This recap is divided into 2 parts - the Ohio State Fair on Saturday and Owens Community College on Sunday.

The Ohio State Fair - August 8

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29517&id=1465749134&l=7b0d6f2af0

The concert at the Ohio State Fair was notable for a few reasons. Number one, it was the first show I had attended since the AI tour that was in a large venue (as you may have heard, capacity is 10,200, and from my spot it appeared that nearly all of those seats were filled). Number two, and most importantly, it was the first David Cook concert my two daughters, ages nearly 9 and nearly 3 (both birthdays are in September), would attend.

My daughters have both always loved David. Clear back when he won American Idol, we watched his victory together on the DVR the next morning, and both girls celebrated his victory. My older daughter Kiersten even told me I was “the best mom in the world!” when I informed her I had voted long and hard for him. When I first bought his CD, I played it in my car nearly nonstop, and my daughters loved it. They even got to singing the choruses to both “Light On” and “Declaration” whenever they heard them.

So both girls were excited when I told them we would be attending. Kiersten, in particular (Elena, my younger, I think had trouble with the concept that that man she saw on TV and on my computer and heard on the radio was real!). As the time grew closer, I would remind them of the upcoming concert, and Kiersten would literally jump with excitement. Elena would frequently jump right along with her, because she has to do everything her older sister does.

My plan for fair day was to walk the girls around all day and tire them out on rides and fair food, and hope that by the time the concert rolled around, they would be ready to sit (or stand, but in place) quietly for a few hours. This plan worked beautifully on Kiersten, likely because she was excited about the show in the first place. Elena? Well… that wasn’t quite as successful with her. But then, she is the Energizer Bunny. Plus she had a nap earlier as I pushed her around in the stroller, which is a very good thing because she had become increasingly cranky, if not downright obnoxious, by such maddening things as waiting in line for rides.

All of which is to say that by concert time, she was well-rested enough to be ready for action. And I do mean action. But more about that later.

We had a blast partaking of the fair. There were rides aplenty, and fortunately we were able to find enough rides Elena could actually ride (either with Kiersten or with one of us) to make her (reasonably) happy. At lunchtime we sat down inside a building for a “smorgasbord” meal that boasted an all-you-can-eat buffet. Eric and I ate like pigs. Our daughters, perhaps, less so, but at least they had food that wasn’t completely coated in sugar and fat.

It was well after lunchtime that Elena had a mid-ride line meltdown that led to my deciding she had had enough rides for the day. Eric stayed in the rides section of the fair with Kiersten while I took Elena in her stroller completely out of the ride area and off to other parts of the fair where there were no rides to be seen. I was fairly (no pun intended!) convinced that Elena was in desperate need of a nap, as when she is well rested Elena usually has a sunny demeanor that is rather resistant to life’s disappointments. When she’s tired,everything makes her mad.

So off we went, and within 20 minutes Elena was asleep. I spent time in the craft buildings and discovered many contest entries and winners of a variety of craft categories, including (to my delight) several knitting categories. I filed this information away for future reference (it would be very cool to enter, say, a pair of socks to the Ohio State Fair competition!) and took note of the time. It was about 5:15, and I thought it might be time to rejoin Eric and Kiersten.

I called Eric when I got back to the rides part of the fair, and Eric informed me that he and Kiersten were actually on their way back to the Celeste Center to await the concert. I was delighted by this suggestion because my feet and legs were absolutely killing me, and I was ready to sit for a while. So I doubled back with Elena still snoozing in her stroller and headed for the Celeste Center.

I happened to cross behind the venue to make my way to the front. On the way I passed a mesh-covered fence that separated the back of the venue from the front. I happened to notice people standing behind the tour buses, and so I stopped for a closer look.

And was rewarded with the sight of Neal Tiemann taking a smoke break with a few other guys.

Somehow this really got me squeeing. Yes. Neal Tiemann through a mesh-covered fence and from so far away I probably wouldn’t have recognized him were it not for that striking blond hair. That got my heart pounding! I think it really hit me then, even as evidently the marquis in front of the Celeste Center and the gigantic sign in the midway in front of the Center could not: David Cook and his fantastic band was HERE, and we were going to see them. Tonight.

At the front of the venue I met up with Eric and Kiersten, and shortly thereafter I saw several of my friends from IDF: Nicole and Julie, along with Kristen and Jenna and a few others who I recognized but whose names I don’t remember (sorry!!). I greeted them with hugs and shared my story of seeing Neal, and they were appropriately appreciative.

