I wasn’t able to get a good shot of the stage, but how pretty was the sky behind it?!
One of my goals for this year was to have a monthly date with Mark. It has happened more months than last year, but I can’t say we’ve got a perfect record. For August, I thought I’d go all out and buy concert tickets.
I did. Bought them. Spent a pretty penny on them. And then Mark couldn’t get off work.
Good planning, right? It wasn’t Mark’s fault, but that didn’t stop me from being crazy irritated about the whole thing. Thankfully, my brother and sister-in-law were still able to go with me. And, at the last minute, I sold Mark’s ticket to a 16-year-old girl who totally scammed the ticket scalper trying to charge twice the measly $20 I asked.
Though my legs were sore two days later from standing and tapping my feet for hours, seeing Kris Allen and Keith Urban on Friday night – even without my husband – was SO MUCH FUN!
I’m not a huge fan of Keith Urban, but I do like a lot of his songs. And he is amazingly talented. Also, there IS the whole thing about a guy with a guitar. You know what I mean, right?
Kris Allen, though not nearly as showy or outgoing as Keith Urban, was AWESOME. I loved him on American Idol, and I wish he would have performed longer. I totally got music chills more than once when he was on – and when Keith Urban brought him back on stage to sing The Boys of Summer together, I was probably more excited than I should have been.
[But let it be known: I will never be happy to have a sweat-soaked towel thrown in my direction, nor do I need to risk trampling and death by bodyguard to touch the hem of a rock star’s robe shirt. Yes, I’m talking to YOU, weird Keith Urban fans.]
Our seats were really far from the stage, I spent the five hours prior to the concert literally dripping with sweat (thank you, Iowa humidity), and – have I mentioned? – Mark wasn’t there. But still. The concert was FANTASTIC. It was definitely the biggest concert I’ve ever been to (in terms of people attending and in the performers), and both guys – and their bands – were brilliant. Super talented and entertaining.
And maybe just a little cute.
Because I can’t do anywhere or do anything without writing a blog post in my head, the second the concert was over I started thinking of the other concerts I’ve been to – and wondering if I could come up with a top ten. Turns out, I could.
- Newsboys: My first concert ever, in my freshman year of college. I remember a road trip, a virtually empty auditorium, a lot of fun music that I didn’t know (at the time), and losing my car. Needless to say, it was a good time!
- Hot Apple Pie / Shannon Brown: This was at a 4th of July festival, and we went because Sandi liked the band. I think I’d maybe heard one of their songs, but it turned out to be a great concert. We had so much fun and ended up jostling our way from the bleachers to the front rows. I still don’t know their music, but I sure liked it that night.
- Big & Rich: One Friday night, I was driving home from work and heard the DJ mention the Music Mafia. Big & Rich – and a few of their friends – were randomly in town and putting on a FREE concert. I called a few friends and ended up dragging Mark, Smitty, my brother and future sister-in-law down to the hot, crowded club. After suffering through way too many opening acts, we were finally rewarded with a short performance by Big & Rich – as well as a round of drinks, courtesy of the band.
- Yollapalooza: It was the summer that my friend Elizabeth got divorced. Her husband had left her, she was still in the middle of the muck, and she wanted to go to the country music festival in town. So, at the last minute, we paid (way too much) for tickets, iced up as many bottles of water as we could carry and claimed our seats. We heard Billy Currington, Miranda Lambert, Phil Vassar, Chris Cagle, and – our favorite – Jason Aldean. We sang, we sweated, we danced, we drank (water! We drank water!) – and for a few hours, we forgot the mess and just had fun.
- Dierks Bentley: Ohhhh, this was a good one! And FREE! And…another concert that Mark missed. (Boo.) But Smitty and I had a GREAT time watching Dierks. We were pretty close to the stage, even if we were standing next to a trash can. I’ve been hoping he’d come back for another free concert that Mark could go to, but it hasn’t worked out yet. Maybe next summer…
- Reckless Kelly: For my 30th birthday, Mark, Smitty and I went to a concert – in the most random, hard-to-find bar for a band I’d never heard of. And it was a blast!
