3 Doors Down

Ok, so 5:20pm rolls around and my friend Meliss calls. Are you doing anything? Are you still working? Were you going to the Red's game tonight? "No.. I don't think so, why?" Cause I have free VIP passes to the 3 Doors Down concert tonight. "When do I have to leave?" Right now. "Umm.. okay, but a couple is out driving my car, they might want to buy it.. they should be back soon..I'll leave as soon as I can." Good, because we need to get there early with traffic.

5:30 rolls around. No sign of Tawana and her husband. Was my car a convenient getaway? 5:35, Tawana calls: "Sorry, didn't want you to think we stole your car, we just got stuck in traffic. We're on our way back." Meliss calls back: "Can you leave by 5:45 at the latest??" I dunno, let me call Tawana back and see where they are. I call twice, no answer. 5:45 ... still no sign. I finally give up and call Meliss back. Just go ahead without me; give the ticket to someone else. "Are you sure? Sting is going to be there too.." "What! Oooh, oh well." Sigh .. Yep. I hang up, look out the window.. my car comes into view. I call Meliss back: "They're here, still have a ticket?" Yep. "Okay, I'm leaving."

Sting actually turned out to be Stained. Stained was band number three and by that time we were both deaf (sitting in row seven facilitates hearing the bands QUITE well). 10:00 .. 3 Doors Down crashes into the first song with fireworks and flashing lights. We scream. It was all worth it. Song number four.. we're laughing and screaming and singing along. Massive fireballs burst out of their set at programmed intervals, the lead guitar rams out a solo, then bam. Everything went black. We screamed more, waiting for them to cut back in with blinding lights. No lights. No more guitar solos. The guys scrambling up the set ladders weren't doing stunts. Flashlights and scurrying bodies shuffled across the stage. Groups huddled in consultation. This, it was dawning on all of us, wasn't part of the plan.

Ten minutes later the ushers spread the word, row to row that the show was over. We finally gave up and left our prize seats. As we were walking toward the exit gates we heard loud screams down by the stage. I ran up some steps to see what was going on. Brad Arnold, their lead, was sitting on the edge of the stage, microphone in hand. Somebody was shining a flashlight on him and he rested his hand on a generator-powered speaker. "What do you want to sing!?"

We turned back, only to find the polo'd staff blocking our way back. Tickets didn't matter. Ridiculous. We waited 'till there was a crowd surrounding her and walked right past them. We found more roadblocks closer to the front and gave up, happy to be at least this close. Ten minutes later we saw a guy give the usher his ticket and was permitted to go back to his seat. Tickets help? We got through and happily returned home to the seventh row. "When I'm gone.. " the audience sang along with Brad. Someone grabbed a drum and held it for the drummer. They went on singing, beautifully, in the dark.. five more songs or so. Then Brad, naked and sweaty from the waist up, grabbed a bottle of vodka and a cigarette. He blabbed more, sang less.."Listen to me, listen. I swear .. Listen to me brothas and sistas, are you listening..?" Meliss and I laughed and decided it was time to head home.

Memorable night.