Jonas Brothers Concert: VIP Experience 2013.7.29
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So, a very dear friend of mine, and upcoming roommate, has been a Jonas fan for 7 years now scored 2 VIP Meet & Greet Soundcheck passes.
Then on Monday we woke early, got all prettied up, and got to the venue about noon (couldn’t park until 12:30), and then … well, music is a very “hurry up and wait" sort of industry: lots of standing around doing nothing (but getting sunburn). Our free-merch line opened at like 2, the soundcheck party queue started up about about 3:30, meet & greet started about 5, the concert started at 7. Mainly I was just thinking that I was happy not to be the one who needed to carry barricade around, but I’ve decided that I like working concerts much better than I like being a civilian at them … and that I am not fond of outdoor venues …
Sure it looks cool, but between sunburn and bugbites . . . meh, I just don't see the appeal. (Photo from Venue Website)
Actually, since I wasn’t all worked up about impressing them it was a pretty hilarious thing.First off, I made them laugh because I was chatting with their bouncer and he kept making jokes and I made jokes back at him including one where he kept letting me come forward and then made me step back repeatedly, and I was like, “come on man, all or nothing!" It made their security laugh and they were grinning too when I came around to meet them. Kevin was the first one I saw and when I fell, I was shaking Kevin’s hand. He said “hi, I’m Kevin, nice to meet you" super quick and I managed “it’s nice to be here, I’m Alex, congrats on the baby" and then he asked me my favorite song and I sort of ignored him because the camera guy was trying to get my attention (I don’t even remember why), but he was on my right and I was still holding Kevin’s right hand and I had to spin around to my left really far to see him and then someone’s foot was there (I think it was Joe’s but it might have been Kevin’s) and … I tripped. And fell. And was caught by Joe. In a full-on movie-scene hand-on-back-one-leg-out sort of thing … and I just sort of stared up at him saying “oh. uh. hi." at which point Joe said, “Nice to meet you, Alex, I like your tights" (with that signature shameless-flirt-smile of his) and I said “I like them too" (they’re awesome tights, btw, bright pink and paler pink zebra stripes). I was returned to my upright position (after noting that Joe smelled really nice) and was asked “how long have you been a fan?" and I responded, “not too long yet, and this is my first Jonas Brothers Concert", as I made to stand between Joe and Nick for the photo, as Joe said, “great, well, we’ll make sure to put on a great show for you then!" My assessment of the members:
I think she looks super cute with him.
The concert started pretty much on time, with Jordan Baird kicking things off. He was cool. His guitar’s pick-up was being really weird so the second verse of his new song was done entirely A Capella as he strummed and no sound came through the speakers. We were close enough to hear some of the acoustic sound, but still the A Capella was nice. Then Karmin came on, and they were fabulous. Amy is one hell of a rapper chick, and they just had great energy, great songs, and fabulous stage presence. Up next was Mike Tompkins, a beatboxer DJ who knows his way around a loop recorder. He was spectacular and just tons of fun to jam to (I’m looking into getting him to play my school). He was so much fun to dance around to that I didn't remember to snag a picture of him. Ah well, next time. I'm hoping to acquire his services in a performance at UMW so, hopefully there will be a next time rather soon.
And then, at long last (sometime just after 9:30pm or so) it was the Jonas Brothers’ turn. They put on a pretty damn good live show, Ocean Grove is spectacular and the boys play well with the audience. It’s not really my favorite music ever, but it’s pretty good, and absolutely fabulous Live. 
I spent most of the time with my friend's phone, making sure she got a ton of great pics of Nick up close, but I did get a few shots of my own. ^_~
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She’s been chillen at my place since saturday evening. And sunday we met up with another friend of ours from around here to force her to do the touristy thing, and eventually succumbed to her pleas to go shopping. We ended up missing various members of Ocean Grove and the Jonas Brothers themselves on the National Mall and around Georgetown by like 20 mins. 
Yes, I'm wearing a Triple S necklace.
I know it's taboo to wear band-swag to a different band's concert, but I figured (correctly) that no one would notice.
