You can’t get much closer than this!

[View with PicLens]

Yakima (yak’·uh·maw) a city in BFE. Cow town. *cue “One Horse Town*

I really didn’t think I would be able to score a ticket to this show. And being as it’s in the aforementioned BFE, a good 2 and 1/2 hour drive over the mountains to get to, never mind my previous front row experience which has spoiled me forever, I had no intention of considering anything less than Row 3.

My day before the concert started bad. I got up, said something that *I* thought was nice, and got yelled at about it. Screw it. Went back to sleep. Got up again, said something (different) *I* thought was nice to someone else, and got yelled at about it. Screw it. While I’m curled up in the corner, feeling sorry for myself, I might as well make it really pitiful and  check for tickets to Elton in cow town and wallow in the fact that I won’t be getting my gig fix anytime soon.

I type in “1″ under ticket quantity, faithfully reproduce the jumbled captcha letters, and hit “find best available ticket” and wait. The screen pops up that a ticket is available, so I read the location, fully expecting the same seat I’ve been finding for the past few weeks: on the floor but “way back” in row 12.

*blink*

I reread to make sure I’m not misreading.

LEVEL: Floor SECTION: 1 ROW: 1 SEAT: 4

Row 1… Row 1???? Seriously… Row 1!

“Purchase”

OMG

PURCHASE!!!

Concert Day

The drive there is uneventful, though I did learn a few things.

1) My car does indeed, like to go fast. And it likes to do so even while, and perhaps even more, when it’s climbing a hill/mountain. I’d be traveling with cars that were all doing 70-75 and when we’d hit an incline, they would all slow down as their cars pulled up the hill, and I blew right past them. No struggling at ALL.

2) Once you get out of the Seattle area, where the roads are thick with cops ready to pull your ass over for anything they can come up with, you’ll be lucky to see one. I saw one. On my entire 360-mile round trip.

I drive past miles and miles of Tumbleweeds, anxious to make my Connection (oh stop groaning, I had to). Upon reaching cow town, my GPS leads me to the SunDome. You know how when you see something in the distance it looks small because it’s so far away and as you get closer it gets bigger? I first see the Sundome when I am half a block away. There really wasn’t much closer I could get, except to pull in the parking lot, which, and I am NOT joking here.. had 7, yes SEVEN rows of parking and a whopping $7 to park. My jaw is dropped and I’m laughing hysterically. Oh yes, this is going to be good.

There were people a couple cars away having a tailgate party which made changing into my concert outfit in my car just a TAD BIT more difficult than it should’ve been. Tank top into halter. Nuff said.

With proper paperwork (ticket confirmation) I go to Will Call and get my actual ticket. I maintain my composure and resist the urge to jump up and down screaming (yet).

Already my previously ridiculously comfy (walked 5 blocks in them after the last concert) platform concert shoes were betraying me and I had to apply pre-emptive first aid (bandaid). I laugh as I fall in line.. ONE big long line roped off weaving back and forth like… cattle.

Once inside, I am again in awe. This place is… well one friend who saw the pics asked if it was a high-school gym. And it felt a little like that too. People were running into other people they knew.

There are only 2 entrances; one in the back on the left and one in the back on the right. I bought a coke (for $3) and a slice of pizza (for $3).

I wander around but well quite frankly there’s not a whole lot to see. I scope out the concession stand and decide I need a program but don’t want to have to hold onto it while I’m standing up at the stage later, so I ask the woman if they’ll be open after the show. She says yes, but quantities are limited, so I might want to come during the intermission that they’ll most likely have. I stifle a laugh and tell her “Elton doesn’t take a break”.

I check out the sound booth multiple times but Clive (the soundboard god) isn’t there. I do see him later right before the show starts, rushing off somewhere. I’m thinking this little dome-hut must be a bitch to get the sound right in.

I go over in front of the piano and take a pic. I make nice with the lucky 3 guys whose seats are directly in front of where Elton will be sitting. We exchange pic taking and I tell them to save me a spot because I intend to make my way over when we’re allowed to go up.

Returning to my seat, I ask one of the (FEW!) security guys what the “go” song is. He looks at me blankly. “The what?”

