Post by b@@b on Aug 3, 2013 19:23:05 GMT -8
Wow....wow....wow!
Great performance at the grand festival on the Second City's lakefront.
Thanks to my great friend Dee/Michaela/myfavgirls for inviting me along to fill the second ticket, which we originally thought were stageside seats, but turned into wristbands for much more than that. Some great, some useless, lol, but as the story goes.....
We had exclusive backstage access for any stage, any show, opportunity to lounge with artists -however which became targeted at other acts on two other particular stages, not the Hounds- and, of course, the on stage view of the show....from behind, or the side, kina of an angle, a back angle....hey it was cool!
So I'm chilling here at the train station in Chickago still waiting for my choo choo so I figure I'll chime in some of the experience.....
The festival was easily sold out for the day. I was enjoying a Chicago style hit dog shortly before Dee arrived walking up Michigan Ave in city-girl swagger style. ;-) I took the train from Wisconsin....she drove from Indiana.
The security was very diligent as she fetched up our passes at the heavily guarded box office.
After that we both had to pinch ourselves about what we soon learned we were entitled to. These were not just stateside.
Yep, we had plans. ... we were gonna play yahtzee with the girls, sip wine, kick back and exchange autographs endlessly. I'd whip out the copy of Lil ol Cowgirl I brought for them to ooh ahh at and sign, etc, etc. However, it didn't QUITE end up that way, lol. But I digress.
So we proceeded entry through the then sparsely and more comfortably populated park. We could do anything, go anywhere. It was a breeze. We git an early start and hung out by their stage, spied around it, the tour buses, but found little action. So we grabbed grub and drinks, walked the whole fest layout, perused classy souvenirs and etc, learned more about our pass benefits and boundaries, and even tried to find the best and cleanest port o johns -boy, that was a debacle. Uhh, please add more sinks!!
After an hour or two of that, it was getting closer to their show. We felt adamant to ensure better chances of backstage fun by getting to the catwalk leading to the stage right away. We leaped mud and mulch, dodged all the dazed and confused, tippy-toed thru wannabe hippies on blankets and made it to our entries, noses in air. Yeeha.
The band call Little Green Cars -I think- was trying to finish up. Meanwhile, we discover relics of the Hounds right by our feet: labeled cases for the girls' instruments. Dee could not resist practicing her photography skills on them -pics soon to come.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131433.jpg"][/IMG]
She also tried on and on to share a tweet with Emily about her attempted pre show tune up of her banjo. But as you will learn soon, it was probably good she didn't get through! ;-)
Then...they started arriving...the band. We gave our Hellos, and eventually shared a little chat with Martin Strayer, took a pic, even got his 411 of what he thought of Summerfest. He called it nothing short of a "disaster". Not surprised however.
We met a couple roadies, aka "stage techs", whom later were quite befuddled pros during the show. But Dee and I gotta take our hat off to a security supervisor who did his very best to ensure we got our fair deal for waiting so persistently to get on stage. Which also then led to Ryan, the Hounds' tour manager, whom also stuck his neck out for us. What an awesome guy.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131449.jpg"][/IMG]
Then they arrived. They.....like the President pulling up on a golf cart. We said Hi and first thing they saw was my zany notorious home made tee shirt: "Gimme More Banjo" which I conjured up only the night before. Emily pointed it out. I blushed and all that. But they shot straight to the stage before we could engage any further confab.
But then somehow, there was a little hold up and Emily and Martie were about ready to jam. And here we are, still waiting so nice and smiley at the end of that catwalk. But then came Ryan to the rescue and waved us up. We got front view, but from the back. So it was. ..the front of the back? But cool anyway.
I'll leave the setlist effort to Dee. But I do know they did not play "The World Smiles" which I hoped they would. I tried to say to Martin that it can be a bona fide hit. Oh well. But Martin did say to us that they wanted to rock out today. Btw, they started with "Rock All Night", go figure.
Unfortunately, when they started a couple songs, Emily was having trouble getting sound out of the banjo, even the lap steel at one point. I believe Phoebe was one of them. This is where Dee and I were beside ourselves at the performance of their stagehands. Not impressive, little flaws here and there. It was like the first ten minutes of Summerfest all over again. But, this time, poor Emily, not Martie. Martie also sang her "Guy Like You" song. And I think she did well.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131505.jpg"][/IMG]
They jammed through about ten goodies, and then we were told to exit so they could prepare their exits. During this, they finished with their alleged premier 'hit' "Sunshine". It was no big deal we couldn't watch that. We had seen it before. At Lollapalooza, they had about an hour to jam versus a little more than that at Summerfest.
