My concert Journey 2024

Welcome to my concert journey of 2024. I am not sure how many parts this will be because I went to 24 concerts and had a lot to say about some of them.

We are going to start with an Emo night. It was great. I paid extra to have a table and be able to sit down. I also didn't want to be in the crowd. This was my first true Emo night. What I mean by this is that they had singers from different bands come up and sing.

The highlight for me was Cassadee Pope. I loved her on American Idol. The DJ was really good. He knew what songs to play. You want to get an Emo crowd going just play My Chemical Romance Welcome to the Black Parade. I also got merch for buying the ticket I did.

This was the first time I gave up LOL. I was just tired. I did end up hearing the last song the DJ played while I was waiting for my Lyft. It was Miley Cyrus The Climb. A perfect song to end the perfect night.

What can I say about Journey? It was an incredible show. This was my first time going to Alabama. The hotel was good. Journey is someone I needed to see live. They were with Toto. The setlist was a surprise. They played Don’t stop believing really early.

I think this was a good move. It got the crowd excited early, and the rest of the show was great. This was also the first show that I had a film phone. It was great because I could zoom in and the sound and picture was great.

Next one was a half repeat. It was Falling in Reverse and Disturbed. It was in Savannah. The drive was O.K. Falling in Reverse is just amazing. They finally did what I missed the first time I saw them. He did the different endings to Watch the World Burn. I love the operatic one.

Disturbed was really good. When you go to see them, everyone knows what two songs they are waiting on. One is Sound of Silence. About five thousand phones went up when he started singing it. The other they did as the second of three on core songs. It was Down with the Sickness. I just like the main singer. He is all about mental health.

The next show I went to was years in the making. I have wanted to see this show for a long time. This would be Hamilton. Of course, I have heard the music and seen the play on Disney+

Seeing and hearing it live is something else. Everything people said about the play was right. Specifically, that King George steals the show. He is definitely the comic relief. I loved this play. I did pick the last show of the Atlanta tour so there was no chance to see it again.

The next one was my first repeat. I went to see Peter Frampton in North Carolina. The drive up wasn’t too bad. There were a few spots on the road I didn’t like. The first was being trapped in. There was a big cement wall on one side and a smaller one on the other side. There were also narrow lanes. I hated it. The other part I didn’t like was when the road was louder than my radio. That was a little unnerving. The ride back was worse. I got stuck in construction traffic for over an hour. That sucked.

The place I stayed was nice. It was my first Airbnb type place. It was a nice house. I loved the neighborhood. It had a walking area right across the street. The room was big but the ceiling was low in some spots.

The concert was amazing. It was indoors in a way smaller place. This place held three thousand. The last place held twelve thousand. The crowd was something special. I have never seen that many standing ovations before. He played a song he didn’t play last time. He gave away a vinyl record and signed it. We were the first crowd of this leg of the tour. Definitely worth seeing a second time within a year.

The next one was a spur of the moment concert. I went to see Em Biehold in Atlanta. It was awesome. She closed with a song that has helped me a lot. It was Numb Little Bug. It is a mental health anthem song. It was a small venue and one where it was standing room only. It was the first time once I had my spot I didn’t move. It was the perfect spot for me.

The next one was interesting. It was my first country artist, and it was old country. I am talking about Hank Williams Jr. The first thing that surprised me was how many young people were there without any parents. I'm talking about people in their 20’s. His son opened. He was good. The second opener was Whisky Myers. He was O.K.

Hank was incredible. I like the way he got all the popular songs into the set. He did this by grouping them together and playing just a few lines of each. It was a short set. It was around an hour and fifteen minutes. It was a great set though. I was not disappointed for the first time seeing him.

If I go back to the BJCC I will be staying at the same hotel. It was an easy walk to the venue.

Up next was First to Eleven. I have so much to say about them. Let me start by saying I have found my holy grail for concerts. I honestly think nothing would be better than what I experienced at this show.

The best way to describe it is community. I did the Vip meet and greet. When you walk in Brooke Surgener was there handing out posters for First to Eleven to sign. She also was taking pictures for the fans with First to eleven. She was also the videographer during their performance. She not only did her own set; she performed a few songs with them also.

The meet and greet was great. I got to hand Audra part of an article I wrote about female cover singers. The other people asked good questions. After that we got to hear one acoustic song, it was by Echosmith. Which I also love.

They personally rang up their own merch. I love as big as they are online that they still want to connect with their fans on a personal level.

I loved all the performers. I am definitely a new fan of Brookes. There were a couple of songs she sang that got me. Daytona Beach 2000 rocked the place out. Loved them.

First to Eleven was just incredible. I was as close as I could possibly be to the stage and was directly in front of the speaker. Audra’s energy and her having makes First to Eleven who they are. Everyone's playing was great. I didn’t think anything would ever beat Ed Sheeran for overall experience, but this concert did. No matter how many concerts I go to I don’t think anything will beat this experience.