Why do I know more than them??

I explain that the go song is the song where people (in Rows 1-3) are allowed up to the stage. Ah, there we are. Some recognition of what I speak. He still has to ask the other security guy though, who answers “Bennie and the Jets”. Having my intel, I take my seat.

Finally the show starts with Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. Always a great opener. They’re really rocking it and Bob Birch, the bass player, walks over behind Elton and while I couldn’t see exactly how, as the piano was in the way, he was right up against Elton, facing him, down at his level doing the posing/playing thing and then said something to Elton, they were laughing and then he kissed Elton’s neck laughing and returned to his spot.

The next song was Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting and this time Davey went over behind Elton for a little posing interaction. The boys were really rocking it tonight and the crowd was into it. He then played 3 songs from Madman Across the Water, including a different piano solo ending to the title song than I’ve heard him play before. After that, you’re on your own. It’s all a blur. Lots of songs. Lots!

Between songs during the applause/cheering I’d hold my jacket up above my head, hoping to catch his eye. His glasses are dark and there’s no facial expressions that giveaway that he sees it but I can’t imagine that he doesn’t, since I am directly in his line of sight as he sits at the piano. More than a few times, he’s hammering on the piano making faces as he does, while I play air piano making similar faces as we egg each other on.

<so worth the drive… so worth the drive>

At one point, a guy in the second row was recording video on his phone and the security guy stopped him. Pics are ok but video is forbidden. I make note of this and will be more careful when I start taking video, which I fully intend to do. Which happens relatively soon as Elton announces his next song will be from his new album due out in October that he made with Leon Russell. VIDEO OP! Always… ALWAYS get the rare songs. So I whip out my camera and start recording, being careful to cover the telltale red blinking RECORDING light. I get quite a bit before security spots me and says no video. I act all surprised. “Oh! Really? Ok.” and sit down with my camera in my lap… STILL ON RECORD. Granted, it’s aimed at total blackness but I am still getting the audio. I suddenly remember that there is a screen above me and to the right so I attempt to aim the lens towards it, but having absolutely no way of knowing exactly where it’s aimed. I miraculously aimed spot on! Msg me if you want to see it.

Davey notices me and acknowledges me a few times. There’s no mistaking it, he smiles at me, nodding his head. There’s also no mistaking it when he sees my jacket. He does kind of a double-take, laughing, kind of “wow” look and looks over at Bob like “do you see that?”

<so worth the drive… so worth the drive>

I keep waiting for that unmistakable first chord to Bennie and the Jets, but song after song is NOT Bennie. My coke is getting low and while I don’t feel the overwhelming urge to use the little girl’s room, I’m concerned that if I don’t remedy it, it may become overwhelming while I’m up at the stage and there is no way in hell I’m leaving THERE. So I calculate my trip and leave the second a song starts after making sure it’s not Bennie. Daniel starts and off I dash. Did I mention this place only has TWO bathrooms? Fairly empty at the time though. *PHEW* Dash back to my seat *just* as they play the last line.

*pant* *pant* *pant*

More songs. Not Bennie. What’s going on?? It’s nearly 10 o’clock! Is Bennie going to be the last song of the night or what?? Everyone sits as he dives into a lovely piano solo, that I know will eventually end up rocking  into Take Me To The Pilot, and sure enough I’m right. What was really weird was when it did? Everyone, except me, of course, *stayed* sitting. Even the drunk girl 4 seats down who at one point (during the concert, not during this song) seemed to think she was at a rodeo or something, waving a scarf around in circles above her head like a lasso.

Eventually, I’m standing, applauding whatever song just played and Sad Songs starts so I stay standing. Then I notice people in front of the piano are going up to the stage. I pause for a milisecond as thoughts run through my head.

What are they doing?/That’s not Bennie/They’re going to get sent back to their seats/It’s not time yet/Wrong song/Wait/They lied to me/Or too stupid to know/Nobody’s stopping them/OMG/Why are you just standing here you idiot/GO!!!/NOW!!!

