Feeling the Love

Last night was the best TLCB gig so far. It seemed especially fantastic to me since I didn't spend the entire time in the bathroom which was good because there was one stall and that would have been really awkward. I was also able to eat the food I ordered. A nice bonus.

As we walked into the Time Out Eatery & Pub in Janesville, WI everybody sitting at the bar turned their heads to look. Did we just walk into Cheers? There weren't too many people there yet so maybe they were just really interested in who was coming in. I realized later that almost everyone at that bar knew each other! I think there were mini family reunions happening! Moms, grandmas, grandpas, granddaughters, uncles, aunts, you get the picture. Amy and I had to smile at the thought of one of us saying to our parents or other relative, "See you at the bar tonight Mom!"

Anyway, as we walked in Lucas recognized us right away (finally, all the stalking has paid off!). He also saw our awesome necklaces again and made Mark (the bass player) look at them too. Mark seemed to genuinely like them which was good because I can see, sometime soon, the restraining order being delivered to each of our doors. So that was a really nice greeting. We got the table we wanted which allowed us a view of Jessie (I have no idea if that is the write spelling or not--he's the drummer). We normally don't get to see him at all. I am pleased to say that he gives us just as many facial expressions to watch too. He is really fun to watch.

We ordered our food (way too much) and waited a short half hour before the band started playing. The began with "Love Broke Her Heart," one of my favorites. I knew that was a good sign! The band plays for an hour then takes a 15 minute break. They do that three times. What made this night really fun was that we were the only people the band members knew. So during each break they would come talk to us. Jessie came first and we didn't talk about much but it counts! Then Mark came and talked to us for quite awhile. That was fun. We learned a little more about how they work during the week and when they practice (hardly ever). They have three gigs a week so I guess they figure that is practice enough! Mark also told us that we are definitely in their VIP club. Okay, he said if they had one we would be in it. They will someday and then we will be!! Kenny didn't come and sit with us but we had a little chat about how useful small, clipable fans are when you have a heat lamp on you while you are playing a three hour gig. I was very empathetic. We didn't get a lot of time with Lucas this time because the people were hogging him. Hey, he's ours! We did get him to sign our CD though. He put "Love the Milwaukee Crew" on mine.

At the beginning of the night a lady came in and sat at the table next to ours. She started making all sorts of comments to us. Poor Amy took the brunt of most of it because she was sitting closest to her. She tried to become a groupie! The nerve! Just because our other three groupies didn't come doesn't mean there is room for a new one. Especially an obnoxious, drunk one. She finally left us alone after her friends came to her table.

Now, I don't know if this is just in Janesville or not but the older crowd there is something else. First of all, they like to dance. That's not always bad but when you have a man in his fifties wearing a pin stripe suit, gold chains, black and white shoes, diamond earrings, a ring on every finger, and a fedora hat there is definitely something wrong with that. I mean, he looked like a mafia lord from a movie. And the lady he had with him was wearing some weird 1930's purple hat, a fur over her shoulders (with legs on it, in 60 degree April weather), and never smiled while she was dancing. I was really hoping that they had just come from a pre-Halloween bash. They will forever be mafia man and fur lady to me.

I will never understand why someone needs to get drunk to have a good time and enjoy a night out. Once the influence of the drinks comes people lose all sense of personal space. They all become "close talkers." Like the guy who decided he would stand right by my chair. I thought he might sit on my lap or elbow me in the face. I practically had to sit in DeAnn's lap so I wouldn't get knocked off my chair! If I wanted no personal space I would invite Audrey to come with me to a gig. If I wanted loud, annoying people talking to me I would invite Alexis and five or her friends to come to the gig.

We got the best picture of the whole band this time too. The guy taking the picture for us took six pictures and only the very last one turned out. There was someone missing in all the others! The drink must have made him see everyone. :)

So basically we really felt the love from the band this time. Unfortunately for them there is no turning back at this point. Now that they have so publicly acknowledged us we will stalk them even more. But really, they are extremely talented and fun to listen to and watch. I will be wearing my new TLCB t-shirt all day today (okay, I wore it bed last night too). It's just really comfortable! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!