Concert – Page 52 – Concert Katie

American Idol Concert Paul McDonald Photos

American Idols Live – Uniondale NY

Katie August 26, 2011 0 Comments

Last week I won tickets to see the American Idols Live tour on Long Island from a twitter contest sponsored by Mastercard. The show was Tuesday night and I didn’t remember until we got there that Pia is from Long Island so it was her hometown show! (I didn’t remember until I saw all the people in neon Pia shirts walking around!) The seats were on the floor, Row 8, which was actually 12 rows from the stage because the section started with A1, A2, A3, A4.

The show started out with all the girls dressed in white singing Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. Then Pia came out and said hello to her hometown crowd and sang some of Empire State of Mind. Looks like that is the over covered song of the week 😉 At least it was appropriate this time since we were in New York! Then Pia went in to California King Bed and Stefano came out to sing with her. My mom was nudging me that he was on the stage but I couldn’t see him at all because there was a HUGE guy a couple rows ahead of me who was standing up to let someone else in to their seat! Of course! This would end up being the theme for the night as somehow every time this guy stood up he managed to only block Stefano.

Paul came out and sang Maggie May – and man does that guy run around a lot. It was damn near impossible for me to get a picture of him because by the time the camera focused, he was already on the other side of the stage! This happened a lot with the guys on the more upbeat songs but Thursday I’ll get a second chance so maybe I’ll be able to figure out how to get a good shot with them running all around. Thia came out and did Selena Gomez’s “Who Says” and her dress had a long tail that almost looked like a cape. Then she ended up taking that part off and joining Pia, Haley and Naima to perform Janelle Monae’s Tightrope.

Then it was time for Stefano! He did Bruno Mars Grenade and the girls joined him for DJ Got Us Falling In Love. And near the end of the song he TOOK HIS SHIRT OFF. Somehow I managed to get a picture and then realized he did it on the catwalk which is right where my seats are for Thursday. At least now I know to be prepared for it!

Then the guys (minus Scotty, who was not on stage at all in the first half of the show) performed Neon Trees Animal. We got a video greeting from JLo and Naima came out and peformed On The Floor. She also had a breakdown where she just danced. Pia came back out (it seemed to very much be the Pia show) and performed her first single – This Time. Then it was time for Casey! He started his set playing his upright bass and did Santana/Rob Thomas’ Smooth. Then Haley joined him for Moanin’. He said how he was getting hot in his leather jacket and it was getting harder to breathe and then of course sang Maroon 5’s Harder to Breathe. Then the whole crew (minus Scotty, of course) came out and did Forget You and I think there was some Crazy mixed in there as well.

Then it was time for intermission. I liked that it wasn’t in the order of being kicked off doing 2 songs, etc like it was in years past (plus Lauren was out there a lot in the beginning, Haley and James too which probably wouldn’t have been the case with the old format) but it seemed like it was not an even spread of who was singing what. For the places they came in it seemed like Pia sang too much and Paul, too little.

After the intermission Lauren came out first. I assume this was to separate her and Scotty so it wasn’t back to back country. She has great stage presence and was saying how Randy Jackson was at the show and backstage. She did Flat on the Floor, Like My Mother Does and If I Die Young. Then it was time for James. He started at the back of the venue and walked up to the front and ended up going right by our section (We were 4 people from the aisle though) while singing Sweet Child O Mine. He also did Muse’s Uprising. Then Jacob came out and did Never Too Much and You’re All I Need To Get By which he dedicated to Ashford, the songwriter who had just passed away. Haley did a great performance of House of the Rising Sun and Bennie and the Jets.

Then of course it was time for the main event – Scotty! They did a medley of announcing all the winners on the video screen. I still love that Kris Allen’s reaction was =-O! Appropriately Scotty came on stage singing… baby lock them doors and turn the lights down low! I would have been so disappointed if he did not do Josh Turner’s Your Man because he had sung it SOOOO many times in Hollywood week. haha. He also did Are You Going To Kiss Me OR Not and then his first single, I Love You This Big… Lauren joined him and they sang When You Say Nothing At All and then the girls joined him on backup vocals for Gone. I also noticed that Scotty was holding the mic like normal and NOT like a flute like he did during the season. I wonder how hard it was for him to break that habit!

