Cut to the Saturday flight to LA on Southwest. http://twitpic.com/9fxx4k If you've flown Southwest, you may have been entertained by the flight attendants. Sometimes they turn the safety talk into standup, sometimes they sing. Our flight from the stopover in Denver was great! The whole cabin was cracking up from the pre-flight talk, then Willie Nelson "On the Road Again" came over the speakers. When we landed in LA, they played "California Dreamin'!" Perfect. lol
I picked up my rental car and headed bravely for the 405. The plan was to check into the hotel, then drive to Lancaster and go straight to the theater. When I arrived in Beverly Hills (don't judge me - it's 10 minutes from CBS!), I already felt pressed for time. The hotel had upgraded me and made me their random guest of the day. This happened at the same chain in Ft. Myers when I did Craig's Florida tour back in November! Feeling pampered again and ready for the drive to Lancaster, I headed out for an early evening drive into the hills.
Hills! I've been living in Florida for eight years now, where the only high places are in buildings or on highway overpasses. Even with traffic this was a lovely drive. Unfortunately my GPS had died and I was trying to make it there on time. So I called the theater. A very nice person at LPAC gave me easy directions and I was there quickly. Parking nearby, I passed Craig's red and white tour bus. I had a first row seat for the show. As I walked into the theater, I was told that the first two rows were not ready yet. When I looked up I saw two rows of chairs on the stage! Close enough?! They did lower them so that they became the 'orchestra pit.' They sent us for a free drink while we waited.
I settled into my front row seat and enjoyed the music. I noticed a change to some familiar songs that I later recognized as the music set leading up to the show, artists including Iggy Pop and Ian Dury. Some punk rock attitude to set the mood - oh yeah! This was just what I needed after a long day of flying and driving. Ted Alexandro was the opening act for Craig on this tour, and a had a very strong set, with unique timing that I really enjoyed. I had been hearing great things about Ted from friends who had seen him, and he did not disappoint. Very funny and original!
Then it was time for Craig to take the stage. He announced himself, then walked on to a roar of applause and cheers. Being in the front of the theater for these shows gave me the opportunity to feel the reaction of the crowd, so even though I was part of it, I found myself soaking in the appreciation of the audience and enjoying the show from a slightly different perspective, like a proud parent, or skelly. :) Craig looked healthy and rested, sporting a nice blue t-shirt (long-sleeved?) under a suit jacket with jeans and boots. No suits on this road trip, at least none that I saw! "It's a great day for America!" We were on our way. There's no denying the energy and enthusiasm of this man; he just sweeps you up and takes you along. I was completely re-energized right away. I know this show very well by now but hadn't seen Craig live since November in Florida. Of course there was some local talk at the beginning, but there were more changes along the way as well. As consistently good as Craig's basic material for this show is, he continues to massage it and play with a bit every night. So of course there were some surprises. I've seen Craig say he can't imagine why anyone would want to see the same show more than once. Well, in his case, it's never the same show! I do believe I saw a glance or two come my way that evening. I was just happy to be spending my first hours in California seeing Craig live. The rest of the day melted away.
When the show was over, I headed for my car, stopping along the way with other fans to wave at the tour bus as it pulled out of the parking lot. Wondering where the guys would have dinner, I realized I hadn't had food since peanuts on the plane. I grabbed what seemed like an enormous burrito at El Pollo Loco and then made my way back to the hotel in Beverly Hills, feeling very content.
No comments:
Post a Comment