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I should probably post this over here too I suppose. I saw the Cooker (*tongue*) in Conway on Wednesday night.


Yeah. Here is my recap. Heh.

And just to clarify some things. I have the Analog Heart tattooed on my shoulder. Andy Skib drew a nice daisy for me when I met him in Tulsa at Christmas and I got Neal to draw a set of lips for me. All are getting tattooed on my shoulder soon.

Just for those who don't know and to clarify the end of the story.


In the run of my life, with the exception of the kids birth and the whole roping the hubster into the "til death do you part" thing.....yesterday was probably one of the most epic I have ever ever had. (I'm pretty sure I've said this before about Shareholders..and the AI tour....but yeah....yesterday moved to the head of the pack.)

I got to Conway about 11. I went straight to the ticket office and picked up my ticket because I didn't want to wait in Will Call that evening. The ticket monkeys told me I couldn't park around the venue during the day because it was all permit parking so I had to go park 2 streets over in the visitors parking. So I walk back to my car and drive it over there, getting propositioned by a construction worker in the process (I think that is obligatory for me on these trips now. Truck drivers...construction workers.....).

I gather up all my shit and make the hike back to where the bus was. I had seen that it was there when I pulled in to get my ticket. When I get around to the side of the building I realize that I am literally the only one there. It was weirdly bizarre after Tulsa/AI. I didn't know what to do with myself except whine about it on FaceBook. LOL.

I walked over away from where the bus was and plopped myself on a curb. I fielded a couple of phone calls and posted on FB. Then I decided I would do another walk by. That got me the evil eye from the security guard, but I did it anyway. I walked back around to the front of the venue and went into the residence hall next door to use the ladies room (I had been in there once already. LOL). Then I walked back around the building and chanced another walk by.

This time I saw a lady in a DC shirt talking to one of the security people. I waited until she was done and then went over and introduced myself. She was with another lady and the 3 of us headed over to the barricade. The security guard told her it was fine for us to wait over there. So we plopped down and waited.

Another security guard comes over and tells us that it will be awhile before David comes out because he was inside taking a shower. We're all....cool. LOL. As we're waiting a group of younger girls show up and they start making posters and writing him notes. While we're all just hanging out, the bus driver decides to move the bus. Literally from where we were standing we could reach out and touch the bus door. Apparently that was too close for comfort, so they moved the bus back to the middle of the parking lot. There were two entrances to the back of the venue. One near us and another one away from us. This moved the bus door closer to the one away from us. I'm sure it was for security.

So, David didn't know this. When he came out, he came out the entrance near us. By that time there were maybe 15 of us. When he came out he looked REALLY tired. He was just freshly showered. His hair was wet under his beanie. He was wearing those scraggy ass boots, jeans, plaid shirt, the beanie. He stopped and talked to us for about 5 minutes, most of that being dominated by him reading a letter one of those young girls had given him. He chatted with them about it and then he asked if we'd all be out there for awhile. We obviously said yes and he said he had some business to do on the bus and he would be back out in a little bit.

So we hung out for the rest of the afternoon. Throughout the course of it, Andy came out at least 4 times and went in the venue and back out to the bus. He didn't stop any of the times. Neal came out to smoke once but went right back on the bus. Joey came out twice. Once when we were first there and again later to go inside and shower. He did stop and talk to us for a minute, but he excused himself to go inside. All of them seemed really tired. I'm guessing they had probably all just woken up. None of them signed any autographs or took any pictures during the afternoon.

So, about 4-ish, a security guard and a young lady come walking up to the barrier. There were about 20 of us then (I met some REALLY NICE ladies out there! Loved them all.) and the security guard says, "This young lady has a ticket to sell,,,anyone want it?) I asked immediately where the seat was and she says. "I don't know!" (My seat was balcony row EE. Total nosebleed) She whips out her ticket and I see immediately that it says Row C! I tell her, I'll take it! I paid her $20 bucks for a completely EPIC seat. It was right in front of Andy. Squeep!

Another hour-ish passes and about 5 the boys all come off the bus and head into the venue for soundcheck. None of them looked at us except David and Neal who waved. They all seemed really tired. I was beginning to think this whole day spent outside was going to be a bust!!!!

