We're back from our whirl wind trip. It was fast, just about 24 hours from start to finish, but it was fun and I'm glad we did it. My mom came with me since she is a fan of the boys by default. I'm not sure which number this was for me seeing the guys. Maybe show #40? Not sure, but that's about right, maybe 41? So how did my mom get wrapped up in all of this? Well, when I was following the band around to different cities, I had friends air out on the England shows. I did my best to keep that a secret from my mom, but she found out and wasn't going to let me go to Europe totally alone. In fact she said, "I will lay down in front of the plane before you get on it." Back then I was still in college, and there was drama going on at home, so I wasn't going to argue. Then last minute, she decided to come with me, along with my brother Ben. The only stipulation was, we had to go to France too! "DEAL! That was easy!" What an awesome trip that was. Those concerts were unbelievable! London, Liverpool and Cambridge. Super small venues, front row every time! Ran into Ed a couple times before the show. So cool! And France was so amazing because my brother spoke fluent French and took us on personal guides everywhere and to all the places he used to live. That was such a fun vacation!
So, back to Reno. We arrived at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino and just went straight to Valet. Since the place was hopin with basketball kids for national tournaments, it was completely booked and so we got upgraded to a really nice room.
We headed to the venue downstairs with our 125.00 a seat VIP tickets. We get to our seats and these are lounge tables? REally? So it's the front table but come on! I'm not there to sit and watch a show. I want to be in the 6 rows of seats down on the floor so I can stand up and dance. So I start talking to the Ushers and ask how to get on the floor. One usher sends me to another usher who tells me he can put me in "tip" seats. What the heck is a tip seat?? So he tells me you give him a tip, he gives you a seat on the floor. Hmmmm....Shady operation, but I was down and 20 bucks later we were in the seats on the floor.
So show review time. This show was obviously going to be totally different than their other shows because Steve Page left the bad. He was a co-lead singer of the band with Ed Robinson, but the dominant vocal talent and such an integral part of the Barenaked Ladies sound. Ah that velvety voice of Steve Page. *wipe away a tear.* But STeve is out and it is what it is. I am just glad that they didn't call it quits and dissolve the band. The four remaining guys still put on an incredibly entertaining, fun and even under the crappy circumstances of an early Jersey show and a cross country flight before hand, they managed to keep the engergy level going. I wish I could say the same for the venue. I can now say that I am not a fan of the Casino Lounge type venue. You would think pumping alcohol into the crowd nonstop would have the people jumping, but it just felt sleepy to me. To me it seemed like the crowd energy level was a little flat, but hey, I kept it up nonstop. You know, I need to have a special platinum ticket that puts me right smack in the front row for every show I go to. As a service to keep the energy up in particularly sleepy venues. (But maybe it was the free tickets they gave away to the old gamblers that were ruining the chi.)
I loved how they pulled off performing Steve branded songs. I wondered how that was going to go, but Ed did awesome. I think Ed's voice has even improved since the last time I saw them. The rest of the bandmates have been able to step it up and be center stage. There was the occasional void for Steve that I knew I would feel, but it didn't cast a shadow on the entire show. They did what Barenaked Ladies have always done and that is, put on a show that feels like you're at a party with a couple of musician friends entertaining themselves. The guys are constantly laughing at themselves and each other. But I have never witnessed Ed laugh so hard to the point where he couldn't even sing. That is why I love these guys. That energy is infectious. I wasn't going to go to the Livermore show, and I think it's pretty close to sold out, but I think I might just get a single ticket up close and go by myself. I can't not see them when they're 15 minutes away. It will kill me!
Oh and that's me jumping on the bed in our upgraded room. So comfortable. I so mad I didn't sneak my D300 in and get some shots of the band. I totally could have! It would have been EASY at this venue. Maybe Livermore.
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