Following the Easter holiday, my focus was mostly on getting prepared for my upcoming trip; there was a lot of grass cutting, laundry folding, finding autographs, searching out DD&Ds and movie locations, getting slightly ahead on this here website, uploading CDs, visiting the library, and getting Mindy and her daughter Taylor prepped to take care of Tiny and Baby. So with the lone exception of having lunch at Chick-fil-A with Mom on Thursday the 12th, this was aobut all that I did with my week.
Although some of the preparations continued on Saturday the 14th (when both Heidi and Mindy & Taylor paid visits), I considered myself on vacation when I left work at 5pm on Friday the 13th. This day proved to be anything but unlucky.
Heidi and I had planned quite a while ago to go and see the Blue October concert at Bogarts on that particular Friday and this was an excellent way to kick off my vacation. Since the show didn’t start until 8:00pm, and it took place in Cincinnati, there was lag time between getting off work and the start of the show. Mom agreed to meet me for dinner at Benihana, so we enjoyed a nice Japanese Teppanyaki dinner.
Heidi eventually met me at my office after dinner a little after 7pm, and we made the trek to Bogarts, naturally getting somewhat lost on the way. We arrived while the opening act Girl in a Coma, a rocking female three-piece who had opened for Morrissey in 2007, warmed up the crowd.
We never made it terribly close to the front, as most of the fans were adamant about keeping their positions, but it worked out nicely for me as I got to stand next to an incredibly hot girl for the duration of the show. I never caught her name that night, and yet I’m hoping that she’ll be mentioned again sometime on here.
Blue October and lead singer Justin Furstenfeld were in outstanding form that night playing a broad range of tracks that was supporting the Any Man in America LP, but throwing in lots of songs from their other albums as well. I did not write down the set list, but recall HRSA, Say It, Dirt Room, What If We Could, Calling You, Into the Ocean, The Feel Again (Stay), She’s My Ride Home, Libby I’m Listening, Amnesia, Hate Me, The Worry List, and as an encore, Razorblade and X Amount of Words.
Justin Furstenfeld on stage
I had tried to order my favorite Blue October album Approaching Normal in case I actually got the chance to meet front man Justin after the show. Unfortunately, the CD didn’t arrive before the concert. Fearing that the meeting might not take place (knowing full well of Justin’s bipolar mood swings), I didn’t chance purchasing a CD at the show, but instead bought his a copy of his book Crazy Making – The Words and Lyrics of Justin Furstenfeld, thinking that even if I didn’t get him to sign it, I’d still enjoy the book.
The object: Justin’s book Crazy Making… The mission: Get it signed
After the show, there were nearly 100 fans waiting outside across the street from the rear side of Bogarts. A couple who was hanging out told me that they had been the last three Blue October shows and although other members had come out and to meet the fans, that Justin had not. I began to see our chances deteriorate, although I knew from past experience that he had to come out that back door (unless he had gone out the front of the theatre, which would be extremely unlikely), even though this didn’t guarantee that he would stop for his fans. I prepared myself for a long wait that would probably culminate in disappointment.
Maybe it was the Friday the 13th, but my instincts were way off that night. We were there for all of 20 minutes, when Justin Furstenfeld, who was approaching a legendary status, came out toting his bags. He first went to his bus to drop them off and soon enough he was making his way across the street, only asking that the fans not get behind him. Everyone stood there dumbfounded not knowing what to do, except for me of course. Having had tons of celebrity exposure, I was the first up to him, letting him have my blue Sharpie so that he could sign for fans. He scribbled his name in my book and (sort of) posed for a photo.
Justin makes his way over to the crowd
Mission accomplished
OK, he was willing to pose even if it interrupted the cigarette smoking
I then pushed Heidi up to him so she could get an autographs and photo with him, as she stood there drooling and babbling. I then noticed how crappy our first photo was, so I put the camera back in her trembling hands and told her to take another one. This time I got a good pose out of him, even though those trembling hands caused the picture to be slightly blurry.
I get Heidi into a nice picture, even if it did include a little too much tongue
A much better pose from me and Justin, still with my Sharpie in hand
But overall, I considered us very lucky to have had such an incredibly smooth encounter and to not have had to wait there all night, so I left pleased as punch and really had no desire to wait for the other members to come out.
We stopped back at my office so that she could see where I worked and get her car, and then I headed home, arriving a bit before 1am. Vacation was off to a rip-roaring start.
April 2012 will continue at Walt Disney World…
Funny, my account is just a little different than yours. I will admit to having trembling hands, but I was NOT drooling or babbling. Thanks. However you wish to present it, I agree that it was a pretty stellar evening.
Heidi
April 30th, 2012
Poetic license.
Brad
April 30th, 2012