- Harry Connick Jr.: I met Harry. I heard him sing. I shook his hand. I basically said, “I carried a watermelon.” ‘Nuff said?
- Retroactive: Okay, so this might (MIGHT?) be a stretch for a list of concerts. But a few months ago, Smitty, our friend Mindy and I went downtown to see an 80s cover band. We laughed so hard we cried – more than once! And while it might not have technically been a concert, there were musicians and instruments and big speakers. And costumes. Did I mention the costumes?
- Straight No Chaser: No offense to Keith Urban or Harry Connick, Jr., or any of the other wonderful musicians I’ve seen perform, but this was by far my favorite concert EVER. I was highly entertained and impressed the ENTIRE time these guys were on stage. Loved. It.
- Kris Allen & Keith Urban: I think I covered this one.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
This post will be linked to Top Ten Tuesday at OhAmanda.com.
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Oh how fun! I didn’t know Kris Allen & Keith URban were touring together. But I remember them at AI together and thought they were a great duo. Sorry you couldn’t go with the hubby though:(
I don’t know if they are touring together or if it was just for the fair. But yeah – they were great together!!
5th row. Virginia Beach. HANSON. Summer 1998 with my two best girlfriends.
You and your Hanson. :)
My favorite concert ever was Aerosmith/Cheap Trick at the Resch Center in Green Bay, WI. My friend Carrie & I were both pregnant (she FAR more so than I was at the time) and she worked at the hotel where the roadies and crew stayed. They gave her two free tickets for a show that happened to be on a day when our hubbies had planned to go fishing together (GB is 2 hrs from where I live). So two pregnant ladies headed to the show, pleased and awed to find our seats were 14 rows from the front and 15 seats from the catwalk that ran from the middle of the stage. It was an AMAZING SHOW and my friend’s preggo belly got us to the front of the bathroom line more than once. :)
Nice! Who would’ve thought taking a prego friend would be a plus?!
Definitely Paul McCartney. Although, I did go to see Kelly Clarkson at the fair grandstand last year and it was AMAZING! Such a neat place for a concert with the midway off to the side :) Friday was beyond hot- you should’ve waited until this week to go. We went yesterday and barely broke a sweat!
You know, on Friday it really was the humidity and not as much the actual temperature. My sweat was ridiculous, no matter the cause. I really wish we could have gone on a cooler day!
I think the only concert I’ve been to that you mentioned would be the Newsboys. It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a concert – something about getting married and having kids that tends to come between you and music! Glad you enjoyed yourself, even if your husband wasn’t able to join you! :)
I didn’t go to many concerts when I was younger. I should’ve taken more advantage of my pre-kid times! :)
The only concert I’ve gone to so far has been a Mark Schultz and Point of Grace. Duluth MN. I really liked it! It was fun.
That reminds me: I went to a Point of Grace concert back in college, too!
Too many to count. Not a lot of BIG concerts though. I am more into the obscure indie artists myself, but I would like to go to a Cold Play concert someday. Oh, and I know what you mean about a man and a guitar ;)
Ha! Yes, I bet you do! ;)
I used to go to a lot of concerts when I was 18-20 years old. Memorable one: Pearl Jam. I really like that one and I got to see them here in Seattle which was a great crowd. Now that I mainly listen to Christian music, I really like festivals. Spirit West Coast in Laguna Seca, CA was AMAZING!
Pearl Jam in Seattle – I bet THAT was quite an experience!!
Wow, you’ve been to a lot of concerts! My two most memorable are INXS in 1988 with my three best friends and Elton John in 1997 with my mom.
Ohhhhh…I wish I could have gone to see Elton John and Billy Joel earlier this year. I can only imagine how awesome they were!
What a fun post! I’ve never actually like bought tickets and gone to a concert, but I saw lots of concerts as an usher in college. Some of my favorites were Peter, Paul and Mary; Dolly Parton; Randy Newman. Oh wait, my friends and I did by lawn seats to see (or really hear) John Denver–that was awesome!