I go like the wind. I make it to the crowd and realize there is no hope of getting in front of Elton so I fall in up against the stage. Elbows on the stage, I’m pretty much in front of Bob, between Davey and Elton. And again, oddly enough… directly in Elton’s sight.

<so worth the drive… so worth the drive>

I turn on my camera and start recording video. The secret, besides having a nice crowd of people as a buffer between me and security, is that I don’t aim at one thing non-stop. So, apologies for all the movement in my videos. You KNOW I have rock-steady video camera skills (see my previous videos) but I had to make it look like I was shooting still pictures.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The NEXT song is Bennie. Time to rush the sta… oh yeah, we’re already HERE. Ha! After Bennie, they launch into The Bitch is Back. I keep the video rolling because I *know* what’s coming, and sure enough, that’s right… I get Elton’s infamous handstand on the piano. Yes!! So to those who didn’t believe me last time when I said he still does them? Check THIS!

I’m a two-fisted camera maniac up here. Shooting video with my camera and taking still shots with my phone, though I only manage a couple of the latter before my battery dies. I’ll have to recharge immediately when I get to my car so I can use the GPS to find my way out of this one horse town.

At one point I notice Davey coming straight at me. OH! I grab the camera as I’m sure he’s going to come up to the edge of the stage and jam and these will be most awesome shots! During moments like these, you do not *wait* for your shot, you just start shooting and sort it all out later. So I shoot this

Note that his right hand is nowhere to be seen. Why? Because he is bending down giving me…

a guitar pick!!

<so worth the drive… so worth the drive>

More songs.

More rocking.

More… just more.

Then the end.

He and the band go offstage.

Then he comes back and walks right past the piano to the right side of the stage where one of the crew hands him…

A SHARPIE!

This only means one thing.

OMG OMG OMG

I fumble around and get the video rolling and get my jacket ready. How in the hell am I going to hold the jacket with one hand so that he can see it at all and the camera with the other??? AGH! I manage to. Somewhat anyway.

He signs loads of things as he makes his way close and is right next to my jacket signing something and hands it back to its owner, signed.

andddddd…… thennnnn…. oh please oh please oh please…….

TAKES MY JACKET!!!

He takes a step back and finds the right place to sign and there is time here… say something… mouth don’t fail me now… breathe first… no, just speak… SAY something…  I manage to sputter out an actual sentence  ”I’ve been trying ten years!” (actually I made the jacket 13 years ago when I went to LA to see him on Leno & have been trying to get it signed ever since) He hears me and raises his eyebrows.

I wish I had gotten that on video but apparently the camera was aimed… oh hell I have no idea where but I DID get my jacket in his hands as he hands the jacket back to me on video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

<so worth the drive… omg so so so so sooooooooooo worth the drive>

He makes his way to the other side of the stage, signing tons of things along the way.

The band comes back on in their comfy clothes and they play a few more songs. Gotta love Bob’s outfit.

I manage the foresight to ask someone to take a pic of me. It’s blurry. It’s dark. It’s contrasty. But it’s me. And it’s Elton. In the same frame. OMG. LOL

SO.

WORTH.

THE.

DRIVE.

Ashton Kutcher & Rob Luketic

Ashton and director Rob Luketic (@RobLuketic) brought us along on this cinematic journey from the beginning, tweeting and streaming the whole way. We watched, glued to our monitors, as Ashton’s character raced along dangerous curves in a sports car with a helicopter in close pursuit. We shivered sympathetically when he jumped into the cold Mediterranean waters. We jumped, startled when an office explosion shook the walls and things flew, narrowly missing the camera. We rode along via Rob’s iphone strapped onto a dolly, down the aisles of a big department store. We laughed as Ashton tried in vain to find someone to take his dare to… uh… ok well we were educated as Ashton read the instructions on a.. oh, um, we won’t go there either, you really had to be there. And we WERE! We formed friendships among the others watching like us. And we became fans.

The credits that roll at the end of a film go on forever. You won’t see MY name on that list, but I feel like I was a part of it, because I was there, virtually!

When the trailer was released, we all watched and squeeled “Oooh! I remember that!.. And that too!” throughout the entire thing. Here is a film, that without having seen ANY outside advertising, has me chomping at the bit to pay to go see. Think about that.

