Friday, November 10, 2006
That little thing called Def Leppard Fandom
Exercise: It's been so long since I started writing this flamin' post I don't even fucking remember what sort of exercise I did.
So a week ago this past Friday I took the day off work in order to go meet up with my trusty concert going sidekick TBB, her sis, and one of her sis's friends so we could hit the Def Leppard gig in Moline that night. When the date was first announce, I didn't originally plan to go but since my parents ended up giving me the money they did for my birthday and TBB was able to work her "evil bad influential magic" on me with the temptation of 5th row seats, I decided what the hell. It was about time for us to get together again and I had a bunch of samples from work that I needed to get to her anyway.
We had decided beforehand that we would eat at the TGI Fridays attached to the hotel which sits right next to the venue. Knowing how busy Fridays (no matter which one you go to) seems to be, I thought we may run into some time issues when it came to making the concert on time. Sure enough when we got up to the person taking names, she told us the wait time was an hour and a half - OUCH! We decided to go ahead and put our names on the list anyway even though it was already past 5 since we knew Lep was closing the show and they were the ones we really wanted to see.
Once we got on the list, we took off for a walk over to the venue to see if we could find out how strict the camera nazis were going to be since TBB said she'd had issues with getting a camera in to this particular venue in the past. Unfortunately it was still a little early for the doors to open so we weren't able to tell how thorough they were going to be with their searches. Instead we just hung out in the lobby for a little while to kill some time and stay warm since Fridays was remodeling their bar area and we couldn't wait there.
When we headed back over to the restaurant to check our wait status, we passed by this woman who, at first, I thought was the "We love you Phil" psycho lady from Sioux City. Later on TBB remembered that she was actually this other psycho woman we came across in Davenport last year who we at one time thought was the "blog stalker" that had BIG issues over the whole G Baby on the shoulders deal. We don't think that is actually who this woman is, however, we do know she's one of "the crazies" and wouldn't you know we ended up one row behind and just off to the right of her at the concert. Of course it was her little drunken friend standing right behind her and next to me that really pissed me off. I don't know what it is about me but somehow I always seem to attract the drunks at these sort of events and this night was no exception. I swear I must have a sign pinned to me somewhere that says, "Beer victim - Please abuse" or some such nonsense on it. Don't get me wrong, I'm cool with people enjoying a few beverages at a concert. It's when they start getting drunk, careless, and invading my personal space that I draw the line. This chic certainly didn't waste any time getting to that point either because she was already pretty sloshed by the time Journey hit the stage. My thought, "Ok. Fine. You want to be so smashed you won't even remember the show, so be it. Just stay in your own fucking spot and all will be cool." Yah, like that happened. The dumb bitch started dancing around, holding her half full beer glass up in the air and wouldn't you know she dropped it causing the contents to spill down the side of my leg. Oh how I love being so soaked from the knee down in a vile smelling liquid containing some stranger's spit that my pantleg sticks to me and my shoe goes "squish" when I step down on that foot. As much as I really just wanted to lay off and deck her, I knew it wouldn't be the best choice of reaction so I shot her a really nasty look. That's when she says in a very slurred manner, "Sorry...It's was an accident." Yah accident my ass - You're fucking DRUNK!
I was hoping that would be the end of it but NOOOOO. Later on when Lep came on, she came back with yet another drink (oh just what I wanted to see) - thankfully this one had a lid and I didn't get any on me, however, she kept falling into me because she was so smashed, she was having a hard time standing up straight. *RE* As much as I did enjoy seeing the show and getting some decent pics (yes, we were able to get our cameras in quite easily amazingly enough - links to mine at the end of the post), I really could have done without this bitch at my side. At one point towards the end, she tried to tell me something but couldn't because she was so messed up. You know, I just don't get it. *RE*
That brings me up to the next wack job that TBB and I noticed. It was this guy in the front row. We later found out his name is Bob and a woman we had been chatting to came up with the name Side Show Bob for him which just kind of stuck with TBB and I because it was so fitting. We had actually seen this guy before - he was at the Davenport gig last year too and it would seem he's friends with "Crazy Blonde Lady" (the one I mentioned earlier who was sitting a row ahead of us). Of course after observing what a nutjob this guy is, we are wondering if he hangs with the blonde so the Lep guys don't realize he's actually trying to hit on them. Not only did this guy bring papers he printed things like "Guitar Pick Please" and "Drumstick Please" on to the concert to hold up (TBB and I couldn't believe the band actually obliged repeatedly), he also has been known to bring a whole fucking duffle bag full of shit to get signed. I completely understand the wanting of an autograph and/or picture thing. I've asked for them before but I don't get the multiple request concept unless you're a googly-eyed teen. Honestly, I'm not really sure what pissed me off most about this guy - the possibility that he was getting all those signatures so he could hock the stuff on Ebay or the fact that he was being rude and monopolizing the limited "meet & greet" time. I mean when we were out by the busses on this night in particular, it was quite cold, Rick Allen was the only one to show, he tried to leave a couple different times, and this asshole kept pulling him back to sign more crap including these blocks of wood with the band member's names on them. Not only do I find this being completely creepy and rude to the celebrity in question, I think it's a pretty pissy thing to take up time that could be used for Rick to sign for/take pics with fans who haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting him. This right here is the biggest reason why I will not interact with the band members unless they approach me first which, given the "Viv incident" at Davenport last year, does happen. I already have autographs and sigs from all of them except Sav and I don't want to take away from a "first timer's" experience seeing as I know what it's like to be one of them.
When things finally started winding down out by the buses, TBB and I along with a few other friends (her sis and guy friend had already left at this point because it was getting so late) went over to the hotel next door where the band was staying. We were hoping we could maybe catch the other guys walking in and finally get our elusive Sav sigs but it just wasn't to be. We did, however, run into side Show Bob again and wondered how the hell he actually beat us over there. Talk about stalkerazzi! This guy had this huge fucking banner than must have been six feet long with Phil Collen on it all draped out on the lobby table along with a bunch of other shit. The group of us went in and sat down so we could talk (two of our friends were actually staying at the hotel) for awhile and get better aquainted and I kid you not this psycho stayed there for a good hour or more thinking the band was actually going to come back down. Of course the group of us being the rowdy little monsters we can be started cracking jokes about the guy loud enough that we could be overheard if one paid attention. We were kind of hoping he and "Psycho Blonde" would get the hint but I don't think they did.
TBB and I didn't end up leaving the hotel until nearly 2 or a bit after but it was well worth staying that late because of the great conversation even though I had a 10 minute freak out because I thought I had lost my wedding band. Turns out it fell off in my bag because my hands had been so cold my fingers "shrunk". The downside to our late departure, however, was the fact that we didn't get back to TBB's place until about 3 and I didn't get home until 5:30am. I have to admit the drive from IC to WDM was probably THE longest two hours of my life because I was so tired but again, it was more than worth it because the evening had been so much fun.
Before I leave the events of that evening and move on to some of the DL forum squirreliness I've seen lately, I want to give a shout out to P code name Vikki Rockett - TBB's friend from Moline. You Rock! And thank you so much for letting us sit in your truck to stay warm.
Now on to the forum "crazies". I swear that place is full of whiners and psycho fans. I mean you've got the ones who don't seem to show any restraint and respect for personal space when it comes to the band and then you've got others bitching and moaning because their experience with meeting the band isn't what they wanted it to be. Hello reality check here. Any dumdum knows reality rarely (if ever) lives up to the fantasy. These people are, afterall, human. Oh and the speculation that goes around that dump concerning the reasons one or more of them was acting a certain way - GIVE ME A BREAK!
If that isn't enough, there are the ones boohooing because the tour is almost over and they just don't know how they will ever survive if the band takes some time off. *RE* C'mon people some of us are tired of hearing the same old shit being rehashed. Some of us want some new material and if that means the guys lock themselves away in a studio for a couple of years SO BE IT!
Check out these two threads Lepression and Best Way To Meet Def Leppard if you want to see for yourself what I'm talking about.
Well that about does it for this post. Bout time I got it out seeing as it's only three weeks past due. LOL Oh I almost forgot. Here are the links to the better pictures I was able to get that night. Unfortunately resizing them made some get a little more pixelated.
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Til next time....
Knocked Off By The Fashion Diva
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