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| God, guns, and LYNYRD SKYNYRD!! |
| 05.08.06 (2:02 pm) [edit] |
I saw Skynyrd last night. Oh my gosh, I don't know where to begin. They're just so amazing, they blow me away! I love that band so much, I can't put it into words. They were at the SunFest in West Palm Beach.We headed up there around 1PM and mosied around most of the afternoon. Went with Darrell and Randy; Randy's brother-in-law was the president of SunFest this year, and Randy went and asked if he could get us back to meet the band before or after the show. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to do that and said if he'd heard from us five weeks ago, he could've gotten us front row seats and back stage passes! Dangitall. Ah well, it's God's will - maybe next time! Got to the concert area I think around 4 or 5 - there was a band up there called Tribal Tongue, a Native American Southern rock band - they were pretty darn good! They closed their set with Mountain's "Mississippi Queen", I was digging it. Next on was a band called Rambler, they were all right too. They had one song, "Skynyrd Fantasy", that I really liked. The area we were sitting in was right behind the reserved area, which was seperated by a chain-link fence. We were about five to ten rows back, but I found a loose chair and was able to get up to the front. Then, some people in the front row left and gave me and another woman their seats! Other than the reserved area, I was in THE best spot there was in the entire place. I was directly in front of the middle of the stage, about 150 feet from it. Closer than I got at the Orlando concert! Dad, Darrell, and Randy were still a few rows back, but they had a great view too. After Rambler left the stage, we could see all the stagehands doing their work. That was fun to watch, seeing all the guys bringing out the equipment and getting the lights and everything set. Music was playing over the speakers in between concerts, and ZZ Top's "Tush" came on right before Skynyrd came out - that was fun. I was singing along of course, as were a bunch of redneck boys sitting behind me. Skynyrd came out at about 7:30 - it was still daylight and hopefully I got some good pictures. The only problem I had was the battery in my camera was on the verge of dying and would only work once in a while. So I only got about ten pictures, but I'm PRAYING they're good ones. They opened with "Saturday Night Special", I'm so glad they're playing that one again! They played all the hits, as well as some they've not played in a long time. It was especially awesome to hear "T For Texas". A couple other old ones that stood out to me were "Don't Ask Me No Questions" and "Cry For The Bad Man". The only new song they played was "Red White & Blue" - they did it as a special tribute to the troops and veterans, as they always do. They really got the crowd going on that one! The whole band not only sounded amazing, but they looked so good. I can tell they've all lost weight!! Gary and Billy were leaner, Rickey and Ean were thin and in great shape, Johnny looked great, Michael the drummer was looking awesome in his peace sign shirt, and what can I say about Dale and Carol? They were absolutely beautiful! Johnny had his Sopranos shirt on, with a sleeveless denim shirt on over it. Rickey looked hotter than h*ll in a black, button-up shirt with his chest showing a bit. I must note that he was wearing my favorite pants of his - the same ones he wore on the Vicious Cycle Tour DVD. Gary was wearing a white shirt (it said something on it but I couldn't make it out) with a black blazer on over it and his hat with the cross on the front. He looked so good. Ean, the Mississippi Kid, was dressed all in black with a long-sleeved shirt on - he was so hot last night! They left the stage for a few minutes after playing "Sweet Home Alabama", and the whole crowd was screaming for "Free Bird". When they came back on stage, I noticed that Rickey had changed his shirt - it was now a black tank shirt that said, "GOD, GUNS, & LYNYRD SKYNYRD." on the front. I knew I loved that guy for some reason!! That was the coolest shirt, and I've now made that phrase my email signature. It reminded me of my old signature, which said, "Skynyrd, grits, and trucks.". But I think this one's better. Anyway, they played "Free Bird" and kicked major butt - it was so, so, so awesome. Before starting the song, Billy was on stage by himself playing the most beautiful piano solo. It lasted at least two minutes, absolutely gorgeous. He has such talent... he can flawlessly play that fast, roadhouse piano, then turn around and play the most beautiful classical piece you've ever heard. Then he started the beginning of "Free Bird" and the rest of the band joined him. They smoked it! Rickey played the solo better than ever. They never cease to amaze me. The whole crowd was going nuts - I think there was about 10 to 15,000 people there. Probably more than that. It really was a great, loud crowd. You know how it sounds when your ears are clogged or have water in them? That's how I felt last night. I didn't notice it until after we got home. I'm surprised my voice is fine too - I was screaming at the top of my lungs and singing every single song, it was so fun. Johnny sure knows how to get us all going!! And Rickey? What a showman! You can tell how much fun he's having - he just goes nuts! He started doing that twirl he does in "Gimme Three Steps" - I LOVE it when he does that. He's the best... I'm in love with him now more than ever. After "Free Bird" ended and they were thanking the crowd, I don't know if somebody threw something up on stage, or maybe something popped off his guitar, I couldn't tell. But it looked like something hit him in the face or eyes - he was rubbing his eyes and face with his arm and waved at the crowd and left the stage pretty quickly. It didn't