Then it was time for the final number which was very high energy and again, pretty hard to get photos of. James was doing wrestling moves on Casey and Scotty while they were singing and hime and Paul did a weird little dance… Then all the contestants were introduced and when James came out he had on a clown nose! lol They did a little bit more of their final song and then the show was over!

Setlist under the cut!

Concert Photos

KC101’s Ticket To Ride August 21

Katie August 24, 2011 0 Comments

Sunday was a bit of an interesting day. The crazy-ness actually began before, when I asked Six Flags about handicapped accesible seating for the concert and was told that ADA seating was available – but only for those in wheelchairs. We decided then that I’d use a wheelchair for the day because even though I was more of a liability standing in a crowd of rabid fan girls, six flags didn’t seem to care unless I was in a wheelchair! Plus, my friend Christine had asked previously and was told if I was in a wheelchair I could be put anywhere so we figured with our VIP wristbands we could position the wheelchair at the back of the VIP area and then stay with our friends.

We got to the park when it opened, picked up a Guests with Disabilities guide book and then picked up our VIP tickets. We decided to wait in line and there were only about 25 girls in front of us so we thought we could easily position the wheelchair against the barricade and we’d be all set. Except that Six Flags decided they were having a flashmob for Jason Derulo (you should be singing that in your head every time you see it mentioned here) and that 500 people would be let in first. If they had VIP they’d go to the front of VIP and if not they’d go to the front of the GA area. Basically there was no way we could get ahead, but we decided to stay in line anyway.

Originally the plan was that doors would be at 2:30. Then we got told they were pushed to 3. Then security said that it was going to “rain heavily” and we should prepare ourselves. If we got out of line, we would lose our place even if our friends stayed in line and even if we had to go to the bathroom! Then we were told that since the storm was coming they were moving us in to a pavilion and we had to stay seated and that we could NOT leave – even to go to the bathroom. Or we could not come back. Obviously they soon realized this was ridiculous and those who did leave to use the restrooms were NOT kicked out.

Fortunately we made it in to the pavilion before the rain began and we all sat around. We were entertaining ourselves just fine in the line and could have continued doing so in the pavilion but they set up a mic and ended up having Art and Colin of ‘The mop squad” come to entertain us. I certainly hope whatever act they do in the park was better than what they did for us… I felt like I was in summer camp hell. Surprisingly, there were people who seemed entertained and they didn’t get boo’ed off stage.

The rain stopped and the sun came out and we were told the other pavilion (flash mob) would be let in first. They tried to do everything orderly and we were worried the wheelchair would get stampeded, but the six flags people stuck to their guns that we would have to walk in with everyone else. Once we went to get in to VIP we were told to go in to the wheelchair seating instead of VIP and we were separated from friends. Basically we spent $10 for VIP for nothing and we could have been on rides all day and ended up in the same spot. Oh well… at least we got to hang out with our friends in the line. The other weird thing was that those with All Access (radio station peeps, sponsors, etc) had the section in front of the wheelchairs and were standing and moving around so even if you thought you had a good spot, at any moment someone else could jump in front of you and block your view!

Andy Grammer was up first. He did 3 or 4 songs and some beatboxing and was really good. The only downside to his set was that he did a bit of Empire State of Mind which has to be one of my least favorite songs, but otherwise he was entertaining so I won’t hold that against him.

Next up was Shaggy. His DJ played intro music for what seemed like forever. I don’t know if he was stalling for time or what… but finally Shaggy came out. He did Mr Bombastic, Angel, It Wasn’t Me, Sugarcane and Mr Lover. AND he also did a little bit of Empire State of Mind! I could see if we were in New York but we were in Massachucetts…

Then it was time for the reason most of us were there – Joe Jonas. He came out to Love Slayer and also performed Just In Love With You, Fast Life, Kleptomaniac, I’m Sorry, See No More (his last song which he jumped in to the crowd during.) As well as Jonas Brothers songs – When You Look Me In The Eyes and Hello Beautiful. After Joe we left the area and went to the bathrooms, where Andy Grammer was outside signing and taking pics. We waited for a bit to try and get a photo but he kept getting called off to somewhere else so we gave up and went to get me a hair feather while we waited for Jason Derulo. We heard a couple of his songs (and cheered when he came out and sang ‘jaaaason deruuuullloooooo’) and then decided to head out. I had such a headache that as much as I wanted to ride a coaster I just didn’t think it was a good idea because I’d probably have made myself sick! We decided to head out and ended up getting home at a fairly reaasonable hour.