Next thing Dee and I know, we're chatting with this girl who had a baby cradled up on the loud stage behind us the whole time, in earmuffs, and it turned out to be Emily's Violet!! :-D That was special. After a lil gaga goo goo, then she was returned to mom while we saw Martie and Emily hugging with evidently other friends and family. Dee and I waited calmly for our moment to mingle with our heroes. Okay....actually Dee was starting to get riled but I kept her chill. ....haha.... j/k :-P I know I was worried a liiil. But once again, Ryan kept waving to us as he was sticking his neck out to make sure we'd have a moment with them. And we did. He was like our hero today. Not to mention he remembered us from Milwaukee.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131613.jpg"][/IMG]
(hey, there's Ryan at right)
After we followed them to their golf cart mobile thingy, they came by us and grouped up for a photo - pic coming soon- with Dee's fancy camera. I was charmed by Martie giving attention to my tee again: "hey, get the shirt". Of course I couldn't resist to come up with SOMEthing to say back and dismiss odd karma about Emily's on-stage banjo issues versus my tee demanding the instrument, AND Dee allegedly tuning Em's banjo!! :-O I said I felt so bad for wearing this shirt and possibly cursing their banjos, to which Martie formally said "nahh, it's okay"....as she gave my shoulder a squeeze, and a kiss on the cheek. And whispered in my ear "pffft, my fiddle will always save the day"....whoah!
(wait am I dreaming the last part?)
But after all, it was a great experience. Then, it was on to wherever the autograph session was to be held, which was ALL the way across the festival, how convenient. But boy can we walk fast! I'd lose her, then she'd lose me. This crap happens when you're buried in hundreds of society's finest, here to mostly get drunk on expensive drinks and/or see the other mediocre bands present, lol.
Well, by the time we squeezed our way there, it was a sham. Yeah they were doing autographs, but ONly autographs, and only following your required purchase of their Amelita album, via the FYE store, of which I already have two. I say "sham" on FYE's part, not the Hounds. We decided quickly to pass, even after the effort. I wonder if that had anything to do with the alleged 5K in sales?
Then it was on to mission 3, or 4, or something... to get Dee a Lollapalooza tee shirt. But every one she liked they were out of, lol.
We grabbed some food and desert to finish off the day, reminisced the adventure's pros and cons, and bid farewell.
I thank you again Dee for the opportunity. The only true thing that would have been better for me would be if there were three tix, obviously. ;-) But we will meet these gals again!!
If was a good show, they had a decent turnout. A lot of the guest were lip synching the songs well. They are adored. They were somewhat of an opening act for Eric Church which I believe that helped a lil too.
So bring on those pics Dee and whatever I may have missed!
Great performance at the grand festival on the Second City's lakefront.
Thanks to my great friend Dee/Michaela/myfavgirls for inviting me along to fill the second ticket, which we originally thought were stageside seats, but turned into wristbands for much more than that. Some great, some useless, lol, but as the story goes.....
We had exclusive backstage access for any stage, any show, opportunity to lounge with artists -however which became targeted at other acts on two other particular stages, not the Hounds- and, of course, the on stage view of the show....from behind, or the side, kina of an angle, a back angle....hey it was cool!
So I'm chilling here at the train station in Chickago still waiting for my choo choo so I figure I'll chime in some of the experience.....
The festival was easily sold out for the day. I was enjoying a Chicago style hit dog shortly before Dee arrived walking up Michigan Ave in city-girl swagger style. ;-) I took the train from Wisconsin....she drove from Indiana.
The security was very diligent as she fetched up our passes at the heavily guarded box office.
After that we both had to pinch ourselves about what we soon learned we were entitled to. These were not just stateside.
Yep, we had plans. ... we were gonna play yahtzee with the girls, sip wine, kick back and exchange autographs endlessly. I'd whip out the copy of Lil ol Cowgirl I brought for them to ooh ahh at and sign, etc, etc. However, it didn't QUITE end up that way, lol. But I digress.
So we proceeded entry through the then sparsely and more comfortably populated park. We could do anything, go anywhere. It was a breeze. We git an early start and hung out by their stage, spied around it, the tour buses, but found little action. So we grabbed grub and drinks, walked the whole fest layout, perused classy souvenirs and etc, learned more about our pass benefits and boundaries, and even tried to find the best and cleanest port o johns -boy, that was a debacle. Uhh, please add more sinks!!
After an hour or two of that, it was getting closer to their show. We felt adamant to ensure better chances of backstage fun by getting to the catwalk leading to the stage right away. We leaped mud and mulch, dodged all the dazed and confused, tippy-toed thru wannabe hippies on blankets and made it to our entries, noses in air. Yeeha.
The band call Little Green Cars -I think- was trying to finish up. Meanwhile, we discover relics of the Hounds right by our feet: labeled cases for the girls' instruments. Dee could not resist practicing her photography skills on them -pics soon to come.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131433.jpg"][/IMG]
She also tried on and on to share a tweet with Emily about her attempted pre show tune up of her banjo. But as you will learn soon, it was probably good she didn't get through! ;-)
Then...they started arriving...the band. We gave our Hellos, and eventually shared a little chat with Martin Strayer, took a pic, even got his 411 of what he thought of Summerfest. He called it nothing short of a "disaster". Not surprised however.
