The One Where I Went To See Scars on 45 and Rachel Platten a Few Times.

When you stick Scars on 45 and Rachel Platten in the same lineup on a weekend, I automatically plan on going without even a question or a blink of an eye of how long the drive is. 500 miles? I got this.

And since I can never just go to one show at a time, of course a few fun things got added last minute. Unplanned is always the best plan.

BURBANK

The original plan was to drive straight to Vegas the day before the show. Rachel ended up having a little win your way in, radio performance the day before in Burbank, so I entered and decided to change plans if I won. Well, I won.

So instead of leaving Friday morning, Yvonne and I met up Thursday night after we got off work and drove down to LA. We arrived at Jane’s place around 1am and tried as quietly as possible to sneak in without waking her.

What felt like just a few short hours later, our alarms went off and Yvonne and I headed out to get coffee and to be at the studio in Burbank by 10am. Jane had to work so she couldn’t come with. Boo.

We got to the 104.3myfm studios and sat in their lobby trying not to fall asleep. And of course I took a picture of this giant Adam face.

They let us into the room where the performance was going to be, and it was a giant room of pillows. I plopped myself on a giant one right up front (and hit Yvonne in the face with another pillow, I am mean) and then we waited until it was time for Rachel and Craig to perform. I kept telling Yvonne, “They’re going to be so excited when they see me.” (That sounds conceited, but it turned out to be super true.)

When the side door opened from the room they were in, Craig spotted me first. He got a huge grin on his face and was all “HEY! WHAT’S UP!” as he sat down at his drum set.

Rachel grabbed her guitar and spotted me about 10 seconds later, “OMG HI!” They were both super smiley during the performance. They are the stinking cutest.

Rachel played a few new songs (her album is going to be AMAZING!) and afterwards we went up to say hi. Rachel instantly started talking a mile a minute.

“Omg, hi! I am so glad you are here. I love when I see familiar faces!”

“I kept saying to Yvonne, they’re going to be so excited!”

“I WAS EXCITED. Did Craig see you?!”

“Yeah, he saw me before you did.”

“Was HE excited?!” I love her.

We were chatting, and I mentioned that we were going to Vegas the following day.
“YOU ARE? OMG. I’m going to steal all the dogs.” (The show was part of Pet-a-palooza) We talked about Vegas a bit more, and I mentioned that I live 5 hours north, so we had to come to this show since it was sorta on the way. Rachel punched me in the arm.

“SHUT UP, NO YOU DON’T. Was this worth it?”

“Uh, yeah. I love you girl.”

“Oh my God I love youuuu.” Adorable. We took a photo, and as I was walking away she yells at me, “And I’m totally rocking my hair curly now like you!”

Can we just be best friends now? Or is she too busy becoming best friends with Taylor Swift?

Yvonne went to say hi really quick, and then we got ready to leave. Craig was near the exit door, so we stopped to talk to him for several minutes. We were both driving to Vegas within the next few hours, so we joked about racing each other on the freeway.

After we said goodbye, we headed to Pasadena to meet up with Jane on her lunch break. We went to a restaurant named Lucky Boy (yeah, I sang the Matt Nathanson song in my head the entire time) and I ate a ginormous avocado burrito. There had to be at least 2 full avocados in there. Yes, please.

We hit the road towards Vegas after consuming half of the burrito baby. And of course I stopped at the first Dunkin Donuts I saw, because CAFFEINE ALWAYS!

My lovely friends Erin and Dahl live in Vegas, so when the show was first announced, I asked 1.) if they were going and 2.) if I could stay with them. Unfortunately Erin had to be in Phoenix for work that weekend. I had just planned on getting a hotel, but, they are awesome human beings and offered their casa to us anyway even though they were going to be out of town. Thanks, guys!

We hung out with their dogs for a little bit, and then headed out to get donuts and dinner. (Those giant burritos kept us full for a good 8 hours!)

We were going to explore Vegas with Craig later that evening, but we are old ladies and got tired after dinner and needed to go to sleep early so I texted him that I had to cancel on him. Sorry, buddy. We are lame. Plus Vegas on a Friday night? Eh. Traffic up the wazoo.