In yet another unprecedented move, the journey continues. We will be allowed to watch the first 13 minutes of Killers online on Facebook (http://facebook.com/killersmovie). Remember, the critics have not yet seen the film.

Lionsgate, well done. While most studios are now including clauses in their contracts strictly forbidding any tweeting or facebook updates during filming, you have embraced it and I for one, hope they recognize your example as a success and follow suit. And we will follow THEM… and RT them, and if they do it half as well as @RobLuketic and @aplusk did, we will become their fans as well. Welcome to decade of the social interwebs.

On January 1, 1998, the FDA started requiring the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flours, corn meals, pastas, and other grain products. So chances are you get a nice hefty dose every day. What?? Is this some conspiratorial plot by the government to kill us all? Or perhaps a plot by the pharma companies who make billions and billions a year on cancer treatment? Hmm, actually let me get back to you on that. Until then, let’s assume this is just an innocent lesson in irony.

Folate, the natural form of folic acid, is necessary to synthesize and repair DNA, among other things. Deficiency can cause defects in developing embryos. So the FDA decided gee, we need to catch those embryos early and women don’t always know they’re pregnant, so how can they be taking a supplement? They then had the brilliant idea to fortify basic food products that EVERYONE eats, with folic acid. Because hey, it’s healthy for everyone and we’ll catch those embryos early. Well, thing is… if you’re not a pregnant woman, you don’t need the extra folic acid. In fact, it may just be giving you cancer. But aren’t you glad we caught all those embryos?

Don’t get me wrong. It’s great that extra folic acid saves babies from being born with defects. It’s the method that the FDA employed to do so that’s ridiculous.

This same one-size-fits-all method is also being done with salt. But salt causes high blood pressure, surely salt is a bad thing. Guess what? Salt does NOT cause high blood pressure. Only a percentage of those with high blood pressure is caused by salt/sodium. So even if you have high blood pressure, cutting down your sodium is a blanket across the board let’s just be safe because it might help. Sure, it might, but sodium is VITAL to keep your heart pumping. Sodium and potassium work together. Calcium and magnesium work together. These 4 are electrolytes. Then the sodium/potassium work together with the calcium/magnesium. Too much potassium can cause low blood pressure.

BALANCE is key when it comes to electrolytes (or anything really). We’ve lost control of eating what our bodies need. We listen to advertising, and make no mistake, those ad men are very very good at what they do. And the government gets involved, and make no mistake about that, the corporations fuel those decisions and regulations. In fact, the FDA reads like a who’s who of a corporate boardroom.

So let’s try this. Keep track for a day of what foods you eat and how much folic acid that adds up to in a day. I’m curious. Comment and let me know. Oh and let me know if you’re pregnant or not.

The Mayan Calendar is a system of different calendars used by the Maya civilization, and is still in use today in some remote highlands of Guatemala and Oaxaca, Mexico. Small cycles of 13 days (trecena) and 20 days (veintena) are the main components of the 260-day Tzolkin Count and the 365-day Haab.

The 260 cycle is found many places in nature. It is 9 cycles of the Moon, as well as the 9-month gestation period for humans. It is the interval between Venus rising as an evening star and its rising as a morning star. It is also the interval between planting and harvesting of certain types of corn, which is a staple crop in the areas where the Tzolkin Count was used.

IMIX
(Alligator)
East

Individuals born under this day sign are creative, take initiative, are nurturing and protective of their loved ones.

IK
(Wind)
North

Powerful communicators are born under this day sign, wielding great imagination, they are as much dreamer as planner.

MANIK
(Deer)
West

Peaceful but powerful, those born under this sign are compassionate, skilled and hardworking. They often have the ability to see the spiritual connection between all things.

MULUC
(Water)
East

Water people are intense, profound and deeply emotional. Intelligent and often psychic, they can evoke powerful responses from those that come in contact with them.

EB
(Road)
South

Devoted and hardworking, individuals born under this sign are concerned about the community, often taking care of those less fortunate.

