As I have stated in an early entry, I have a new obsession - a big time obsession. The fourth and final event of the Boyband Bonanza weekend was a Big Time Summer Tour concert in Bristow, VA. I had never sat on the lawn, or even been to an amphitheatre Regardless of where our seats were, I was beyond thrilled to see the four boys who had suddenly and completely stolen my boy band loving heart.
When we got to the venue the rain had cleared up, and we snatched a spot in the center of the lawn. By this time, we were all beyond exhausted - but ready to have an epic night. Thank you to my good friend Ashley (who I fully blame for my obsession with Big Time Rush), we had the best t-shirts for my first - not my last - Big Time Rush concert!
The opening acts for that night's concert were Rachel Crow and Cody Simpson. Because of The X Factor, I was a fan of Rachel Crow - who isn't?! As young as she is, she is full of spunk and talent. This stop was her last of the tour, so the boys of Big Time Rush did their best to make it memorable. Kendall sang Valerie with Rachel, and he joined her again with Logan and Carlos to sing Rock With You.
Cody Simpson is far too young for me! That said, I understand why the young girls are crazy for Cody. If I was still a pre-teen/teen, I would fall for that Australian charm as well.
After Cody performed, a countdown clock appeared on the large screens. It is something so simple, but I loved it! No wondering or questioning when the band will take the stage. It started at twenty minutes, and as it counted down the excitement in the venue continued to grow.
I had only discovered Big Time Rush a handful of months prior, but I was falling in love. It felt like I had been waiting for this night for years. I was finally going to see Big Time Rush in concert. (Yes, that is me saying "Awe, I love him!" after James takes off his sunglasses. I am a James girl, however I do not know the ladies screaming "I love you, James" behind us.)
The whole evening was remarkable! Even when the rain came, we continued to have the time of our lives. I had four of my favorite boys on stage, and I had some of my best boy band friends by my side. It was the perfect end to an incredible weekend.
By day three I was starting to feel like I would never sleep again. Once again, we woke up early and headed to the baseball field. The last activity of the Summer Mixtape Festival was the Rock 'n Jock Softball game. We were about to witness the New Kids on the Block take on our beloved Backstreet Boys. We were prepared! We had our Team Backstreet shirts, and our Backstreet sign (a letter per person, to be exact).
The game was a total blast!! Softball is not my sport of choice, but watching seven (Nick was absent, and Jon was on the sidelines) of your favorite men basically humiliate themselves is always fun. The boys warmed up, and were joined by Donnie's dog. Lump stole the show!
Once the game started, it was nothing but laughs. Each team was introduced - the New Kids and various members of their management and security team versus the Backstreet Boys and various members their management and security team. The game was filled with highlights - appropriate song choices, slightly inappropriate dancing on the mound, Joey's snack time, Donnie selflessly showing a fan the correct way to bat, the New Kids "beating up" an umpire after what they felt was a bogus call and an adorable moment featuring Jon and Joey's son.
Unfortunately our boys did not come away with a win. The New Kids beat the Backstreet Boys 9-4. I highly recommend that the Backstreet Boys stick to singing and dancing. It's what they do best!
When the game was finished and we had some lunch, we loaded up the vehicles and headed to DC. (I spent far too much time in a moving car, and not nearly enough time snuggled up in bed.) Rain was becoming a theme for the weekend, so after a short drive in the pouring rain we were on our way to the last even of our Boyband Bonanza weekend...
Another day, another early wake-up call. We reluctantly dragged ourselves out of bed, piled into the vehicles and headed over to Hersheypark Stadium. We took our spots in yet another line.
There were a few important events that overlapped on the schedule, so we weren't sure how the day was going to play out. The BSBBQ, NKOTB M&G, and the only North American NKOTBSB performance of 2012.
As long as we found a way to accomplish it all, I would be a happy-happy girl!
THE BSBBQ
Wearing our bad-ass BSBBQ '12 All I Have to Grill t-shirts, we found ourselves our picnic table and has some lunch. We were all anticipating the arrival of the Backstreet Boys. Those four men sure know how to keep us waiting!
Nick, AJ, Brian and Howie arrived wearing their cute aprons. Nick also had a megaphone in hand - I don't know who decided to give Mr. Carter a megaphone, but I'm sure they began to regret their decision immediately!
The boys served some food, took their own plates and joined different tables. It was unlike any Backstreet event I had been to prior. The boys weren't being corralled by their security team, and were able to spend a substantial amount of time with the fans. The boys took photos, and played games with a few lucky fans. To wrap up the afternoon we each took a group photo with all four boys. The highlight of the whole afternoon was.. I finally got to hug Mr. AJ McLean!! I can't recall much after that moment.
