Living Invigorated

It was a rough drive to Bristow, VA the following day after the late night we had. Evan and I took turns driving and sleeping in the back of our Ford Escape. We arrived at the Jiffy Lube Live amphitheater at our usual time around 4 PM wearing the same clothes we had on the night before. The hot stagnate air amplified our dehydrated state.

If Jones Beach was the worst venue we have played on the tour, than Bristow was the best show. Because Pennsylvania has strict alcohol laws, the venue did not permit tailgating. The parking lot was swarming with local police who were helping patrons find their way to the main gates. Alcohol was served inside the venue so there were thousands of people in their seats with a beer in hand by the time Evan hit the stage. It was the largest and warmest crowd Evan has played to yet.

I didn't mention in my last entry that during the Jones Beach show the representatives working the venue (standing 'guard' at the VIP gate) were nasty old men. They weren't offensive in appearance it was their attitudes that were less than gracious, much less. In fact, I got into a little tiff with one of the men who refused to allow us to walk through the right side of the venue to get backstage. He insisted we walk the entire length of the breezeway and then back through. When I asked for an explanation as to why my ALL ACCESS pass did not permit me to walk through the right side of the venue he gave none. He only repeated himself, each time with more annoyance and anger. I finally gave up reasoning with him and walked the length of the venue as directed.

In contrast, Bristow had some of the nicest people I have ever met working the venue. The local production, especially, had the sweetest disposition out of all the people I have worked with. One of my main responsibilities is to collect Evan's paycheck from each venue so during the course of the night I have to locate the local production office and politely ask to be paid. I am very professional in my manner but internally talking about money makes me uncomfortable so I make these interactions short.

However, Peter the local production manager for the Bristow venue was the nicest guy. He asked me three times to thank Evan for opening for Heart and gushed about how great he sounded. Conversation was light and we giggled over the oversized decor in his office; foot long calculator, foot long t.v. remote, 3' pen, 3' eraser, soup bowl sized thumb tacks on the wall. He was a man that clearly loved laughter. Just as the giggles tampered off, the paperwork I needed to sign came sliding through a mail slot in the wall behind his head which caused another surge of laughter. It was a change of atmosphere that was refreshing, Peter truly revived my spirit from the night in Long Island.

After Evan finished his set we went into the crowd to catch up with his friend Rick and his wife Kristen. We stayed with them that night along with their two bulldogs, Bacon and Lloyd. A good nights rest followed by a day off was the perfect medicine to get us over the disappointment filled hangovers we were sporting earlier that day.