Lawrence KS, Feb 10 (delayed due to weather) Bottleneck, owllovers 1st GPTN headlining show!

Subject: owllover's first GPTN headlining show and review!

Started the night off at my sisters house jamming to a DVD of Ronnie Baker Brooks. check him out if you have never heard! We take off for Lawrence KS for our delayed date with GPTN. Stopped for brews and dinner at a local brewery, and the dinner was superb, the beers going down smooth. Took longer than we expected so we decided to skip the trip to the local Dillon's for yellow roses. We ran QUICKLY from the brewery to the Bottleneck, about a block and man was it cold! There she was, the GPTN bus all huge and shiny and beautiful parked right outside. Have to say walking in the Bottleneck was a trip-I was having flashbacks to college when I was a student at KU and being a drunken fool here long, long ago. The place has not changed one bit. Man, is this place a dump. I'm not kidding, it's one of those bars that you are SO GLAD IT'S DARK because who knows what you would see if you could ACTUALLY SEE. It's so small though, so I am thrilled beyond measure knowing the band is going to be RIGHT THERE. This place even has bleacher seats along with some booths. Head into the bathroom and some girl says to me WOW YOU LOOK LIKE GRACE POTTER. I said Oh no you did not just say that! She says it's my hair, that it's like hers (it really isn't, so she must have been pretty sauced) and mentions something about how I'm dressed.(this is pretty funny, because low and behold Grace's attire for the night was almost exactly what I also was wearing. She didn't break out a skirt/ dress this time ) Anyway, I thought this has got to be a great night if it's starting out with a compliment like that, even if she was obviously out of her mind! Brandi Shearer starts to play. I dug her music, she seemed really nice and layed back. During her set my hubby and I decide to go out and share a smoke....now, mind you we quit at the start of the new year, but this was a special occasion and since we have it under control, what could it hurt? We venture outside into the SUB ZERO night and light one up beside the bus. I swear I can hear Kick yapping..."yap. yap. yap" . About mid cig the door opens and out bounds MATT. What does this genius girl say? "WOW! WOW!!" and he turns with a smile that is the size of the state of Texas. "HI!" he says. "how's it goin!" I say "WOW!" again. He says "thanks so much for coming out tonite! we are really happy to be here!" guess what I say. "WOW!" I promise, this was the last time though, as I'm now snapping out of it and think I can come up with something better than wow. He says "we really like Lawrence, we love coming here" and I say "we are SO HAPPY that you guys made it! " and he says "cool, well-we'll see ya at the show!" and runs off...no clue where, it was like he just disappeared. And by the way, I was standing there holding my camera, but did not take a picture! I just couldn't do it..the guy is just trying to walk down the street. So hubby and I are hugely stoked, and we walk back in with a great story for our friends. Pretty soon Bryan walks through, and my hubby says HEY BRYAN! Bryan turns and says hello, and we ask him about their delay. He explained they were stuck in a parking lot of a Walmart and were really glad to finally get out of there. Said they really love coming to Lawrence ever since Wakarusa. He was so nice, and I managed to just smile and say how happy we were they made it, and didn't say WOW once. Go Amy! Scott walked by and hubby yelled hello and he turned and said hi. No Grace sightings other than on stage. Ok, Brandi is done and packing her stuff, and it's about time to get my spot since I noticed suddenly the area in front of the stage is getting crowded. Really, the only spot up front and not taken was directly in front of the hammond. ok, guess this will have to do! My BFF Kim is next to me, we are quite the mutt and Jeff, her being about 4'11", me about 6'2" with my heels on, and I notice this really tall guy next to her, he's about my height. He says to Kim she should get on the other side of him so she can have the spot right up front and he won't be in her way. wow, what a sweetie! Out comes Jen with the set list and I'm so excited I can't stand it. I start taking pics of the list, and the tall guy asks me if I prefer looking at the list, or not looking and being suprised. I say well, I'd rather be suprised, but I have to write this review for the street team and I want to be sure I remember everything! That's when he says I'M TEADHEADONE! I about fell right on the floor. Yes, I know he's a legend and all, but did I think he'd be here?? IN LAWRENCE KANSAS?? So we talk a bit and I already love him. Out comes the band. Grace was wearing black jeans, some greyish black Frye boots, a black bra (I say this cuz it was part of the outfit!!) and a see through-ish vintage Bon Jovi t shirt. She's smokin hot, as usual. Not sure what the guys were wearing, other than they all look great and look happy.