I was thinking on Friday that being an usher at a concert venue would have some pretty nice benefits! (Although I’m sure there are plenty of hard and annoying things that go with it, too!)
Love Reckless Kelly.. In my younger years we went to a TON of “Texas Country” band concerts.. Reckless Kelly, Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Great Divide (before the band broke up…*sigh*) They were super fun… But, it’s hard to beat George Stait in Texas with whoever he has with him. My first George Strait concert, he had Tim and Faith with him and they “announced” they were dating.. It was sooo cute..
I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about a George Strait concert. He’s just good (or so I hear). I like Cross Canadian Ragweed, too.
You have touched Harry Connick Jr.???! Get out! I think he is sooooo handsome. ;) My favorite concert was probably Dave Matthews in college. :) Thanks for the visit today!
Yep. Shook his hand. He was shorter than I imagined. :)
Great list! I’m glad you enjoyed the concert despite the heat, nonsense, and Mark not being there.
One of the best concert I ever went to was FFH. They are amazingly talented. And it was even more evident when the power went out, and we had the most incredible evening of worship and togetherness with them. I’ve tweeted with the lead Jeromy since then and he agreed it was hands down one of the most amazing concerts ever!
Other than that, my absolute fav is David Crowder Band. They are just beyond incredible & worshipful in concert. I’ve now seen them live several times, and it’s truly the most worshipful, fun, dancey, Christian concert I’ve ever been to… every time. They put the words up on the screen, we lift our hands, jump up and down, and have a grand ol’ time! I’m always exhausted by the end, but every second is truly worth it!!
The only non Christian concert I ever went to was Beach Boys & Chicago. I went thinking I’d love Chicago, but it ended up seeing the Beach Boys was soooooo fun!!! I loved it! Now I want to see Josh Groban or Owl City in concert. That’d be the schnizel.
Oh my, I bet Beach Boys and Chicago would be a blast! (Also, side note: probably my dad’s dream concert. He loves both bands!) I’d really like to see David Crowder Band. Glad to hear they’re great!!
I’ve seen U2 twice, Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Coldplay, Muse (with U2), but the best concerts have been Delirious. We have seen them twice and I am SO SAD that they are no longer touring as a band. Seriously awesome sound and atmosphere.
Delirious! I remember how fun their music was; I bet they were a great live band, too!
That would have to be Aerosmith (whom I saw twice:), because it’s Aerosmith. :) They beat Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, Janet Jackson (although a great show, even though I’m not a huge fan), Lollapalooza, Third Day/Jennifer Knapp, Ginny Owens, Goo-Goo Dolls and Sugar Ray (whom girls fainted over), Switchfoot, Newsboys, John Mayer, Casting Crowns & Tree Sixty Three, and I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting (and some purposely so on this public blog;). But I have to say, I don’t remember the auditorium being empty at the Newsboys concert. But I believe it. :) I didn’t know them at all then either. (Too bad b/c now I love them!)
Oh, but I just remembered! I went to a couple smaller ones with Jar-Head, and he got to interview some of them for his radio show. So my favorite moment might be “helping” him interview the cute one of The O.C. Supertones. He couldn’t understand something Jar-Head was saying, so I spelled it out for him, and he looked at me and grinned really big. :D
Good grief, you’ve been to a lot of concerts! I still hold to my claim that you would have liked Keith Urban and Kris Allen. The guitar playing was AWESOME. Anyway – I’d like to have seen Third Day and Jennifer Knapp. Love them!
I love Straight No Chaser! Their version of Africa is one of my ringtones And, at Christmas time, I have their Carol of the Bells as the ringback people hear when they call my cell.
I think that my favorite concert I ever went to was U2 when they were on tour (the stadium tour portion) after Achtung Baby. I went with a couple of my sisters and their boyfriends. We went out to brunch that morning, had a fun day, and then did the concert.
YES, Straight No Chaser is awesome!! I’d see them again in a heartbeat!
HARRY.
Also. I may have seen TobyMac once or twice.
Yeah…just once or twice. :)