I then had my first encounter of its kind. A young lady whom I did not recognize came up to me and said: “I know you!”

“You do?” I asked, bemused.

“Yes!” she announced. “You are the proud owner of Joey pick number one!”

Heh. Yes, indeed I am, which I suppose is well known by anyone who happens to read my posts here. I happened to be wearing the necklace I made with that pick, so I proudly showed it off. All present were duly impressed.

I had a similar encounter not long thereafter, when I was sitting next to Elena (who had awoken). A lady, who must have recognized me and/or the aforementioned pick necklace, came up to me and told me she knew how much I loved Joey and asked me how I was holding up. She said “hope you’ll get to see him tour with Alex!” I told her I planned to when they came to Ohio, and we spent a little time talking about how much Joey was missed.

I don’t know who either of these ladies were, but they tickled me by knowing my status as Joey’s #1 fangirl. If either of you are reading this recap, please post. I’d love to know who you are.

Anyway… not long after this I was standing alongside Kiersten, just people-watching to see if I could find any more of my DC friends. And who should walk right in front of me on his way into the venue?

None other than Kyle Peek, Precocious Drummer Extraordinaire!

Instinctively I said “Hi Kyle!” He slowed briefly, took a good look at me, said “Hi!” and kept walking. I think he was trying to figure out if he knew me. I’ve met him 3 times, but I didn’t honestly expect him to remember me. Still, it was a neat little encounter.

A little while after this, I was standing with Eric and Kiersten and Elena, again just waiting and people-watching. I then found in my sight perhaps the last person I had ever expected to see in Columbus, Ohio: Andrew Cook. “This Is His Fault” Little Brother Extraordinaire.

This prompted the following conversation between Eric and me.

Me: Oh my gosh. That’s Andrew Cook!
Eric: Who?
Me: Andrew Cook!! David Cook’s little brother!
Eric: Have you ever met him?
Me: No.
Eric: Would you like to?
Me: Well, yeah!
Eric : So go!

I didn’t need to be told twice. I grabbed my camera and headed over to join the five or so people standing around Andrew. Kiersten wanted to meet him, too, so she came with me. After a short while, I had a chance to talk to him.

Me: Hi, I’m Nicole.
Andrew: Hi, I’m Andrew. (I love it when the guys do this when I introduce myself. I think it’s adorable.)

We shook hands, and then Andrew noticed Kiersten.
Andrew: So what’s your name?
Kiersten: Kiesten. (That’s not a typo. I think Kiersten was so excited that she mispronounced her own name!)
Andrew: “Kissten?”
Me: It’s Kiersten.
Andrew: Oh, okay! “Kissten” would be a pretty cool name, actually.

That made me laugh. I then told him that I loved his Saturday radio show, and I wish I’d taken a photo of the expression on his face. He looked so genuinely grateful as he said “Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.”

Afterwards I held my camera out and called out, “Can someone take a photo?” A woman I didn’t recognize stepped forward and took my camera, and Kiersten, Andrew and I gave our best smiles. I adore this photo.

After refilling our drink bottle a few more times, and after Eric grabbed himself a fried S’more (I swear they have deep-fried EVERYTHING at the fair!), we decided to go in. I had spoken with a venue staff person beforehand and asked her if it would be possible to take Elena’s stroller into the venue. She said there was no problem with that as long as I put it somewhere out of the way. She added that people brought in strollers all the time.

Inside the venue I found a place to park the stroller, in between a couple of widely-spaced trash cans. Then the four of us made our way to our seats. We were very far back from the stage, but we could see everything perfectly. Plus there were three nice Jumbotrons to let us see the action “up close.”

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this. While we were waiting for Green River Ordinance to take the stage, there was this dude out on the floor in the audience. He was clearly some sort of street performer or something. He was pretending to be an usher and had a whistle. At times he would start blowing his whistle at people finding their seats and, with huge elaborate gestures, start “directing” them to their seats as if he was a police officer in a parking lot. He also spent lots of time walking up behind people and imitating their walk or the way they held their arms, and occasionally he would do things like flip their hair or grab their popcorn and toss it. It was hilarious. The tour de force came when another guy – who could conceivably have been an actual usher, I’m not sure – came up behind the guy and imitated him imitating someone else. We were dying with laughter, when the performer turned around. They began doing the “mirror mime” thing – you know, where they would mirror each other’s moves exactly? Then the performer dropped his pants (revealing a very brightly colored pair of boxers). The “usher” – to all of our surprise – unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants, revealing a brightly colored pair of boxers himself. We roared with laughter.

