down.  OK OK, just trying to show some love for the band.  Forgive me.  Then I get in my bag of tricks and pull out a small amount of green crepe paper and toss it up to the stage.  OH bad move........"rentalcop" all over me.  I think, OK gotta go back to my standing bar area.....oh NO. Gotta leave the establishment, not just the concert. Couldn't believe it. Mike couldn't believe it.  Mr. Rentalcop had to tell Mike to get out of his face. Mike's response was priceless. Oh I will, cause you've got bad effin breath.  Thanks babe.

 So three security guards escorted us

to the front door,

where I told them, I AM GOING to finish this $8 glass of Vodka I just bought. I wasn't even scared.

Now I stand outside the casino and wait for my group.  After about an hour, everyone starts coming out and we're all bitching about our experience at DIAMOND JO'. Promise not just one complaint, tons.  It's been sometime now and I need to use the bathroom.  Everyone assures me I should be able to go in and go up the escalator to the bowling alley bathrooms. So I did.  When I exited the bathroom, Mr. Rentalcop, is waiting for me.  Miss, when we asked you to leave, you were not supposed to re-enter.  I'm appalled! Sir, how do you know I'm using your bathroom. We are watching you on surveillance. We have 414 cameras.  Oh okay, that makes sense.  Because, I'm such a threat.  Trust me when I say DIAMOND JO CASINOS are a huge joke. Don't book a show here or attend a show here. I'm over it!  EFF U IOWA!

Sunday morning I woke up thinking, there's no way I cannot be in the front row tonight. So we left Dubuque early and headed straight to Joe's Bar in Chicago!

Upon our arrival we see everyone we spent the past two days with and some!
It was a great day of Ragweed tailgating.  I even got a real Chicago Dog from Whole Foods, does that make it a healthy dog?

Everyone came rolling in, in taxis, limos, there were people from everywhere. OK, Texas, Indiana, Illinois, California, Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota, South Carolina, again everywhere. Extra tickets were showing up too. I posted on FB and managed to find homes for a couple.

The staff from Joe's starting marking our hands and checking our bags about 5:30 and by 6pm we were inside in a new line. Waiting, chomping at the bit.  Then finally. The doors opened for the last Cross Canadian Ragweed show.  We took our spot at the front of the stage and the anticipation began.

 At 8pm the Wade Bowen Band took the stage and entertained us for about an hour.  Unfortunately two of the people I got tickets for were being hassled to get in the doors.  They were both told there was nothing for them.  Luckily within about 15 minutes they were in the doors and I felt good and bad all at the same time.  Good because they were in and bad because I had to text for the first 20 minutes while Wade was singing.  I hate it when people do that.  Not a habit, not to worry.  A few lessons learned, here.

Love them and look forward to anything and everything new that they might do!

The final Cross Canadian Ragweed show began for me, like this.........

What sharp dressed men we had on stage tonight. Showing Chicago a lotta love!

           And we  had, Leann Womack to help sing my favorite song Sick and Tired!

Sick and Tired video http://www.facebook.com/ajax/share_dialog.php?s=99&appid=2309869772&p[]=1224212105&p[]=136211996428917&action_link=share

Stoney Baloney showed up

          Randy came out and sang Daddy's at home, while his mother looked on. 

Daddy's at home video. http://www.facebook.com/ajax/share_dialog.php?s=99&appid=2309869772&p[]=1224212105&p[]=170459066300415&action_link=share

What a proud moment for her.

It was an UNFORGETTABLE Nat King Cole kind of evening. The whole crew was thanked along with all of the wives. They played hard as hell for three hours.  All of our favorite songs surfaced, not one request was ever shouted. Not one person pushed me. Not one person spilled anything on me.  Not one person stepped on my feet. Not one person trying to get in front of me. Not one unhappy person. The most calm cool and collected Ragweed crowd, I have ever seen in Chicago. again UNFORGETTABLE. 

At the end of the song The Boys from Oklahoma, Grady bent right down to me, so that I could strum his guitar. First time for everything.  Thanks buddy.

The video http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=462527751360&ref=mf

He also gave me the last pic he used.  I've never had a  bond with a musician like I do him.   Not only Grady, all of them.  They have all been so gracious to us "fans" giving signatures, pictures, guitar pics, drumsticks, harmonicas, wine bottles, set lists and yes a tie or two. A big thank you on behalf of all of us.  Like Wade Bowen said, Ragweed Rules!

To see great pictures and more videos check out KNBT.fm' & Rick Priest' facebook pages and http://www.joesbar.com/, I've enjoyed everything I've seen.

PEACE to all the Ragweed family in all of their future endeavors. We love you!

   Seriously I need to wrap this up, because A. it's a little long and B. I've got another concert to get ready for!  It's a White Trash Rodeo and Jason Boland Halloween party in Champaign.

Enjoy your music,

xxmusicgypysxx



Here are the latest shows I've found. Let me know if you hear of any others.


October
29th White Trash Rodeo-Jason Boland-Bradley's-Champaign, Il.
Red Wanting Blue-Ballydoyles Pub-Bloomingdale, IL
30th White Trash Rodeo-Rosebowl Tavern-Urbana, IL 9pm
31st Band of Heathens-Off Broadway-St. Louis, MO

NOVEMBER
2nd Band of Heathens-Schuba's-Chicago, Il 8pm
3rd Band of Heathens-Six Strings Bar-Bloomington, IL
Back Porch Mary-Crosstown Station-Kansas City, MO 9pm
4th Back Porch Mary-Jax's-Topeka, KS 10pm
5th Red Wanting Blue-The Rathskellar-Indianapolis, IN
Back Porch Mary-Old 36 Inn-Riverton, Il
6th Red Wanting Blue-Kemp's-Lexington, IL
Back Porch Mary-Lucky Maggie's-Diamond, MO
11th Wade Bowen-Longhorn's-Manhattan, KS
15th Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights Grand Rapids, MI
16th Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights Birdy's-Indianapolis, In
17th Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights-Mojo's-Columbia, Mo
18th Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights-The Kathouse Lounge
20th Cory Morrow-Joe's Bar-Chicago, Il.
White Trash Rodeo-Country Junction-Newman, Il 9pm
24th White Trash Rodeo-I & I-Danville, Il 9pm

December

1st Turnpike Troubadours & Jason Boland-Blue Note-Columbia, MO 9pm
2nd Jason Boland-Lucky Maggie's-Diamond, MO
Matt Stell-Johnny Cooper-Outland Ballroom-Springfield, MO 9pm
3rd Red Wanting Blue-Ballydoyle-Downers Grove, IL
      Eli Young Band-The Blue Note-Columbia, MO
4th Red Wanting Blue-Ballydoyle Irish Pub, Aurora, Il.
Eli Young Band-Beaumont Club-Manhattan, Kansas
10th Paul Thorn-The Castle Theatre-Bloomington, Il.