My Dierks Bentley Meet/Greet and Concert Experience
November 14, 2009 - Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
I Actually Got to “Come A Little Closer."
We got an early start the night of the Dierks Bentley concert in my home town of Lexington Kentucky, after a quick dinner my friend Heather and I headed over to Rupp Arena. The email I had received about my meet and greet said to be there no later than 6 pm, so we figured the earlier we went the better. We parked my truck and as we started to cross the street I looked at Heather and said “is that sound check or a car stereo?” because I could hear music but it wasn’t clear. As we got across the street and on the sidewalk by Rupp we heard it clearly. We looked at each other and screamed, “SOUNDCHECK!” Dierks was singing “Dixieland Delight,” so like two little girls we pressed our ears up to the building to hear better. I’m sure the cops sitting a little ways down the road were having a good laugh at us 30-something-year-olds acting like 3 year olds at Sesame Street Live.
We went inside and I got my information about the M&G which wasn’t until 7:30 and it was almost 5 at that time, so we walked around for a while,then waited near the doors so we could get in quickly.
At 7 pm my nerves started kicking in as the doors opened and security checked us and let us in. We found the floor access stairwell and headed down to where I was supposed to be for my M&G. This was my FIRST ever M&G. Luckily Ronna was on Twitter and reminded me to breathe--that Dierks was really sweet and not to be nervous! (Thanks for that btw!)
I saw someone in line wearing a DBCongress shirt and started talking to her (Vanessa) when another member showed up (Rebecca) and I started to feel more relaxed knowing they were just as nervous as I was.
We were taken to the M&G area and given the lowdown on what to expect. I was watching the area to my left thinking Dierks would come out by catering (looked like a hallway that would lead to a dressing room to me) when he came out to my immediate right and said “Hey guys!” At that point he put his arms around Vanessa and Rebecca (darn it, I had let Vanessa get in front of me! WHAT WAS I THINKING?) Then he went to the front of the line to start the picture taking process, and I was immediately mesmerized.
I was only like fifth in line but it seemed to take FOREVER to get up there. He put his arm around me and took our picture, then took my “Modern Day Drifter” CD cover and asked me my name. I told him and got the immediate “How do you spell that?”(got that my whole life!) So I told him and he started writing. Then I said “Yeah, it’s Honda with an S.” He got this look on his face and leaned down and said, “So it’s an O?”, “uh yeah” “ummm I need to make a correction” he said and he smiled at me. I think I really didn’t care at that point WHAT he called me. But he fixed it and handed it to me.
Being the goofy fan girl I am, I had taken a gift for Evie from my son Adam (they’re 6 months apart in age—in fact their birthday’s are reverse from each other Adam is 04/10/08 and Evelyn is 10/04/08, a fact I find intriguing). I had enclosed a card with a note from Adam and a picture of him for Evie. Dierks told me I didn’t have to do that, buying a ticket and being there was gift enough. He started to look at the picture as I was walking away, then he hollered at me “How old is he?” I told him “Nineteen months old.” He grinned and said “He’s cute—gotta keep him away from Evie.” He then told me he’d read the card on the bus if that was ok. I honestly don’t know what I said then since I was still reeling because he said my kid was cute!
He continued with the picture taking when I got a Twitter update (imagine that) and my phone started playing “What Was I Thinking?” I sheepishly tried to turn it off before it went through the whole chorus, when he stopped what he was doing, pointed at me and laughed and said, “I like that! That’s cool! Glad it wasn’t something like Kenny Chesney instead!” and smiled. I could only think...I hope no one CALLS me; it’ll play “Sideways!”
We had our group picture and I got to be right in front of him when that one was taken (I’m dying to see that pic!). Then we had some Q/A time with him, he discussed the Coal Mining Protest issue (he wasn’t protesting BTW) that was a mix up,(ask me if you want details), and answered a few more questions. No plans of making Evelyn a big sister anytime soon—one child is manageable; and the boys were doing well. Someone asked about doing “House of Gold” and he said this wasn’t a good venue for that song, and I mentioned we heard DLD on the way in. I felt like such a dork when I admitted to HIM we were pressed against Rupp Arena to hear it. He thought it was cool we could hear it outside.
