I just returned home from Knoxville, and do I have a recap to tell! (It's going to be long, forgive me).
Unfortunately I have no pictures to post (the one here I found posted on this site)--my digital camera decided not to work--so my words will have to suffice for now. Jennifer (another DCO member who I went with) did take some pictures and said she'd post them as soon as she figures out how to upload them.
Okay. Where to start? Jennifer and I drove out to Knoxville (about a 1 1/2 hour drive) on Thursday night. We left a day ahead of time because the Square Room had announced that tickets must be purchased on or before Friday, no later than 10 am, and we didn't want to rush and scramble on Friday morning. We arrived in Knoxville around 5 PM and got lost several times (even though she was using a GPS device), as there were a number of unmarked detours coming into the city. We arrived in Market Square, the weather was still warm and sunny, there was a street festival (Sundown festival) getting geared up, and a feeling of anticipation in the air. We walked over to the Square Room (right on the square), a small venue with an eatery/bar, and purchased our tickets, which were standing room only. I already felt giddy knowing David was probably somewhere in the vicinity and we both started acting very goofy, like teenagers. I was stoked.
We went back to our hotel, checked in, and got ourselves settled, then decided to go back to Market Square and check out the street fair. We also were hoping we might run into David or the EEB. We kept seeing buses and kept speculating that those buses might be his. We ate at Trio's on the square, then ventured out into the crowd. There was an open air stage with a band playing, and lots of outdoor stands selling food, local art, and other merchandise, but soon it was so packed you could barely move. I kept imagining I saw David, and I mentioned to Jennifer that I sensed he was right in the area, probably walking around the square too. We didn't actually see him or any of the band members though.
The next morning, I awoke to thunder and lightning. The weather reports were predicting severe storms, which could include large hail, damaging winds, and possible tornadoes. We would be waiting in line all day, in the bad weather, and it was already starting! We grabbed a continental breakfast in the lobby of our hotel, and headed off. By the time we arrived back at Market Square the weather had cleared up to a misty chilly drizzle. We found our place in line, marked by blue and white balloons. Because of a Good Friday parade going on later that day, we were not allowed to wait in front of the venue, but across the street in front of a bar that was closed. We were toward the front of the line, but there were about 50 die-hard fans ahead of us who had been camped out since early that morning. Soon we found ourselves talking with the other fans waiting in line, some who had traveled long distances to be there. One lady had come all the way from England just to see David!
I found out a lot about the other fans waiting, who were all as obsessed with David as Jennifer and me. Most of them seemed to be from the Word Nerd Home site (which for some reason I never joined), but I did see a few faces I recognized from The Dash and BBAC. There were a few DCO lurkers but I didn't meet any of the regular DCO posters.
After about two hours I began to get antsy and hungry, and left the line to go find some food. When I returned, a couple of other girls we were waiting with decided to get some food, and when they returned, one of them told us she had seen Kyle in the Square Room eatery! She said he actually asked her if they were at the right venue, and she laughed and said, "um, yeah, this is where you're supposed to be." She said he just grinned and said okay, thanks.
A nearby cafe donated homebaked cookies and bottled water. I guess they felt sorry for us, standing outside all day! The cookies were delicious. Behind us were some ladies who confirmed that David (and Neal) had indeed been in the square at the exact same time Jennifer and I had been walking around the night before (so my hunch had been correct--I felt his energy!) because they had literally run into him. She said she bumped into a guy, and looked up, and found herself staring into David's face, who just grinned and apologized. She said he had on his beanie and looked really sweaty (it was hot in the square that night). She also said no one seemed to realize who he was, there was no attempt made at disguising or hiding himself. Neal was with him and she said he was friendly and gracious as always.
After about 4 hours of waiting on line (about 2 pm) the weather was still holding up, but was getting a bit cloudier. Suddenly I heard a scream arise from the crowd, and looked up to see a silver and gray bus pulling up on the corner. Someone was saying it was David's bus, but when the light changed, the bus continued down the block. About an hour later I was getting antsy again so I decided to take another walk and see if I could find where it was parked. I found it easily, parked near the venue on a side street. Speakers and other equipment was being unloaded from a Penske trailer right behind it. I looked at one of the speakers or amps and it was marked with the David Cook logo. I didn't stop too long, as I didn't want to look like one of the "crazy fans." I felt David's presence strongly.