After the show Eric and I talked about what a great idea to have a performer like that in the crowd. It really helped pass the incredibly boring time that ensues while waiting for a show to start.

So anyway… then GRO came out and began their set. I had listened to their music on their MySpace page when I first found out I’d be seeing them live, and I had enjoyed it. I hadn’t listened to it since. But live, they are energetic, fun, and best of all, terrific-sounding. Unfortunately we had “venue police” who made us sit back down in the bleachers even after Josh (the lead singer) implored us to “stand up! This is a ROCK SHOW!” That kind of bummed me out.

I took several photos of GRO, though with some difficulty because dear Elena was determined to make things difficult for me. We were sitting, and she kept grabbing my arms while I was trying to take photos. So some photos are great, but a lot of others are sadly blurry. I'll upload these (and all my other concert pics) once my husband no longer needs his computer to play games online.

During the intermission, I had the great pleasure of finally meeting several of my Yes.com friends, many of whom post here at DCO. They include Ava (avazanne1), Alla (MSCRC), Joy (joycbe), and Jennifer (cookiesrock91), or “Fred” as we call her (long story! Lol). They came up to me, since they were on the floor and I was in the bleachers as well as with my rambunctious daughters. They encouraged me to come down to the floor and see Jennifer’s primo seat as well as meet her husband. We hung out for a while and chatted. I got to share my story about meeting Andrew and show off my photo. I also had more people to show off my JoeyPick necklace to. My girls came down with me, and they were being adorable (if, ahem, overly exuberant?). We also got Alla’s hubby to take a photo of the five of us together. Love.

So then it was showtime, For Realz. David & crew came out and began “Heroes,” and EVERYONE was on their feet. Well, all the folks in the bleachers didn’t stay standing, but I did, as much as I could. No WAY was anyone going to make ME sit down for David. Happily, no one told me to sit.

This was where the trouble with Elena started. When she wasn’t grabbing my arms or trying to take away my camera – which was even more of a challenge to keep taking photos, since I was standing and couldn’t shake her off as easily as when I was sitting – she was… wait for it… climbing the bleachers. Yeah. At that point I realized I couldn’t just merrily snap photos because I had to keep an eagle eye on Elena. So I sadly put away my camera and prayed that others took photos of the many, many incredible shots I kept seeing on the Jumbotron. Andy epicness. Neal shreddingness. Kyle smiliness. David awesomeness.

On the bright side, this was the first show I have ever attended (aside from the AI tour, which Eric photographed) when I spent the vast majority of the show not taking pictures. And it really made a difference. I was definitely able to experience the show like never before. David was in VERY fine voice. His banter was the funniest I had ever heard. (Highlights included the I <3 David Archuleta T-shirt, the “Dave You Have Full and Luscious Hair” sign, the teasing of the sign language interpreter, and best of all for me: “Ohio spoils us, and I love it.”)

Highlights of the setlist: Oh, heck. They were all amazing. Lie, of course, was breathtaking. David’s instruction to us on keeping quiet during the a capella part was every bit as hilarious as the said portion was stunning. There is truly nothing on earth like being able to hear David’s voice, unadulterated and unamplified yet still completely filling a room. Unbelievable.

Straight Ahead and Died In Your Arms were highlights for me because I had never before heard them live, and they sounded SO good. Declaration and Light On were highlights because those are two of Kiersten and Elena’s favorites, and they were clearly happy to hear them.

And then there was A Daily AntheM, notable because there is something exhilarating about seeing such a large, packed house waving their arms in the air with David and singing “Wo, wo, wo, wo.” It nearly brought me to tears.

After the show ended, we bought corn dogs and fried mozzarella (the former for my girls and me, the latter for Eric) and headed for home. As we walked to our car, Kiersten said jubilantly, “I love David Cook because HE ROCKS!!” A short while later, a sleepy but sated Elena added, “I like David Cook.”

Really couldn’t have summed up the night much better.

Owens Community College – August 9

Photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29427&id=1465749134&l=b894cd9f68

This show began as notable for one very big reason: it was the first show I ever attended all by myself. Previous concert companions had included the aforementioned Eric and children, my babysitter Stevie, and my Chicago friend Tatiana. But last night, I traveled the slightly over 2 hours all by myself. Eric had originally been the designated recipient of the other ticket, but he was unable to attend because he had to work bingo for athletic boosters at the high school where he works.