In the end, everything worked out for the best but it was very frustrating for most of the day trying to “go with the flow” when we weren’t sure at time if we’d end up trampled or not!

Concert

Concert Essentials

Katie August 21, 2011 0 Comments

Here is a list of things that I recommend you have in your purse (or car, or somewhere nearby) when heading out to a concert!

-Ear Plugs – Whether you have a nice pair of earplugs or just 50cent foam disposable ones, make sure that you have them on you. The music might not sound loud at the show, but you’ll be regretting not wearing them when your ears are buzzing the whole way home! (And maybe even for a couple of days later)

-Extra Memory Card – You never know when you are going to fill your card or forget your card in your computer after uploading photos (I speak from experience) Make sure you have an extra memory card on you, just in case! Even if it is a cheap card with limited memory just to have as backup.

-Extra Camera Battery – You never can know when your camera is going to die. Charge up an extra battery and have it handy. Remember to charge it again if it has been sitting in your purse for a while so you are not greeted with a second dead battery when you go to use it!

-Sharpie – I like to have a sharpie (or two or three) because you just might bump into one of your favorite artists after the show and want to get a signature! They are not always armed with a sharpie and will be impressed if you hand over one with the item you’d like to get signed!

-Cash – A lot of bands have credit card machines on tour with them, but some venues (especially smaller clubs) often can’t get a good enough signal to actually transmit out to process orders. Make sure you have some extra cash on you if you want to buy merch and it just might let you cut everyone with credit cards who are waiting in line for a possible signal to come through!

Concert Photos

Britney Spears XL Center 8/9/11

Katie August 13, 2011 2 Comments

Tuesday night Britney Spears brought her Femme Fatale tour to the XL Center in Hartford, CT! It had been quite some time since I have seen her and I have to say I was a bit nervous going in to it, especially since the tickets were so expensive!

“DJ Pauly D” started the evening with a 30 minute DJ set. Everyone was standing up and screaming for him and I really had never seen such a thing with an opening act. But I am always complaining about how openers don’t get people pumped up – Pauly definitely did. It was about this time that some girls “snuck” into the seats in front of us and waved their arms in the air like they just didn’t care. Unfortunately with all the ushers on the floor, there wasn’t much that could be done about them and they managed to stay there all night snapping away with their cell phone cameras.

Next up was Nicki Minaj. I’m really not familiar with her at all – but her set was very entertaining. There was a side story going on where she was fighting her Nemesis (named, appropriately, Nemesis) and the dancing and all that for the songs would go along with the story. It kept me interested even when I had no idea what she was singing about and I really like that. Everyone else seemed to really be in to her set as well. During her last song, she and her dancers sprayed the crowd with silly string!

After Nicki’s set, a countdown appears on the screens to the side of the stage and a light up “Femme Fatale” sign was dropped. The countdown ended and it was time for the main event – Britney, bitch! While the choreography of Britney was a bit on the watered down side based to what I was used to, her group of dancers were there to help round everything out. The stage was very elaborate with several lifts and stage doors strategically placed throughout. There were multiple costume changes while we were treated to a video of a guy who was looking to capture Britney. Similar to Nicki, we had this plot line that went along with the performances.

The setlist was predominately newer material (aka the stuff I am not as familiar with), with some older singles mixed in. The show was highly entertaining, definitely kept your attention and I’d dare say worth the price of admission. Was she singing live? No. Was she dancing her ass off? Not really. But I’m pretty sure almost everyone who bought tickets knew going in to the show what they could expect from Britney and I think she met, if not exceeded expectations for many.

The only thing I thought was strange – the last song was a remixed version of Til The World Ends featuring Nicki Minaj. Why not have Nicki come out and perform instead of just having her up on the screen? We know she was there since she had just performed! That would have brought the whole show full circle.

