I arrived at Stubb's at 5:20PM to find about 40-50 people all ready waiting outside. TOFOG was doing their sound check, and the first song I heard them play was High Horse Honey, but it was a fast version of it. It was damn hot, and knowing that Russell was 100 yards away and singing his heart out, yet we couldn't see him, was miserable....
The crowd started to grow, and around 7PM, they lined us up into 2 lines. Just after they lined us up, Russell left in a Suburban (to go eat, I assume). Then the Stubbs people began to go thru the lines, tearing (obliterating) tickets, checking id's, and passing out wristbands for over and under 21...(white for over, orange for under).
About 8pm on the dot, a window right next to my head opened up for the guest list people, tickets (yes they weren't sold out by 8pm concert night), and selling VIP passes for$14.00 (at least that is what i took the sign to mean)...
as they let us in at 8PM they checked purses, but not very well, they just glanced in). I went straight for the bar to order myself a cape cod...i was thirsty and hungry, so i took the cranberry juice for hunger, and the vodka for thirst (hehehe)....
As you walk in the gate, to you left is the porta potties, a t-shirt stand, and a 2 places to get drinks. straight ahead are picnic tables, and where you go to get the bbq. to the right is the stage, and the entrance to the vip balcony. i went and took my place right in front of the left speaker....i am a little deaf already, so i didn't mind it, and it also had a direct view of almost the entire stage. the only person i couldn't see at the concert was the cute guy playing trumpet, but Russell made him come out and wave so we (on the left side) could see him, which was a nice thing to do.
When i got in there, there was a string quartet playing. 2 violins, 1 viola, and 1 cello. they were pretty good, and played until around 9:20 or so. They were really good, and played the shit out of vivaldi! i went to get water a couple of times, and the chicks next to me saved my place (which was nice). After the quartet was over, the "host" and others changed the stage for TOFOG.
Then around 9:35 or so, the commedian came on stage, and played a mean digerydoo (ok, i don't know how to spell it, but it is that long tubey australian instrument--you guys know what imean). One of his bits was about Russell and him going out on the lake with Russell's new boat with a 5hp outboard. and i am sure you have also heard about the baloon up the nose thing, where it came out his mouth, and then he flossed his nasal cavity with it (GROSS!). They were filming it, and i saw the clapboard and it said Russell was the director of that part of the show. I saw Russell in the sidelines while the commedian performed: laughing and drinking a Shiner Bock (anyone wanna put up a collection to have a keg sent to him at the studio? I bet he would invite us over for that!)
Finally, around 10:00 or 10:15, TOFOG hit the stage. I can't tell you all the songs they played. But he did come out wearing a long black sleeved shirt, a black tank underneath, and black levi's. i don't remember what shoes he was wearing cause my eyes were not on his feet! About 11:00 was when he smiled at me. I had a big old smile on my face, and he looked right at me and smiled back. I damn near fainted! I caught his eye about two more times during the concert, both times were when I was singing along, bouncing up and down. The concert ended around 12:30. I would have stuck around longer after, but I had not found anyone there, and being a single gal in down town austin, I wasn't gonna risk my safety by staying out there all night. also I had to drive back. however, the concert so thouroughly put me on cloud nine, that i missed my exit 3 times coming back.
Next Friday I am gonna do my damndest to be in the exact same place i was Friday, and hope that he recognizes me and flashes me that beautiful smile again. and since most of ya'll are gonna be there, too, I will stay until i follow him home! lol....hope you enjoyed my concert story. I am sure i left so much out, like when he took off his long sleeved shirt to reveal his tank top, or how he gyrates his hips better than elvis when he dances. and when he came back for the first encore, he had changed into his GRUNTS 30 basketball jersey. Those are all flashes in my head.....