Yesterday, July 22, marked one year since seeing Gavin DeGraw in concert for the first time. It was an odd little outdoor venue in a place called Big Flats. I went alone on the 4-hour drive to the panhandle of New York State. I don't mind doing things alone. If I didn't, I'd never go anywhere; when you're single, you learn to go out alone. It was also the first time I sat in the rain for this guy.
The following day I got up early drove home, picked up a friend and went to Gavin's concert at Rye Playland, just outside of New York City. You know the place--it was the setting for some of the scenes in the Tom Hanks film, Big. Remember the creepy fortune teller machine? Yeah, there. It's also the scene of the first time I met and spoke to Gavin. It was the second time I sat in the rain. A year ago today.
Since then I've been to 8 additional shows (one of those was in rain ...) and chatted with him on other occasions.
Tonight I'm in Jones Beach on Long Island (New York). Rain is predicted and the sky was grey when I woke up. I just know I'm getting wet tonight. At least it's 86 degrees. I have a meet and greet tonight. That's a paid-for (in this case) opportunity to meet the artist and say hello. This time it also comes with "stuff" (t-shirt, poster, other miscellaneous things that I'm far too old to care about). I just want to tell him thanks for changing my life and that the new music is amazing. Because, as you know, he changed my life ... restoring health, hope and joy where there had been a sort of steadfast lethargy and general sense that this was all there was.
I'm always worried about driving in New York. Even with my ever-present Loud Chick (GPS), I still make mistakes, the exits come up so quickly there and the construction and rearrangement of roads is continual. So I left really early. And made record time. No traffic. No driving snafus. So I find myself in a near-empty parking lot three hours before the venue gates open. Having thought this place was in a beach town (like New Jersey beaches) I'd thought I'd get lunch and hang out for a bit. But Jones Beach is a public park with a concession stand. And there's no where to go. Diet coke on the beach it is then. And The Script is sound checking over in the arena so it's not all bad. And Gavin is making "vines" and generally entertaining people. In other words, I found ways to fritter away that time. And I got some sun.
At 5:00 I got into line for the meet and greet. It was early but there were already folks there. We had fun chatting together while we waited for "his people" to come collect us. I met Hayley from the "message board." She lives in Australia and this is her first trip to the U.S. I knew from the board she was coming to the concert but didn't expect to run into her in the massive crowd. There was another family waiting who had come from Israel. There weren't all that many of us altogether. A lovely young lady (I want her job) came for us around 6:00 and back to the buses we went. Gavin's parents were standing backstage with a group of people who I presume were family or friends. Since he's from upstate New York it's not surprising that they'd make the drive to Long Island. His new tour manager was there to keep things moving along and someone else was taking pictures with each person's own camera. (This is much nicer than waiting for a radio station to upload their pictures which is often how these things go when the meet and greet is being sponsored.)
I love Gavin--he's such a pro. I'm not sure he remembered me but he acted as if he did. We talked about the tour and the new music. He autographed my copy of Sweeter. His "people" took several pictures of us chatting. I didn't get to say all that I wanted because the "people" really kept an eye on the clock. Besides, I'd need a half hour in an empty Starbucks with him to really thank him for rescuing me.
My seats were only okay. Despite getting on line the minute tickets became available, I don't have great seats at any of these shows. That's a discussion--or a rant--for another time. But my new camera is wonderful and the lens brings the far-away stage closer and in focus. Of course, the user isn't steady or proficient so the pictures and video still leave a lot to be desired, as I found out afterwards. Something to work on ...
Since Gavin is the opener, people are still arriving and it's still light out when he starts. I want to stand up so badly but I'm there alone with no one to be my reinforcement and there are really old people behind me who asked if I was going to stand the entire time. Why, of course, I wanted to say. I'll be dancing too. And singing ... but not loudly. But I didn't. I dutifully slunk into my seat where I could not contain my bouncing. Finally about half way through when he sang Chariot, a song everyone recognized, people got to their feet. Liberated from the chair, I felt much better. And I'm sorry to say old people ... you're going to have to stand up too ... 'cause this is the way it's going to go all night. He moved throughout the audience, winning over The Script and Train fans and left everyone wanting more. I think we call that Mission Accomplished.
During the swap out of band equipment, I visited the concourse where I ran into Hayley who was elated at having had the meet and greet and wonderful performance. We were excitedly comparing impressions and shoving not-completely-awful venue food into our mouths. She suffers from the same thing many of us do: an inability to eat on concert day. We visited the "merch" table together but small sizes of everything were already sold out. (Side note: size small in tour t-shirts is now too big for me; I need XS. Mind blowing to me still.)
The Script started while Hayley and I were hanging out but we didn't care. We'd gotten what we came for. Eventually though, we went back to our seats. Danny of The Script is a really good singer and emotional but in a different way from Gavin. The crowd was thrilled. It was clear there were a lot of Script fans in the stadium which was now packed (the show had sold out--no upgrades). Actually, one of my Girl Scouts, a huge Script fan, was sitting in an upper deck with her mom--a birthday present from her parents and her first concert ever. After their performance I texted them, "Is she okay or do I need to come up there and do a little CPR ..." She's been beyond excited for weeks now. The reply: All she can say is "Oh my god. Oh my god."