Setlist under the cut!

American Idol Concert Photos

Siobhan Magnus at Summer Wind Windsor, CT

Katie August 11, 2011 0 Comments

Saturday night Siobhan Magnus of American Idol fame kicked off the season at Summer Winds PAC in Windsor, CT. I had never been to this venue before – it is right in the middle of a lot of corporate buildings. We tried to find a spot to stop and eat before the show but the GPS led us to a McDonalds that was non existent (perhaps in one of the buildings) and a Dunkin Donuts that was only open M-F.

The show kicked off at 7:30pm with Siobhan doing a solo set that lasted about an hour. She did 4 original songs that will be on her album coming out in the next few months – Beatrice Dreams (the first single), Hollywood Carousel, Black Doll and Escape Goat. The venue was a giant tent with lawn in the back and she told those out on the lawn to move forward, especially since the forecast was saying there would be some thunderstorms. She also sang many covers and covered many genres which shows just how versatile her voice is. She did songs from Stevie Nicks to Hanson to Oasis to Jackson 5 and more. Just before he set was to end, the rain started. She told us that she would be back singing with the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra.

After a half an hour intermission, the rain really started to come down (and the rain was collecting on the top of the merchandise and guest services tents as well as on the tent over the stage!) and the Ultrasonic Rock Orchestra took the stage. They put on a great show and did songs from The Who, The Beatles, Queen, David Bowie, and more. They rotated who sang lead on songs and had plenty of voices to choose from in the band (I think there were something like 9 different singers throughout the night – including Siobhan!) Their set ended just after 10pm and the rain was fortunately just a slight drizzle as we walked back to the car.

I bought myself a new camera for my birthday – so my recent concerts (Jonny Lang, The Voice, and Siobhan) have all been taken with the new camera. So far I love it – and can’t wait to learn some more tricks with it to get even better photos ☺ It has a massive zoom which I used for just one photo of Siobhan – since we were 3rd row the full extended zoom wasn’t really needed for most of the show.

Setlist under the cut!

Concert Javier Colon Photos

The Voice On Tour!

Katie August 8, 2011 0 Comments

Friday night the The Voice on Tour rolled in to Connecticut, home state of the first season winner, Javier Colon. The show was at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, CT one of only a handful of performances that the Top 8 would be doing.

Doors to the theater opened at 7:30 and everyone filed in to their seats and sent text messages to the screen to get a chance to win a Sprint Tablet. Around 8pm the warmup guy from Karaoke Battle USA came out on stage. What? Yes. Bill, the warmup guy from last month when I went to see Karaoke Battle USA tape was there to warm up the crowd. For a concert?

Honestly, we could have done without this. When he went through the crowd in the beginning asking favorite moments, ok, maybe that was a bit amusing. However, what is Carson Daly doing? He could have recorded video clips to be played in between sets. Or better yet – don’t mess with the momentum of one performance to the other and just let the contestants keep the energy up! (Everyone wasn’t sure if they should sit or stay standing when he came out on stage and it just made things very awkward)

The show started with the entire Top8 performing a mashup of George Michael’s songs Freedom and Faith. The top 8 for those of you who don’t recall are made up of Nakia, Vicci Martinez, Xenia, Dia Frampton, Frenchie, Beverly McClellan, Casey Weston and of course, Javier Colon.

After the song, Bill came out and talked about Team CeeLo. Nakia did a song, then Vicci followed with 2 songs.

Bill came out and talked about team Blake. Xenia did a song, then Dia did two. (Which had most of the crowd sitting since they were not very upbeat)

Bill came out and talked about Team Christina. Then Frenchie came out and did a song and then Bev did 2 songs.

Finally, it was time for Team Adam. Bill did his reading about the team, then Casey came out and did a song and then Javier came out and did 2.

After each performance the contestants thanked everyone for voting, watching, and making the show such a success. It was nice because they were stumbling over words at times so it seemed like these things were not rehearsed and rather from the heart.

After we were introduced to the teams, it was time for the contestants to come back out and sing again. Each contestant had just 1 song this time in the order of Xenia, Casey, Frenchie, Nakia, Beverly, Vicci and Dia. Javier once again had 2 songs.