I decide I've got to go get my car and move it back to the venue parking and charge my phone, so I leave to go do that. I get back to the venue and sit in my car for awhile, charging the phone and returning messages and phone calls. At about 6, when its really starting to get darkish, I'm on the phone with Tami and I see that David has come back out to the bus. I get off the phone with Tami and decide I'm going to head back over to the barricade. Just in case he comes out again. There were still some people milling about and I joined them. About ten minutes after I got back there, David and Joey come off the bus and head around to the other side. The security guard comes over and tells us, "hey, they're playing football on the other side, you should go watch."

So we ALL go back over to the other side of the bus (there around 20-30 people still there). We watch them play for awhile. Sorry Joey, you kinda stink at it! He turns around suddenly and tosses the ball towards this girl in the crowd. She steps out from under the barrier and tries to throw the football to David. He's down the parking lot about 30-40 feet. She throws the ball like 5 feet and it just dies a slow death. Horrible throw. David is looking at her like WTH? That's the best you can do? LOL. Joey tosses the ball to another girl in the crowd and she does the same damn thing. I chuckled to myself and said out loud (...stupidly...although epicly) "Seriously, I could throw him an excellent spiral. The random lady next to me immediately turns to the boys and shouts to Joey, "HEY! THIS LADY SAYS SHE CAN THROW YOU A GREAT SPIRAL!) I just about DIED.

So Joey throws me the ball immediately. It goes WAY over my head and I had to go chase it across the parking lot. The whole time I'm thinking FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK. FUCK! I run back over to the barricade and duck under it. Joey runs down the parking lot and I get myself ready. I throw it, and of course, it's horrible (I really can throw an excellent spiral with a REAL football.) David and Joey and the rest of the crowd laugh at me. MORTIFIED.

So I tell Joey, you gotta give me another chance to throw it. I'm just getting used to the football! He throws it back to me and I catch it, Thank God.

I give it another go...and it's bad again. I think I may have said a few curses in there and David starts laughing. I look at him and tell him.

"You gotta give me another chance. That football sucks!" (It was a tiny nerf football)

He laughs again and says "Oh sure! Blame it on the football!" I should have probably flown him the bird then...but that might have gotten me in deeper. LOL.

So I go for a third try. I think (some of this is fuzzy) I ran back to David to get the ball from him. I think I remember saying, Another chance. You guys are making me nervous! LOL. I back up and try again. Another bomb. The crowd, Joey, and David are all laughing still.

I shout at him, "One more try. You have to let me redeem myself."

He said, "Okay, one more." He throws me the ball again and I catch it. I turn and walk back towards the barricade. I had a vest on because it was chilly out. I decide that thing has to come off if I'm going to do this right. I start to take it off and I hear from behind me.

"Ooooooooh, She's taking her jacket off!" Daivd IS a turd. LOL. I turn around and look at him and he's like "Come on!" I toss my jacket down and get set. Take a deep breath and launch that baby in a pretty spiral to him. He didn't even have to hardly move to catch it. I was all THANK FUCK! I didn't want to be the girl that didn't live up to the hype! LOL!

Everyone in the crowd started cheering me and I was all like YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! David and Joey start to head back into the bus and I shout out to David,

"Hey, I redeemed myself, I should at least get a hug!"

He stops and looks at me and then turns to the security guard and throws up his hands.

He says "But you only threw 25%!!!" I managed to spout off something about me definitely redeeming myself though. So he says..."Okay Okay! Come here!"

I trot back across the parking lot and give him a nice hug! YAY! He didn't grab me too tight (he's very sick!) but he said Thank You. And I Thanked him and then he and Joey headed into the bus.

I went back and traded info with some people who got it on video (I hope I get it) and then I headed to my car to charge my phone again. And I swear in 15 minutes from the time the football happened to when I got to my car again, I had like 20 FB friend requests. Word Travels FAST!


So I get back to my car and charge my phone again AND field more phone calls. (I swear my phone charger for the car SUCKS ASS). I had happened to grab some scrapbooking paper I had and a big Sharpie (which I still smell like!) and threw it in my car yesterday morning...just in case. Thank God I did. Cause I had a whole arts and crafts thing going on in the car right then.

I wrote out on two pieces of paper "Thank You 4 the Football Game" I was determined I was going to get a shout out from the stage. LOL. I head back into the venue and grab my seat. I was so fucking excited when I realized that my seat was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ANDY! My seat was the end of the 3rd row on Andy's side. I was YAAY! SKIBBER! The two seats next to me were open and then there was a lady named Sydney that I had seen in pictures on FB and met at the barricade sitting there. She was really nice, so I moved my shit down and sat next to her (The two ticket holders for the empty seats NEVER SHOWED UP!)