NKOTB M&G
Once our afternoon with the Backstreet Boys was over, we got to cut into the line for our group photo with the New Kids on the Block. I had never met the New Kids. (Heck, I hadn't seen their concert until the night before!) I was genuinely thrilled. We had our group of ten organized, and there had been some sacrifices made. I was going to stand next to Jordan, which isn't all that bad! But a group ahead of us had messed up the order, and groups were being split up. Being a group of smartiepants, we figured it out so that even in different groups we each got to stand next to who we wanted. I upgraded from Jordan to Donnie, and I was thrilled with the idea of being that close to the man's abs.
When we reached the New Kids, they had been taking pictures for hours! The boys were slouched on their chairs, and each one looked exhausted. Nonetheless, they stood and hugged each fan. Jonathan was first. He gives the best hugs! Donnie was next, so I stopped - hugged (tightly!) - and we took the photo. Jordan was next. Even after the photo was taken, we were able to hug each of the boys. Jordan noticed my BSBBQ shirt. (No, I didn't change.) He asked how the food was, and if they would share with him. Joey and his beautiful eyes were next, and finally Danny. The whole experience was worth all of the scheduling conflicts, and it has me seriously considering not only doing a New kids concert but also their VIPs.
CONCERT TIME
Once all of the meet & greet fun was over, it was time for some music. Unlike the previous day, the VIP section had been separated into two sections - A VIPs had the first half closest to the stage, while B VIPs had the remaining portion. Initially, this was irritating. Once we realized how strangely high the stage was we decided we actually benefited from being pushed back from the stage. We took our spots, and prepared to spend the hot afternoon waiting for NKOTBSB.
Like the day before, holding spots for a specific artist at one stage meant missing other artists on the opposite stage. We missed The Ready Set, Carly Rae Jepsen and 98 Degrees. I was only crushed about missing 98 Degrees. We could hear their set, and there was a sad attempt at a screen set up - it was never on the boys though.
First up on our stage was The Dan Band. I had no previous experience with these gentlemen, but they were very entertaining! From what I have read online, the band is well known for doing covers of pop songs. Female pop songs. So you can imagine the hilarity... Did I mention he was in The Hangover? Okay, enough said.
Next up - The Wanted. A bit of a bad boy boyband, if you ask me. Before seeing them perform I wouldn't have called myself a fan, but now I'm hooked! The songs are catchy, and the boys are painfully charismatic.
Call me crazy, but the next act was one of my favorites of the whole weekend.. LL Cool J. Who would have thought?! It was a blast. He is so good. I was a fan of him as an actor, and now I'm a fan of him as an artist. I'll be honest, I knew none of his material - except this one...
And finally, the moment I had travelled over 4,000km for... N-K-O-T-B-S-B, baby! This might be hard for someone to understand (unless they are an avid concert goer - like myself), but I have always wanted to be at the last show of a tour. Technically, NKOTBSB have had last shows before.. The last show of their North American tour.. The last show of their European tour.. All which included pranks. Since this was the only performance in North America in 2012, there was sure to be pranks.. And I was not disappointed!!
Here we have the charming Donnie Wahlberg joining the Backstreet Boys on stage for Get Down. There was something quite comical about watching Donnie try to do the choreography before darting off stage.
Then we had what I like to call AJ's LMFAO moment. It involved AJ McLean in leopard print spandex shorts dancing like a fool. Need I say more?
In my opinion, the ending of Please Don't Go Girl was the best moment of the night. Not only was it hysterical, but AJ's voice -as always- made me weak in the knees (0:45)!
These next videos weren't pranks, but they are must-see moments. First, there is Donnie ripping off his shirt. I had my camera ready! He does it every concert, and it's phenomenal every time!
Typically, the New Kids will walk from one end of the stage to the other to a different song. On this night, Glad You Came started playing - and bam! There was The Wanted!!
I am so glad that I got this moment on video. I love AJ.. I love the Backstreet Boys, and have for 15 (and counting) years.. I love the New Kids on the Block.. And I'm sure 98 Degrees had their moment in my heart, as well. You could say I love all boybands! This was enough to bring a tear to any boyband supporter's eye.
A spectacular five seconds.
Like I said, seeing the last show of a tour is not something everyone will fully understand. The impact of seeing what could possibly be the last NKOTBSB show was not lost on me! It was a bittersweet night. Once the adrenaline wore off and the emotions set in, the memories these nine men have left me with in the past year is something I will never forget.
The 2012 Summer Mixtape Festival consisted of two of my favorite things - boy bands and good friends! At this point, is there anything I will not do for the Backstreet Boys? After travelling roughly 4647km, I think the answer is clear. On Friday, August 17th we arrived in Hershey, PA in our appropriately decorated wheels.