The contestants also did back up for each other at points. Beverly and Nakia dueted for Beautiful (and walked through the aisle right past me!) and Javier was on guitar. Beverly and Casey played guitar during on of Xenia’s performances. Vicci and Beverly played buckets on Casey’s Black Horse and Cherry Tree performance. Everyone came out to back up Frenchie on Like a Prayer.

After Javier’s second to last song, Bill came out and talked to Javier a bit. He told him how people from his school were there (he talked to one of the nun’s from Javier’s school before the show started) and that he wanted to hear Javier sing something from Oklahoma. Except that the nun said that he performed in Showboat! Javier corrected him and did do a bit of Old Man River. He also gave the slip of paper with the chosen finale song – Don’t Stop Believing.

The 8 then came back out and all did a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Man In The Mirror.

I have to say, I was very impressed with all of the contestants. And Vicci is SO tiny and she really puts all of her body in to every note (and maybe then some!). Xenia seemed over powered by the band at times, but really has grown so much since the beginning of the competition. They all put on a great show and it was a really fun night!

Setlist under the cut!

Concert Media Photos

Jonny Lang at the Ridgefield Playhouse July 21

Katie July 23, 2011 0 Comments

Thursday night, Jonny Lang played at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT. Tickets were a bit on the pricey side ($95 after fees) but I had a feeling it would be worth it. I have been wanting to see Jonny live for YEARS now, so when I stumbled upon the listing on the Playhouse’s site, I new that I had to splurge as a bit of a late birthday gift for myself.

The opening act was Christopher Robin – originally from Connecticut but recently moved out to Arizona. He said it was his first time back in roughly 6 months and so he was spending more time with family than picking out a setlist so he decided to just wing it. After the first song he said he decided to try to do songs acoustically that he had only done before with his full band. Personally, I thought all of the songs sounded great (having never heard him before and having nothing to compare it to) but a couple of songs he said he would definitely not be doing that way again. He ended his set with a sing a long to “The Weight” – although he was about to start another song when he was told that his time was up. It worked out nice that way – the sing a long got everyone a bit loose and ready for Jonny to hit the stage! (You can check out Christopher Robin at http://www.christopherrobinband.com/)

What I thought was interesting was Jonny’s setlist was on the stage even during the opening act. Of course, I didn’t get a chance to see it – but I did attempt to keep track of my own setlist which will be at the end of this post. I’m not sure how accurate it is – but all the songs were l-o-n-g. At one point I think we were 3 songs in and I looked at my watch and Jonny had been on stage 25 minutes. All the songs just turned in to these jams and were just awesome. It is really hard to put in to words how amazing this performance was. And when the crowd stood after songs and clapped for an extended period of time (Jonny deserved all it and more) it almost looked like he was embarrassed everyone was cheering for him!

After playing for an hour and a half, he left the stage – but everyone stood and cheered and then Jonny came out and did 3 more songs. At the end of the 3rd song each of the band members did a (long) solo and then they jammed even more after that. I have to say that this concert is probably in my Top 5 ever – and I am kind of frustrated that I really can not articulate how great it was. As a blogger, that is never a good thing!

Jonny’s sister was also his backup singer – for those of you who are also American Idol fans, you may remember that she auditioned on Season 8 and made it to I believe the top 36!

Setlist:
Don’t Stop (For Anything)
A Quitter Never wins
Turn Around
Red Light
Living For The City
That Great Day
Breakin’ Me
Lie to Me

40 Days and 40 Nights
Rack ‘Em Up
I Am

Concert Media Photos

Warped Tour July 17th!

Katie July 19, 2011 0 Comments

Sunday Vans Warped Tour rolled in to Hartford, CT. I went only because I wanted to see Simple Plan (it had been 8 years since I last saw them!) and fortunately they were playing on one of the stages in the ampitheatre so I was able to sit in there all day and be out of the sun and madness elsewhere.

From 12:00 – 6:40 or so I sat in the same seat and watched bands alternate on the AP/Tilly’s Stage and the Nintendo 3DS Stage. I have to say I strongly preferred the bands that were on the AP stage – they were a bit more “my style” while the bands on the Nintendo stage were a bit too… screamy for me.

