Ok so you want the WHOLE weekend in a NOVEL??? alright I'll give it to you!
I'll tell you what Midnight and I had LUCK on our side - its amazing what Karma can do for you when your real and watch out for/take care of your friends!
A 12:13 DREAM COME TRUE!
I will try to make a long story short - haha
KROQ tickets for the cure went on sale last thursday (dec. 11th 2008) night and sold out in seconds. I did not get one. Being excited for my trip I couldn't sleep and ended up on-line looking for a GREAT ticket. I found one at 4am and ended up with 7th row.
Friday Morning I drop the kids off at the sitters and got on my flight to California. I landed at 1pm got the car and then met up with my Friend Stephanie who flew in from Seattle after me. We then head STRAIT for NBC studio's to get in line for the Carson Daly show. My WONDERFUL friends Midnight, Tina Marie and Yvonne camped out for us so we were within the first 10 in line. I got to meet lots of on-line friends in person for the first time. We still had lots of waiting to do but it was nothing compared to everyone else in line. When they came out to start taking down names and passes it was getting dark. The poor guy had a hard time seeing his paper. My friend midnight came to the rescue with her "finger light" (it Velcro's onto your finger and points to where your writing. About 10 minutes later the head guy for 1iota (that the company that handles getting tickets out for these shows) comes out and says WHO HAD THE FINGER LIGHT? Well Midnight and
myself ended up VIP and sat up close and got to be one of the first people to the stage for the cures performance. They recorded TWO shows so be sure to catch this WEDS and THURS show of "Last Call with Carson Daly". The show was great and a neat experience.
After Carson we went out for Thai food then went on to the Burbank BAR and GRILL to see "Videostar" an 80's cover band that is Really good! WE had so much fun dancing the night away! At 2:30 am we leave the club and ALL of us had missed calls and texted messages. We were like WHATS GOING ON?? Well a secret CURE SHOW by MYSPACE is what was going on. We all start to make phone calls to find out details. Then get to Tina's hotel and jump online to get as much info as possible. What we found out was "THE CURE FREE at the TROUBARDOUR in HOLLYWOOD. It stated DO NOT LINE UP TIL 12 noon to get tickets - YEAH RIGHT! We knew it was a small venue and that MORE Than half the place was taken with VIP guest list. We headed to Midnights to pick up a few items then went strait to the Troubardour we got there just before 5am. 6 of our Friends were already there then another guy we didn't know showed up 20 mins later. Midnight being the brilliant person she is said HEY we
should do a number system. We we break out the sharpie and started to number everyone in line. Everyone that showed up had NO problem with our system knowing that their place in line was in writing! By the time noon came around more than 175 people had come to be in line and every single one of them had their number! When the security finally came out he saw what we had done went with it! "EVERYONE LINE UP ACCORDING TO YOUR NUMBER!" he yelled! HA! Only 130 bands were given out some people were not happy campers (well I guess you can't call them campers b/c from number 50 on they were only there an hour or so). After we got our bands we were instructed to LEAVE and NOT COME BACK until 7pm anyone who is there before then WILL HAVE THEIR BANDS CUT!