We met a couple roadies, aka "stage techs", whom later were quite befuddled pros during the show. But Dee and I gotta take our hat off to a security supervisor who did his very best to ensure we got our fair deal for waiting so persistently to get on stage. Which also then led to Ryan, the Hounds' tour manager, whom also stuck his neck out for us. What an awesome guy.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131449.jpg"][/IMG]
Then they arrived. They.....like the President pulling up on a golf cart. We said Hi and first thing they saw was my zany notorious home made tee shirt: "Gimme More Banjo" which I conjured up only the night before. Emily pointed it out. I blushed and all that. But they shot straight to the stage before we could engage any further confab.
But then somehow, there was a little hold up and Emily and Martie were about ready to jam. And here we are, still waiting so nice and smiley at the end of that catwalk. But then came Ryan to the rescue and waved us up. We got front view, but from the back. So it was. ..the front of the back? But cool anyway.
I'll leave the setlist effort to Dee. But I do know they did not play "The World Smiles" which I hoped they would. I tried to say to Martin that it can be a bona fide hit. Oh well. But Martin did say to us that they wanted to rock out today. Btw, they started with "Rock All Night", go figure.
Unfortunately, when they started a couple songs, Emily was having trouble getting sound out of the banjo, even the lap steel at one point. I believe Phoebe was one of them. This is where Dee and I were beside ourselves at the performance of their stagehands. Not impressive, little flaws here and there. It was like the first ten minutes of Summerfest all over again. But, this time, poor Emily, not Martie. Martie also sang her "Guy Like You" song. And I think she did well.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131505.jpg"][/IMG]
They jammed through about ten goodies, and then we were told to exit so they could prepare their exits. During this, they finished with their alleged premier 'hit' "Sunshine". It was no big deal we couldn't watch that. We had seen it before. At Lollapalooza, they had about an hour to jam versus a little more than that at Summerfest.
Next thing Dee and I know, we're chatting with this girl who had a baby cradled up on the loud stage behind us the whole time, in earmuffs, and it turned out to be Emily's Violet!! :-D That was special. After a lil gaga goo goo, then she was returned to mom while we saw Martie and Emily hugging with evidently other friends and family. Dee and I waited calmly for our moment to mingle with our heroes. Okay....actually Dee was starting to get riled but I kept her chill. ....haha.... j/k :-P I know I was worried a liiil. But once again, Ryan kept waving to us as he was sticking his neck out to make sure we'd have a moment with them. And we did. He was like our hero today. Not to mention he remembered us from Milwaukee.
[img src="i91.photobucket.com/albums/k310/deuces2006/bands%20photos/0803131613.jpg"][/IMG]
(hey, there's Ryan at right)
After we followed them to their golf cart mobile thingy, they came by us and grouped up for a photo - pic coming soon- with Dee's fancy camera. I was charmed by Martie giving attention to my tee again: "hey, get the shirt". Of course I couldn't resist to come up with SOMEthing to say back and dismiss odd karma about Emily's on-stage banjo issues versus my tee demanding the instrument, AND Dee allegedly tuning Em's banjo!! :-O I said I felt so bad for wearing this shirt and possibly cursing their banjos, to which Martie formally said "nahh, it's okay"....as she gave my shoulder a squeeze, and a kiss on the cheek. And whispered in my ear "pffft, my fiddle will always save the day"....whoah!
(wait am I dreaming the last part?)
But after all, it was a great experience. Then, it was on to wherever the autograph session was to be held, which was ALL the way across the festival, how convenient. But boy can we walk fast! I'd lose her, then she'd lose me. This crap happens when you're buried in hundreds of society's finest, here to mostly get drunk on expensive drinks and/or see the other mediocre bands present, lol.
Well, by the time we squeezed our way there, it was a sham. Yeah they were doing autographs, but ONly autographs, and only following your required purchase of their Amelita album, via the FYE store, of which I already have two. I say "sham" on FYE's part, not the Hounds. We decided quickly to pass, even after the effort. I wonder if that had anything to do with the alleged 5K in sales?
Then it was on to mission 3, or 4, or something... to get Dee a Lollapalooza tee shirt. But every one she liked they were out of, lol.
We grabbed some food and desert to finish off the day, reminisced the adventure's pros and cons, and bid farewell.
I thank you again Dee for the opportunity. The only true thing that would have been better for me would be if there were three tix, obviously. ;-) But we will meet these gals again!!
If was a good show, they had a decent turnout. A lot of the guest were lip synching the songs well. They are adored. They were somewhat of an opening act for Eric Church which I believe that helped a lil too.
So bring on those pics Dee and whatever I may have missed!