Anyway, soundcheck was pretty awesome. Ocean Grove rocked through warm-ups, generalized jamming, joke-telling and comedic MC stuff, and then played Australia and Games (forgetting some of the 2nd verse and just kind of mumbling while the small crowd sang along), and then the Jonas Brothers themselves came out and played BB Good, London Foolishly (Nick), and Hello Beautiful. We were also introduced to Cornelius, the House Sound Engineer (who I really wanted to talk to but was never able to…Security kept him very well away from from us simple civilians). As we were leaving I yelled at their on-stage sound guy, asking him what software he was running (I had to ask a few times because he was very confused that I was asking HIM a question that pertained to HIS work and not the Jonas Brothers): Pro Tools Live.
Then we had the Meet & Greet: Of the pair of us at the concert, I went to meet them first. I wanted to give my dear friend a bit more time to compose herself, and to tell Nick (her biggest idol ever) to be especially nice to her. Yeah, I'm that crazy friend. ^_~ Anyway, after waiting in line for hours to meet them, I finally get up there and . . . I tripped. 
I'm kind of leaning against Nick here, because I was still sort of unsteady, since Joe had literally just returned me to my upright position.
They were all super sweet people to meet and they were totally cool when I literally fell into Joe. I'm pretty sure they could tell that I'd actually fallen, since I'd hit one of their feet with my own pretty hard. Anyway, after the picture, I got to ask my questions. I started by asking them what music production software they liked and was met by blank stares for a second. They were not expecting technical questions at this event. (and they were especially not expecting a fan that had just fallen into Joe’s arms like a chick in a scene from a Disney movie to be so calm-interrogator about such technical questions … ) Kevin started, “we just kinda like …" and Joe jumped in with “ALL of them! if it makes music, we like it". Which is an acceptable answer. I asked them how it felt to be in DC and halfway through a tour. Kevin answered that it was good, great weather, and Joe said that it’s great to be back, on stage and with the fans. And I told them that I’m trying to get into the industry, as a management and production person, and Joe gave that bright smile of his and said, “That’s fantastic!" and Kevin told me it was cool. Nick was giving me the weirdest look the whole time. I mean between the fact that since I didn’t trip over HIS foot he couldn’t really tell if I staged my fall or not and then my questions about the technical side of music … I think I confuzzled him. All I said to him after I got a hug was “I like your hair" (to which he replied, “Thanks"), and “my friend adores you, she's next, please give her a big hug, bye". Then after the meet and greet, I gave their people a bunch of business cards, and left some as gifts for them, as I waited for my friend to come out. And then we went in search of a slurpee. We did not find one, but we did find some really good Lemonade. And some good popcorn. My friend was still in shock (Nick is the love of her life, her role model, her greatest idol, etc), so we took a few minutes to just sit. Then we found our seats in the Orchestra Section (Nick’s side).
Karmin caught in the sun. Ah well, that's the price of of putting these up before I have time to edit the photos.
Monday Night's Setlist:
First Time Paranoid Pom Poms Found (New Song) Who I Am (Nick Jonas & the Administration cover) That’s Just The Way We Roll Gotta Find You Make It Right Before The Storm The World (New Song) Fly With Me Stay Let’s Go (with Karmin) See No More (Joe Jonas Cover) What Do I Mean To You (New Song) Still In Love With You Last Time Around (Nick & the Administration cover) Don’t Say (New Song) Hello Beautiful (Audience Pick) When You Look Me in the Eyes Burnin’ Up Encore - Lovebug SOS All in all it was a great show. |
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Afterwards, we were walking back and a very cute venue worker with a golf cart asked if we wanted a lift back to the gates. We said yes, obviously. He gave us a lift all the way from the front of the stage to the main gate, chatting with us cheerily the whole time. I slipped him my business card too, just ‘cuz… I had a bunch left and he was cute and clearly a fan of music.
Then we went out to McDonald’s for some post concert chow and then drove back towards my house where were stopped and grabbed some Frostys to go. Then we come home, settled down, assessed our sunburn situation & the state of our muscles in general, and crashed into bed. I have decided that I don’t really like being a civilian at concerts. It’s creepy. I kept feeling like I should be coiling wire or gaffing something and it’s just weird to watch other people working and not be allowed to contribute… especially when I'm capable and qualified. Ah well, it was a great day and a great experience. ^_~
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