At around 5, the sky turned dark gray and greenish, and we heard thunder. Ponchos were pulled out and I thought about how silly we must look to passersby. As the wind picked up we huddled under whatever available eaves there were, and finally an employee of the Square Room came over and announced that no alternative arrangements were being made but that we should try to find shelter because we were under a tornado watch. SOmeone asked him if numbers would be given out and he just shrugged and said no. Just as someone else came up with the idea of giving numbers to ourselves so we could leave the line, another employee came out and said for us to come back inside and line up in the basement. (I bet it was David's idea, he would never tolerate his fans being left in dangerous weather). We walked across the street in single file, like a parade, showed our IDs and tickets, and went downstairs. Upstairs, we could hear the band soundchecking, and at one point, when I left the line to go to the restroom, I heard them doing Anodyne and got really excited that they might be performing that song, which is among my favorites.
At around 6, someone yelled out that a tornado was 5 minutes away, Doppler radar had caught it skipping, and touching down on occasion, and it was headed straight for us. A minute later the band stopped playing and my heart stood still, thinking they might be joining us for shelter in the basement. I freaked out and called my house (I could still get a signal!), and said, "A tornado is about to hit us, and I'm stuck in the basement in the same building with David Cook, and he might be coming down to the basement too!" Then my signal went out.
At around 6:30, we were let upstairs into the Square Room. It was standing room only and we were near the front, about 4 rows back. Everyone packed in like sardines. I got a beer but regretted it as I had to leave several times to use the restroom. I bought a DC scarf and wristband at the concession stand. As the concert didn't start until 9 (Ryan Star headlining) we had over two hour more of standing and waiting. My feet and legs were really starting to hurt. Only for David would I wait so many hours in horrible weather and suffer so much pain! Oh, the things we do for this man!
Finally 9:00 arrived and Ryan Star took the stage. I'm not familiar with his music, and so this was the first time I'd heard of him. He was awesome! He did an acoustic performance, but his songs were beautiful and his voice is so powerful, like David's. He's easy on the eyes too.
At around 9:45 Ryan left the stage, and stagehands came out and started fiddling with the equipment. At 10 on the dot, the lights went out and and a hush filled the room, then screams, as the lights came on, and David and the band took their places on stage. I couldn't believe how close he was--maybe a little over 12 feet away! Seeing David in person is such a different experience from seeing him on a computer or TV screen. I could feel his energy, and as other people have said, he did seem smaller in person. It was very surreal! Neal and the EEB looked great. David was wearing his black beanie and a black TV shirt with some white writing, but I can't remember what it said. On this particular night, he was bad boy/rocker Dave rather than sensitive/emotional Dave, and he really rocked it! From his album, he performed Barbasol, KOTN, Declaration, Heroes, Light On, CBTM, LOTM, Mr. Sensitive, and Lie. His arrangements of all the songs were as if you were hearing them for the first time, because they are always different each time. He and the band were so energetic, and David kept beckoning with his fingers for the audience to join him in singing, which of course we did. He was in a great mood, and bantered and joked with the audience. At one point, he looked in my direction (I wasn't far away at all), and I swear he was looking right at me! Not only that, but then he waved! I freaked out and grabbed Jennifer, saying, "did you see that? He just waved at us!" She grinned and said yes, she did.
You can tell he loves all the attention and encourages it. I love the way he seems to soak up the attention and love, just stopping and absorbing it, and breaking into one of his grins. During Light On, everyone started waving the lights from their cameras, phones, and lighters back and forth, and David stopped for a moment, smiling, and holding the mic out to us as we all sang along. He looked a little teary but then launched back into the final chorus. He also performed "Wer'e Only Honest When We're Sleeping," "Tell Me Lies" (Fleetwood Mac cover), Souvenir, and an MWK song that I can't recall the name of. No Anodyne though. No World I Know, which I was also hoping he'd do. But it was still an amazing euphoric, and uplifting experience.
After the show, I wanted to make sure David got the gift and letter I'd been holding onto since August (I'd planned on giving it to him at the Charlotte Idols show), so I handed it to a stagehand who assured me he'd give it to David that night.
Outside, the weather was cold but a lot of people decided to go wait by the bus to see if he came out. We all sat on the curb waiting and after about a half hour (it was 1:30 in the morning by now), we saw a black SUV pulling out of the back alley behind the venue and we saw David looking out the window waving at us! I lost control and shouted "I love you, David!" (so did a number of other fans), but I doubt he heard me. We all waved as they pulled away. I guess he wasn't in the mood to speak with fans that night, but I'm so grateful I got to experience being so close to David and experiencing what a DC concert is really like.
In spite of the long wait, sore feet, bad weather, and chaotic arrangements, I think this was the most fun I've had in years. I'm home now and still on a high from it. I'm planning on attending the Columbia, SC concert now too, if I can afford to. I need to experience this again! Perhaps next time, I can actually get to speak to him or better yet, get a hug!
I'm still reeling from this and probably will be all week!