IX
(Jaguar)
North

Earthy and strong, individuals born under this sign often possess intelligence along with the ability to see the unseen, and are often healers.

CIB
(Owl or Vulture)
South

The strong, silent type, individuals born under this sign are introspective and insightful, and will help and defend others in their community and family.

CABAN
(Earth)
East

The intellectual individuals born under this sign are introspective and want to understand how everything works.

CAUAC
(Rainstorm)
West

Curious and young at heart, individuals born under this sign gather knowledge and make great teachers of what they have learned.

ETZNAB
(Knife)
North

Honest and direct, individuals born under this sign are able to cut through right or wrong like a knife.

AHAU
(Light)
South

Artistic and athletic, individuals born under this sign are visionaries who are wise with high expectations for themselves.

That’s not what I find fascinating though. There are two things. Both pertain to the direction that this dark flow is flowing, which is in the direction of the constellation Hydra. Hydra is near Leo and this is roughly the direction that our own Solar System is traveling so that checks out ok. But get this. Here’s an excerpt from Star Lore – Myths, Legends, and Facts by William Tyler Olcott:

“The ancients perceived an analogy between a quick flowing river, and the swift gliding of a huge glistening serpent, and so, as Maunder says, we arrive at the idea of the River of the Snake, which develops into an ocean stream.”

Also interesting: depending on the source, the monster had anywhere from 9 to 100 heads. Whenever I see a myth about a creature with 2 or more heads, I immediately assume that the storytellers are talking about comets as they frequently split, giving them 2 “heads”.

Was there no $$ for scriptwriters?? Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin were funny WHEN they were on. Everyone else just came on and said the nominees and/or winner.

Camera work was annoying at best. Tell me, MR. Producerman, WHY were all the young women up close on the stage while hotties Chris Pine and Keanu Reeves, as well as Cathy Bates stuck on the stair pod with a camera shot so far away I felt like I needed binoculars to watch??? Fail. Really. Fail.

They rushed people through their speeches but they let that sleep-inducing dance routine go on wayyyyyy too long. At least the Best Actor, Actress, & Picture acceptance speeches weren’t rushed through.

The little individual tributes for Best Actor and Best Actress were just weird and looked uncomfortable for a lot of the nominees. Speaking of, George you’re adorable, why can’t you wear a handbag to these things that actually SMILES. Just once even.

They didn’t even SAY the nominees for the Best Picture. What was THAT about?? Oh gee, too many nominees, and we’re running out of time, let’s just say the winner and be done with it. Really??

The awards themselves were great. The speeches were good but honestly mostly boring except the rude cow that “Kanye’d” the music award. They need better security at these things ffs. Then there was Miss “I already have 2 of these at home”. Lovely, just lovely.

The dresses were great but no showstoppers there either though I missed the red carpet so I reserve judgement about that. I do want to know who’s brilliant idea this was: when almost every pair that walked out were across the flat stage, with a man for each woman in full gown and high heels to hold onto, yet they made two women walk out together down STAIRS???

I have yet to see The Hurt Locker, The Blind Side or Crazy Heart. Going to have a Twitter Movie Night. You know, just you and me and all my tweeps, a DVD (or streaming, whatever), popcorn, and twitter. It’ll be fun! Are you in? (comment & let me know!) Details coming soon.

Oh oh oh!! This also was the first time the Oscar’s were broadcast live on all timezones. It used to be that the East Coast (and apparently places like Australia which are on a different DAY) got to watch the event live as it happened on the West Coast, while those ON the West Coast had to wait hours before being allowed to see. They also had a website Oscar.com with all sorts of red carpet streaming and other goodies. But come ON. WHEN???? will they get it through their heads that to broadcast online as well as on TV. It’s time. It really is. People should be able to watch from whatever device they happen to be in front of, be it a huge plasma tv, a 15″ laptop or a handheld iPhone. There are advertising opportunities on all of these options. Get with the times. Please.

A star tetrahedron is 2 three-sided pyramids inverted into each other When this shape is placed inside a sphere lined up with North and South, the other points end up at 19 degrees 47 minutes North or South latitude, 120 degrees apart.

