What can I say? I lucked out. I did not want to spend $180 for my ticket. If I was going to spend that much, I wanted to at least WIN some of that money, it was, after all, a casino. I certainly did not want to LOSE any money, and then purchase a $180 ticket on top of that. But that's exactly what happened.
First time I went to the box office, they wanted to put me BEHIND the stage. I said screw that. Box Office is open til nine. I will check back. So at approximately 8:36 I walked up to a different box office window and asked the young woman, "whaddaya got?". She circled with a grease pen section 16, not bad, and then she said, but I do also have two on the floor. Section 2. I said, did they just become available? She said yes. I said, give me one. And so I was in Section 2, Row B (third row actually because they started with AA), seat 16. But I did not sit in my seat. I got seated, made friends with the two guys seated between me and the catwalk, spotted Ellen and struck up a conversation, and then with the coaxing of my two new friends and the confirmation from Ellen that it would be ok, I walked on over to the catwalk, where I stood for the entire show. This spot was nearly the same as the best seat I'd ever had up until now, which was Row L at the Dunk in Providence, also on the catwalk. But that was about ten people back. This was about half as much. And at the Dunk, there were two catwalks. Last night, there was just the one. Closer to the stage were security, Ellen's friend (who caught Steven's shirt and harmonica, I think he and Ellen just became friends last night), Ellen, Lisa, Kristin, two other girls, and then me. And then more security. Security told me no video, but I misinterpreted what he said and thought he was saying no camera, so I put it away for almost the rest of the show. Near the end of Round and Round I asked the kid, "everyone else has their cameras" at which point he told me still shots were ok, it was just video that was not allowed. So I repeated what he said, twice, and then thanked him, and proceeded to take what would be the equivalent of one of the largest rolls of film available today, about 40 more than I had already taken before he told me to put it away. OMG I might not have a job or any money, but seriously, that concert ticket was possibly the best two hundred bucks I've ever spent. The memories, pictures, and one tiny little piece of video I did manage to capture will last me the rest of my life. Not to mention sharing in everyone else's delight who was there, and knowing that I had one of the absolute prime spots in the entire arena, and possibly being able to see my own ugly mug in other people's shots. I am in heaven right now, and no one can possibly steal this joy from me!
Edit: 12/12/09 ~ With the fate of the band now a total unknown, this Aero Mo show and the Mansfield one become MUCH MUCH more valuable experiences for me.