4pm Simple Plan took the stage for their 30 minute set. They played Shut Up, Can’t Keep My Hands Off Of You, Jump, Thank You, Welcome To My Life, You Suck At Love, Addicted & I’d Do Anything. I was glad they did a decent amount of older songs because I haven’t had the chance to listen to their most recent album yet. But that performance definitely made me remember why I love them (and their lyrics). Pierre said they’d be going on a fall tour so hopefully they will hit up CT and it will be at a venue I am cool with. (Read: Webster Theater)

After nearly every song, Pierre was thanking the crowd. 15 minutes in the woman behind me thought he was saying a “thank you and goodnight!” type of speech and was like “THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON 15 MORE MINUTES” haha. The American bands didn’t say thank you quite as much (though most bands did at least once!)

We left after Relient K did 1 song – fortunately it was one that I knew. (Although the name escapes me now) I would have liked to stay for the rest of Relient K’s set and some of The Ready Set – but my brother wasn’t feeling well. He got caught in the middle of a pit and got elbowed in the stomach. He ended up getting sick all over the kid that elbowed him.

I also would have liked to gone to Simple Plan’s signing, but the bands my brother wanted to see were playing at the same time and I wasn’t sure I could handle a large line on ground that was made up of rocks (unstable). Warped Tour is really not designed for those who are disabled. I’m not really sure how they could modify it though. But at least I saw SP’s set and hopefully I can catch them when they tour in the fall.

The bands I ended up seeing were:

Unwritten Law
Moving Mountains
Lionize
The Dangerous Summer
The Expendables
I Set My Friends On Fire
The Aggrolites
Go Radio
Simple Plan
Dance Gavin Dance
Lucero
The Wonder Years
Street Dogs
Relient K

If you are attending Warped Tour, I have a few tips.

1. Bring Water. Most of the venues allow 1 UNOPENED bottle of water to be brought inside per person. They also have a Klean Kanteen set up where you can refill your water bottle for free.

2. If you did not bring water – buy a bottle. They have made a deal with the venues so water will be $3 instead of the usual $5. Once you have the bottle, you can refill it for free. The important thing is to stay hydrated and start hydrating before you feel thirsty.

3. Buy a schedule – or at the very least, write down who you want to see and where they are playing. The perk of the schedule is that it has a map on the back of it. A lot of kids were coming in the ampitheatre thinking it was the main stage. The mainstage is outside so there is more room for people. Schedules are $2, which is pricey for a sheet of paper, but I find it worth it. Keep in mind there might be last minute schedule changes as well.

4. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. I wouldn’t recommend flip flops! Light colors are probably best too. Black shirts will make you that much hotter.

5. Wear sunscreen! Put it on while you wait to be let inside and reapply it throughout the day. Even if it says it lasts even if you are sweating, reapplying it every couple of hours will help make sure you’re protected at all times.

6. Bring or buy ear plugs. The music is LOUD. You can still hear it with the earplugs in, but you’ll protect your hearing. Trust me – later on down the line you’ll be grateful you don’t have a constant buzzing in your ear. Earplugs are sold at various tents for various prices ($1-$3 was what I saw) but you can also pick up 4 pairs at a dollar store before you go and share with friends.

And don’t bring your baby!!! There was a couple there who had a baby who could not have been more than one. The poor thing had nothing protecting his ears.

Concert

2011 Concert Survey January-June

Katie July 1, 2011 0 Comments

Since 2011 is about half over, I figured I’d do a half year concert survey…

Top 6 shows of the year?
Hanson March 9 – Princeton, NJ
Ricky Martin – April 17
Jon McLaughlin – April 30
Javier Colon – May 26
June 1 – NKOTBSB
June 24 – Honor Society