VEGAS

The next morning we woke up around 7am and sat around drinking coffee and hanging with the dogs again. We started getting ready and then headed to the park where the show was at. It was a noon to six gig, so hello Vegas sun in the middle of the day (aka this must be what hell feels like.)

Jane had drove in from LA early that morning, and Nina and Caroline had drove in from Denver the night before. When we had got to the park, they were already set up in the front row, so we hopped in with them and ate cotton candy oreos and had a sunblock applying party.

Rachel went on first, and it was ridiculously hot. I pulled my hair back into a braid during her set, because I was sweating in all the places and my huge fro was not helping to keeping me cool.

She was doing a little meet and greet afterwards, so of course we headed over to say hi to her.

“Even though I knew you were coming, I was still so excited to see you!” she said as she hugged me tight. “And your hair looks so pretty today! And those flowers!” She’s seriously the cutest thing on the planet.
“Are you coming to any shows this summer?!” she asked before I left.

“I’m gonna try!” I said, and just that made her face light up. (I am seeing her on Sunday & Monday, so I kept my word!)

I went over to talk to Craig. He had a friend there and he introduced us as, “This is Joslyn. She is the girl that was supposed to go out with us last night…*turns back to me* we stayed out until 2am last night.”

“I KNOW, I KNOW. I am an old lady. I’m not even 30 yet and I needed sleep. I would have died staying out until 2am.”

Blue October was next, and Jane and I were dying, so we went to find shade. We are wimps. Kudos to the other girls for holding down the fort.

We went to go sit under a tree, and as we were walking towards the glorious shade, we ran right into Scars who were just arriving! “HEY!” I screamed and they all tried to hug me at once. “Woah, there’s too many of you.”
“Are you leaving?” Chris asked us. I gave him a stupid look.
“NO. We’re just going to sit in the shade over there. We’ll see you in a bit.”

The crowd got seriously packed during Blue October, so Jane and I stood in the back. As soon as he was finished playing, we made our way back to the front to let the other girls take a break from the sun, before Scars started.

It was still hot as balls. When Scars was over I knew I wasn’t going to stick around for the other acts, because I was burnt toast (sunblock too late major fail) and I desperately needed food. We went to go say hi to Scars first though.

Jane is not in the photo because she was seriously feeling ill from the sun and was just sitting on the ground. I thought she was going to die for a minute.

There was a few dozen people who had said hi before us, and they all stood in front of the table when they took their photo. I pretty much was all, “Um, I’m coming back there because I don’t like this table in the way. I don’t care if it’s not allowed.” (There was a security guard standing right there and I pretty much do what I want because hi, I don’t care.)

We talked for a few minutes, then we got shooed away from security (I talk as much as I do things I’m probably not supposed to…) and I told them all I’d see them on my birthday. (“You better be wasted!” Aimee said.)

We were game planning another crazy thing off to the side of the table a few dozen feet away when I felt an evil stare. I looked back at Scars and the next guy behind us in line was standing behind the table taking a photo. Aimee is giving me an eye and then points at me and mouths, “This is your fault.” HAHAHA. You’re welcome. 😉

So, the crazy game plan….Yvonne and I were going to stay another night in Vegas and drive home early the next morning. But then Jane somehow talked us into driving back to LA that night, because Rachel was performing Fight Song at a MS Walk in Pasadena the next morning at 11am. (OK, let’s face it, I didn’t need much talking into…)

Yvonne wanted to stay and see Mat Kearney, so I drove back to Erin and Dahl’s place and took a shower (goodbye, nasty Vegas sweatyness!) and grabbed our stuff and then headed back to the park to pick up Yvonne after the show so we could just hit the road and go when the show was finished.

We got back to LA around 11pm, and pretty much went straight to sleep. Being in the sun drained us. Also, I’m just old now.

PASADENA

Jane woke up before Yvonne and I, because she was being extra crazy and running a 5k in Hollywood, and then driving over to the MS Walk in Pasadena right after.