The Great Red Spot on Jupiter, the Great Dark Spot on Neptune, Olympus
Mons on Mars, and Mt Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii on Earth all are at these exact points. Even on the Sun, the biggest and largest number of sunspots occurs at this latitude.

This shape is also called the Merkaba. The Mer-ka-ba is the interdimensional vehicle depicted by Buddhist and other Eastern religions (also said by some to be mentioned in the bible by Ezekiel). This craft, made of counter rotating fields of light, is capable of carrying the consciousness directly to higher dimensions. The merkaba is a product of breathing “prana” (or energy [the source, akasha, God, Buddah, Allah, Mother Nature]) and careful meditation. (from Wikipedia)

Viewed from the top (or bottom) this shape is seen as the Star of David which is also a Grand Sextile in astrology.

The Hebrew word Merkabah means chariot & found in Ezekiel  to refer to the throne-chariot of god, the 4 wheeled vehicle driven by 4 “chayot” (living creatures) each having 4 wings & 4 faces of a man, lion, ox & eagle.

A sphinx has the body of an ox, tail of a lion, wings of an eagle and the head of a man.

ASTROLOGY: lion=Leo, ox=Taurus, eagle=Scorpio, man=Aquarius, the 4 fixed signs of the zodiac all at right angles to each other.

February 3rd, 2010.

2:55 pm.

My life was changed forever.

I will never be the same. I can never go back. And it’s about damn time!!!

I scored a ticket at 2:55 pm to see Elton John & Billy Joel perform a mere 4 and 1/2 hours later. The ticket was not only for a seat somewhere in the building, but it was a seat on the FLOOR. And not just anywhere on the floor but Row FOUR. That’s right, Row 4 baby, row 4! I had a plan and it worked. The only small glitch was that I wanted to be in row 1, 2, or 3 because those rows are the ones that they let go up to the stage. Row 4 was going to take some serious scoping out of the situation and some quick thinking (and footwork) and hopefully with any luck at all, I might get the coveted position of standing in front of the stage.

I throw on my Elton jacket with the newly attached fur collar and head down to Key Arena. Once inside I descend to the heavily guarded floor. At the bottom of each staircase, there is a security worker making sure you have a valid floor ticket before you can even set foot on terra firma. I do so and the guy starts to helpfully direct me to my seat. He barely utters the first word when I interrupt, grinning. “I think I can find row 4″.

When I find my seat, I have a momentary millisecond of panic that there’s some sort of mix-up with the seats since there is a good sized camera sitting on it, with a coat in the seat next to it. My fears are quickly set to rest as a guy rushes over to move the camera, apologizing. We sit down and start to talk. Before long he’s showing me his iPhone FULL of closeup Elton concert pics. I try not to drool on him or his phone. I’m thinking to myself “I’ve found my people!”

I suddenly remember that this concert will be over 3 hours and the LAST thing I want to have to do is leave it to run to the little girl’s room. So I head off to pre-pee. When I come back there’s a huge backup on the staircase nearest my seat. Thinking some moron is holding things up by trying to get on the floor where they don’t belong or something, I try to see the front of the line. What I see is that security is stopping everyone so that some of the crew can climb up these little rope ladders up into the mammoth lighting system that’s hanging from the ceiling above the stage and floor area.

Detour time! Down another staircase and onto the floor then head back toward the soundboard. Nobody doing anything there. Back up another staircase to get a coke and I manage to get in the LINE FROM HELL. It doesn’t move. Seriously, how difficult is it to pull a handle and pour a beer? You’d think they’d get this figured out after, oh, I don’t know, the first couple thousand people?? I was in line so long I was worried I might miss the opening and trust me, that would not have been pretty. Btw, guy that was behind me that switched lines and got to the front before I even got close? Thanks for getting my coke for me!! You saved me having a possible stroke! haha

Coke in hand, I dash off down the stairs again. I have managed to go down a different staircase each time, so I have to dig out my ticket everytime. As I’m digging, the security guy from the next staircase over, walks over and tells my guy that I’m ok because he remembers me. Nice! Yeah the jacket does that. Back to the soundboard and this time Clive Franks, Elton’s sound guy, is there. There’s quite a buffer between the barrier so I can’t catch his attention. Besides he’s talking with someone. The last thing I”m going to do is yell out or some dumb thing. I just wanted to say hi and tell him he’s appreciated. We chatted last time Elton played here in ’06. I think the sound guys are underappreciated. Face it, if the sound isn’t right on, your concert experience sucks. I notice what might be the beginnings of light dimming. Shit! Dash off to my seat!

