2009 02-23: Waverly, IA -- Wartburg College Recap**

** this is how I choose to remember the events of the evening -- may be slightly shaded with fangirl delusions. Opinions expressed herein are those of cece alone and do not represent DwEEB. ymmv. Just an opinion (tm Simon). Let's get on with it . . .

What is a Minneapolis girl to do when her favorite band decides to go on a college tour with no accessible stops near her? Well, drive to the middle of nowhere Iowa for a show naturally! Obvious to me, not so much to my husband, but because he is such a gem he agreed to come with me anyway. Happy wife = happy life and all that jazz! I managed to score 4 balcony tickets to the 2/23/09 Wartburg College show -- squeeee!

So Monday afternoon (finally!) we load up the car, pick up the brother-in-law and cousin I've also roped into going, and make the long ridiculously boring trek south to Waverly, Iowa. The drive only took four hours, but it felt like fifteen. It was about 5:00pm and we were hungry so we dropped into The Fainting Goat across the street from campus for happy hour and dinner. Fun little place! About 7:20pm we head over to Neumann Auditorium, pick up our tickets, buy a t-shirt, and are in our 3rd row from the back of the balcony seats by 7:35pm. Isn't the concert supposed to have started? Ack - apparently doesn't start until 8:00pm.

tick tock tick tock -- I'm ready for DwEEB! Let's go!!! Ryan Star comes on stage - liked his music - but I was getting antsy. By the time his set ended I was ready to jump out of my skin with excitement. Lights went down, Phantom music was played on school's organ (cool!) and then Heroes! YEAH!!!! Concert was awesome, no real words to describe getting to see Live!Dave. I thought the crowd was good for seeing a band they barely know. Dave gave a shoutout to the balcony, turned the house lights up and said "I see you up there!" (I'm sure directed right at ME, you know, because I was standing and he could totally see ME**). The balcony was kind of quiet, but I stood up for Declaration because I had been waiting to hear that song live. Once again, he had the house lights turned up and I'm pretty sure I was the only person standing ** (seriously this time) and he told everyone to get up. Everyone listened and stayed up the rest of the show. I can't remember what song, but the corwd up front started clapping along without prompting and Dave said "I like that! More of that!" Awesome. Loved that we got to hear Anodyne! Loved that we got light up drumsticks on BBS! Loved the whole show, really. My husband loved Hot for Teacher and was uber impressed. Said to me that it's the hardest damn song on Guitar Hero and he can't get past the first couple notes in "Expert" mode without getting booed off the stage

Headed out to the bus and only had to wait maybe 10 minutes for Dave to come and start working the crowd. He seemed to really like the "girlfriend application book" someone gave him. "There's an essay section!" Adorable!Dave. Got to us pretty quickly (he's getting efficient and it was frickin' cold out there). I had him sign my DCTR booklet - then he said he would be right back - went onto the bus and got the student "body guard on a power trip" his jacket to wear. After the comment on society after the "awwww" from the crowd (Snarky!Dave!) he turned attention back to me and signed my ticket stub. I asked him to say hi to my husband who was videoing the encounter. He said "hi husband" like he says it a billion times a day, and then looked up at the camera and said "OH! Hi husband! See? Hands off!" and he was holding both of his hands up in the air so my husband could see he wasn't touching me. Hahahaha Funny!Dave! LOVE my husband for getting this all on video. Took a photo of him with my cousin and told him she was a newbie I recruited to the fanbase . Then my BIL had him sign a plastic Fainting Goat cup we had from earlier in the evening. He told Dave we'd be heading over there and they should come too. Dave said "Love to, but we have to get on to the next city". Then he was off on down the line. Love him.

I wanted to wait to have Andy sign my THH CD, but we were really cold. I decided to go around toward the front door of the bus just to see if he would by chance come out. And he did! Right then! I squeed "Andy! Can you start on this end of the crowd?!?!" His reply "I can do anything you want me to do." *sigh* Told him how much me and everyone I play the CD for love it and asked him to consider a show in Minneapolis if at all possible. Got a photo and then we left.

We were pretty amped up after the show and I was flying high after the Dave/Andy encounters so we decided to head back across the street to The Fainting Goat to hang out. Ordered a couple drinks and sat down at the bar to recap and get their thoughts on the show. About 20 minutes later, the door opens and in walks Neal. Shut!Up! No really! He did, and they just kept coming after that. . . Joey and Kyle and Andy and a bunch of guys on the road with them and then Dave. SWEET! There weren't more than 50 people in the whole place and about half of them were with DwEEB. I didn't want to bother them as they were just there to have a drink and hang out like we were. After a little bit more "liquid courage" though I couldn't help myself and left my group and went over and started talking to Joey. So much fun - what a sweetheart he is! So grateful to be on the tour with Dave and loving every minute of it. Asked if he would come over and meet my peeps and cousin Katie is crushing! She had so much fun talking to Joey and thinks he is just adorable. A bit later I decide I want to talk to Andy some more so got his attention somehow (?) and had a couple conversations in between him playing Wii bowling with Kyle. Neal seemed pretty occupied at the bar and Kyle was into the Wii so didn't bug them. Dave was at a table having a conversation with a couple of fans from the show -- I recognized them from their balcony seats a couple rows in front of us. Funny that 3 of the other fans at the bar were also up in our section of the balcony. There were about 20 college kids that were there before we got there who got a couple photos and left, but other than that there was no one else in the bar. Dave, his band, and sound/light/manager guys and less than 10 fans including the four in my group. Unreal.

** I'm just gonna asterisk this whole paragraph! -- Between talking to my group, Joey and Andy I was stealing glances at Dave over on the other side of the room. I have to be honest - he did not look thrilled to be stuck over there. We made eye contact numerous times and I hoped that he could read my mind -- get up! come over here and talk to us! we're fun! and cute! and you're on my "list" so husband can't say a damn thing! get.over.here.now. -- didn't work. He stayed over there looking tired, bored and miserable. ** again, my perception only. ymmv.

Dave got up to leave after probably only 30 minutes or so and I couldn't let him leave without at least trying to talk to him. Remember? -- liquid courage -- So I literally jump in front of him and stop him in his tracks. . . The conversation goes like this:
Me: David!
DC: What?!?!?
Me: You're not leaving already, are you?
DC: Yeah, gotta get back on the bus.
Me: Aww no! Well, I couldn't let you leave without saying hi.
DC: Hi!
Me: Hi - um - what else? Crap. (looks him straight in the eyes) I can't believe it.
DC: Believe what?
Me: I have absolutely nothing intelligent to say to you right now.
DC: (chuckles)
Me: No really! It's not funny! Here I am, in a bar in the middle of nowhere Iowa, with you standing in front of me, I've got your full attention, and I can't think of a damn thing to say. This sucks!
DC: (looks at me like I'm nuts and appears amused)**
Me: Crap! Well, I guess that's the way it goes, right?
DC: (chuckles) Yep, I guess.
Me: Better luck next time for me, huh? Christ - this is unbelievable. Well, thanks again for a great show and I hope to get another random opportunity like this in the future and don't blow it.
DC: (chuckles) You're welcome and yeah, I'll see ya next time.

OMG! What the hell is my problem! Apparently alcohol gives me the courage to talk to Dave but does not mitigate the Dave!Trance!.

Hung out some more with Joey and Andy, then called it a night about 2:00am. As we left the bar turned off the neon green Fainting Goat outside so not sure how much longer they stayed.

So, that's that. Best road trip ever!