Because that's how I roll

Since 12 Paul Westerberg shows since last November is never enough, I did make the journey for the last scheduled show for him so far. This was at the House of Blues in Orlando, yeah Downtown Disney. Yes I was in Florida hell. Buildings in pink, peach, teal and wicker every where I looked. Sure it was warm and very nice outside but there was also screaming kids and geriatrics in hawaiian shirts as far as the eye could see. How Mr. Westerberg's booking agent could choose this as a last stop is really an inconceivable thought to me.

With Loni by my side again we were ready to make the shortest Florida vacation possible for a midwesterner. We were on a plane at 8 am departing for Orlando on Sunday morning. We got on another plane at 6am Monday morning heading back. Not even a full 24 hours in the state. We stayed at the lovely Grosvenor Resort.



Yes that building is pink and in the distance is downtown disney and a very round Planet Hollywood. Here we met up with fellow Westerberg fan, Richard, who could be the coolest Canadians I've ever met. Though I'm pretty sure I've only met 4 or 5. I met him at the Milwaukee and Chicago shows, I met Loni in Chicago as well. The day started out with Whiskey by the pool and too much swearing around little kids. Because when you're quoting the Big Lebowski you can't avoid statements like "I would have fucked you in the ass Saturday. I fuck you in the ass next Wednesday instead." After saying that I realized there were about five 3-6 year olds well within earshot. I hope when they were getting tucked into bed that night they said "Daddy what does fuck you in the ass mean?" "Well honey its something Daddies do to Mommies when they've been bad girls." Eight year olds Dude.

Ok back to subject. After a $10 cab ride that took us less than a mile (hey we were lazy and we had been drinking, fuck walking), we arrived at the House of Blues. Being that we're dorks and this is the last show we get in line to make sure we're up close. And yes we were close, only the stage in front of us. Which was a monstrosity being that it stood I would say about 4 feet off the ground. The whole show I was either looking up Westerbergs nose or getting splashed with his spit. But determined to rock out, I don't think I stopped moving the whole show. The curtains opened promptly at 8, which was shocking on its own. The set was very tight with few covers and songs I haven't heard much such as Don't Want Never, Man Without Ties, Black Diamond, Lush and Green and Folkstar, which smokes live by the way. There were problems with his amp and when a guitar just wasn't working for him he gave it a kiss and smashed it giving some fans a few really cool souvenirs. He held up the bridge and said how much is this worth to you guys, I yelled out my plane ticket back to mpls, but he didn't hear it and someone else got the bridge.

A woman we had met in line had a Hootenanny album that she had signed by him in 93. Despite me telling her not to do this she handed it to him while he was on stage and had him sign it. He signed something else for someone as well and I just thought, what the hell are you people doing, wait for the damn meet and greet. In line I met quite a few people. There was a woman that I had talked with at a show in LA and another woman who was doing a documentary. She was also at the LA show, she had Paul autograph her arm and later turned that into a tattoo. I love you're music Paul but don't think I would ever have your name tattooed on my body. Lyrics could be cool, like Jodi's I Will Dare tattoo. There was also a few fellow MWT posters and most of them were even staying in the same hotel as us. I'm sure 95% of the front row of fans were us and other out of towners. Florida was not represnting Westerberg fans well. The venue had a capacity of 2300 and when doors opened only 300 tickets had been sold. I would say there were maybe 450-500 people in attendance. It was quite shocking but I'm sure helped in me being able to be at the front of the crowd.

Later we did the meet and greet. Richard who had gotten a pass for after show was cool enough to stick out the line with us instead. We talked to Paul briefly while he was sitting on the steps of his bus. He told us that he saw us rocking out (my term not his) and that it really keeps him going and said how much he appreciated it. I was so happy, especially because I argue to people all the time that the crowd really effects the performance and it helps to show the band that you're into it. He signed my ticket stubs and we mentioned how someone thought we deserved passes in NY and showed him that we were given them. We then asked if we could talk to Michael Bland. He had told Loni via a private message to stop by and say hi. I had previously talked to him in Milwaukee and wanted to say hi as well. Paul let us up on the bus and Michael was so nice and happy to see us, especially Loni. So yeah we hung on the bus for quite a while. Jim Boquist introduced himself which was cool because I'm sure he's seen me at many of the 13 shows I attended. He was a very nice guy and told me that he appreciated us coming to the shows. He put on some good Stones tunes and hung with us for a bit. Michael told us a story about Jim and Paul filling plastic wiffle ball type balls with lighter fluid, lighting them up and throwing them down the aisle of the bus at each other. I thought that was great, I wanted them to do that right then and there. Imagine being the bus driver and peeking in your rear view mirror to little balls of fire flying around the bus. Oh to be in a band on tour.

Paul spent most of his time doing the meet and greet so I didn't get to talk to him on the bus, which is fine because I would have only said something stupid. It did feel kind of weird hanging out where Paul Westerberg was wandering around stuff. Just being chill with him there. At one point he was walking back to the door of the bus to go talk to more people and I just kind of looked down as he was walking by me not to be the obvious staring fan geek and he was doing this weird little jig with his hands, he was in a good mood, and just kind of scratched the top of my head. You know the kind of thing a friend does as they pass by and even though they have nothing to say they acknowledge you. So yeah I am a geeky fan girl and am still kind of dorking out over that. Richard leaned over to me and said something like "you just got adorned." I'm not sure what the word was cause I was in a bit of awe. Someone who I admire so much was being that casual with me. Jim too was that cool about things, very friendly to some fan who was hanging out. They're great people.

So after chatting for quite a while the three of us got a ride back to our hotel. We ordered some pizza and again sat by the pool drinking whiskey. By this point it was about one am and Loni and I had to catch a shuttle to the airport around 4 so we knew sleep was pointless. So the fabulous night ended with about a 45 minute long movie quoting session featuring such movies as Repo Man, Spinal Tap, the Big Lebowski of course and Office Space. Our plane left Orlando at 5:50 am, we had a slight layover in Atlanta and was back in mpls by 9:30 and at work by 11:30. Why? Because thats how I roll.