Midnight called a friend who let us come over and (thank you so much MATT AND SHANNON) clean up and TAKE A NAP (much needed since I was past 48 hours of NOT sleeping) We head back to the Troubardour and get there at 6pm. Midnight has a handicap pass for parking so we are able to just park in front and hang out in our car, unfortunately that parking area turns into VALLET after 6 so I had to move the car. The crowd was intense as people aimlessly wandered around NOT going by the Troubardour there was a LINE on the middle median across from where we all needed to be at 7. When it turned 7pm lets just say it was CRAZY everyone dashed thru the WALK light to cross the street and try to be first in line. We didnt do too bad about 20 back or so. Yvonne has her connections and was a VIP for the event so she got to walk in thru the back and pick her place which was OF COURSE right in front of Robert. Once we got in our group had the whole area in front of Robert
really the best place in the house. The Cure started to play around 9. The sound was amazing the place was TINY and very tight. The VIP celebs sat upstairs and the lucky 130 fans were on the floor. My friends and I all took turns on the RAIL which was just amazing, there will never be a show put on like this ever again, really a once in a lifetime show. The Cure played for over 3 hours with Two encores everyone was just in AWE. After the show they passed out bags with a copy of the NEW cd and some other stuff and they passed out POSTERS only 450 were made for this event and they are all numbered. Yvonne and her daughter had VIP so they went upstairs and told us to just sit tight. Which we did by the end of the night Tina Marie and myself ended up upstairs hanging out with Porl the guitarist and the band. We decided to NOT go up to them unless it was convenient Poor Robert never made it two feet in the door he was stuck there for 2 hours standing as
person after person waited to meet him. I would have loved to meet him but I didn't want to add to it. It was fun to watch. Simon (the bassist) and I exchanged a few looks but he was pretty caught up talking to a few people. We did chat with Porl and his son for a long time. We talked about our kids he has 4 as well and can you believe I made him look at pictures HA! He said his youngest had hair like Caden's really curly. So the night came to an end upstairs and the band had to leave. Yvonne, Zyla her daughter, Tina Marie and myself head out to the Car just as we were getting in the security guard came running across the street with some T-shirts they are customs shirts for this event. They were only made for staff and he wanted to give us the extra's We were ecstatic! We then headed to Canter's to meet with all those who didn't make it up. It was nearly 3am and I now had only slept one hour in 3 days. I was tired! We hung out long enough to eat and
then parted ways. Midnight, stephanie and myself went to Midnights.
We slept there until 10:30 or so. Stephanie had pit tickets to KROQ so she left with our Friend Hector at noon to get in line for pit. Midnight and I got ready then left to pick up Andy to give him a ride to Burbank where the KROQ show was. We then met up with Tina and headed to the show around 6. Andy met up with some other friends and just us girls went out for a NICE dinner at Buca di Beppo. It was the BEST meal ever.
We went finally headed to the show. I got there while Paramore was finishing up their set, they sounded good. My seat was great in the 7th row. Midnights seat was in the back I promised her I would network the minute I sat down. which I did. I met another cure fan that didn't know about the secret show the night before so I shared my pictures and video's with her, I then asked if I could use her ticket to get Midnight down which she said was fine. I then saw Stephanie in the Pit and texted her. She turned to see me and then Texted me back and stated that ALEX (midnights really good friend) was sitting right in front of me, literally in front of me (I didn't even realize) so I tapped them on the shoulder and said my hello's then said hey lets get midnight up here, the two seats next to them had been vacant for 3 bands now so we had the room. So I went and got Midnight and we BOTH got to be 7th/6th row! The SHOW was great and everything we wanted seeing
the cure every night is something I can really get use to! I really felt spoiled watching them live for the third night in a row. At the end of the show Midnight got a text from a friend with connections. With in 10 mins we BOTH has all ACCESS backstage passes. That got us ALL THE WAY TO THE BAND! The band however was in their dressing room and not seeing "fan" they were speding time with friends and celebs. Mike (Roberts personal Security guard) was standing guard of their room. Midnights dream was to meet Porl again and to show him the tattoo he had drawn for her in June. So I tapped Mike on the shoulder and said can you please get Porl for me. Tell him its Kelly from last night and I that I have the Tattoo for him to see in person. Mike went in the door and then came out with Porl who gave me a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. I introduced him to Midnight and he LOVED the tattoo (he was quite concerned when I told him about it the night before) He was
too cute and even showed us a new "star" on his hand that looked like the star he drew on Midnight then he claims "look we match". We only spoke a few minutes because he was tired and getting ready to leave. After porl went back I asked Mike if there was Any way to have the band sign my shirt. It was a RARE shirt to have and it was from the most perfect Cure performance ever. He said I am sorry but NO they just want to be with their friends tonight. I told I completely understand and let it be. Later I ended up chatting with Mike and we talked about lots of things. I asked him if he remembered me from the Phx show and how I pleaded with him to meet RObert that night. He didn't of course but found my story about it amusing. I then went on to tell him about how we were there the night before and how sad i was that RObert never made it two feet in the door and how TIna and I decided to NOT add to the crowd. He thought we were great for being respectful. By
the end our conversation he promised me that when they come to Phx in two year that he WILL let me meet Robert. I gave him my card so he'd remember who I was and we then went on to talk about my book project. By the time we were finishing up our conversation the other security people were trying to clear out the area's and get the van's together so the band could leave. I looked at Mike and said "I know and totally understand that I can't meet him tonight but can you do me a favor and let me just watch him leave? I wont say his name or anything I'll just be a wallflower. He smiled and said ok. SO then I just hung out in the hall and people watched. I am sure I came across lots of celebrities but I couldn't tell you who there were or why they were famous.