When there are that many fans in one location, lines are to be expected. At the same time, when there are that many individuals checking in for the same event there should be more then one or two people doing the check-in. Regardless, we got checked in and our snazzy VIP laminates. Once we made it into the venue, the rain started. The flashy ponchos and (confiscated) umbrellas were a result. Once we were thoroughly wet, and there was no hope of remaining dry we decided to embrace the rain that stayed with us all night. If you ask me, it only added to the experience!
There were two stages at the festival, and the artists alternated stages. If you wanted a great spot, you had to pick a stage and stick with it. That's what myself and a few other girls decided to do since the New Kids on the Block would be performing on that stage at the end of the night.
First up on the stage we were at was Aaron Carter. Yes, Nick Carter's younger brother. I will be honest, I had lost touch with the younger Carter after I turned ten. It had been raining hard which caused a slight delay, but when Aaron Carter took that rain soaked stage I turned back into that ten year old screaming girl! I loved every minute of it.
While standing at the stage that the New Kids would be performing on we did miss a few acts on the other stage. We missed DJ Fly, DJ Cheapshot, Carolina Liar and The Fray. I will say that The Fray sounded great! We did get the treat of the witnessing a band called Steel Panther. There are no words, but they certainly made us laugh. I was excited for DJ Pauly D. I don't understand the DJ phenomenon, but my dirty little secret is how cute I find Pauly D!
I had never seen NKOTB perform without the Backstreet Boys. The NKOTBSB madness had made me into a New Kids fan, and I was excited! Even the rain couldn't stop the infectious excitement caused by a legendary boy band.
There were fireworks, Jon singing step five, a shirtless Donnie, Joey stealing Jordan's microphone after dropping his own, hip thrusts, the crowd singing Donnie happy birthday and at the end of the show 98 Degrees joined the boys on stage. The New Kids did not disappoint!
Afterwards, we made our way over to the other stage where Kelly Clarkson would perform. She is incredibly talented! Her voice is flawless, and her concert is worth seeing. At one point, she invited Joey McIntyre to the stage to sing Don't You Want to Stay. I wasn't expecting to, but I knew every word of every song. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!
The last event of the evening was Donnie Wahlberg's birthday celebration in the VIP tent. It was difficult to hear, and even more difficult to see so we did not stay long. The next day would be a big one, so we headed back to the hotel for a teeny-tiny bit of rest.
I fought this every step of the way. I was certain there was no room in my heart for another boy band. I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I would like to thank my dear friend Ashley for opening my eyes to a world of magic that I had been missing.
I fell hard and recklessly for Big Time Rush. Who could resist the overwhelming charisma of James Maslow, Logan Henderson, Carlos Pena and Kendall Schmidt?! Definitely not myself. I've been sucked in. My iPod consists of different Big Time Rush playlists. My iTunes is stocked up with every Big Time Rush episode. My car has the BTR Summer Tour CD I made on repeat. If you checked my Youtube history you would see clip after clip of Big Time Rush interviews, performances and randomness.
All of the above has lead to the following, a Big Time Adventure. I have yet to see four of my favorite men in concert, but that will all change soon. After the Summer Mixtape Festival (a weekend we're calling Boyband Bonanza) in Hershey, PA where I'll be seeing my beloved Backstreet Boys, the New Kids on the Block, The Wanted as well as 98 Degrees, we will be driving from Hershey to Bristow, VA for my first Big Time Rush concert!
I'll be home for a month before the actual Big Time Adventure begins. This will consist of the following:
Sunday, Sept 16th, 2012 - Vancouver, BC with VIP passes.
Monday, Sept 17th, 2012 - Puyallup, WA with VIP passes.
Saturday, Sept 22nd, 2012 - Ontario, CA with VIP passes.
I cannot wait! I'm still trying to figure out how to squeeze in another concert sometime in August to tide myself over before September. Scheming, scheming, scheming..
The morning after the Well Lit & Amplified concert in Spokane, WA my sister and I drove to Seattle. It was our first time in the city of Seattle, so we checked into the hotel early and walked to the nearby Space Needle to do a few touristy things. I should have known to expect rain! We had lunch at Sky City, which I should have known was a revolving restaurant. The view was astonishing and the food was great! When you dine at Sky City a trip to the observation deck is included in the cost of the meal. After spending a small fortune on two bowls of clam chowder, crab mac 'n cheese and a pulled pork sandwich we ventured out onto the observation deck.We made a stop at the gift shop, and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for our second Well Lit & Amplified concert.
The opening acts were the still Dia Frampton and Justin Moore. The set lists were still the same. It was essentially the same concert seen from a different angle, but with one major addition.. Blake Shelton's beautiful wife (and my country girl crush), Miranda Lambert!
Honestly, my sister and I had a feeling she may have been making an appearance that evening. We knew she had a few days off from her tour, and she had been tweeting from the concert the night before. Since the Key Arena was a larger venue than the Spokane Arena, we figured if she was going to make a guest appearance she was going to do it in Seattle.
