After 3 concerts in the USA (Seneca Niagara, Elyria OH, and Perrsyburg OH) I can't describe how incredible it is to see David in CANADA!!! This was a most epic day and an even more epic concert and I'm just letting you know you might want to get comfy, even take a nap, before you read this as it will be looooooooooooong

So the Ottawa date was announced for some time before we knew where the show was going to be. After some patience, we found out it would be a small club called Ritual in the heart of the Byward market area of Ottawa.

I bought 2 tickets when I wasn't even sure if I could make it to the show, but figured I'd buy them any way and see what happened. For a variety of reasons things fell into place for me to attend this show, albeit on my own. After listening to the Montreal cellcast on Friday night I was so glad that I could make it to Ottawa. There was a feeling of epicness in the air and I wanted in on the action!

I hit the road at 9am with "Into the Wild" soundtrack as my musical companion. How appropriate... Setting Forth is as the opener to my road trip "soundtrack". Now it's "Long Nights"..Ah Eddie your voice is beautiful. Thank you for Pearl Jam and for inspiring David's "Creep" voice. We are forever in your debt.

Next up is back to back MWK to lead me to the promised land...Godspeed you say... yes indeed. Andy: Fairweather Friend.. I have no words...Neal: Undertow, Railway Reality, TIB Roses and Cyanide..your lyrics make me cry (tm:Creep) .. Now it's Incoherant with Desire to Move On ...David I love knowing you are on here!... Time travels quickly when spent with those we love (tm:?) but here we are nearing Ottawa.

All these interesting sights along the way.. so Davecentric... "Cook's Esso station" "Mrs M's Mustard", "Rowland Leather", "Monterey Inn", "Conversations In Jewellry" (seriously that is a sign) and then the "Hell Hole Nature Trail"... Ah must tell Neal about that:finally a nature thing he can relate to! Note to self: Find out who in the "enroute to Ottawa towns" has been reading the DWOP thread??..

Get into Ottawa around 12:45 trying to find hotel but stuck in a Groundhog Day (the movie not the animal weatherforcaster day) experience trying to get past the detour for construction that keeps me from crossing over to the right side of Besserrer St. Why is there so much construction people! Don't you know I'm trying to get to a David Cook concert!! And we trust this town to run the country (it's our "Washington" for those not schooled in Canadian politics!)

Finally turn onto Besserrer. Know the club and my hotel are on the same street based on street addresss!! FTW did not know they were right across the street from each other. OMG Silver bus parked infront of Ritual...Eek... people are already lined up! ok not too many 10 or so. Manageable.

Drive round back of hotel to public parking garage and (**Warning Intense Epicness about to begin**) go into hotel lobby to check in... David is standing there talking to two women. He is 10 feet infront of me, he looks up when I come near, I say "Hi David" and smile a stupid big smile.... He is readying to leave the lobby and says "Hi" I lose all memory of what I say next, perhaps one sentence who knows...my brain is fried from the shock of seeing him the minute I arrive and the freaking hotness of David in dark grey tight straight leg/flat front (no pleats) sort of wool looking pants... did I say tight? Yes, perfectly tight. and topped off with a dark grey/black new v-neck dressy T. with dark grey smart looking hoodie and stylish croc/snake black boots! No Beanie. Beautiful hair (got it cut but not too short still nice bangs), amazing hair colour.. He is looking a little pale and tired but still FG. I may have shaken his hand...Some words are exhanged I am not sure what... something to do with "Going to see you at the show tonight" and his reply of "See you at the show..and nice to meet you"... but then again maybe I said "Dear God man, how in Hell Hole Nature Trail can you look like that and expect us to be able to talk to you??" He pulls his hood up, tucks his arms in his hoodie pouch and leaves the hotel . Me and the two women exchange "guhs" .. one comments David looked pale, maybe not too well. Then we are watching him walk past the windows in the lobby...staring at the beautiful backview....cos remember I said tight! He walks on the sidewalk parallel to the club..The cars on the street and the bus obscure him from the people lined up. He's just a regular guy on the sidewalk walking around back of the hotel.

