Hi!!!
I just woke up after I got back from Saxon's gig last night at Waunakee (Wisconsin), and I must say, I left VERY satisfied and happy!
I had a bad start. I was supposed to go with Dave (a friend of mine from the Iron Maiden BB), but either he didn't receive my mail to find my house and phone #, or he just couldn't make it to the gig at all. I was sad for that.
I was also VERY tired and worn out since I had to work from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. and barely had time to take a shower and get dressed. After that I checked the board and my mail, but still, no Dave. I was getting desperate at that point.
Oh well... I asked my dad to take me to the gig, but of course, he refused and made up the lamest excuses, as always. It sucks when you don't have your own car. My younger brother couldn't take me either 'cos he was somewhere with my older brother. I was really nervous because I didn't want to be late. Anyway, my dad said he would take me, but only if he picked me up at 10:00 p.m. (HAHAHA, yeah SURE!) so I said "no", and to make it short, we ended up having a big argument and I cursing at him.
I called all the cabs in Madison, and finally got on the taxi on my way to Waunakee. I was at the venue eve before 7:00 p.m. Man, was that place deserted!! Nobody! Just the tour buses at the side.
I was freezing cold as well... The doors wouldn't open until 8:00 p.m. but I waited patiently. After 45 minutes, more people came, and I was the only girl there.
Finally we got in, and surprisingly enough, I wasn't carded or anything. Moreover, the person at the doors put a strip of paper that said: "Legal Drinking Age" on my wrist (LOL!), even though I told him I wouldn't drink, but he said "It doesn't matter, you HAVE TO HAVE IT!". Hehehe.
Inside, the place was pretty much decent. Not that big, but very spacious. The stage was nicely set up in front, and the bar, along with the merchandise stand, were on the opposite side. Definitely not a "hole in the wall" and much classier than other venues I've been to.
I waited to see if Dave maybe was coming, but I saw no one.
Some dude even wanted to invite me a drink, but I refused.
Anyway, at 8:30 the opening band came in, and it was a decent performance. At 9:30 UDO came in and the place started to get more and more crowded. I was in front center row and we all had a good time banging our heads. I liked specially "Fast as a Shark" as the closing song (Nice encore, haha!). The only bad thing about their set was that the sound for the microphone was @#%$ed up!! I could barely hear him, even though I was in front! Apart from that, I got some cool pictures as well. A very fine guitar job, must I add! During their setlist, the drummer Lorenzo looked at me threw his drumstick to me, but the dude beside me caught it. It didn't matter, because after a while, he threw the other drumstick to me again and this time I caught it, eheh.
I met some cool people among the fans, and most of them treated me with respect and care, though not everyone. At the end, some stupid idiot was trying to talk to me with a lame chat-up line and put his arm on my shoulder. I yelled a bit like Homer Simpson (AAAH!) and he took it away, heh.
After UDO ended their set, Saxon came in a little bit later than planned (about 11:20 or so). Biff appeared and the crowd went nuts! I was front center row again. I guess there were about 350 metalheads over there in front and some in the bar. The opening song was precisely that, "Metalhead". There were some papers with the setlist on them, but they were highly inaccurate, because the band played just what they felt like playing that night.
I banged my head back and forth during their whole 2-hour set. And I had all the reasons to do so!!! Music was FAAAAST and energetic! Biff did an excellent job with the vocals, except "Travellers in Time" (but you need at least two ppl singing for that one, so I don't blame him) but the rest was absolutely MARVELLOUS! Definitely one of the best shows I've been to.
It was all damn funny, because I was looking often at Doug Scarrat and he was nodding all the time as I was banging my head. I also got to play with Biff's hair a number of times when he lowered his head in front of the mic. Got nice pictures too!
The only bad thing was that the same @#%$ before was beside the guy right next to me and was putting his hand behind him and then on my hair lowering it to my butt, and some other idiots too. Even though it was the best behaved crowd I've been with, there are always idiots.
Anyway, Biff and the guys rocked. Fritz did a great drum solo prior to the encore.