Even though we had our suspicions, I still nearly lost my mind - as well as my voice - when Blake brought Miranda out to sing her hit Baggage Claim in her adorable Team Blake t-shirt.
Under normal circumstances, Jenna and I probably would not have driven to Seattle, WA to see the same concert for a second time. However, this was not at all a normal circumstance.. We had entered for the chance to meet Blake Shelton at both shows since only a handful of individuals are selected randomly for each concert. We had tickets to Spokane, but if one of us was lucky enough to be chosen for the Seattle concert we would buy a second pair of tickets. Not only did oneof us get chosen, we both got meet and greet passes to the Seattle concert!
Needless to say I was beyond flabbergasted by the idea of meeting Mr. Blake Shelton. We picked up our passes before the doors open and spent an hour or so standing in the rain - which wouldn't have been worth it for any other man. When we were inside we knew when to meet, but where wasn't as clear. Once we figured it out, we were lead down to the floor and waited.
We were lead into a back room with a large screen set-up. Slowly and one-by-one we started to move towards the giant screen that was serving as the backdrop for the photo. At first we knew that Blake Shelton was on the other side of that screen, but it still wasn't real. As we got closer there was a moment when we heard his unmistakable laugh. At that moment my sister grabbed my arm and we just looked at each other speechless.
As I approached Blake Shelton, he opened his arms wide for an embrace and greeted me with a big ol' "Hey sweetheart!" I put my arm around him, and he placed his snuggly around my shoulders. After the photo while I was still snuggled under his arm I squeaked out, "You were great last night!" He may have been slightly taken aback but he said, "Why thank you! That's so sweet of you. You drove here from Spokane?" I told him how I had driven from Revelstoke, BC to pick up my sister in Calgary, AB. From there we drove to Spokane and finally to Seattle, WA. As I handed him the photo I wanted him to sign he looked down at my from his 6ft5 frame and said, "I'm flattered! How sweet of you. What's your name sweetheart?" I nearly died. Blake Shelton asked me for MY name. I told him, and when he signed my photo he signed it 'To Kristen, Blake Shelton'. My sister was so jealous!
As we left the meet and greet, I was overcome with emotion. You get the feeling that he genuinely appreciates each one of his fans, and he wants to ensure we feel that. I had spent the two weeks since receiving the notification of the meet and greet trying to figure out what to say - if anything - to this country superstar. In that moment with Blake Shelton, he was no superstar.
After Justin Moore's boot-stompin' set and a short break, the moment had finally arrived. The lights dimmed, and the crowd stood. I've seen a lot of great country performances, but I have never had an emotional reaction to an artist taking the stage. On March 8th, 2012 in Spokane, WA when Blake Shelton took the stage I cried, and I am not ashamed to admit it! Never in my life had I ever been so happy that I cried, and that night that man made it happen.
Of course any concert goer prefers to be front row for their favorite artist, but that's not always how it happens. However my sister and I had fantastic seats for this concert. We were on the floor at the tip of the catwalk.
After Blake's cover of Footloose, he sang All About Tonight. Followed by two of my favorites She Wouldn't Be Gone and Don't Make Me. He does a beautiful cover of Michael Buble's Home, which Blake sang next. Some Beach and Drink On It followed.
Part of the reason I adore Blake Shelton the way that I do is because of his down-home, country boy charm. The man is from Oklahoma. He likes to hunt, he likes to drink and he doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks about him!
After Kiss My Country Ass, Blake sang Ol' Red. Ol' Red may not be a conventional favorite, but I can not get enough of that song! It's about a man in prison after finding his wife with another man and the guard dog he is instructed to take care of. "Well I caught my wife with another man, and it cost me ninety nine. On a prison farm in Georgia, close to the Florida line. Well I'd been here for long years. I finally made the warden my friend, and so he sentences me to a life of ease taking care of Ol' Red." See? Not exactly conventional.
After Who Are You When I'm Not Lookin', Blake had a stool and a couple of guitars set-up at the end of the catwalk. He sang an acoustic version of Nobody But Me followed by Austin, his debut single from 2001. I can remember the very first time I heard Austin, and since then I've always said that it is the reason I fell in love with country music.
Dia Frampton was on Blake's team on The Voice. He brought the runner-up out to sing I Will, a song she wrote for her own album and asked Blake to sing on it. It was cute! Before singing a cover of Cee Lo Green's Forget You, Blake talked about the first time he met his fellow Voice coaches.
To make up for singing a pop song infront of "a hardcore country music audience", Blake sang a drinkin' song next. The More I Drink was followed by Honey Bee and Hillbilly Bone. For the encore, Blake brought Justin Moore back out to sing Travis Tritt's The Whiskey Ain't Workin'. Then Blake Shelton closed the show with his hit God Gave Me You.
