After my last experience with Big D in November, I was super excited that they were coming back in Feb. I made my Big D shirt, I made cupcakes for them, I was all ready to go. But wouldn't you know it, 2 days before the show I catch my husband's cold. OH NO!!!! I CAN'T MISS THIS SHOW!!! So I start a full frontal attack on this cold. BAM nyquil, BAM vitamin C, BAM vitamin D, BAM juice, BAM lots of rest. I fought it with every fiber of my being. I even popped some Dayquil before the show. Just so I could make it through the night. Once the show was over, it could take me. I didn't care if I was bedridden the rest of the week, I just needed to make it through this damn show.

So I got there, got an amazing parking spot, hit the merch booth and talked to Sirae (one of the doped up dollies) and bought a sticker from her. She was nice. I also saw Dan (trumpet) and talked to him for a bit which was nice because last time I saw them I didn't get to speak to him. He's very nice but kinda shy. Then a while later the show started. It was weird to see Big D be the opening act. They were awesome but the set was too short! I wanted to hear more songs. But they did play I, I, I which is my FAVORITE song off the new album so I was in heaven.

After them State Radio played. I watched them from the patio area where they have a video projection of the stage. They were good. I asked the girl at their merch booth what she would qualify them as musically. She said the best description she heard was "If Bob Marley and Rage Against the Machine had a baby, it  would be State Radio". I found that to be a very fitting description. One thing that bugs me about them is that their hit single "Knights of Bostonia" sounds NOTHING like any of their other music. Its soooo disappointing because I really love that song!! Why can't they do more songs like that? I would totally buy that cd. Anyway people really liked them and they seemed like nice guys although I didn't really talk to them.

While they were playing I was at the Big D merch booth. I talked to Steve (bass) for a while. We talked about how Sean (guitar) and Paul (trombone) quit the band because they got married and wanted full time job. Which is understandable because Steve was telling me they're pretty much broke. Thats why they have to tour so much, because the only way to make money is live shows. You would think after 14 years they'd be set financially but nope. I guess its a common misconception we all have about bands. That they're rich.  Paul and Sean are happy to play local shows they just don't want to tour anymore. Their new guitar player is Brian Klemm. He's a former member of Suburban Legends and bares a striking resemblance to Patrick Dempsey. Its quite uncanny. I asked Steve if they would be replacing Paul with another trombone player. He said it was too expensive. He also told me Dan (trumpet) was thinking of calling it quits soon as well. So they might replace him with another trumpet player or go with a trombone instead.  He was really cool to talk to.

Then I got to see Ryan (sax). I was so excited to see him. I was like "RYAN!!" and shook his hand. He was like, hey you made it. I was SHOCKED because I had written a FB status earlier that day saying that I would drag my lifeless corpse to the show if I had to, I wasn't going to miss it. I had tagged Ryan and Dave since we're FB friends. And Ryan left me a comment saying "Yeah do it!". So I was shocked that he knew that was me at the show. Very cool. I talked to him for a while and told him that last time I saw them I wore my Emerson Sucks shirt and he said "yeah I remember". The reason the shirt thing came up is because he and Dan were checking out the big D shirt I had on. I made it myself and they liked the design. They even said they wanted to sell it! I talked to Ryan for a while. Man he is so my favorite. He's just super friendly. You can tell he's just one of those people who can talk to anyone. I'm so glad I got to talk to him for a while. Then I took a picture with Ryan, Dan, and Brian after they signed my shirt. I told Ryan I had some cupcakes for them in my car and I would give them to him later. Stupid me, I thought after the show I would get to see the rest of the gang.

After everyone dissipated I saw little ole Derek Davis (drums), I'm friends with him on twitter. So I introduced myself and got him to sign my cd and got a picture with him.  Then it looked like the entire place was clearing out so I went outside. This was around midnight. I saw the State Radio guys go into the tour van. But no Big D. I saw Dave signing some autographs outside the door and I was going to try to talk to him but he left running into the venue. So I waited outside in the parking lot alone in the cold for a while. I should mention that the dayquil wore off and the sick was full on. I should have just left but I really wanted to give them the cupcakes. Somewhere around 2 am I decided that I was an asshole for staying out there that long. And frankly, a little stalkerish. My enthusiasm sometimes comes off the wrong way. So I just wrote them a note and placed the cupcakes outside their tour bus. I don't know if they ever got them. But oh well.

It was a fun show, although it had a weird ending for me. I always enjoy seeing Big D and can't wait to see them again.
I did a crappy job with the pics and videos because I thought I would have a chance to meet with them after the show and take pics and vids then. So here's what I got.