While he answered a few more questions I kept snapping the camera then he stopped in the middle of a sentence looked at me and smiled a cute cheesy grin then went right back to talking—it was GREAT!
Chris told him he had about 60 more people to see and he told him, “THIS is my fan club, THEY are what’s important!” But he was reminded that the Radio station people were there too—so he admitted WBUL had been good to him and he’d better see their folks too! He gave each of us a big hug as we left. I was so excited I nearly left my camera bag/purse on the table!
The concert was AMAZING! He started it off with “Sideways” and did selections from each of his CD’s along with tributes to some of HIS favorite acts, and he ended the show with “Folsom Prison Blues.” Heather and I had floor seats in the sixth row behind the pit so I was able to get some GREAT pictures.
As the concert was ending and the crowd was starting to thin out while Dierks was still running around on the stage, I had my camera up taking pics. Dierks went to the end of the ramp closest to us. He looked right at me and pointed, smiling! Heather smacked me and I nearly dropped the camera I got so excited—what a way to end a PERFECT night!
I’m ready for my next DB concert, and think I’m even ready to road trip for one! I’ve already warned my friends and family I WILL be talking about this experience for a LONG time to come! So they have to deal with it! I think it’s really cool too, that I’ve even made a few new friends through the fan club and DB Congress!
I think it' pretty cool, too, Shonda! Welcome to the DBC family!
November 14, 2009 - Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY
I Actually Got to “Come A Little Closer."
We got an early start the night of the Dierks Bentley concert in my home town of Lexington Kentucky, after a quick dinner my friend Heather and I headed over to Rupp Arena. The email I had received about my meet and greet said to be there no later than 6 pm, so we figured the earlier we went the better. We parked my truck and as we started to cross the street I looked at Heather and said “is that sound check or a car stereo?” because I could hear music but it wasn’t clear. As we got across the street and on the sidewalk by Rupp we heard it clearly. We looked at each other and screamed, “SOUNDCHECK!” Dierks was singing “Dixieland Delight,” so like two little girls we pressed our ears up to the building to hear better. I’m sure the cops sitting a little ways down the road were having a good laugh at us 30-something-year-olds acting like 3 year olds at Sesame Street Live.
We went inside and I got my information about the M&G which wasn’t until 7:30 and it was almost 5 at that time, so we walked around for a while,then waited near the doors so we could get in quickly.
At 7 pm my nerves started kicking in as the doors opened and security checked us and let us in. We found the floor access stairwell and headed down to where I was supposed to be for my M&G. This was my FIRST ever M&G. Luckily Ronna was on Twitter and reminded me to breathe--that Dierks was really sweet and not to be nervous! (Thanks for that btw!)
I saw someone in line wearing a DBCongress shirt and started talking to her (Vanessa) when another member showed up (Rebecca) and I started to feel more relaxed knowing they were just as nervous as I was.
We were taken to the M&G area and given the lowdown on what to expect. I was watching the area to my left thinking Dierks would come out by catering (looked like a hallway that would lead to a dressing room to me) when he came out to my immediate right and said “Hey guys!” At that point he put his arms around Vanessa and Rebecca (darn it, I had let Vanessa get in front of me! WHAT WAS I THINKING?) Then he went to the front of the line to start the picture taking process, and I was immediately mesmerized.
I was only like fifth in line but it seemed to take FOREVER to get up there. He put his arm around me and took our picture, then took my “Modern Day Drifter” CD cover and asked me my name. I told him and got the immediate “How do you spell that?”(got that my whole life!) So I told him and he started writing. Then I said “Yeah, it’s Honda with an S.” He got this look on his face and leaned down and said, “So it’s an O?”, “uh yeah” “ummm I need to make a correction” he said and he smiled at me. I think I really didn’t care at that point WHAT he called me. But he fixed it and handed it to me.