The change of equipment takes longer for Train so the second intermission is kind of long. I'm anticipating that 6-minute animated introduction that you can now find on YouTube which I found so unnecessary in Virginia Beach but am happily surprised when the train whistle blows, the set chugs itself forward and the lights turn up on Pat Monahan. All are on their feet again. There is no "new" music since this album--California 37--has been out for well over a year. They perform many songs from it and lots of prior hits, probably getting around to everyone's favorites. The highlight of the Train set for me is Pat's duet with country singer Ashley Monroe: Bruises. Following that song she sings one of her own and tonight she keeps Pat onstage to sing Weed Instead of Roses--a really truthful song about a marriage in a rut. Perhaps I like it so much because I recognize the subject matter and am acutely aware of how devastating ruts can be to a marriage. But for the umpteenth time, I wonder how one so young, who is just engaged herself, can be so cognizant of old married pitfalls. Songwriters have keen powers of observation.
At the third show on this tour, in Toronto, a special encore was added. Pat invites Gavin, Ashley Monroe and Danny to come back out and they all perform The Weight by The Band. It's clear from all the videos already online from performances in Toronto, Cleveland and Indianapolis that they love closing the show this way. I cannot help but notice on these videos that the roar from the crowd when Gavin steps up for his solo verse is enormous in each venue. Danny did not come back on stage as he was actually not well, although, you'd never have known it during their set. The song was wonderful--the perfect way to close the night.
I met my Twitter/Facebook friend Matty after the show. He introduced me to a couple of friends and we talked for a bit, took pictures and got excited for the next show we have together (September in Yonkers at the Casino). My world has been so enriched with these meetings--virtual friendships that quickly become very real.
One odd thing that happened was that the high tide came in extra high last night due to the full moon (or nearly full). The water actually rose to within the first few rows and those people were actually sort of sitting in the ocean for the latter part of the show. It was the first time I can think of that I was happy to not be in the front row.
Driving back home I think Loud Chick made a mistake--I was following her instructions explicitly, not wanting to get lost in New York after midnight--and I found myself driving around side streets in The Bronx for a few minutes. Eventually she figured it out and as I drifted back over the George Washington Bridge I was already getting ready for Saturday's show in Massachusetts.
The following day I got up early drove home, picked up a friend and went to Gavin's concert at Rye Playland, just outside of New York City. You know the place--it was the setting for some of the scenes in the Tom Hanks film, Big. Remember the creepy fortune teller machine? Yeah, there. It's also the scene of the first time I met and spoke to Gavin. It was the second time I sat in the rain. A year ago today.
Since then I've been to 8 additional shows (one of those was in rain ...) and chatted with him on other occasions.
Tonight I'm in Jones Beach on Long Island (New York). Rain is predicted and the sky was grey when I woke up. I just know I'm getting wet tonight. At least it's 86 degrees. I have a meet and greet tonight. That's a paid-for (in this case) opportunity to meet the artist and say hello. This time it also comes with "stuff" (t-shirt, poster, other miscellaneous things that I'm far too old to care about). I just want to tell him thanks for changing my life and that the new music is amazing. Because, as you know, he changed my life ... restoring health, hope and joy where there had been a sort of steadfast lethargy and general sense that this was all there was.
 |
| Jones Beach at low tide with Nikon Theater under blue skies. Gavin DeGraw under the stars and not one drop of rain. |
I'm always worried about driving in New York. Even with my ever-present Loud Chick (GPS), I still make mistakes, the exits come up so quickly there and the construction and rearrangement of roads is continual. So I left really early. And made record time. No traffic. No driving snafus. So I find myself in a near-empty parking lot three hours before the venue gates open. Having thought this place was in a beach town (like New Jersey beaches) I'd thought I'd get lunch and hang out for a bit. But Jones Beach is a public park with a concession stand. And there's no where to go. Diet coke on the beach it is then. And The Script is sound checking over in the arena so it's not all bad. And Gavin is making "vines" and generally entertaining people. In other words, I found ways to fritter away that time. And I got some sun.
At 5:00 I got into line for the meet and greet. It was early but there were already folks there. We had fun chatting together while we waited for "his people" to come collect us. I met Hayley from the "message board." She lives in Australia and this is her first trip to the U.S. I knew from the board she was coming to the concert but didn't expect to run into her in the massive crowd. There was another family waiting who had come from Israel. There weren't all that many of us altogether. A lovely young lady (I want her job) came for us around 6:00 and back to the buses we went. Gavin's parents were standing backstage with a group of people who I presume were family or friends. Since he's from upstate New York it's not surprising that they'd make the drive to Long Island. His new tour manager was there to keep things moving along and someone else was taking pictures with each person's own camera. (This is much nicer than waiting for a radio station to upload their pictures which is often how these things go when the meet and greet is being sponsored.)
