Columbus Ga

[BETTY]

Had a wonderful time in Ga Sat nite. Alan and the Strayhorns were AWESOME  as always .It was nice to get to see Terry from Ca. and the the other Aj Fans Thanks so much Cindy for the Awesome seats .

[Dot]

Betty, glad you had a good time. 
It was so nice of you to invite me to go with you. Just couldn't get everything in order to go.
But thanks anyway, maybe next time. 

[bb2832]

Betty, I am glad you had a great time. Columbus is so close to Newnan, I'll bet Alan stopped in to see his momma, beings it was so close to Mother's day

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Betty, thanks for starting this thread. Were you the one who came up with Terry and talked with my sons and I? Good to meet another AJ fan at the concert.

Terry, sorry I didn't recognize you right away. I kept wondering why Michael was intently looking at you with that big smile on his face. LOL! It seems to me that your hair is darker than it was the last time we got together at the Alpharetta concert. That's what threw me off. Maybe just my imagination? Great to see you again. Next time give me a holler, will 'ya? :-)

We arrived early at the venue after making a side trip to the nearby Farmer's Market where I bught some fresh fruits to take home. After we got our tickets we drove around at the back of the venue to see the tour trucks and buses. Got some great shots but was not meant to be for me to have them. Will explain later. A young guy in a real nice red convertible sports car drove by and stopped as I was taking pictures of the trucks and buses and informed me that "Alan and the Strayhorns are rehearsing right now" but that he doesn't know if we will be allowed to go inside the venue. We went right back inside but were not allowed to go to the stage area. So we just stayed at the lobby and listened to the whole rehearsal session. That was neat and beat staying outside and standing in the heat too.

As always, Alan put on a great concert. And, as usual, we got great seats (2nd row and close to the center). Thank you, Cindy! We enjoyed it that Alan and his band members were all upbeat and happily interacting with the fans. Enjoyed the music and Alan's wit and dry sense of humor. It was also the first time I've seen Alan in concert not wearing holey jeans. I think he should do that more often. And for those of you who has been waiting for his mustache to grow back. . .IT'S BACK!!!! And he has shaved off his beard too. I think both Lauren Alaina's and Alan's show were planned to honor their  Moms with Mother's Day coming up. Lauren's Mom was in the audience during her show and Alan introduced his Mom and Denise's Mom who both were also in the audience during his show. He said his family "didn't want to come." I was choked up when Alan sang Sissy's Song as we just celebrated the second anniversary of my young niece's death the last week of April. It was more touching for me hearing Alan singing it in person. Love the song, Dixie Highway and can't get it out of my head as we drove on that highway after the concert going back home. There's nothing more to say except that it was another great show that ended way too soon. I think all of you who has been to Alan's concers know exactly what I'm talking about.

I heard someone said one time, "Where there's something good going on there 's also bound to be something bad." That was the case with me at the Columbus concert. First off, let me tell you all, this was the worst venue experience I had by far. I had not realized that this is one of those venues that allows patrons to bring food and drinks at the stage area during concerts or I would not have gone to the concert at all, with all due respect to Alan. Beers were spilled on the floor everywhere as if it was a sports event that has just taken place. I made a mistake of leaving my purse on the floor and, along with the bottom of our shoes, it got wet with beer at the bottom. My son, Michael, and I bought t-shirts and I placed them on top of my purse. They too got wet when a rather semi-rotund bellied guy passed from behind us while we were standing, kicked my purse and dropped the t-shirts on the floor, stepped on them and then pushed me against the seat infront of me. He couldn't wait for the guy ahead of him to completelly pass through behind us and  lierally squashed me. In the process I hurt my lower back real bad (I had surgery done in my lower back August of 2004 and it has weakened and become susceptible to painful straining and stiffness since). This made me so mad. I was kind of screaming, but, of course, with the loud music going on nobody paid any attention to me except my other son who was standing right next to me.  It took couple of days for the pain and stiffness to completely go away. I'm sorry, but if Alan have a concert there again, I will have to pass it up. I would hate to miss his concert but. . . .

I mentioned earlier that I had taken some pictures of the tour trucks and buses but that it was not meant for me to keep them. During the concert, I tried to take some pictures but my camera suddenly will not take good pictures. So I started playing with the setting and tried to make some adjustments. Well, dumb me, I accidentally deleted all the pictures I had taken. Geeeeez......! I think it's time that I got me a real good camera for taking indoor events shots.