Being the goofy fan girl I am, I had taken a gift for Evie from my son Adam (they’re 6 months apart in age—in fact their birthday’s are reverse from each other Adam is 04/10/08 and Evelyn is 10/04/08, a fact I find intriguing). I had enclosed a card with a note from Adam and a picture of him for Evie. Dierks told me I didn’t have to do that, buying a ticket and being there was gift enough. He started to look at the picture as I was walking away, then he hollered at me “How old is he?” I told him “Nineteen months old.” He grinned and said “He’s cute—gotta keep him away from Evie.” He then told me he’d read the card on the bus if that was ok. I honestly don’t know what I said then since I was still reeling because he said my kid was cute!He continued with the picture taking when I got a Twitter update (imagine that) and my phone started playing “What Was I Thinking?” I sheepishly tried to turn it off before it went through the whole chorus, when he stopped what he was doing, pointed at me and laughed and said, “I like that! That’s cool! Glad it wasn’t something like Kenny Chesney instead!” and smiled. I could only think...I hope no one CALLS me; it’ll play “Sideways!”
We had our group picture and I got to be right in front of him when that one was taken (I’m dying to see that pic!). Then we had some Q/A time with him, he discussed the Coal Mining Protest issue (he wasn’t protesting BTW) that was a mix up,(ask me if you want details), and answered a few more questions. No plans of making Evelyn a big sister anytime soon—one child is manageable; and the boys were doing well. Someone asked about doing “House of Gold” and he said this wasn’t a good venue for that song, and I mentioned we heard DLD on the way in. I felt like such a dork when I admitted to HIM we were pressed against Rupp Arena to hear it. He thought it was cool we could hear it outside.
While he answered a few more questions I kept snapping the camera then he stopped in the middle of a sentence looked at me and smiled a cute cheesy grin then went right back to talking—it was GREAT!
Chris told him he had about 60 more people to see and he told him, “THIS is my fan club, THEY are what’s important!” But he was reminded that the Radio station people were there too—so he admitted WBUL had been good to him and he’d better see their folks too! He gave each of us a big hug as we left. I was so excited I nearly left my camera bag/purse on the table!The concert was AMAZING! He started it off with “Sideways” and did selections from each of his CD’s along with tributes to some of HIS favorite acts, and he ended the show with “Folsom Prison Blues.” Heather and I had floor seats in the sixth row behind the pit so I was able to get some GREAT pictures.
As the concert was ending and the crowd was starting to thin out while Dierks was still running around on the stage, I had my camera up taking pics. Dierks went to the end of the ramp closest to us. He looked right at me and pointed, smiling! Heather smacked me and I nearly dropped the camera I got so excited—what a way to end a PERFECT night!
I’m ready for my next DB concert, and think I’m even ready to road trip for one! I’ve already warned my friends and family I WILL be talking about this experience for a LONG time to come! So they have to deal with it! I think it’s really cool too, that I’ve even made a few new friends through the fan club and DB Congress!I think it' pretty cool, too, Shonda! Welcome to the DBC family!
Lovely story Shonda! :)
ReplyDeleteThats AWESOME I had my first M&G this year too CONGRATS!!... and is that a FTF Tshirt he is wearing?
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Shonda! The m&gs are fun, aren't they? I like your pics....4400? Is that right?! Whew!
ReplyDeleteOh, and, yes, Beth, he was wearing a FTF shirt!
ReplyDeleteAwesome review! he asked me how to spell my name too, so don't worry! haha!
ReplyDeletei love the FTF tshirt pic, he looks ADORABLE!!
Lee Ann-- Thanks and yep 4400 (some were of Gloriana before Dierks came on-- when I was trying out my new camera.) I had originally got the new camera because my son is SO active I always missed a lot of great shots of him-- so this one will take like 30 pics every 2 seconds-- boy did that come in handy for the concert!!! When I got in the truck and looked at how many I took I was SHOCKED-- never would've guessed I was that many!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the positive comments-- I was a little nervous writing this... but the DBC is an awesome group, made it easier!
Devin, I bet you get asked how to spell your name a lot too huh?? Finally learned the "Honda with a S" usually helps w/mine!! Makes it more memorable for sure!!! :) :)