So I didn't realize how long it had been since I blogged! As most of you know I'm home safe and sound, well rested (or as much as I can be) and now BORED! We'll get to that later.....
After my short trip to the Utah State Fair. I made my way down to what I like to refer to as the "Country of Texas". If you've ever been to Texas or have spent a lot of time around folks from there, you understand what I mean. People that were raised here or have been transplants for a while are definitely a different breed. But I do love that Texan hospitality.
I started the fourth and final leg of my 2010 tour with a show w/ The Zac Brown Band and a local promoter. While it was a show with many hiccups and bumps along the way we made it to show time and the show actually went on. I was constantly on the phone with the band's agency still trying to sort out issues with the contract up until an hour before the show. The biggest shocker was when the show was threatened because we were short $1million in insurance...let me tell you..it's not fun being on the phone thinking the show will be cancelled and trying to pull $1million worth of coverage out of your you know what. Many prayers were answered and I didn't kill anyone (which I guess was one of the prayers) and the show went well. In this business and especially in todays' world, it's a success when you break even. So we love it when our clients make money! Zac's show is great! Out of three acts I was so busy running around trying to wrap up my end of it...I got to see 15seconds of the opening act...but it sure sounded good. =)
After this show I was looking forward to a few days of R&R. Of course after holing myself up in the hotel for two days with my Nook, tv and room service, I was glad when the co-workers got into town so I had people to hang out with. From that point on it was busy time again. I got to take my time getting settled in for the next fair, South Plains Fair, which started a week after the Zac Brown show. I even took a day to go to the spa for a much needed pedicure and facial. (Thanks groupon!)
On Friday September 24th we kicked off the fair with the Eli Young Band. These guys are awesome. This was the third time I was working with them this year. They are great guys, band, crew all of them. It couldn't have been a better show to start with...laid back, easy, packed show. They had the second highest attendance for the run of the fair! We even got to hang out on the bus after the show and listen to their upcoming album. It's going to be a good one!
We followed that night with Black Stone Cherry (a young rock act), and then a night off. Since we had the night off several of my staff and I had a wonderful day exploring Lubbock wineries. We even found ourselves lost in the sticks of Texas (I was singing the theme song of Deliverance in the back seat) but it's funny what good grapes you can grow out there. I somehow made it back with two bottles of great wine, unbroken at that. =)
Monday was a great show with Jake Owen. This guy has an awesome show! You'll have to Youtube him to find out what he sings. Unfortunately, he's falling in with all those male country stars that you know their songs but can't pair it with the actually singers name. But this guy has the stage presence and is awesome with fans off stage. He would have sat there and talked to me all day had I let him. But with as cute as he was I wouldn't have minded. Plus he has a REALLY cute dog, Vern, an American Bulldog. He bands has some killer skills too...we'll be watching him climbing the ladder over the next few years.
Following a great four days we had a Tejano show with 'La Mafia', a HUGE show with Los Lonely Boys on Thursday. These guys rock! They were having some issues with their bus and trailer which made it a little difficult but all in all the show was good and crew was good to work with. Their show was being sponsored by State Farm (didn't help that I already despised the company before this date). Of course their employees came in a tried taking over the place. We spent the entire night just trying to keep them out of the aisle and from running behind the stage. When one of them asked 'who are you?' I don't think she liked it when I replied 'I'm in charge of this building and concert, MAMM'. The crowd was huge and our biggest turnout for the fair. Thursday we had Blue Oyster Cult, Friday, EnVogue (love these guys and gals!), and wrapped it up Saturday with The Grass Roots. They were a fun bunch of guys, so polite and cracking up.
I, thankfully, had a later flight (11AM) on Sunday and had already packed Saturday morning (thinking the flight was at 9AM). I got to go over to the fairgrounds and turn in the last of my keys and such and say my goodbyes to the staff and co-workers that were there that early. Someone was watching over us because we had perfect weather for the run of the fair. That Sunday morning it was a miserable 50degrees and rainy.
Oh I forgot to mention I caught the Texas Crud again this year while I was there. About two days into the fair I started getting really congested and had almost allergy like symptoms. It didn't take long to turn into a chest cold and just make me plain miserable. I think I've narrowed it down to 1) I'm allergic to cotton and when I'm there is right after harvest season 2) I was so worn down that with the allergies I just got sick. Either way I survived. My friends Diane and Liz helped me though! Diane is a massage therapist (she worked out my sciatic nerve last year from bending over for 3hours straight tying the chair together with zip ties). This year she had a ionic rod that she puts in water. It basically pulls the positive ions out, putting your ions back in sync. Don't ask me how it works...but it does! I could actually feel it working. I wish I had done it right when I started feeling sick, but it definitely helped me from getting to the point I was at last year (pretty much the flu). It was amazing to see what the water turned into!
My flight was quick a painless...well I shouldn't say that...because of my cold I couldn't get my ears to pop. It didn't help that I was the yucky person have to blow my nose on a plane but then it felt like my head was going to explode! Six hours later (or really 2 months later) I was at home and enjoyed a quiet evening (after I fixed the thermostat, unpacked my luggage, and aired up the flat tire on my car) on the couch and watching the DVR'd show from the three weeks before.
I'm now getting back into the swing of things. It was boring being at the office. The change of pace is always hard to adjust to. But now we're starting all over again. I just got assigned a show in November at the Iowa Fairgrounds (we'll be flying back the next morning to make it to the best friend's wedding open house), a week off then Thanksgiving, Conference in Vegas, Conference in Iowa the following weekend and couple of weeks off then Christmas...and then we're back putting in offers, getting contracts, and doing it all over again. =) I'm looking forward to the 2011 season/year and the great shows and travels that come with them.
Thanks for everyone that followed me around the country this year! It was definitely a long trip but I enjoyed every minute of it.