Here's the set list!
MastermindTreat Me Right
Stop the Bus
Meantime
Sugar
Sweet Hands
Ah Mary
Aint No Time
Falling or Flying
Lose Some Time
Sinking Man
Over Again
NBTW
Jet Airliner
_________
Encore Grace solo of Angel Band

I'm gonna sum it up by saying the band was tight, sounded great, energy was good, but it seemed to me they were a bit on the tired side. Don't get me wrong, they gave a great show, but from videos I've seen it probably wasn't Van's favorite show. I'd love for him to give his 2 cents. All in my party noticed Grace did not have eye contact with anyone in the crowd, nor with me even though I was right smack dab in front of her. She did give a shout out to Van and dedicated one of the songs to him, not sure which but it was towards the end of the show. Grace seemed so small, TINY, a lot smaller than she looked when I saw them with the Mule. When she came out to do Angel Band by herself, Jen walked out and taped something to her Hammond, and when Grace finished she basically said thanks and that was it. Van said to take a look at what was on that piece of paper, and the roadie guy came over and read that it said "it's all you", something like that, meaning the band wasn't going to come back on for Big White Gate encore. I did play my cowbell during NBTW, a bit timid at first but then just watched what Grace did and followed her lead, and my hubby the musician said I did a good job. However, I don't even think the band noticed I was playing it. I was a bit behind a speaker, and not sure with them beating the drum that they could hear me. Kinda disappointing. Another bummer-no Paris (was looking forward to hearing the new version), and for my sister no Apologies (her fave), and for my friend Kim no Big White Gate (her fave). Then, Van and I were heading over to the magic door where they all disappeared, Jen guarding the door. I showed her my posse shirt and said how bare and clean it looked and it would look so much better with some autographs, and she basically said it wasn't gonna happen. We talked for a bit, she seemed nice, but again, I just felt like everyone was just tired, ready for the night to be over. I'm not very good at this I can tell, not agressive, not forward, I just don't want to bother anybody. Van hung on and when we finally gave up all hope of getting any sigs, I looked over my shoulder and he was still standing at the door, talking to Jen. Hope he made it through that door! So, first GPTN headlining concert was very good, but I have a feeling won't be my favorite since it certainly won't be my last for 2008! Overall I had a really great time, and hopefully by the next time I see them I can be a little less starstruck and come up with something more witty than WOW. And maybe next time I'll get a photo with the band, and some autographs! Love the band, love the music, love the posse!

Side notes...some annoying fans. girl in front trying to out-sing Grace. ok, honestly, you really think you are even CLOSE to being as good a singer as her? But, she really thought so, and kept telling my friend Kim that SHE is a singer. One time she even sang her own riff after Grace ended a song...like after Grace was done singing, this girl did her own version of the ending. I'm all for singing along, getting into it, but you know the type of person I'm talking about....she also kept taking FLASH PICTURES, and if I were Grace I would have flipped her off. It was like Britney Spears and the popparazzi. And finally, and this is a pet peeve of mine...can't stand when fans shout out what they want the band to play. Play this, Let's hear that. come on people, who is putting on the show? You or the band?!! And do they ever listen to you anyway? I wasn't out there screaming PARIS!!! I WANT TO HEAR PARIS!! come on people!

Guy behind me who kept making me uncomfortable with things he was shouting at Grace, sexually suggestive, I dunno, it just rubbed me wrong. I'm sure she's used to it, probably didn't bother her a bit, but SHOW SOME CLASS.

Missed opportunities...pretty sure if I'd asked Matt would have ok'd a photo op with him outside, and Bryan inside. I just couldn't go there! SHOULD have worn my hugely- huge yellow posse t shirt. And the yellow roses would have helped for sure. I could have busted them out right there when talking to Bryan!

I am again a quitter...smoking anyway!

ok, owllover out! No spell check here so hope it's ok!