Post by DWF on Aug 30, 2015 9:12:57 GMT -5
"Look at all the people heeeerrrrrrrrre tonight !"
Well, after the highs and lows of hearing from Alex a little over a week ago and then driving all the way to Hershey, PA to find the show cancelled as we pulled up to a parking lot packed with people, Saturday's events made all things right.
We arrived in Bristow, Va around 4:30 yesterday, grabbed a bite to eat and proceeded to the venue. Got there prior to when they let folks on the lot but security was accommodating and let us proceed to Will Call. No sooner got there and we could hear the band was checking sans DLR (playing the likes of LIGHT UP THE SKY, and even a slow blues version of PANAMA). Checked the window and the lady said that none of the band guest tix/passes had arrived yet. A few minutes later I get a text from Al's asst/security guy saying "What is you location ?" Wrote him back and got a quick reply "Excellent. En Route." About 10 minutes later, he pulls up on a golf cart and yells my name, introduces himself and motions for us (my Mrs, myself, and one of my best friends) to hop on and says "I'm taking you back to see Alex now." NO TIX...NO PASSES..and whisked away on a golf cart... that was different. LOL
We sit briefly in catering as we are told "Give me a minute and I'll be back to take you to see him." (Extremely different vibe then the entire 90's where everything felt more loose and casual. Azoff has a security guy for each band member and most of the staff on that end of things are ex-military/Navy seal types who are extremely pro and very polite...but all business.) Next thing you know we are ushered back to a room that said "AVH" on the door and there he stood as I walked in and I got a bear hug and that old familiar smile. He quickly grilled me about my neck brace (I just had a recent injury & reminded him of when he sported a cervical collar through the bulk of the BALANCE tour... said he still has a lot of pain due to disc issues in his neck and that "They couldn't do surgery.") He made it clear it was physically tough touring/drumming now (at 62). I quickly introduced my wife and re-introduced my buddy and Al took it from there going over past stories and old laughs. He signed a few things, took some pics and made sure we had good seats ( center orchestra pit) . I reminded him again that over 30 years of "dealing with the likes of KISS, AEROSMITH, METLALLICA, RUSH, from a media standpoint etc that they all were (usually lol) very professional and nice but NOBODY...absolutely NOBODY ever made us feel as welcome and like family the way he and his brother did." My buddy chimed in how we would hang for hours, break bread together, they would tell music biz war stories , etc. Al reminded us that it was due to the fact that "You didn't have an agenda...it was real and honest..and fun." We stayed about 10 - 15 minutes max and his security guy came back and reminded him of the time frame (upcoming paid meet & greet at 6:30). We said our goodbyes and as he leaned in for another hug he said "I really appreciate you coming down...it's really great to see you again and I mean that." (His way of driving the point home of what we had discussed at length on the phone a few days prior.... scheduling and times frames are tight and regimented and "Irving's people keep us moving and like a mouse on a wheel... it is what it is.")
We proceeded back out to catering and we ran into and briefly chatted with Tony Franklin (bassist from The Firm & Blue Murder) as he told us he was playing with Kenny Wayne Sheppard, as was his catering table mate, SRV's drummer Chris Layton. We went out to our seats... and enjoyed Kenny's set. Around 8:45, the lights came upon Alex's kit and there he stood as the others took the stage to DLR's ever familiar "Look at all the people heeeere tonight" as they ripped into a blistering LIGHT UP THE SKY with little to no dial in sound issues. (In fact, from our vantage point the sound was VERY clear the whole night with only DLR having some lower range moments that were a bit buried mix wise. His recent illness kept Dave's banter to a minimum but it served the band and him perfectly - he just focused on the material.) All in all, a great well rounded set chock full of radio favorites and top notch deep cuts that made me smile....
Couldn't have been happier after 15 years of not seeing/talking to an old friend....... honestly meant a lot to me.
Well, after the highs and lows of hearing from Alex a little over a week ago and then driving all the way to Hershey, PA to find the show cancelled as we pulled up to a parking lot packed with people, Saturday's events made all things right.
We arrived in Bristow, Va around 4:30 yesterday, grabbed a bite to eat and proceeded to the venue. Got there prior to when they let folks on the lot but security was accommodating and let us proceed to Will Call. No sooner got there and we could hear the band was checking sans DLR (playing the likes of LIGHT UP THE SKY, and even a slow blues version of PANAMA). Checked the window and the lady said that none of the band guest tix/passes had arrived yet. A few minutes later I get a text from Al's asst/security guy saying "What is you location ?" Wrote him back and got a quick reply "Excellent. En Route." About 10 minutes later, he pulls up on a golf cart and yells my name, introduces himself and motions for us (my Mrs, myself, and one of my best friends) to hop on and says "I'm taking you back to see Alex now." NO TIX...NO PASSES..and whisked away on a golf cart... that was different. LOL
We sit briefly in catering as we are told "Give me a minute and I'll be back to take you to see him." (Extremely different vibe then the entire 90's where everything felt more loose and casual. Azoff has a security guy for each band member and most of the staff on that end of things are ex-military/Navy seal types who are extremely pro and very polite...but all business.) Next thing you know we are ushered back to a room that said "AVH" on the door and there he stood as I walked in and I got a bear hug and that old familiar smile. He quickly grilled me about my neck brace (I just had a recent injury & reminded him of when he sported a cervical collar through the bulk of the BALANCE tour... said he still has a lot of pain due to disc issues in his neck and that "They couldn't do surgery.") He made it clear it was physically tough touring/drumming now (at 62). I quickly introduced my wife and re-introduced my buddy and Al took it from there going over past stories and old laughs. He signed a few things, took some pics and made sure we had good seats ( center orchestra pit) . I reminded him again that over 30 years of "dealing with the likes of KISS, AEROSMITH, METLALLICA, RUSH, from a media standpoint etc that they all were (usually lol) very professional and nice but NOBODY...absolutely NOBODY ever made us feel as welcome and like family the way he and his brother did." My buddy chimed in how we would hang for hours, break bread together, they would tell music biz war stories , etc. Al reminded us that it was due to the fact that "You didn't have an agenda...it was real and honest..and fun." We stayed about 10 - 15 minutes max and his security guy came back and reminded him of the time frame (upcoming paid meet & greet at 6:30). We said our goodbyes and as he leaned in for another hug he said "I really appreciate you coming down...it's really great to see you again and I mean that." (His way of driving the point home of what we had discussed at length on the phone a few days prior.... scheduling and times frames are tight and regimented and "Irving's people keep us moving and like a mouse on a wheel... it is what it is.")
We proceeded back out to catering and we ran into and briefly chatted with Tony Franklin (bassist from The Firm & Blue Murder) as he told us he was playing with Kenny Wayne Sheppard, as was his catering table mate, SRV's drummer Chris Layton. We went out to our seats... and enjoyed Kenny's set. Around 8:45, the lights came upon Alex's kit and there he stood as the others took the stage to DLR's ever familiar "Look at all the people heeeere tonight" as they ripped into a blistering LIGHT UP THE SKY with little to no dial in sound issues. (In fact, from our vantage point the sound was VERY clear the whole night with only DLR having some lower range moments that were a bit buried mix wise. His recent illness kept Dave's banter to a minimum but it served the band and him perfectly - he just focused on the material.) All in all, a great well rounded set chock full of radio favorites and top notch deep cuts that made me smile....
Couldn't have been happier after 15 years of not seeing/talking to an old friend....... honestly meant a lot to me.