I return to find fan guy thinking his Elton stories scared me off. Haha no way! I want to hear them all! While I was off running around and waiting in line, he had been productive. Ok, maybe not that productive. He had chatted with the security but they wouldn’t even tell him the “go song”, the song that is the signal for the first 3 rows to go up to the stage, but he, being in row 4, would not be able to “go”.

We discuss strategy. Maybe if the couple in front of us is really old, ie, not stage-rushing material, we can convince them to switch places with us. Or maybe we can just slip in and get lost in the crowd since our seats are right at the end.

The lights dim. The spotlights go up. Pianos rise from the stage. And the show begins. I can’t believe how close I am. And I’m on the correct side. I can see Elton’s fingers on the keyboard. The show starts off with both Elton and Billy on stage at their respective pianos, facing each other, hence the name of the tour “Face to Face”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The music is awesome. The piano men are in top form. And I am SO DAMN CLOSE! Everytime they play a rocking song, I stay standing, dancing like many others around me. And everytime, the pissy woman behind me yells at me to sit down. I give her a look like “Are you serious?? We’re on the freaking FLOOR this close to the stage and you’re expecting maybe a reserved sitdown experience??”. I don’t push it too much… yet. Her date is even more grouchy. I think he’s afraid of her wrath when they get home if he doesn’t do anything. And I have flashbacks to the idiot in the front row of the Chris Isaak concert 2 years ago, who complained so loudly that security (tried to) make everyone at the stage sit down, even after Chris had ASKED people to come up. So I only sit when they yell at me. They’ll have to work for this. And it will not last all night. Later, there will be no sitting by me. Period. Dealwith it.

Billy and his band go offstage, leaving Elton and his boys to play their set. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding is first and the keyboard solo at the beginning is a sad reminder that Guy Babylon, Elton’s longtime keyboard player is no longer with us. Top 40 hits pour from the stage and I’m still in awe that I’m this close.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Elton plays the opening to Daniel, the “go song”, and some people in the first 3 rows stand and make their way to the stage.

Fan guy and I sit poised, waiting for an opportunity, but this is far from what I would call a “rushing” of the stage. Hell the ENTIRE third row on our side stays sitting. Scanning the occupants I discover that, and I am not exaggerating here, some of them have to be pushing 80!!

As there is no crowd to get lost in, we sit tight. We’d stand out like a sore thumb if we tried to get up there. I resign myself to the fact that opportunity to sneak, er I mean make our way to the stage is nill. Nevertheless I am thrilled to be sitting this close to the stage and am NOT complaining! Unlike the pissy woman sitting behind me.

I thoroughly enjoy Elton’s set (DUH??), and try to be careful not to bump fan guy too much as he is taking some amazing pictures with his camera.

When Elton’s set is done, they go off, and Billy and his band come on. I notice out of the corner of my eye during the second song, that fan guy isn’t in his seat. He must’ve gone off to the restroom while Elton’s not onstage or something. Billy is putting on a great show and I am standing, rocking out to Movin’ Out when SUDDENLY 20 thoughts run through my head all in about a millisecond:

“what was that?

did something just hit me?

was that a slap?

did someone slap my butt??

who could’ve/would’ve done that??

fan guy isn’t in his seat

who’s close enough??

is the pissy woman reaching over the seat to slap me now??

hold up..

there is nobody in my immediate (or non-immediate!) vicinity that it would be appropriate for them to be slapping my butt!!”

millisecond over.