The next one was in Knoxville Tn. That was my first time there. I decided to do the not taking the Highway route. It took me about an hour and a half longer, but it was shorter in miles. It was a perfect drive. The place was good. This was the first time I did not see the host.

The night started kinda bad. It took me an hour and half to get a ride to the venue. I tried both Lyft and Uber. I made it just in time for the Meet and Greet.

The Meet and Greet was for Halocene. They were great. This time I did ask a question. I redeemed myself for the First to Eleven one. I loved the shirt and lanyard we got. The show was them and Icon for Hire. It was my first time seeing Halocene and second time for Icon for Hire. The difference this time is I wasn't sick for this one and I was upfront this time.

The venue was small. I am getting used to these kinds of venues. This show was sold out which meant I could not move. I have learned my lesson for next time I am there. Which will hopefully be next month. Which will start off the summer.

Halocene was everything I wanted. I was definitely rocking out. They played a few covers, and their original songs are everything. Will definitely see them again.

Something happened before Icon for Hire came out. A couple made their way to the front somehow. I mostly interacted with the wife. She was buzzed. She started talking to me and grabbing me through the first half of the set. She did give me her number to keep in touch. She was definitely trying to make me participate in the concert. They left halfway through the set.

I think I missed the full experience the first time I saw them. Being right up front helped. They're so good. She is definitely metal but kinda rapping metal. She did sing Lose yourself by Eminem. They did 2 or 3 acoustic songs. They got me in my feelings. While she was singing them it reminded me of Hamilton.

This was a great experience. I have learned to get my place up front at the venue. The meet and greets help me do that.

It is another Emo night in Nashville. I did the same stupid thing I did last time. I booked the same Hotel that doesn’t check in on Saturdays. I had to book the same hotel I did last time. At least this time it was the same price. The drive up was ok. The part that wasn’t was when it was raining so hard I almost couldn’t see. Other than that, it was good.

I was just a little late this time. The food was good as always. The gift bag this time was two shirts. I loved that. The headliner and groups they had this time I did not know. They were good. I love how they focus on female singers.

Before the show started the person that hosted Emo night came up to the VIP area and talked to us. Spencer was cool and I love what you do. He is so energetic. He ended the night with the Climb again.

The bad part of the trip was trying to get an Uber or Lyft back to the hotel. I did not know Zach Bryan was performing in town. The Uber and Lyft prices were crazy. I finally got an uber back to the hotel. THe drive home was kinda bad because of traffic on a Sunday. Can’t wait till the next one.

I went to Knoxville again. The drive up was good. I went the back way again. The hotel was nice. If I go back, I will try and get the same hotel again. Now let's talk about the show. I went to see Cassadee Pope. I walked away becoming a big fan of one of the openers.

The Meet and Greet was great. Love that we got to hear two acoustic songs. Then she did the Meet and Greet. She took a few minutes with everyone. It was great. I actually tried to look at her in the face. I did talk to her. There was one moment where my brain froze when she asked me a question. That is my life. She recovered great though.

After the Meet and Greet we had to go back outside and stand in line again. Of course we are in the front. I actually talked to people. It was nice. I ended up talking to a 76-year-old guy. He didn’t look it. He had some stories. I think what it is that I can talk about music. That is the way to open me up. I will say this is the first concert where I have felt that if you had a camera or phone up, they leaned into it. They were paying attention. That goes for all three performers. That is definitely a product of being in front and a small venue.

I am having a hard time with my thoughts and feelings for this show. The first opener was Natalia Taylor. She was great. She is the one I became an instant fan of. I love her voice and personality. Her drummer was handsome, and I noticed. That is unusual for me. I got to talk to her for a minute when I went to buy merch from her at the end of the night. Of course I made it awkward. That is my life. I had not planned on buying any merchandise besides Cassadee's. I wish I could have gotten a picture with them. Her drummer was selling merch. Can I just say that I love that about smaller venues and the people that play them.

The second opener was the Foxies. This is where the show took a turn for me. I didn’t like them.

Her persona on stage just was not for me. Didn’t like the songs or the personality on stage. The funny thing is I saw her interact with people before and after the show and she was great. It was the on-stage personality and the songs I didn't like. This is the first time I didn’t like an opener.

What can I say about Cassadee Pope? Very lovely person and an incredible singer. I was feeling down after the second opener. She cured that real quick. First song I was back in it. I love how open she is in person and on Instagram. I already knew she had neck problems. I am happy she addressed it in person. I love that she did songs off her new album. I love the new album. I like how she did her encore. She didn’t walk off stage. She just addressed it and sang the final song. Which was wasting all these tears. I had not heard this new version. It was incredible.

I was up front again. Which means I didn't move all night. No water or bathroom breaks. I loved this show. I think it has a little to do with the venue. I love small venues. Of course, I loved the Meet and Greet. The drive home was good.