Oh yeah, btw, I had to sneak my camera in in my bra. LOL.

Ryan Star opened the show and he was AMAZING. I don't know a lot about him and didn't know his songs, but he rocked out through the set and then played a couple of acoustic songs. He closed it out with another rocker and jumped off the speaker onto the stage in front of us. He was really good. A nice opener for the boys.

We had an intermission while they changed out equipment. When David and the boys came out the crowd went NUTS. It was a trip in that small venue. They opened with Heroes. I tried to record it but I got busted with my camera by the security guard. LOL. They had uniform police officers running security inside. So I stowed it until she moved away. I did get some pictures and I videoed We're Only Honest,,,,Anodyne (which the video is blurry! DAMN IT!), Hot for Teacher, Kyle's lighted stick drum solo, and ADAM. I tried to watch them last night...and I'm thinking the audio might be shit on most of them. I was RIGHT in front of the speaker!

Speaking of speakers....as soon as David's set started, my row and the two in front of us all cleared out of our seats and went to the stage edge. I was basically 1 person back from the stage then. Which made for excellent Andy viewing. It was like maybe 1 or 2 songs in when I got my first eye contact with him. And honestly, I don't remember what song it was, but he just kept looking at me. When he would step back from the mic and was playing his guitar he would kind of look around, but he kept wandering back to me. I'm SURE he knew right then who I was. We had eye contact with each other several more times through the entire show and when they were playing A Daily Anthem, when they hit the bridge he stepped back from the mic and looked right at me. I pointed at him and smiled and threw in a wave. He nodded his head at me and gave me a smile. *Dies*

All of the songs in the set were just AWESOME. Considering how sick he was (you'll hear more about this later) I was AMAZED. They were all on fire. All of them rocking out as hard as they could, and OMG, Hot For Teacher was the best of the set. They were all just ROCKING their asses off. And they would do this thing where sometimes, the would all head back towards Kyle and stand there and then when the song would crash into the next verse they would all jump and rock it out on their guitars. David did a sort of back bend at the beginning of Hot for Teacher too. He didn't lean back but he got down on his knees. And he also climbed up on Kyle's drum stand and kind of shook his ass to the audience. LOL. Nice.

At some point (and I'm sorry, I don't remember the order of the songs.) when he was bantering to the crowd I whipped out my sign. He was talking and he looked over at me. He kind of squinted, so I knew he was reading it, and then he threw in "And Thank YOU for the football game. I shouted out, NO THANK YOU! and he smiled at me and then went on with his banter.

It was all over way to fast though. The crowd was into every song. Except no one in the balcony stood up. The floor people did though. It was cool! He thanked the crowd and UCA and then he called out some girl in the crowd about how she was dancing and thanked her for doing it cause he enjoyed it. LOL (Dirty boy).

They all left the stage and then the crowd called him back for an encore. Kyle did his lighted stick drum solo which was AWESOME and then they sang Bar ba Sol. Then came A Daily Anthem. That song is fucking amazing live. I can't describe it. He sang it at the mic and then when it got to the end he took the mic and walked out to the edge of the stage and led everyone in the hand waving over the head. For the very last run through the ooooh ohhhhs the band quit playing all together and it was just the crowd and David singing. AMAZING. I hope at least that part of my video isn't shitty. We shall see.

So that was it. They left the stage after he threw a shit load of pics. None in my direction though. I tried to get one of the stage hands to give me one of Andy's pics. Didn't happen though.

So I headed out for autographs then. The crowd was huge and I got a crappy spot on the line. The security guard told us he was going to the bus because he didn't feel well and then he might come out to sign. Joey and Kyle came out after David went to the bus. Joey and Kyle are just the SWEETEST guys you ever want to meet. I love them both now as much as I love the rest of the guys. Joey is hilarious and everyone was telling him he liked his purple pants (David had called him out on stage about them and then they head butted each other! LOL). He said he bought them for like 20 bucks. Heh. Kyle is a sweetie and OMG he is TINY! TINY! I was like dude, you need to EAT! LOL. I had them both sign my CD and I had Joey sign my football sign too.

