Jackson, MS show

Ok, lets just start out with, I feel like I got screwed on my tickets. I went through ticketmaster.com since I live 5-1/2 hrs away from the venue, and according to their seating chart the VIP seats are up close to the stage. General Admission seating, except the segregation between VIP and non-VIP areas. So I splurged, and bought the VIP tickets, with the mistaken impression I'd get closer to the stage. The gates were to open at 4PM, so we went and waited in line at 3PM. Met some great people while waiting, many of whom had been to this event in years past. I became concerned when the three goth girls, commented that the VIP tickets were a rip off. Uh OH! So finally when the gates opened at 5:15PM we went in, and sure enough, no seating at all! The VIP area was a fenced of area that was at least 300 yards from the stage and way off to the side. NO WAY was I going over there!!!! So we walked right up to the barrier between the stage and the audience. Lucky us! Front row, and all excited about it. We knew this was a multi group show, and GC was going to be the 5th and last band to play that day. Boy did we ever underestimate the extent and toll of a total of 7 hours standing on the pavement!!! Gosh, I don't think I'm getting too old for this crap!

The music started with RED, head banging music, which was actually pretty good. After this we commented on how great the crowd standing around the barriers was. No shoving, and no standing on top of each other, we all were close together, but we had breathing room. Second up was a band called Cowboy Mouth. They were ok, but I don't think they were the right genre for this event. They seemed more geared toward the adult night club scene, and the kids around me let them know it. Some of them were down right offensive with their shouting, I kind of felt sorry for them. Then out came Corey Smith who was great and really got the crowd involved and going, he was a little mellow and toned down though. Then Gavin Degraw came out with a metallic piano, and the kids went wild, he even jumped off stage and ran through the security areas while singing. By this time, my feet were killing me, my knees were protesting like crazy, and I'd have paid $20.00 for a bottle of water, but I wasn't about to move and lose my front row spot. Maybe I am getting too old for this.

Then as they began setting up GC's equipment the girls decided it was time to start trying to fight their way up front. I guess they though us idiots that had been standing there for the past 4-1/2 hrs were going to just move over and let them up front. At this point, all the moshing came back to me, and I can say that my son and I held our ground, but the teen girl next to us wasn't so lucky. When Deano walked on stage another one of the surges came on and she was thrown into the barrier. When we shoved back she collapsed to the ground and hit her head. We were able to hold everyone back, and I grabbed her up and leaned her on the barrier until security could get her out before she got stomped. That really sucked, she was a nice kid and had been there with us the whole time, just to see GC!!!! I hope she's ok. If by chance she's on here, I'd love to hear from her.

I started to pay attention to GC's playing and along came another surge! This time my son was getting the brunt of the surge and I was shoving people off him. He's great, but he's a little thing, and was exhausted by this time. LOL, maybe I'm not too old, maybe he's just too young!!! Of course by this time the adrenaline is pumping, and I got shoved and cussed out and then my son hit the barrier. That was it for me! I caught myself and just kept reminding myself that they were just kids, but boy it was difficult to keep from slugging some of the little biotches! I shoved him up to the barrier an locked by arms so he couldn't get crushed anymore, then finally I could enjoy the show I had come to see. GC kicked ass! Paul was spectacular on the bass! Joel was great and was able to pull the crowd in and had us all jumping our a**** of! I had completely forgot how great it felt to be down in the pit, and really getting into it. My only disappointment was that I couldn't see Deano on the drums. The stage was raised and the front speakers blocked the entire drum set! He sounded great, but I'd have liked to watch him play some. Billy did a wonderful job, but he was on the far side of the stage, so I didn't get to see him much. Benji... He did great, and it was a real treat to actually see him play. He switched between his pink and black guitars. I know acoustic guitars have different tones and sound, but I wonder if electric ones do too? Or maybe he just has them tuned differently. I loved the pink one it was awesome looking. They played songs from all their albums, and they did a cover of a Police song. Joel also sang a song I'd never heard before, didn't catch the name though.

So in the end, I was feeling no pain, I had a blast and I do believe this "old lady" shocked a few of the teen girls that were surging the crowd. It was well worth the grueling torture of standing so long, and I'd do it again today if I could see GC again!

Just want to say THANKS! To GC for doing a spectacular show, and I hope you schedule tour stops around the Florida Panhandle so I can see you again this summer!!!!! Also to my son, I am not obsessed just because I happen to enjoy the music and was ecstatic to see them live!


Thanks to all for reading