I tell the clerk where I parked and apparently I'm in the wrong place.. "You'll need to move your car to the right lot. t's just beside where you parked...Just go back around the hotel..." Brain halts for a moment... That is where David is walking... "Ok If you insist"... Good hotel patron/DC fan "walks around the back of the hotel"... and David is walking about 20-30 paces ahead. No one else on the sidewalk.. he's hunched into his hoodie and walking a bit slower than I am... and stops for a moment.. I am getting closer .. this is weird... I find myself right behind him and don't want to startle him. I touch his left elbow gently to get his attention...My brain adds tired+ maybe not well+ pale + hunched over together ="mom" side of it finds me saying " Are you ok?" David says "Am I ok?" Puzzled look for a moment..." Oh yeah I'm just on the phone" Phone is now seen peeking out of his right side of hoodie.. hence the slow walking, and the stopping. "And I'm just tyring to keep a low profile".. "Oh.. no problem.. you just looked a little pale (again with the Mom brain!!)...I totally get that, well I'll see you at the show tonight".. Gorgeous hoodie wearing rockstar nods and gives small smile and walks away talking on the phone... good hotel patron/dc fan realizes she still can't find the right entrance to the parking so watches GHWRS walk across the street and down another street ... and thanks unknown menswear designer who created grey pants. Good hotel patron/dc fan stops to get her bearings and answers phone call from home while standing on the street. Hopes GHWRS doesn't think she's stalking him. As GHWRS walks out of sight good hotel patron/dc fan walks back to front of hotel and decides to go in again to ask for directions to right parking place.

Warning More Epicness about to ensue: So GHP/dcfan walks into lobby to ask for directions and sees one Mr. Andy Skib in wonderful dark blue/black sort of pea coat and wonderful scarf standing looking out the front window. GHP/dcfan must pass said Mr. Andy Skib and coat and scarf to get to the front desk. GHP/dc fan remembers seeing Mr. Andy Skib and "Joeey" walk toward her in lobby of Seneca Niagara and Mr. Andy Skib and the Dr. walk near her when waiting in the lobby of Stocker Centre, Lorain CC and how she did not approach them or acknowledge them and how she has regretted that to this day... and regret for the third time would be bad.

And so it went like this: Hi Andy..."I'm (inserts RL name here). I'm here for the show tonight. I've seen you upclose a few times and never chatted with you and regretted it so I've decided not to this time!" Wonderful scarf and coat, with amazing big brown eyes Andy Skib says " Hey nice to meet you" in a shy, but friendly way. 5-10 minute conversation ensues about show in Montreal and how great it was to hear, and compliments to Mr. Andy Skib on his work with DCATA, and THH, and MWK and intense praise for "Better Day" and how that song has touched me in a personal way and how his voice brings me to tears. And that is like a companion song to David's "Lie" . Comments of appreciation for said compliments from Mr. Andy Skib...More talk about how he enjoyed Montreal and looking forward to show tonight and plans for next few days. Lots of looking into those big brown eyes and his awesome hair and realizing he probably needs to get going. Mr.Andy Skib says "Well I'd better go get something to eat. It was nice meeting you" And it's time to get those directions for the parking lot as Mr. Andy Skib and wonderful scarf and coat walk out of hotel into the direction of some food. Butterflies in stomach and shaking hands are now starting to settle down.

Time passes with things like moving car from one parking lot to another, getting stuff out of car and taking it up to room, touching up hair and makeup and other no where near epic activities. Serious amount of marvelling at the two epic moments still going on in my head when I get on elevator with group of German tourists. We exit elevator and all start to leave hotel lobby out the front door. Germans sort of block the view of the front door area to the people lined up at Ritual across the street and are gathered in a group as I stand to their left and realize that the two guys(one in jeans and white shirt and with long hair pulled back, and the other in "thighs of glory" pantz, and amazing motorcycle style leather jacket with nicely styled strawberry blond hair) standing 2 feet away from me are NealfingTiemann and Jeremy Taggart!!! OMG is right!! The day for no regrets continues and I walk up to NFT and JT to say hello. Recent conversations about NFT from Dwop are running through my head: can vampire/goth/horror/JD drinking/tatooed/pierced guitarists have normal conversations with "mom types"... let's find out.