Highlights included (not in order):
Metalhead
20,000 Ft
Dogs of War
Dallas 1 P.M (played at 1 A.M, hehe)
The Eagle Has Landed
Wheels of Steel
Crusader
Song of Evil
Princess of the Night
CONQUISTADOR (I went nuts with this one)
Denim & Leather (Read above)
and manymanymany more!
I wish I could have heard "747" and "And the Bands Played On" but at least I got to hear many other wonderful tunes and my fave two "Conquistador" and "Denim & Leather".
At the end, Doug gave me his pick in my hand and they thanked the audience and left.
I had a blast!
Well, afterwards... I had to find to get home safely... Wouldn't I be surprised when I saw my dad outside waiting for me... DAMN!
I guess he was cool after all... I got in the car and he talked to me as if nothing had happened. We were leaving when I started sighing... He asked me if I needed to pick someone or something, and I said I had brought a card for a friend of mine in Brazil to get signed. He ACTUALLY TURNED BACK and parked by the tour bus! That was @#%$ing cool from him and I have to thank him for that!
After some 15 minutes or so, a guy opened the door of the bus and 3 of us were allowed in, me being one of the first 3.
I got in, and there were the guys, in front, all sitting and relaxed.
Biff recognized me ("You were the chick in front, huh?") and then I handed him out the card and the other stuff I had to get signed.
Paul, Fritz, Nibbs, and Doug were next, and they all were chatting and having a good time. I took my camera out and got shots from all of the guys in the bus. I wanted to have a shot with Biff, and then told him that my pic would turn @#%$ing fat and ugly, but he then asked:
- "You are WHAT?"
- "I'm fat!"
- (laughs) "You are not fat!"
Then Paul pointed at his belly and said: "There, THIS is fat."
I was trying hard not to laugh my ass off!
Anyway, Biff wanted to take a picture with me too, so I sat by him, and I was asking a fellow to take the shot, but Doug offered himself, with Biff adding: "Let him do it, he's all digital." (LOL!)
The guys were still signing some stuff when the man who opened the door said to me: "This is not a Playboy photo session, hurry up!"
To what Biff replied: "She can stay if she wants to." That was very nice from him. This guy rocks!
I was trying to hurry Doug too but he said the same, that I could stay, so I spent a little while more with the guys.
So I sat by Doug, and this time Biff took the shot! Then, he took a second shot, by his own words: "Now another one, in a 'more compromising pose.'" LOL
I thanked Biff for playing D&L, and he said: "Well, we had to, since you were asking for it so often."
When they asked me if I was Brazilian, I replied I was from Peru, and then had the opportunity to tell Biff: BTW Biff, it's 'ConKIStador', not 'ConQUIStador'...
He just said: "Well... from where we come from, it's 'ConQUIStador'." I said: "Hey, I'm from Peru, I'm a descendant of the Incas, so I know!"
He laughed, but still, he was repeating to himself, "Conkistador, conkistador..." Funny as hell!
I had a great time with them and thanked them for everything. I then said I had to go and with a "See ya later, babe!" from Biff, I left and went back to the car.
Hehehe, well, I'm sorry it took so much to read this, but I'm VERY grateful to everyone, Saxon ROCKS!
Oh, and thanx to my dad too.
Here are the pix! Well, at least some of them.
Udo and his big head (hehehe):
www.truemetal.org/keeper/...ighead.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/udo.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/igor.jpg
Saxon!
www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/biff.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/...ffcool.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/paul.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/doug.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/saxon/doug2.jpg
At the tour bus!
The shots I took:
www.truemetal.org/keeper/...dnibbs.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/...elaxed.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/...zsmile.jpg www.truemetal.org/keeper/...douggy.jpg
The one Doug took of Biff and I (UGGHH!! I look so bad) :
www.truemetal.org/keeper/...ffandI.jpg
The one Biff took of Doug and I (ARGHHHH, this has to be the worst one! GRRR ). You can see his finger below too, hhehehe:
www.truemetal.org/keeper/...ugandI.jpg
Doug and I after Biff said "Another in a 'more compromising' pose" (LOL!)
www.truemetal.org/keeper/...andIcp.jpg
Well, hope you like the pix! (Yuck!)