look like anything serious but I was still concerned. I asked Skynyrd's webmaster (who's really cool, btw) if Rickey was okay, and he replied, "I would assume that Rickey is fine. No one mentioned anything so it could not have been too big a deal." - well that's a relief. On another note, Skynyrd fans are so cool. During the afternoon, we saw quite a few other people in Skynyrd shirts - there's this immediate recognition from both sides when you see each other. I can't explain it! The SunFest is a huge event, so it wasn't all Skynyrd fans there. But when you see another one, it's like you're seeing kin or something. Somebody you can relate to, that stands out in the rest of the huge crowd. There was a stand that was selling Skynyrd shirts and other memorabilia - they had some gorgeous shirts but they were so expensive. I already had a few of them, but there was this one shirt that totally tripped me out. It was a steer skull with feathers on the horns, and the skull had a rebel flag inlayed into it. I wanted it so bad, but it was $40 and I don't even have 40¢!! I've looked for it online but haven't found anything yet. One lovely little souvenir I got was given to me by Randy's sister. She was selling beads (the Mardi Gras types) as the festival and when she came to say hello to us, was wearing one necklace with little monkey faces on it and a bunch of bananas. It was SO. CUTE. I was like, "Oh my gosh that's adorable!" and she was like, "You like it?" and gave it to me. She was selling them so she could get more, anyway. She said she'd sold out of those before anything else, everybody loved them. What's funny is that my first Lynyrd Skynyrd concert was during the Mardi Gras celebrations at Universal Studios, Orlando, FL. I didn't catch any beads then, but after the concert a woman walked by with at least fifty bead necklaces on. I asked if I could have one as a souvenir from my first Skynyrd concert and she gave me a blue one. So I've got Mardi Gras beads from both concerts, how funny is that! Oh I almost forgot: Darrell never really liked Skynyrd. In fact he used to hate them, I don't even know why, I guess they just weren't his thing. But hanging around me and Dad made him change his mind a little bit, plus his tastes are changing, and he started liking a few of their songs. Then he agreed to come to the concert with us and likes them a lot more now. We've got another convert!! I think he said his favorite song is "Gimme Three Steps". At least he's acting a bit more interested now, instead of thinking we're crazy fans who only wear Skynyrd shirts. Heh. He's either the seventh or eighth Skynyrd convert we've made. After the concert, we left and headed a few blocks down the road towards the car, but decided to stop at a little resturaunt to get hot dogs before we went home. Well, I had to pee like a horse. I mean, the last time I'd gone was in a little port-o-pot that afternoon, well before any of the concerts. I must've been holding it for at least three or four hours. But the ladies room in this resturaunt was either clogged up or had no paper - a girl coming out down me it was pretty nasty so I didn't even go in there. I figured I'd just hold it, but it wasn't getting any easier to hold... So Randy went with me down the road to find a different resturaunt with a bathroom. We stopped by two of them - one of them was closing and wouldn't let me use the dang toilet. So we tried another one - they told me I couldn't use theirs either. It wasn't getting any better. We finally found a fairly nice resturaunt bar and I went in there. We had to walk over two blocks just so I could take a leak! Sheesh, people are so nice, you know? The first place we had tried was closing, but there were still people in there finishing their dinners. Would it REALLY have been too much trouble to say, Hey, the restroom is in the back, just as long as could right back out and don't try to stay here. Put yourself in my shoes, stupid girl! Oven Mitts is on his way to Walgreens right now to develope the film... PRAY it turns out good, please! Until I get those pictures back, here's the ones that are on the Palm Beach Post's website. Click to see the full versions! And keep in mind, these really aren't that great of pictures. They don't do them justice at ALL of how great they looked. I wish they'd taken pictures of Billy, Michael, and the girls too. I'll post my own pictures once I get them, and probably make a new page for the concert on D&D.
Oh, and, here are my monkies:
|
posted by: Tree (reply)
post date: 05.08.06 (12:40 pm)
I've got one set of Mardi Gras beads. THE EXACT SAME ONES!!!!! :D
I'm glad you had such a great time sweetheart!!!
posted by: dustyjumpwings (reply)
post date: 05.08.06 (5:57 pm)
Reply to: Tree
....HAAAAAAAAA how cool is that!! Aren't they the cutest??
Thanks!! LOVE YOUUU
posted by: aesav23 (reply)
post date: 05.09.06 (2:50 pm)
Love the monkeys!! Reminds me of a picture we were once going to put in the paper of a guy at a St. Patrick's Day all decked out in beads. It was a great shot ... then, right before we went to press, I realized that one set of beads had asses and breasts on it.
Oops.
I don't know what any of this has to do with monkeys or Skynyrd. :o)
~ae
posted by: dustyjumpwings (reply)
post date: 05.11.06 (2:47 pm)
Reply to: aesav23
.....Heh. There was no way to edit them out?
posted by: Abby (reply)
post date: 05.12.06 (11:56 am)
I love that pic of Gary, I was hoping he's get that little goatee thingy or whatevr it is back, I think he shaved it for a while. Oh LORD, that man is hot!
posted by: dustyjumpwings (reply)
post date: 05.13.06 (4:49 pm)
Reply to: Abby
Abby I sure wish you was there! The whole band looked so incredibly good, Gary was hot!!! TEH GARAY HAWTNAS!!1!!1!11!1!11!! I love the goatee thingy too.
posted by: Abby (reply)
post date: 05.16.06 (5:43 am)
I wish I was there too! Johnny looked good, too.