I love Gavin--he's such a pro. I'm not sure he remembered me but he acted as if he did. We talked about the tour and the new music. He autographed my copy of Sweeter. His "people" took several pictures of us chatting. I didn't get to say all that I wanted because the "people" really kept an eye on the clock. Besides, I'd need a half hour in an empty Starbucks with him to really thank him for rescuing me.My seats were only okay. Despite getting on line the minute tickets became available, I don't have great seats at any of these shows. That's a discussion--or a rant--for another time. But my new camera is wonderful and the lens brings the far-away stage closer and in focus. Of course, the user isn't steady or proficient so the pictures and video still leave a lot to be desired, as I found out afterwards. Something to work on ...
Since Gavin is the opener, people are still arriving and it's still light out when he starts. I want to stand up so badly but I'm there alone with no one to be my reinforcement and there are really old people behind me who asked if I was going to stand the entire time. Why, of course, I wanted to say. I'll be dancing too. And singing ... but not loudly. But I didn't. I dutifully slunk into my seat where I could not contain my bouncing. Finally about half way through when he sang Chariot, a song everyone recognized, people got to their feet. Liberated from the chair, I felt much better. And I'm sorry to say old people ... you're going to have to stand up too ... 'cause this is the way it's going to go all night. He moved throughout the audience, winning over The Script and Train fans and left everyone wanting more. I think we call that Mission Accomplished.
During the swap out of band equipment, I visited the concourse where I ran into Hayley who was elated at having had the meet and greet and wonderful performance. We were excitedly comparing impressions and shoving not-completely-awful venue food into our mouths. She suffers from the same thing many of us do: an inability to eat on concert day. We visited the "merch" table together but small sizes of everything were already sold out. (Side note: size small in tour t-shirts is now too big for me; I need XS. Mind blowing to me still.)
The Script started while Hayley and I were hanging out but we didn't care. We'd gotten what we came for. Eventually though, we went back to our seats. Danny of The Script is a really good singer and emotional but in a different way from Gavin. The crowd was thrilled. It was clear there were a lot of Script fans in the stadium which was now packed (the show had sold out--no upgrades). Actually, one of my Girl Scouts, a huge Script fan, was sitting in an upper deck with her mom--a birthday present from her parents and her first concert ever. After their performance I texted them, "Is she okay or do I need to come up there and do a little CPR ..." She's been beyond excited for weeks now. The reply: All she can say is "Oh my god. Oh my god."
The change of equipment takes longer for Train so the second intermission is kind of long. I'm anticipating that 6-minute animated introduction that you can now find on YouTube which I found so unnecessary in Virginia Beach but am happily surprised when the train whistle blows, the set chugs itself forward and the lights turn up on Pat Monahan. All are on their feet again. There is no "new" music since this album--California 37--has been out for well over a year. They perform many songs from it and lots of prior hits, probably getting around to everyone's favorites. The highlight of the Train set for me is Pat's duet with country singer Ashley Monroe: Bruises. Following that song she sings one of her own and tonight she keeps Pat onstage to sing Weed Instead of Roses--a really truthful song about a marriage in a rut. Perhaps I like it so much because I recognize the subject matter and am acutely aware of how devastating ruts can be to a marriage. But for the umpteenth time, I wonder how one so young, who is just engaged herself, can be so cognizant of old married pitfalls. Songwriters have keen powers of observation.
At the third show on this tour, in Toronto, a special encore was added. Pat invites Gavin, Ashley Monroe and Danny to come back out and they all perform The Weight by The Band. It's clear from all the videos already online from performances in Toronto, Cleveland and Indianapolis that they love closing the show this way. I cannot help but notice on these videos that the roar from the crowd when Gavin steps up for his solo verse is enormous in each venue. Danny did not come back on stage as he was actually not well, although, you'd never have known it during their set. The song was wonderful--the perfect way to close the night.
I met my Twitter/Facebook friend Matty after the show. He introduced me to a couple of friends and we talked for a bit, took pictures and got excited for the next show we have together (September in Yonkers at the Casino). My world has been so enriched with these meetings--virtual friendships that quickly become very real.
One odd thing that happened was that the high tide came in extra high last night due to the full moon (or nearly full). The water actually rose to within the first few rows and those people were actually sort of sitting in the ocean for the latter part of the show. It was the first time I can think of that I was happy to not be in the front row.
Driving back home I think Loud Chick made a mistake--I was following her instructions explicitly, not wanting to get lost in New York after midnight--and I found myself driving around side streets in The Bronx for a few minutes. Eventually she figured it out and as I drifted back over the George Washington Bridge I was already getting ready for Saturday's show in Massachusetts.
 |
| A Sweeter day. |
Love this! So proud of you to travel and venture on your own. Something I would definitely do if I didn't have my supportive hubby. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDandeevandy