A week ago, my lil sis, Kim, & I joined forces with Kyna & Ryan (& another couple friend of theirs) to go see Cheap Trick, Poison, & Def Leppard in concert. It's awesome that my lil sis, who is only 24, knows songs from when she was in elementary school. She had to share a room with me growing up, & I did love listening to my hair bands, so she knows all the bands & songs from back in the day, when "music was good!" (That totally made me sound old, saying that!) :)
I had a huge stressful week, due to Pepa being sick & in the hospital & not getting to go to school to work as I had planned....& then starting work (on those first 'staff development' days that we can NOT miss), with only 1 day to work in my classroom to plan for the first day. After work, I had to meet my sis at my house, get ready, & then drive to Dallas to meet everyone at Chili's. Too bad there's 2 separate streets w/ this name (like I really remember the name of the street now!) & somehow Kim & I are in the hood, with no Chili's to be found. We followed the directions that I printed from Google Maps. Then I used my GPS on my cell phone & basically they both told us we had arrived at our destination. Too bad we were at that address on that street, but no Chili's! So - Kim & I get back on the main highway & finally find our way. At Chili's, we had the WORST service! I think it took 2 hours for us to eat, & that was just 1 course! The drink order got messed up...Kim & I ordered the special they had - 1 appetizer, 2 entrees, & 1 dessert...we waited & waited on the dessert...all for him to FINALLY come out to say they are out of that one. (He could have told us that 1 hour earlier when we ordered it!). Then we tell him to just credit us for the dessert. He can't do that, blah blah...so we ask for a manager. She credits the tab. On the way out of the restaurant, Kyna & Ryan's friend text's them from the concert, & Cheap Trick just went onstage. None of us were too worried, that's the one band we didn't care too much to see.
Pulling into the parking lot - it's packed! I was really excited to see a bunch of guys with mullets or long hair or feathered hair, along with crazy 80's chicks. I was going to secretly take pictures of them. Too bad everyone looked normal! Oh well. We girls in the car needed to pee - & BAD! From basically when we pulled out of Chili's parking lot. So-we get into the venue & there's the bathroom, by the entrance/exit. YES! Too bad there's a l-o-n-g line! Even guys walking by are giving us all sympathetic looks & saying to go to their bathroom. At least the line went very quickly! At this point Cheap Trick just finished singing their last song. We totally missed them. Anyway, after relieving ourselves we go a few steps over to get in line to get some alcohol! Can you believe they stop serving at 10? & they limit 2 drinks per person? Kyna & I each got 2 glasses (ok, they were small!) of wine. Lucky for me, that's all I needed to get me loosey-goosey! o:) Then off to the lawn area with the other peasants to enjoy the show! We were all the way at the BACK of the lawn - basically up next to the wall that is opposite the stage!
As we were walking to find a spot, Poison came on!! Oh how I had a crush on all those guys & had their posters all over my room back in the day. Yes, I was in 5th & 6th grade (ok & even after that). I sure did love that "Look What the Cat Dragged In" tape (yes, tape!). Poison sang all those songs. I was just so giddy & having so much fun! Kyna & I were singing (yelling) to every song & then screaming at the end of the song...it was just good times. I was glad to see my lil sis joined in as well. There were very few songs she did not know.
There was a group of girls in front of us that we made friends with for awhile. We first started talking when they wanted Kyna, Kim, & me to stand around one of them so she could squat & pee. We did. It seemed like a good idea. If you've watched Brett Michael's on TV I'm sure you'd agree with me & know he'd think that is an ok thing to do. Too bad for the people in front of us on the lawn where the pee flowed down the hill to! (Did that sentence make sense?). So all the girls kept singing (yelling), etc. Then a fight broke out between 2 guys sort of close to us. One of the girls we just met said "I don't want to get involved....." (long pause, like she's thinking)... "but I will!" LOL-the first part of her statement I sort of laughed thinking she's being a funny girl or a tough girl, like I like to think I am. But the 2nd part of her statement makes me think she IS a tough girl!! The fight got taken over by bouncers. Back to the show. Can I even tell you how MAD I got when my throat started tickling & I'd have to cough & rest my voice for a few minutes? I did NOT want to take a break from singing (yelling)!
our friends - what's up with the girl hugging up on me??? :)
Then there was another girl from the group who had to pee again, so we all made a circle around her. The second time of doing this it definitely seemed an ok thing to do. (No, I didn't pee on the grass!)
I was sad when Poison sang their last song. I wanted them to go on forever, singing the same songs over & over, I didn't care!! But alas, all good things must come to an end. Kyna, Kim, & I wanted to buy a t-shirt. We also had to pee (in a bathroom). So we quickly left...I ended up buying 2 shirts. Seriously I had to make it even between the 2 bands. $75 later, I'm on my way to the bathroom. Another long line, but moved quickly. While in line I ran into the orchestra teacher from my school. That's kinda funny. He sits around all day playing..."orchestra" music yet we are there listening to hair bands. :)
We make it back to Ryan & our spot on the lawn before Def Leppard came on. YES! I have never seen Def in concert before & was soooooo excited about it!! Do you even know my favorite song of all time?????
So again we are singing (yelling) every word to every song. It was so awesome. I seriously wish I could go to that same concert again next week! Anyway-when they started the song "Pour Some Sugar On Me" - WOW I got my camera on video. I was so giddy with excitement, I think I was bouncing up & down & the camera was shaky. I didn't get the whole song on video b/c I wanted to be able to enjoy the song as well (sing/yell/dance/white move of throwing arm(s) into the air, etc). :)
I was a little concerned, since PSSOM is my favorite song of all time, plus my favorite Def song, wouldn't that be their last song to sing? Nope! "Do You Wanna Get Rocked?" was their last song, FYI. Oh how I'll never forget Joe Elliott's last words: "Don't forget about us, & we won't forget about you!" I'm pretty sure he said that to ME ME ME!
I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Before the show was over, we went down the lawn 1/2 way through the crowd to get to a coworker of Ryan's. We were all introduced but I quickly got back to the show. There was no time for small talk! I had some singing (yelling) to do! :) Later the next day, my sis said that at one point I started bouncing/jumping up & down & one of the guys said "whoa-this isn't a Britney Spears show!" lol. I remember one of them wanting to take my picture & I did my best Paris Hilton pose.
After the show, of promising to NOT forget about Joe Elliott or Def, we go to the parking lot. CRAP Ryan - how can you lose the car?! You are a COP & should always know everything!! Anyway we finally got to the car. We stand around & hang out, waiting for the parking lot to calm down. It was funny to look over & see another group standing around their car, doing the same thing we were - & they had Warrant blaring from their speakers. Yep - more great music for me!
I can't remember the guy's name that went with us - part of the other couple that went - but he went up to a group of girls & asked if they would hook up with him or something & they said yes, for a beer. Something like that. Anyway he was joking (I assume) - & his wife was right there. She didn't care. Oh well, it was good entertainment for me! Wait, maybe the girls in the car gave him a beer? I can't remember.
Then we get in the car, go back to Chili's to get in all our separate cars, & part ways. What a great night.
It was one of the best concerts ever!!!! :)