Total number of shows in 2011?
So far – 28

First show of the year?
Kicking Daisies at the space

First show with actual tickets:
Kicking Daisies at the space

Last show of the year?
so far.. Honor Society

Most surprising show?
Alternate Routes

Most disappointing?
Siobhan Magnus – it was hard to hear her

Farthest traveled?
Tulsa, OK for Hanson

States attended shows in?
CT, MA, NY, OK, MD

Venue most visited?
Dunkin Donuts Music Lounge – Hartford, CT

Worst injury?
::knock on wood:: none yet

Most expensive ticket?
NKOTBSB May 30

Band seen the most?
Hanson – 4

Best new discovery?
Javier Colon

Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?
None

Friends made at shows?
Pamela

Band members met?
Big Time Rush, Danny Gokey, Hanson, Ocean Grove, Lee DeWyze, Stealing Angels, DJ Miller, Jon McLaughlin, Mat Kearney, Siobhan Magnus, Gavin DeGraw, The Ready Set, Javier Colon, David Cook, Honor Society

Best souvenir from a show?
Pick that landed at my feet at SK6ers!

Longest time in line?
Lee DeWyze – 7ish hours

Shows seen from the barricade [front row]--
Lee DeWyze Acoustic Cafe
Lee DeWyze Fairfield University
Hanson Cain’s Ballroom
Hnason Gaylord National

Most shows in one month?
May – 7

Most shows in one week?
May 22-28 – 3

Biggest crowd?
NKOTBSB

Any drunk encounters?
None that I can recall,thankfully.

Top 5 best 2011 concert moments:
Alternate Routes w/ my cousins
Hanson front row members only event
Mat Kearney playing 40 mins for his acoustic cafe
Finally seeing Honor Society again

Top 5 worst 2011 concert moments:
Waiting in the freezing cold to (not) meet Clay Aiken
Not getting in the Hanson M&G pic w/ my friends
Not hearing Siobhan Magnus well enough

Concert Honor Society Meet and Greet

Honor Society at the Gramercy Theater

Katie June 30, 2011 0 Comments

Sunday night Honor Society took their “Wherever You Are” Tour to the Gramercy Theater in New York City. The show was oversold by at least 50 tickets and was a huge hometown crowd! Opening was I Love Monsters (also from NYC), Katelyn Tarver and Action Item (from NJ).

Things got started out a bit late – the M&G was supposed to go in at 3pm but ended up going in at 3:30, which then pushed doors back and of course the venue staff really had no idea what was going on. (but what else is new?) However, the show did not start late – I Love Monsters went on while there were still people outside (and lots of them).

Things got delayed again when checking the equipment before Katelyn and Action Item’s sets went a little bit long. I think Action Item’s set may have even been cut a bit short to make sure that Honor Society had ample time to perform.

Honor Society’s set started out similar to the MA show on Friday, but they added in “Sing For You”, “Gentleman After Dark” (I was psyched to hear this one live!) and “Full Moon Crazy” (They also did not do “When I Get Home”)

At times, the guys just took a step back to take in all the cheering after songs. It had been over a YEAR since they had played in New York City so we were all definitely excited for them to be there!

After the show the line for the after show M&G wrapped around the block. (If you pre-ordered their soon to be released EP, you got a wristband for a photo with the band after the show) Things were a bit rushed but I managed to get a hug from Andy even though they “weren’t allowed” and he told me that they’d be around again soon. Let’s hope so!

When we made it back to Grand Central we wanted to take the 10:22 train back. However, it had no track listed for where to get on. (We had picked up food at 7-11 and really wanted to be sitting down and eating it!) We waited and waited watching the big screen to see when the track would pop up, worried that we’d be delayed – or worse – the train would be canceled and we’d be stuck there another hour. It was not until after 10pm (We got to the station around 9:45) that a track was listed and by that point everyone was running to get to the track. The train arrived shortly after and we gave everyone a chance to get off before making sure to get a seat. The train was PACKED, tons of people standing.

On the way home, getting off my exit there is a blinking red light (if it is after midnight). I was going to go right, but a car was coming down the hill from my left, so I waited even though I might have had enough time to make the turn. (I get paranoid and figure it is always best to just wait until nothing is coming than try to judge if I can make it or not). A car came FLYING down the exit ramp and turned left – definitely cutting off the car I was waiting to pass by. Turns out – it was a COP car and the lights immediately went on and he made a U-turn to pull over the speed demon. Good thing I waited – I definitely didn’t want to accidentally cut off a cop!

Setlist is under the cut!
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