I turn to see what the deal is, and see fan guy heading AWAY from me. He’s the one? Why would he be… WAIT! He’s walking past security… they’re not stopping him… he’s headed for the stage. OH!!! OH!!!! The stage!!! Now!!! Shit!!! I need to grab my stuff!! I can’t fall too far behind or the security will stop me!! I wasn’t ready!!! I grab my jacket, and purse, and coke and rush past the security woman who just… stands there… watching me go by…  And I’m there. At the stage. OMG I’M AT THE STAGE!!!!

I stand corrected. When it is “GO” time, it is completely appropriate to slap my butt! (but only then!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Billy’s set is awesome too. His piano rotates so that the audience who had previously been, as Billy put it “getting a lot of head”, got to see his face too.

We get sax solos directly in front of us.

We get guitar riffing directly in front of us.

We get horns directly in front of us.

And Billy comes over DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US and plays guitar.

Back at his piano, he’s introducing a song, when some guy back in the 5th row or so… Stop. I just love the way that sounds: “BACK in the 5th row” I can touch the stage. Every row is behind me. Ok, moving on… The guy yells out “PURPLE HAZE! PURPLE HAZE!”. Billy stops and looks at him. “What?” He yells again “PURPLE HAZE!” Billy repeats it “Purple haze?” then looks over at Tommy, his guitar player, then shrugs, and the whole band dives into a full rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze. How cool is that??

Click here to view the embedded video.

At one point Billy (again, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US) sings It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me, sans piano. He uses the mic stand as a prop, spinning it, twirling it, tossing it up in the air. There was one point where the guy in front of me would’ve got nailed with it had slipped from Billy’s hands. Hey nobody said it was completely risk-free up here! Even Billy points that out when he tells the people on the floor in front that here we thought we had such great seats, when there’s a humongous lighting rack hanging from 2 little wires and crew members up there for the entire show, unable to use the restroom for hours!

After Billy’s set, Elton and his band return to the stage with Billy and his band.

Click here to view the embedded video.

They rock the house. I’m kicking myself for not getting The Bitch is Back on video. Though it probably wouldn’t be worth watching. I could NOT stand still. Neither could the boys.

Elton stands up on his piano bench.

Billy swings between the two pianos.

Elton gets up on his piano.

He sits on the front edge of his piano (DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US) hamming it up.

And then too quickly for me to realize and snap a pic, he does a HANDSTAND. Almost 63 and the man is still doing his handstand! I manage to get a blur of a pic immediately after the handstand but miss the actual handstand, as does fan guy, who took over 500 pics that night. How could we miss it??

The song rocked!!

At one point, Elton is hammering out solo, and Billy gets up on top of his piano, walks across and jumps over to Elton’s piano and proceeds to lay down on his stomach, knees bent, feet up, chin in hands, propped up on elbows, looking down at Elton playing. So cute!

All too soon, it’s time for Piano Man, the final song of the concert. And just like a neighborhood pub they’re singing about, it turns into a singalong when they let the audience sing the chorus alone.

As Elton gets up to go over to hug Billy and take their bows, I notice something odd at Elton’s stomach. There’s some odd bit of fabric that looks a lot like ski… wait. Is that… belly button?? After he and Billy take their bows together, Elton comes DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US and raises his arms to the audience. And yes, hello belly button! Ha! Too cute!

Fan guy yells “Elton!” a couple times and extends his hand like many others and Elton reaches down and shakes his hand. WOW!!! He’s only about 6 foot 20, so he can reach right over the top of everyone and have his hand right in front of Elton. I’m standing there wondering whyyyy am I not doing this?? Could be that my brain cells rearrange to something less than clear thinking when Elton is in the vicinity. Same excuse why I wasn’t holding up my jacket for him to see (and maybe sign??) Though there were no autographs. I forgot they don’t do autographs during the Face to Face tours. But that’s ok. OMG that’s freaking OK!!!

I couldn’t even make the words to tell about this until today, a whole FOUR days later.

I am blissed out. And spoiled. After the last Elton concert in ’06 when I scored row 19 on the floor, I said I would never sit anywhere but the floor again. Nowwww…. I never want anything but the first 3 rows.

Boys and girls, this is what an obsession looks like. Isn’t it pretty? Haha!

If you want to change your life, change your mind.