Fortunately I found on DCO Dalocksta, who was in need of a ticket. I e-mailed her and we made arrangements for the transaction before the show.

While I waited in line I realized that I had been incredibly stupid not to bring something to occupy my time. I’m a knitter. I’m a writer. I’m a reader. I could do none of those things in line because I had brought no knitting, nothing to write on, and nothing to read. (Thus the tweet after I grabbed my spot: “So what am I supposed to do for the next 3 hours??”) I could have brought out my MP3 player and earphones, but somehow it seemed incredibly rude to me to listen to music instead of talking to the people around me. So, yes. I proceeded to spend about a half hour doing nothing in lieu of listening to music. Not one of my finer moments.

Eventually I got over my normally nearly crippling social paralysis and began chatting with some of the people around me. As it turned out, a fairly young and pretty woman who had brought her 8-year-old son was in front of me and had never been to a David Cook show. Not only that, but it quickly became clear to me that she wasn’t one of us rabid tour followers. I mentioned I had been at the previous night’s show at the fair, and she asked me how long it had been. I told her it was about an hour long, and I began rattling off the songs he sang (because I wanted to count—I couldn’t remember how many songs he’d sung). At one point she interrupted, “So he’s not singing songs only from the CD.” I said, “No,” and I began listing some of the other sources for his songs.

Then she said, “I would love to hear Billie Jean.”

My heart sank as I told her, “Um… he doesn’t actually perform that one at shows. He’s only done it twice, and never in its entirety.” I was a little nervous, wondering if the lack of Billie Jean would upset her.

I asked her about her favorite song from the CD, and she told me she loved them all. That encouraged me. But then she said the second thing that made my heart sink. “I hope he performs Permanent.”

“Um… he hasn’t performed Permanent since the Idol finale.” (By now I was just praying she wasn’t going to utterly hate David’s show.)

We didn’t really talk all that much after that point, although I did participate in a few conversations she had with some of the people around us. I can only hope I helped to manage her expectations so she would go in with a somewhat better idea of what to expect.

The camera and phone drama widely tweeted about last night made me a little nervous. I wanted to take photos and tweet about the show. But I also didn’t want to cause trouble or cause either to be confiscated.

Seating for the show was absolutely the most orderly I have seen in my 4 General Admission shows. They let folks in about 10 or 15 at a time, always in a single-file line, and since there were seats placed on the floor there was no mad dash for the front of the stage, or even the barricade (which was set up about 10 or 15 feet from the stage). Yeah, that barricade was ridiculous. There was an enormous chasm between our chairs and the stage.

There were about 60 people in front of me in line, so I had not much hope of being very close to the stage. Boy, was I wrong. Swanny and crazy4you (two lovely ladies from DCO I met before the show following my “bored” tweet) saw me wandering through the chairs and called out, “Nicole! You looking for a seat?”

I answered in the affirmative, and they pointed out the one remaining empty chair in the second row. It was far Nealside. I headed for the chair and gazed up at the stage.

WHOA. Perfect.

“This will do!” I called out with a huge grin, thanking God for sending me these two wonderful ladies. I texted to Nicole and Julie, who had nabbed front-row seats, about my good fortune. Later I got to have a “Nicole Sandwich” photo with the two of them.

Not long thereafter Char, a wonderful lady whom I met in Akron, came up to me and said hi. I waved to her husband, who was sitting in the front of the bleachers, and he waved back. The concert setup was such that there were many rows of chairs on the floor, and there was a set of bleachers against the two side walls. It was a nice way to fill up the room with as many people as possible while still allowing a pretty good view of the stage, I thought.

I had met Dalocksta before in line to give her the ticket she bought from me, and when I found my seat I found that she was sitting almost right in front of me. We had a great time chatting about last night’s show and about some of my experiences from other shows. Since I have met all the guys but David, Ryan Star, and of course Andrew Cook, she determined that I was her lucky charm and that she would be sticking close to me. Very cute.

Finally GRO started, and I hopped up out of my seat. They put on a wonderful show the previous night, but I thought I liked them last night even better. Maybe it was because I was closer, maybe it was because I was free to stand without getting the evil eye from security, maybe it was because I didn’t have to worry about silly children climbing the bleachers. At any rate, their set was fantastic. I found to my surprise that I was able to sing along with the chorus of nearly every song, though I had heard them only twice before. I don’t know if it’s because they’re so catchy or because I’m pretty good at picking up song lyrics quickly. Probably a little of both.