So wonderful conversation ensues starting with "hope I'm not interrupting but I just wanted to say hello and (insert same story about seeing you before and regrets etc)" but add in "never had the courage to talk to you" and usual introductions. Add in telling Jeremy that I love OLP and think it's a total bonus to get to meet him right now and see him tonight. Tell Neal that I Iistened to the cellcast of Montreal (and asked if he knew about the cellcasts and yes he did) and how the fansite was ploding from all the amazing accousticness. Looks of surprise and delight from NFT and really positive comments from JT (like professional concert coaching) like "yeah, I mean you don't want to be banging hard all the time.. It's great to mix it up, add in some accoustic". And "sometimes you just got to work the situation to your benefit you know with me not knowing all the songs it can turn out to be something really unique" More of this type of convo for a few minutes and I felt like I had been part of some organic fan to artist exchange that helped validate what they did that was enhanced with "experienced" tour musician to "sort of novice tour musician" guidance. Great talk about being in Montreal, the show in Orillia, drinking, nothing to do in Rama but drink and gamble I sugested a few places in the area that NFt likd the sound of. Then talked about my "pony" The Hour.. Asked Jeremy to talk to DCATA about George's show, then he tells me he's known George since he was 14. Coincidentally, I have a promo brochure for The Hour in my purse and give it to Neal. He tucked it inside his leather jacket. We talked about George, The Hour how great it is. I shared with Neal that there are so many similarities with him and them. Briefly mention that George had just interviewed George Romero of Zombies fame and he's interviewed Chuck Palanhiuk. (So maybe that's what got NFT thinking about saving Canada from aftereffects of Zombie attack). told Neal I had met David and Andy already today and that I needed only to meet Monty to have a full house! Talked for about 15 minutes and then they said it was time for soundcheck. I thanked them for taking time to meet me and talk to me, and lots of handshaking etc. I didnt' ask for photos or autographs as i wanted (nor did I with David and Andy) to keep it abut the music and not geek out. What I loved about all of this is was Neal was so natural, open, and genuinly appreciative of the fan interaction and feedback. And he wasn't even the slightest bit scary to me. Loved how JT seemed to take a real interest in NFT, DCATA, and gave some feedback or advice and it was genuine. And so yes NFT and his vampire/goth/drinking etc can have decent convos with "mom types" We parted ways and off they went to sound check... and I off to revel in my giddyness along the Ottawa streets, go back to my room for final pre concert grooming, and get ready to embrace the GA line.

The Line Up:
Got in line about 3:30 or 4:00 and still only about 20 people infront of me. Met two great ladies from near my RL home and chatted about the show, upcoming Rama show and showed them some of the photos I have with David from previous concerts. Our spot in line was right beside the front door of the bus, and as we were standing talking Andy, Neal, and maybe Jeremy came out of the bus and walked past the line and into the club. Everyone cheered or whistled for them. Stood in line for a while then needed some thing warm to drink so went back to hotel lobby coffee shop to get hot tea. While I was gone, David had come out of soundcheck, got on the bus, and came back off the bus with some of the guys and headed past the back of the line to go for some food or libations at the nearby libation station. Can't really consider it a fail as he didn't spend time with any fans at this point and I had already had some "mom time" with him earlier in the day. We stood around for the next couple of hours swopping concert stories, getting the scoop on the "ever changing" opening act. Much guessing, wishing, ponying, and theorizing on who it could be took place. Maybe it's Raine Maida, afterall Jeremy is here. Maybe Phil Marshall flew in from Texas...then we heard it was to be a local band... acoustic... and then it was confirmed it was a local guy called the MaleNurse. Se we settled into our concrete place spots to wait for all that was about to come counting down until 630.