Steph's Providence Experience

Everything for this show fell into place too perfectly. I got front row (almost center) seats thru the pre-sale and I won the Raven auction to meet Rick (and maybe more). I had never met any of the leps, so I was thrilled!!!!

This was my first time in the front row. We were in our seats with plenty of time and the security guards were actually nice to us. We were joking around before the show and they even offered to hold my stuff behind the barricade. Cameras were allowed and they tried to get out of the way when I was taking a picture. The one guard in front of me was singing along with most songs, including LLWTG! Cool!

Malvin came out and introduced Ricky, and he did a wonderful set as always. I was the only person in the front row that stood up!!! I was singing along with every song. When Viv came out and he saw me standing and singing (I was on his side) he sort of smiled at me. After Ricky's set, I sent my brother to get Ricky's CD for me, but they sold out. That is so awesome for him!!! I'll just have to get it when it comes out.

During intermission, this girl sits next to me with a Happy Birthday balloon (one of the metallic helium ones) and roses telling me it's for Joe's birthday. I then inform her that Viv's b-day is closer than Joe's so she decides that she'll tell Viv the balloon is for him. During the show he keeps trying to tell her it's not his birthday and she keeps trying to tell him that it is still for him. I just kept laughing.

I was right in front of Sav! When he was not running all over the place, he would stop in front of me. His stool for the acoustic part was directly in front of where I was standing!! It seems that he does not pay attention to the front row (or he was annoyed with me taking his picture all night long). He never really looked at me, but I saw plenty of him. He wore those crazy patchwork pants, and I swear there is a tear right in the crotch! It was not big enough to reveal anything, but I just kept wondering if I might get a surprise at some point in the show. I never saw him do his signature shielding the eyes move (bummer), but he did tell us that were were "fucking great"!

They played the High N' Dry set!!! YAY! I had yet to see it and this is my last concert this tour, so I was thrilled when I heard the beginning of "Hit and Run". Joe's voice sounded the best I have heard yet! He was wearing one t-shirt for the HnD part, but after Switch, he came out wearing the handprint. I have never heard of Joe changing mid-set, so I thought it was a little strange.

I have no idea what Phil was wearing, but he lost the shirt after Switch. Since I was in front of Sav, I was pretty much a goner. I could not pay attention to the others that much! Phil did his windmill thing, and he was on the floor at one point too. For those keeping track, this time Joe said he weighed 140 pounds LOL

Viv wore jeans and a blue, button down shirt that was unbuttoned for most of the night and gone by the end. He threw a pic at one point and it bounced off one fan a few rows back, flew forward, and I felt it hit my foot just as the lights went completely out! I kept hoping that when the lights came back on, I could find it...and I did!! It was right next to my foot. The people a few rows back did not even see where it went. They were all searching the ground around them for a few minutes. I held it up for Viv to see and I thanked him. He replied "that's mine, give it back!" LOL I told him "no way", but I should have to told him to come and get it! That was the one moment during the concert where I had definite personal attention. I think Joe smiled at me once, but I could be dreaming. I was waving at them trying to get one of them to wave back, but to no avail.

When Joe was trying to introduce Viv before Armageddon It, something funny must have happened, but I did not see what it was. Joe was laughing, but he eventually was able to say what he wanted about the Irish wonder.

I never really saw Rick during the show. He had on a blue Raven shirt and shorts. I'll have more to say about him for the backstage portion of my review.

As the evening went on, the saga with the balloon continued. Viv finally caved and the security guards put it up on stage. Viv tied it around the head of the guitar and played LGR almost completely like that! Sav decided to head butt the balloon a few times and Joe came over and swatted it as well. At the end, Viv undid the string from the guitar and stuck the string down the back of his pants!! He was walking around saying goodnight with this thing following him! Too cute! I thought I got a picture of it, but unfortunately I did not.

After Love Bites, before going into LGR, Joe almost brought tears to my eyes. Some of the survivors of the Great White fire at The Station were in the audience. He explained how concerened they were about singing ROA because of the lyric "We're gonna burn this place down to the ground". He said he felt funny about it, but before the show I guess he chatted with some of the folks and Joe told us that they told him to "sing it, and you better sing it loud". SInce I was up close, I could see his face as he was talking, and I could truly see a look of deep concern there.

That was very touching. It showed me that they are truly compassionate people! Just another reason to love this band.

This was truly a great show, and being in the front row is such an awesome experience. I did not want it to end, but I knew what was coming next.

When the show ended, I was surprisingly calm. Before the show, I kept thinking that my heart was gonna pound furiously when I finally got backstage, but I held it together. We were asked to sit in a section and wait. Malvin showed up about 30 minutes later and led us backstage.

I said hi to Malvin, and asked him for a pic. He said that he charges, so I took that to mean no. Maybe he was just joking, but I decided not to push it. We were led to a room with tables and chairs and Lauren came in. One of the fire victims was with us with two of her freinds. Lauren explained a little about Raven and left for a few minutes. She returned with water for us and Ricky, Rick's dog! What an adorable little puppy he is.

Rick walked in, and went right to the girl from the fire with a signed setlist from all the guys. I thought that was very sweet. Rick spent time with each of us, signing everything and talking. I was so nervous that I never even asked him a question. I am such a dork. I took a picture with him and let him move on to the next guest. While standing around, I played with the puppy, and talked to Lauren about Raven and other stuff. She is absolutely a terrific woman.

After a while I thought that maybe Rick would be the only Lep that I would meet (which was awesome in itself), but Phil walked in. He signed my stuff and took pictures, but again I forgot to ask him questions. I just babbled to him about how awesome the tour was going, etc. At some point Anita came in, but I did not really have a chance to talk to her. After a few minutes, when Phil was done talking to the others, I sheepishly went up to him to ask him if he minded if I asked him a question. He said, no problem. I have always wondered at what point during the night the boys would get to the stage during the "in the round years" (I already knew that they were in laundry hampers). I expected him to say that it was during the opening act, but he told me that it was right before they went on with all the house lights up! He also said that Robert Plant actually wheeled them out once!!! I asked him if anyone ever figured out that they were in the hampers and he told me no. He is just so cool to talk to.

Right before we were leaving, my brother actually got into a deep conversation with Rick about the environment. I could not believe that Adam was able to have a meaningful one-on-one with him while I was just a smiling idiot.

Both Phil and Rick were the nicest guys. Although I was not stammering, and I did not feel too nervous, I know that I forgot alot of what I wanted to say. I have no regrets. This was the ultimate concert experience. I had front row (almost center), caught a guitar pic (a dream of mine) and had backstage passes which led to meeting 2 of the 5 members of my all time favorite band. I don't know where this luck came from!!! I still have 3 more Leps to meet but it'll have to wait. No more shows for me this tour. Until next time, and there WILL be a next time!

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