I finally got to take my little girl to her first concert. July 28, 2010, Amarillo, Texas, in the Globe News Center. Weird Al Yankovic brought his show to town again.
My wife and I had seen Weird Al a little over 10 years ago during the "Running with Scissors" Tour (March 2000). She was then pregnant with Madison. We took a pillow to muffle the sound from the unborn ears. Flash forward to yesterday, A.D., and the kid got to see Al and Company rock the Yellow City. We were 3rd row, center. Al came into the audience and grooved down the slightly-wider row behind us during "Wanna B Ur Lovr," practically leaning on her and Carmen's heads.
The show was amazing, and Al stayed after to sign some stuff and let us take pictures. It was an amazing time, his band is incredible, playing music from every genre, and he just could not have been nicer. He seemed genuinely taken aback when Carmen told him that the girl he just signed for was in utero during his last visit to Amarillo.
I was writing highlights for Young Master Tim, so I thought I'd throw those over here for my weak memory in a year hence.
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Weird Al highlights? Hmmm. We were 2nd row right/center, or was it 3rd row? 3rd. We were close enough that, yes, we got splashed by his water cup and barely ducked a few stray spittle launches. He was RIGHT THERE the whole show, and, when he came down in the audience during "Wanna B Ur Lovr," we picked on the lady in front of us for a long time, then he came down the row behind us and leaned on Madison's chair. He almost elbowed her in the head a couple of times. It was all great, and I recognized all but 2 songs. The only one I really don't like is "Craig's List," and it was funny, but LOOOOOONNNNGG. The Jim Morrison wig was crooked! Otherwise, every song had a costume change, and, yes, he punched Santa Clause in one song, so he is an American Badass in my book. The only thing I really missed was "Like a Surgeon," but, he did 2.5 hours and after, what, 30 years?, you can't do ALL the songs.
In between most songs, the video walls played clips from FOREVER. God help me, it made me almost tearful to see Johnny Carson again. Clips from many, many appearances in TV and movies flashed by, from MTV to every talk show with every host except maybe Chevy Chase, from Naked Gun to Halloween 2.0, from Johnny Bravo to the Simpsons and tons of stuff that passed me by in my age, all flashed by, with his mock interviews from Al-TV being some of the funniest stuff. Most of that is up on his youTube channel. Worth stopping by for.
He does have some track assist to keep the effects going, but, he sang/rapped/spoke it ALL. His band was awesome, playing so many genres and singing backup. I am now friends with "Bermuda" Schwartz on facebook. So, yeah. Facebook brings people TOGETHER, man!
It was good to be so close, because we were inside the cones of sound from the speakers on the sides. Only a couple of songs were really painful for my stupid lungs.
Meeting him at the bus after was so cool. He was tired, but stayed to sign things and listen to 40-60 nerds going all fanboy. It was Madison's first concert, and this will set her up for disappointment for any future concerts. When will she ever be that close during the show and get to meet the performer.
From one of the photo captions or something I posted: "On his site, Carmen had read that, sometimes, an hour after the show, he will sign a few things. Amarillo was a town where he hadn't sold "Meet & Greet" packages; so, after we got out of the arena, got through the t-shirt line, it was already 40 minutes after show's end. We drove around to the tour buses, and got in a small line. About 40-60 people were waiting, some that were FREAKS, and they let people go to the bus in groups of 3-4. He would sign 1 thing for each person, let you take a photo, and he was just nice as heckfire doodle! Some people were going to have him sign body parts and head over to get tattoos. I am not that committed, but, it was awesome. Madison was THRILLED!" and " I wish we had a picture of the look on his face when Carmen told him about being pregnant with the girl he just signed for during his last concert in Amarillo March 3, 2000..."
That has to be the best concert experience one can have. Thanks for sharing.
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