Clearly my positive thoughts and good deeds have brought about positive karmic retribution.  I enjoyed a fabulous Old 97s concert yesterday.  The evening went a little something like this:

7:00 PM ~ Enjoyed a FREE dinner with a college friend at Cheesecake Factory made possible by Argosy University and my dad who never takes full advantage of swag.

8:30 PM ~ Parked the car and sauntered over to shell out some moolah to appease the parking meter maids only to find that the machine was broken and therefore FREE vs $15 that others paid to have the courtesy of parking.

8:35 PM ~ Walked to the House of Blues where we were stopped by two girls who graciously offered us their balcony seats for FREE; a nice upgrade from our general admission/standing room only tickets.

8:45 PM ~ Ran into friends also attending the concert and chatted.  During this time I saw a guy who looked very familiar yet I couldn’t place his face.  I finally decide that he must be a bartender that I have seen at several parties around town.

9:00 PM ~ Grabbed a drink and popped upstairs to find that the balcony seating; although hoity toity is definitely worth the ticket price. Who could say no to plush seating and cocktail service at your beck and call?  No need to get out of your seat to search for libations; the bar flows right to your seat via a friendly cocktail waitress.

9:20 PM ~ The second opening band came on stage, The Drams, and I realized that the guy that I recognized earlier in the evening is the bass player and not, in fact, the barkeep.  Ooops. My bad.  Clearly I retain pertinent information as well as a sieve.  

10:00 PM ~ Rocked out to the Drams until the curtains were pulled out to provide an air of mystery.  After 10 years of attending Old 97s shows I must say that the air of mystery is long gone however their concerts are more like a favorite pair of comfy pants.  They are worn and predictable in all the right places but still manage to inspire me to shake my hips, sing at the top of my lungs, and embrace my inner rock star.  

Rhett was adorned in his staple stage attire; tight jeans and a button down shirt while Murray is still rocking the Where’s Waldo look with his bottle cap glasses.  I enjoyed perennial favorites such as "Four Leaf Clover", "Indefinitely", and "Big Brown Eyes" mixed in with newer tunes from their recent recording, Blame it on Gravity.  I always enjoy the hip gyrations and hair flips of Rhett as he sings lighter fare such as "No Baby I" but Murray stole the show with his rendition of "Color of a Lonely Heart is Blue"; by far my favorite song from the new album.  

Of course I can’t omit Ken and Philip- what would the concert have been without the stylings of the fabulous guitarist and drummer? They always bring a special flair to the evening; too bad Ken didn’t chime in with "Coahuila" as we can always use a bit of quirky fun injected into the concert.

12:00 AM ~ The band broke out with "Timebomb" letting the tried and true concert-goers know that the party is ending and it’s time to tab out and head home. 

12:15 AM ~ Spotted a Taco Bell on the way home; a perennial favorite after a night of drinking and debauchery.  One u-turn later and I picked up a cheesy rice and bean burrito. Mmmmm, yummy carbs!

12:30 AM ~ Raced up to my condo to devour Taco Bell goodness and engaged in a late night game of Trivial Pursuit.  That shit is hard! Especially after a few beers.  I must have killed off some brain cells courtesy of Dos Equis.

1:00 AM ~ Time for bed as I’m not used to staying up past my bedtime.  God, I’m getting old!  The cat was warned not to wake me early the next morning or she would face the wrath of a sleep-deprived owner.  And off to dreams full of sugarplums and crooning guitarists.