David then came back off the bus. He went over to sign some autographs for people who I think were like VIPs. Then he came over and started down the opposite end of the line from us. Took him FOREVER to get through it. He was only signing stuff too. No pics. I asked, thinking I might have an in with the football thing. No dice. He said he just couldn't that he had to get back on the bus and sleep (he was REALLY sick. You could tell he didn't feel well. He was pale and just not acting overly enthusiastic...not pissy. Just not feeling well). I did get him to sign two CDs for me and my sign thanking him for the football game. I gave him a card. Then I got another hug, although a couple of the young girls next to me joined in too, so it was kind of a group hug. LOL.

When David went on down the line, a lot of people started to leave. Andy came out then and worked his way down the line. By the time he got to us, probably only 30 people or so were left. Andy was very upbeat. He was talking (!) with just about everyone and smiling. You could tell he was having a good time (and damn, he rocked out the show too. It was so cool). When he got to me, he gave me a big smile and I said Hi Andy! Do you remember me? I met you in Tulsa? He said, "Of course I do! And I saw you in the crowd too!" (*this is where I almost went total geek out...but I held it in). I told him he had a kick ass show and he thanked me. He signed my David CD and my Judging A Bullet CD. He took a picture with me too, but the lady that took it cut his head off (that's okay though...it was all good when I got two hugs. LOL) He moved quickly down the line and then the roadies were calling him back in. He took off and went back to the bus.

I sat down and was like whoooooa. I sat right there at the barricade and chatted with a lady I had met in the autograph line earlier (The football thrower above). We sat there for about 10 minutes and then Ryan Star came out. And his base player Artie. Artie is a fucking trip. Crazy hair just like Joey and the NICEST guy you will ever meet. He came over and sat down right beside me and we had like a ten minute conversation about what we were both up to over the next few days. He asked were I was from, etc. He was REALLY cool. I didn't even talk to Ryan, I just sat and talked to Artie. LOL. While I was doing that Neal actually came out (someone had told us earlier he wasn't cause he had family and friends there).

Ryan and Artie left and Neal started working the line. There were only about 30ish people left by then. He was SUPER NICE. And a crack up. He got down to where we were and I had him sign my David CD and my Judging a Bullet CD. Then I decided Ballsy Keri was going to come out to play again.

I said to him,

Can you do me a special favor?

He said SURE.

I had actually brought the piece of paper with me that Andy had drawn the daisy on. So I showed it to him and explained what was going on. I said,

"I am starting a tattoo collection on my back. And Andy was nice enough to draw this daisy for me in Tulsa. I'm going to get it tattooed on my back soon!" (in there somewhere some random lady shouted out, "She has the Analog Heart on her shoulder already! Which was weird cause I'm not sure how she knew that,,,,I had never seen her before. LOL) I started to plunge on into my story about how I wanted him to draw something for me so I could get it tattooed, but he cut me off. He said,

"Wait? You're getting THAT tattooed on your back?" He pointed at the daisy.

I said, "Hell yeah, I am! It's cool."

He laughed at me while I finished explaining what I wanted him to do. He looked at me like I was nuts, but with a smile, and said,

"Okay, what do you want?"

"A set of lips."

"Lips? SHIT! I don't know if I can draw that."

"Sure ya can. Just go for it. Please?"

He started to draw it and then stopped and said,

"SHIT. I already messed up." And then he scribbled it out. (LOL!) (a note. When Andy drew the daisy, he messed up to start with too. And then he drew the daisy below his mess up. So there is a black circle in the middle of the page that was his mess up.)

I said " That's fine. Andy messed up too, see?" And I pointed at the black circle.

Neal says "He did?" and pointed at it. I said "Yeah!" He laughed and the proceeds to change the mess up circle into a stick figure. He puts a little voice bubble above it and writes in the bubble,

"HI! I'm Kyle. Blah Blah!" (LMAO. I had to ask him what it said, cause it's atrocious.)

We were all laughing and he tries to draw the lips again. He gets the edges done and then goes,

"SHIT. I can't do this....look at it. It's terrible."

I told him it was good and to just draw the line for the lips. He does and then says,

"SHIT! (he likes that word cause I swear he said it that many times) That's awful."

I told him he could try again if he wanted, but he declined saying he probably would make it worse. LOL.

He was a TOTAL sweetheart about it and honestly, he did a pretty damn good job. It isn't perfect, but neither is the daisy and that is what makes them special!!!

He hug around a little bit more and we all got pics with him. He's hilarious and just a really nice, cool guy. The roadies finally called him back to the bus and that was it. Everyone left then.

I hopped in my car and headed home from one completely EPIC day!!


*DIES*