A little bit later a "fan" came into the Hall and asked Jason the cures drummer if he could sign this napkin and have the rest of the band sign it too. Jason took it and went in the door past Mike. Then Mike was just standing there staring at me and did a big sigh and said "OK GIVE ME YOUR SHIRT!" I was like "what?" I then told him but I am not wearing anything under it, he rolled his eyes then I quickly told him I could just wear my jacket instead. He had me go into the dressing room across from THE CURE's to change. I got out and handed him my shirt still inside out (oops) he handed it to Jason who signed it right there and then Jason took it back to other guys. Porl unfortunately was already gone by then but My RARE shirt was singed! What a nice surprise. After that they cleared EVERYONE including KROQ employees the only ones left in the hall was ME, the head security for KROQ and Mike. We talked about lots of different things. I also reinterated his
promise to me in two years. So I guess we'll see. After about 40 mins or so one of the other security persons was annoyed with my presence there. He asked why I was there, I told him b/c mike said i could be. Shortly after that he called mike over and then mike came to me sad and said "I have to have you go, I'm sorry" I said I completely understand and that I will see him in two years. He asked to make sure I take the only people left around the corner with me. I said of course. SO I head back to the Main VIP area and NO ONE IS THERE the only people left are Tina Marie her friend Sara, Midnight and some of her friends from the Curse. They were chatting with some of the tech's from the cure's crew. We then Left and had to find our way to our car in teh pouring rain. We walked at least 15
minutes or so. We got back to to the hotel at 3 am and went to bed. I had to get up at 7:30 to get ready for the airport.
I had such a great time. I am really sleep deprived today but it was really worth it. Really everything was so surreal and totally went our way, I feel so lucky not only for the experiences but for the wonderful friends I got to share it all with. I truly realized how great all my friends are this weekend and I love them dearly I wouldn't have wanted to spend this GREAT time with anyone else!
So at the end of this trip, I have wonderful memories, a rare poster and shirt (signed by the band), A KROQ Backstage pass AND mike gave me his Crew pass to keep. I got a copy of the KROQ set list from the KROQ security guy. I have great pictures and I'll get to see me on Tv for Carson Daly and BEST OF ALL I HAVE A RAINCHECK TO MEET ROBERT! Which means I will get another night of hanging out and getting to know the band again.
If you made it this far though my story thank you for reading. I had to get it out on paper so I can re-live it over and over.
Very Nice Doubt! I love reading everyone's take on their weekend - it still so surreal to me and I don't want to wake from this dream!
Steph - I recorded/watched it - no one was really seen on it - it was amusing the cheers for all the "Cure" references but nothing to really take time out to find and watch.
I look fwd to tonights though when we are all around the stage!
Kel
(no login)
Re: i love you kel-bel!!!
December 19 2008, 12:52 AM
B(doubt) I think you were the one they put in front of me during the taping at Carson I figured I wasn't camera friendly. Actually that might be the reason.....
But you mentioned people who waited half the time got to go to the front of the stage for the performance. Fair enough. We just flew in from Florida and literally dropped off our bags at the hotel and got dropped off at Jay Leno?? and wandered around for half hour and no one knew where we were to go. We were the last ones in line for a while because every new person to come up went to the front of the line. oh well we got in.
My niece and I were directed to the chairs on the floor completely random but sooo amazing.
Troubadour, amazing. Squeezed myself in front of Simon. So glad I did. I know it sounds so fangirl but I got all giddy when he said something to me during Freakshow.
KROQ show, amazing. Random celebs again. Got to chat with Simon. Some random guy handed me and my niece 4th row orchestra seats 3 songs into their set. So our view was great.
Home, not amazing.