During the show I developed a raging crush on Jamie Ice, the gorgeous blond guitarist who was directly in my line of vision. He reminded me of a magnificent combination of Joey (because he was constantly moving and smiling), Neal (because he was an insanely great guitarist), and David (because he had such a gift for making you feel like he was looking at YOU, a whole lot). To a lesser extent I developed a crush on Geoff Ice, the bassist. Probably partially because he sang beautifully, partially because he was very handsome (am I the only person who thinks he looks a lot like Kyle??), and partially because he was, well, a bassist like my dearly departed Joey.

After their set I went out to buy their CD (thanks to selling my extra ticket to Dalocksta, I had some cash on hand!) and get a photo and a signature. I was a little disappointed to find that neither Jamie nor Geoff were out in the lobby. Only the Joshs, the lead singer and the other guitarist. Still, it was fun to meet them and get a photo.

During the intermission I also met CanadaDCfan, who I spent a nice time chatting with after I bought the CD. I also spent a lot of time with Char in line waiting for our photo and autograph. Oddly, we wound up talking about Joey a lot! I told her about signing up for Alex Band’s official message board and (unwittingly) friending that board’s admin on Facebook. She told me that I needed to tell her that I was the one who gave Joey his own personalized picks and to have her send him a "Nicole says hello!" message. Ha, the thought had never occurred to me! Yep, I’m tempted now. Thanks, Char.

As a result of spending all that time in the intermission, it was only a few minutes after I returned to my seat that David’s show started.

What happened next was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed or experienced.

Remember that barricade I mentioned earlier? The one that separated us from the stage by about 10 or 15 feet? Well… within seconds of the start of David’s set, security began to move the barricade.

Out. Of. The. Way.

The reaction was immediate. A flood of fans left their seats like a great tsunami and rushed the stage. Without even thinking about it, I grabbed my under-seat purse and my camera and RAN to the stage. Or maybe I apparated. All I know is one second, I was at my second-row seat and feeling pretty good about myself. The next second… I was RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STAGE. With only 3 people separating me from it. I was right smack dab in the middle of David and Neal. It was the closest I have EVER been to David performing.

And then… well, I have to be honest with you. The night became a blur of mad photo-taking (on my part) and utter disbelief that I had been flung head-first into a dream. It had to be a dream. I couldn’t really be this close. Could I? No. It was impossible. Surely.

But it wasn’t. I WAS THERE.

I was surrounded by people. And yet I had a perfect view of the stage. Even I, in all my 5 foot 1 inch tininess, had no problem seeing anyone. David and Neal, obviously. But even Andy and Kyle were well within my line of sight (though I did have to lean a little to the left to see Andy sometimes). And, okay, yeah, Monty too. Sorry, Monty. I know it’s not your fault that you replaced the love of my life.

It was hot. Oh, brother, was it hot. I actually felt sweat rolling down my face for the first time in my life during a show. But I didn’t care. I kept dancing and jumping up and down and singing and screaming and clapping at all the appropriate times. All the while I thought, “Now this? THIS is a ROCK CONCERT.” I don’t know if being by that stage is what’s called a “mosh pit,” but that’s how it felt. It felt like being one with the music. It was … I’m running out of adjectives.

(For a moment I will interrupt this recap to add that Dalocksta was just in front of me to the right, and Char was just behind me to the right. That made it even more fun. Nothing like moshing with friends new and old!)

The highlights of the setlist, for me, were, firstly, The World I Know. I had never heard it live before, and it was a desperately desired pony. I was in awe as David sang it. I took a few photos. I sang along softly. The atmosphere was electric and mesmerizing. He held us all in utter thrall.

Secondly, Souvenir. This is my second-favorite David song; only Lie is higher. I had heard it live once before, at the Akron concert. It was even better here. Sweaty and pounding and gorgeous.

Thirdly, the aforementioned Lie. I loved this one because he gave it no introduction whatsoever, just kind of started noodling on his guitar in a way he had never done before at the start. I saw several confused expressions and heard afterward that a lot of people had no idea what he was playing, and even wondered if it was a new song. Somehow I recognized it at once, even while thinking, “Huh. He’s doing something totally new here. Me likey.” The a capella part wasn’t quite as HOLY CRAP WHAT WAS THAT??? as it had been the previous night (thanks to way too many people who decided it was acceptable to screech in the midst of it), but it was still beautiful. And have I mentioned that I love Andy’s harmony during Lie? Yeah. I do. It’s incredible.

