Great Jones Fair Monticello, IA

[mar4aej]

One of Alan's other fan club members and I drove over to Iowa
and Really enjoyed this concert!  This is a small town fair in
eastern Iowa in Jones County...so the name.

We stayed ovnite in nearby Jackson County!   and drove
through Nashville, IA which we 'missed' while I was trying
to snap some pics from the moving car while she drove us
to reach the fair. It was one of those blink and you miss it
situations.
I was So disappointed to have missed that town, too.  I was
hoping we could get our pics taken by one another with the
sign.

She had a fc m&g and like me had waited since the beginning
of Alan's career for this op!  It was quick and delightful for her.
(She did get her signed photo ruined later in the rain. I wish]
that could be replaced for her. )

Alan's set was delayed by about 15 mins and there was lightning
approaching from the east and southeast so I was wondering
if the powers that be were making a decision about whether or
not to hold this at all.    About 45 mins into the set, it started
to rain and continued to rain all thru the rest of his set. But
he returned (quickly) for Mercury Blues as his only encore song.
He was wearing that taupe colored baseball style cap then.
We think Alan and his very talented Strayhorns played for well
over an hour but alas no time in those conditions to calmly
have a sit down segment.  But, we had a full moon until the rain
began.

When he finished singing Where Were You, the crowd spontaneously
began chanting U S A... U S A for probably a full minute.  He was
very touched and gestured a 'yes' as he beamed in response.

It was so sweet of Alan to mention the beautiful rolling hillsides
and farmland as one approached Monticello by car, too.  The
crowd responded loudly to Hard Hat and a Hammer but they
loved Every song I believe.  I saw new-to-me footage in the
videos for Remember When and everyone loves it as it nears
the end and the endearing images of Denise and Alan are shown.

I managed to stay dry but my friend was not so lucky...plus
someone spilled beer down her back!  That really is a disgusting
part of Country concerts and I wish something would be done
about this happening...and it being served in open cups to very
obviously drunk patrons, too.  We were turned off by cigarette
smoking taking place, too, as we have been smoke free so
wonderfully in these parts.

There has developed a very serious situation in the town just
north of Monticello and this is a link to an aerial view of a dam
breaking today there due to their recving over 10 inches of
rain.  The rain was intense on our trip back to our hotel last
nite as we drove towards Dubuque and then south. Once we
turned south, the rain stopped.  We lucked out today also on
our return drive to have only sunshine. What a relief.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/24/iowa-governor-says-immediate-danger-passed-catastrophic-dam-break/

[bb2832]

Wow..what an experience. I am so sorry you had the horrible weather. I know it must have been hard on Alan, the band and the crowd...but the show went on. That's awesome!  Sorry your friends picture got wet. I hope it could be replaced as well. I know you getting to be there made it all worth while.

Brenda in Indy

[mar4aej]

Thanks, Brenda,
 I fared ok but my friend sure was having quite a nite.
 Also, I wasn't the one driving in that terrible rain after the event
on strange roads in the pitch black darkness.
 Alan surprised me when he stayed much longer than I would have
thought wise, too.  So, overall, I was ok with things as the worst
things did not happen to me directly but I sure felt bad for my friend's
run of bad luck.  I was savoring every song and in disbelief that they
didn't make him call it off earlier. One encore song was better than none.

[Luckylady44]

Thanks for the interview, sorry about the weather.

[nelle]

Mar4aej  Thank your for your interview and I am too sorry about the weather. I hope your friend can get a new picture. I am so sorry she got so wet and got beer spilled on her.   Take Care       nelle

[JeanB]

Thanks for sharing your storry Marilyn.

Jean

[mar4aej]

You all are welcome.  I'm still savoring the Good Times Alan gave us
that nite a few weeks ago...as well as the one in April over in Champaign.
I did get a letter from the fan club office last Fri...saying they are going
to use that April concert review I submitted (back then)...and I have won
2 AJ concert tix for their using it.  aieeeeeeeeee

[Jeri_MS]

Thanks for the review, sorry about the weather. I would have freaked out. Your friend must be a good driver..
Congrats on getting to see Alan at least.. That is scary about the Dam possibly breaking.. I hope Alan and Band was in no danger also.
So glad you made it and maybe one time, you can see Alan in better weather..
Bless you all, Jerrie

[mar4aej]

Yes, Jeri, my friend is a good driver but the rain really got her spirits
down. It was such a relief that we drove part of the way back to the
hotel in No rain...and all downhill. ; )

The dam did break, Jeri.  It was a project 70 yrs old and costs then
were 100 Million $$$.  One of our DJs here is from that area and told
me those figures.  Homes worth $500,000 are now worth 25% of that.
He had two cousins who lost their homes there.

We were all so very fortunate that night that we got out of there when
we did. The dam broke the next morning about 10 a.m. and there were
people in pleasure boats who went over the dam.  I don't recall if there
were deaths but there were pics of fish laying on completely drained
lake bottoms.

Now, I keep looking at Alan's Oct. tour dates to show up as I think that's
when I want to use the fc-awarded tix for another show.