Ok, that's all folks! Take care everyone and until next year. . . . .

BHR

[AJSCALIFFAN]

BHR, yes my hair is a bit darker than the last time I saw you.  Micheal recognized me right off, that's why I talked to him, he's so sweet.  The ladies with me were Louann and Debbie, from Florida.  I flew into Orlando, and stayed with them.  We drove up to the Pensacola concert and then over to the Columbus one.  The couple sitting next to you were Betty and her husband.

Dot, sorry you couldn't make it, would have loved to see you again.  It was good to see so many AJ friends I haven't seen in a while. 

Betty, it was great spending some time with you and your hubby, also Deb and Bill.

Had a ball with Louann and Debbie, thanks so much for the hospitality.  Hope to do it again soon.  It was great to "be on the road again" with dear friends.

Miss the holey jeans!!!!!!!

[Luckylady44]

I had been waiting to hear about the Columbus show.  I was thinking of all of you on that weekend.  One of these days I'll get back to seeing the tall blonde guy and the fans too.  So glad y'all had a good time.

BHR, I'm like you as far as the alcohol being allowed in the seating area, especially in the front because of the youth who don't know how to handle it.  I think it was Maureen that said England does not allow it in the seating area, which would be fine with me.  If you want to drink, drink it where it is sold.  That would eliminate a lot of the problems.  Sorry you had some bad with the "good times". 

[Allison]

BHR Ijust saw Alan in Hamilton in Ontario, and unfortunately unless the concert is at a Casino Hall Canadian venues also allow drinks and food at the stage and your seats.  I also would rater not have it aloud, don"t get me wrong I like a drink but I don't appeciate these young kids that can't handle it rushing the stage pushing and shoving when Alan was signing autographs.  This last concert I went to in Hamilton was the worst my girlfriend and I where standing at the stage and everytime Alan started to sign things we had to push the people back it was terrible.

Allison
Barrie, Ontario

[ajfan4sure]

I hear ya Allison.. we were in Hamilton too, and a "few" had too many drinks.
We were at the stage as well, and my friend got a cowboy boot in the head
from someone (who had too many) who kept trying to get it signed He
tried pushing his way in but everyone stood firm.

[ajthecatsmom]

BHR that sounds terrible.  So sorry for that.  Last year at the Oshawa, Ontario show it was the same thing.  There was more beer spilt on the floor than what was in the glasses This was in February in an hockey arena so  C O L D......Once he started signing, big guys jump right over you and knock you down.  If they can't handle it, they should not have it on the floor.  It is a big mistake.  I guess it happens alot more than we know.

Gwen

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Thank you all for your caring and compassion. This is the second time I had attended Alan's concert at a venue that allowed drinks and food at the stage area but this is far worst than the previous time. Then, it was my knee and shin that got banged up. Couple of females with their male companions sitting behind us went on a drinking binge. . .extra large drinking cup refilled about 4 times. . .and the 2 females passed out and fell on the floor pushing our chairs while we were standing up during one of Alan's songs. My son, Michael and I got hit at the back of knee as our chairs fell forward and I bang my knee and shin against the back of the chair infront of me. My son only bang his knee on the chair infront of him. All the while, the two guys thought it was hilarious and was just laughing and not even tried to help their female companioins back on their seats. We were all so angry and called the security's attention, along with the others nearby who saw what happened. The group where escorted out of the venue unceremoniously. I can understand that the venue makes added money from it, but what? At the expense of the concertgoers? If anyone of them gets seriously hurt because of the drunk fools, will the venue pay for their medical expenses? Not bloody likely. Btw, it's not always the artist's or their management's decision to allow sale of alcoholic beverages during concerts. The venue management have just as much, if not more, say to it too. I would be more careful and do research of the venue next time before I make a ticket purchase to Alan and any other artists' concert. Obviously, I no longer can allow myself, physically, to be close to or around alcohol drinking crowd.

Thanks, again, everyone for being caring and compassionate of what I went through at the concert. I really appreciated it very much.

Terry, I knew it, your hair color was a little darker than before. Thanks for confirming that. It's a comfort to know that I wasn't just imagining things. LOL! I'll remember it next time we get together at Alan's concert. :-) Great to have met with you again.

BHR