Fourthly, Bar-ba-sol and Died in Your Arms. I put these together because there was something unbelievably sexy about David’s demeanor during these two songs. People have long discussed this, but being live and SO close I could really see, at long last, the anger, the power, the aggression, the testosterone etched in his face. It was utterly captivating.

Fifthly, Come Back to Me. Number one, because of ANDREW. What an hilarious sight it was, seeing him come sliding out onto the stage, toying with Andy, grinning at all of us, acting like a fool, then go sliding backwards back off the stage. Love you Andrew! Number two, because of Andy and Kyle’s ridiculously gorgeous glory note. I couldn’t even sing along. I just stood there in open-mouthed awe. I do believe that’s become my favorite part of the song.

Finally, A Daily AntheM. There will never be a show where this song isn’t a highlight unless it isn’t performed. I gotta tell you, in addition to being once again captivated by the arm-waving “wo, wo, wo, wo”s, I was standing, you know, just a few feet from The Doctor. And he did so in other songs as well, but dang if he didn’t KILL a crazy, hot, thrilling guitar solo. Holy Wow.

I don’t think any show seemed to feel as if it flew by like this one did. Yet I found out later that, oh hey, guess what? FOURTEEN SONGS. What? Yes! I’ve NEVER been at a show with a longer set. Last night’s felt longer and was 2 songs shorter. Go figure!

Oh, and by the way… I started the DAVID! chant before the encore. Just had to toot my own horn there for a minute.

After the show I hung out by the buses. Well, okay, “by the buses” is a total misnomer, because we were not allowed to come within maybe 50 feet of the buses. I made the evidently epic mistake of strolling up from a different direction than most people and getting WAY too close to the buses. The following convo ensued as I walked up and was confronted by the security guards.

Security guards: *giving me the evil eye and a “you cannot be serious” look*
Me: (suddenly and uneasily noticing the small crowd of folks about 40 feet away) Um… I’m too close, aren’t I?
Security guards: *smirking and nodding*
Me: Sorry! *immediately turns to the right to join the crowd*
Security guard #1: (dripping with sarcasm) “Sorry.” Sure.

I was offended. Look, I’m not one of those fans. Did I argue? Did I try to make a break for it? No. I saw I was in the wrong place immediately and headed off right away for the right place, and this was the thanks I got? I didn’t know any better, you control-freak morons.

Ahem. Sorry. Anyway…

So “by the buses” a crowd of about 50 waited. VERY calmly. VERY patiently. No screaming, no chanting, no idiotic behavior whatsoever. Sadly, we were rewarded for this behavior with a 1 ½ hour wait for absolutely nothing. I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t even all that disappointed (I never expect to meet David at a show, and with each passing show I become increasingly convinced I’ll never meet him). It was a little frustrating to wait ALL that time for nothing, though, I’ll admit it.

It couldn’t take away from the amazing show, though. Nothing could possibly do that. Not long after I hit the road for my 2-hour drive back to reality, I called Coolie (coolshades) and talked to her for nearly the entire ride. It kept me awake, but more importantly, it reminded me of just how incredible the experience had been.

A word about Joey

These two shows were my only shows without Joey. I have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, it was wonderful to know that I can enjoy David’s shows even without my favorite member. It reminded me of just how much I love David. (And Andy, and Neal, and Kyle.)

On the other hand… I can’t deny that my utter joy at participating in these shows was dampened a bit by Joey’s absence. He was always the one I loved watching, the one I hoped to meet afterwards, the one who made my heart pound and expand and burst. I guess I could compare it to, maybe, attending a high school reunion at which you saw all your old friends, but not your old sweetheart. It was fun—no, it wasn’t just fun, it was a blast. But that certain spark wasn’t quite there.

At the same time, it was so, so, beautiful to spend time with people at these shows who not only understand how I feel about Joey, but who sympathized with me and boosted me and were as happy that I had a wonderful time as I was. And, I might add… nearly every single person I met who was a diehard DC fan was incredibly psyched to see my JoeyPick necklace, especially the very special opposite side with the “JC Pick #1.”

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. Ava and Alla and Joy and Fred and Roberta and Nicole and Julie and Kristen and Jenna and Char and Dalocksta and Swanny and Crazy4you and CanadaDCFan and anyone else my motherhood-addled mind might have forgotten… you made this weekend one to remember, every bit as much as David, his band, Andrew, and GRO did. God bless you.