Friday, October 31, 2008

Concert Buzz



Ryan and I am made for each other in many ways. I always tell him that one of the reasons I married him is because we enjoy doing things together, I found that it was really hard to find people that were willing to go out and do things, anything! I never cared about spending money, I just can't sit still to save my life! One of the things we really enjoy is going to concerts. We love concerts. Recently we went up to Utah for a weekend to see Kelly Clarkson and Reba McIntyre perform together. We saw Kelly right after her 2nd album when she toured with Clay Aiken and I was 8 months prego with Madison. She was good then, but she was awesome now.



Reba is another story altogether. She is an icon. This was my 3rd concert of hers, and I have to say that she is worth seeing every time she tours. I liked her before I liked country music, actually, she is the reason I like country music. I hated country music with a passion for a long time- and considering I grew up in the mid-south that is saying something. I would ride in my friends cars and their parents would play country and I would go absolutely crazy! When her song "The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" came out I was hooked. I started flipping to the country stations hoping it would be playing and every now and again another song would be on that I didn't think was that bad, and the down hill slide into a country music lover began. I got her Greatest Hits 2 album as my first country CD and listened to it over and over and over. So, in short, seeing her in concert is always an amazing experience for me. She has so many songs that have touched me at different times, most of them have been a "repeat offender" on my CD player at one time or another. I love Reba, she will probably always be my favorite country singer. I got a clip of her singing "The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia" because of the history behind it, and heck, I still love it and can sing along with it word for word.






The other great thing about this concert is that we got to sit in row 5 on the floor. We were so close it made for a completely different concert experience. Ryan always talks about when he went to see The Cure because he and Jon sat on row 3 of the floor, then I go and get all jealous and think "hmm, maybe I should have gone with them." Because really, when would you ever get to sit that close again? Well, I got my chance and it was awesome!


The best thing about this concert was the actual concert. I had originally thought that Kelly would sing and then we would have an intermission and then Reba would come out and then maybe for the Encore they would sing a few songs together. Nope....not even close to being right. They were on stage together the entire time singing backup for each other and about half the songs were arranged so they split the verses. It was cool. I really liked it. So, I am including fun pictures (since I could actually get some from our totally wicked awesome seats) and of course a video of the song that started it all for me.





On our drive up to Utah Ryan and I were trying to remember all the concerts we have been to the last 2 years. It ended up being a longer list than I thought it would be. Since our blog is somewhat of a journal to us I am listing them all here. I do believe you could call us concert junkies.....It is slowing down since we have now seen most of the artists that we really like. I also have to admit that I cannot remember the correct order that we saw them in so they are being listed in the order that we remembered them. Oy....



Reba/Kelly


The Killers (I didn't get to go to this one because I was prego and sick with Hunter. It was at the Hard Rock Cafe casino at their outdoor summer concert stage and there was no way I could have stood up for 3 hours to watch them, I am still bummed I missed them)


Toby Keith and Miranda Lambert


American Idol Tour 2008


Kelly Pickler and Rascal Flatts


Daughtry (twice because once was a poolside concert and then he opened for Bon Jovi when we saw them)


Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi is my favorite band of all time and we see them every time they tour, which has been twice during our marriage)


Jewel (this concert was cool b/c it was at an outdoor amphitheater in Vegas and only about 1500 people were there. She stood on stage with her guitar and that was it singing for 2 or so hours)


Faith Hill and Tim McGraw (eye candy for both of us)


Sugarland and Kenny Chesney (Sugarland singing Irreplaceable was the highlight of the concert-I couldn't stop laughing)


Linkin Park (Ryan went with 2 of his buddies, it was their Christmas present from the wives)


Boys Like Girls and Avril Lavigne (think what you will, but the concert rocked!)


Ashlee Simpson (yep, I know)


Gary Allan (This one was all mine, I went with a girlfriend and got to drool for 2 hours. Have I mentioned he is my favorite male country singer?)


I think that is it. I know, I know, we have been to a ton of concerts in the last 2 years. I have put us on hiatus, I need a break! At least my ears do if nothing else! I told Ryan that I will break our no concert rule for a few artists: Carrie Underwood and Journey/Def Leppard if they tour together again. We constantly kick ourselves for not seeing them a few years ago when they came here and it was only like $40, but we had NO money at the time and I thought we were making the right decision.....shows what I know, huh!

4 comments:

Christensen's said...

Sounds so fun!!! You had awesome seats. I like my way better though.. pay for the nose-bleed seats and then talk someone into letting you sit low. LOL... :)

JR and Brynn said...

One thing I really love about you, Amanda, is that you are always up for going out and doing something. You are so fun that way. I am so jealous of this concert. I love them both so much. Would have been fun! I must say, however, that I will mock you repeatedly for actually seeing Ashlee Simpson in concert. I have no doubt that that is two hours of your life you want back.

Casey's Boys:) said...

Casey and I are both really jealous that ya'll not only saw Reba in concert, but got to sit so close. We both love Reba so much. Casey can do a really good version of "Fancy" with her southern drawl and all. Funny that you mentioned The Cure concert. We were so close that I swear a couple of times Robert Smith was looking dead at us with some weird expressions. Funny too because Ryan and I were the only ones in there that were wearing polo style shirts . . no black, no noserings, no fishnet stalkings, and we were right in the middle of the die hards. Anyways, I sure do miss all the concerts we saw during our time at the Y. The only concert we have seen in the past year is Josh Groban, who by the way was awesome! So just a little behind the Ainges.

Laura Larsen said...

I am beyond jealous. We love going to concerts and having date nights. Bart isn't a country man but I can get him to go. We will have to plan something.