Yvonne and I had no clue how big the crowd was going to be, so we headed over early to check out the scene. Getting there early meant we had a ton of time to check out all the booths handing out a CRAP TON OF AWESOME SHIT. I felt bad because we were basically there to see Rachel play her one song and then peace out, but what they don’t know won’t hurt them…yes I will take your free KIND Bars and water…

So. Rachel played her song and was super cute as always, and then we headed out for brunch while all the walkers went to be awesome and walk for a cause. (If I had planned this I would have dressed more sporty and walked. Fail.)

Was it worth it? Yeah. Do I still laugh at how ridiculous we are? Yeah. But hey, who was #1 on iTunes last week, and still holding strong at #3 right now? RACHEL. So apparently thousands of people also got hip to how cool Rachel is. That little lady is going places. ❤

The One Where I Still Loved Lifehouse As Much As I Did When I Was 15.

Three days after getting home from all my Maroon 5 shows, I was on the road again. Sleep when I die…

This time, it was for a band that I’ve loved since I was 15: Lifehouse.

I found out about this show after a heads up from my friend David. At this point the show had already been on-sale for awhile, so by the time I got my hands on tickets, the closest available was third row. As long as I got to see them, I was good sitting anywhere. (And after a week of general admission m5 shows, I was happy for a reserved seat. #TeamElderly)

The morning of the show, I worked a half day at the library, then hit the road to head to Modesto. I wandered around downtown for a bit but let’s face it…there’s not much to do in Modesto. I sat around the venue reading. There was a VIP option that included a meet and greet before the show, and 10 minutes before it was supposed to begin I decided…I deserve to go. So I walked right into the venue and went. #IDoWhatIWant

Although I dislike Modesto, I did like this venue a lot…

There were appetizers and such during a reception before the meet and greet. I didn’t want to focus on food. I just wanted Lifehouse! (After the m&g I did eat this vegan little sandwich guy they had and I should have shoved some into my face before hand because OMG delicious.)

They soon started letting us into the room where the band was, a few groups at a time. When I walked into the room, they looked up and past the people who were currently talking to them and saw me walk into the room. They all got huge smiles and starting waving happily at me. Pretty sure my face had a ridiculously large smile as I waved back. (And sorry to the people that were trying to talk to the band at that time, cause they were all looking at me…)

When it was my turn I walked into open arms for hugs. I yelled “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” at Bryce right before I hugged him, because it happened to be his birthday. It’s an amazing feeling knowing that even though you haven’t talked to your band face to face in a few years, that they still remember and appreciate you.

“On the drive here I realized that I’ve been a fan of this band for half my life. I was 15 when I first started listening, and I’m going to be 30 in a few weeks!”
“You’re THIRTY?!” Bryce said. Evil look from me. You’re not a spring chicken yourself, dude. Haha.

Jason had a better reaction and smiled really big, “Half your life! We’re growing up together!” (I was 16 and he was 19 the first time I saw Lifehouse live, so we are literally growing up together.)

They thanked me for coming and I just said, “Of course!” and we started talking about something else when the photographer came up behind me and was all, “Uh you need to turn around and take your photo now…” Bryce just gave me a look and apologized. Being rushed is no fun. 😦

I walked out of that room so happy though. That band has my heart.

Doors opened shortly after, and I went to find my seat. There were two openers who totally underwhelmed me, and I sat twirling my thumbs. The first two rows of people didn’t even stand for half of the show, and that wass just as super annoying as the openers. But hey, better view for me in the third row, so thanks losers!

Every time I see this band, I swear they are better than before. I could watch them every night for the rest of my life and still not get enough shows.

After the show I was standing around outside with David and his two friends he brought chatting. One of the guys that put on the show came out and handed me an autographed poster from the evening. Aaand thank you very much!

We ran into Jason as he was leaving, who smelled like he had been enjoying a beer or two (celebrating Bryce’s birthday the right way!) and he smooshed his face against mine while hugging me goodbye. I turned 15 again. Ha. He’s still so pretty and perfect and the man of my dreams…
Needless to say, I pretty much drove home on a Lifehouse high. 10 days until I see them again, and I can hardly wait!