At my 14th Poison show ...

*Note: If you read my previous post about my eternal love for Poison, you will understand. If you did not, well, I went to my 14th Poison concert on Sunday, June 28 at the Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton (or Moosic, if you will). We all have our own, how do you say, certain something, n'est-ce pas? What follows are the things that happened during that show, which also included openers Cheap Trick (who Poison followed) and Def Leppard).*

- I got to hear Def Leppard sound check "Hysteria" while people started lining up outside the gates.

- I got to go inside before the gates opened to hear and watch Def Leppard sound check "Two Steps Behind."

- While watching Def Leppard during said sound check, Poison bassist Bobby Dall got off a golf cart and walked right by me. I squealed internally.

- Went back outside to receive a backstage pass (pictured below) to meet Bobby because my editor interviewed him for the Weekender and was kind enough to let me tag along.


- Some random things I spotted before Cheap Trick went on: a guy in a long Cheap Trick jean jacket, a fanny pack with fringe and a skullet. And these were only the standouts. Imagine what else these Bambi brown eyes saw!

- After Poison's set, editor and I headed backstage, where we were told our passes were good until 9:15 p.m. and let into the backstage area without any sort of supervision. I promptly found a restroom to use because I was so excited I had to pee.

- Wandered around the buses and Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen walked by, to which editor said "Hey Rick" nonchalantly. We both squealed internally. Well, at least I did. Again.

- Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille walked past us. I said "Hi C.C." as nonchalantly as editor greeted Rick, like I see him in the hall at work every day. I squealed internally again.

- Editor and I wandered aimlessly around until we spotted an official looking dude in a Poison button-down shirt leading a few people to the dressing rooms area we saw C.C. disappear toward.

- We hang out behind them as C.C. comes out to greet them. He was wearing platform shoes and his hair was still all haphazard spiky, which all made him appear taller than he actually is.

- As we patiently wait our turn, we spot Def Leppard singer Joe Elliot and guitarist Vivian Campbell walking near their dressing rooms.

- When C.C. is done with those people, he looks at us briefly, walks back into his dressing room and slams the door. I say "Prick" internally.

- As we leave, the perpetually shirtless (and dare I say sexily ripped) Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen wanders into the craft tent.

- We head toward said tent and find a very kind girl in a button-down Poison shirt who helps us find Bobby, who is with his 18-year-old son Zach and handler Rob.

- Editor tells Bobby his name and he immediately tells editor how much he enjoyed the article. Said he picked it up while walking past the Marquee Theater in Scranton from the hotel (they stayed at the Radisson Lackawanna, by the way).

- Editor introduces me and as Bobby shakes my hand, I blurt out “This is my 14th Poison show” and he laughs and wonders how many he’s been to.

- He was so friendly, appreciate and cool that he posed for this picture ...

... before asking another handler to lead him to Bret. (We heard from a very reliable source that Bret decided to show up to the show about half hour before it began. And that his bus pulled a trailer with his own image on it. This did not make me squeal internally. In fact, I daresay it made me like him a little less.)

- After Bobby left, we spoke to his son and Rob before heading back out into the crowd to catch Def Leppard's set.

What a fanflippingtastic way to celebrate such a momentous occasion!
Fin.

Visions of a random Saturday night.

It was such a night that I went to bed without washing my face for the first time since I don't know when.
Sometimes you just need to let go like that.


{There is always someone's day of birth on the marquee of Rocky's.}


{Here's hoping we really will be saved, Lord knows we need it.}


{Lionshead number ????}


{Fuzzy jacket linings are always irresistible.}


{Artistic shot of a merch table, or just drunken camera angle? I'll never tell ...}


{First of two car bombs, before ...}


{ ... First of two car bombs, after.}


{In a diner that has diner wallpaper. Bizarro world!}


{If the walls of this diner could talk, clearly they'd sing.}


{That would eventually go on my cheeseburger and fries at 3 a.m.-ish.}

Fin.

Everyone loves a parade.

Not true.
My mom loathes parades - and "parks and picnics" too.

I follow suit.
- While I love food on the grill, I'm not a fan of eating outside. Too many bugs, too hot, etc.
- I like to hike, but only when it's cool, like in the fall or this time of year, and definitely before the snakes wake up.
- And I certainly do not like parades, for several reasons:
---- They congest traffic.
---- There is just way too many people and I'm not one for mobs.
---- You just end up waiting forever, especially if you are part of said parade waiting for your moment to march.

However, one parade is just too much fun: St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Parade Weekend starts this Saturday morning in Scranton well before a normal workday starts ... like 6 a.m. I kid you not.
It's so much fun, even with the mobs in the bars and on the streets. It's mayhem, Mardi Gras and Carnival but more fun.

I don't care what your nationality is (mine is mostly Sicilian/Italian BTW), it's the one day that everyone is - or wants to be - Irish.
See exhibit A below:

It's just a damn fun day.

On Sunday, it happens again in Wilkes-Barre.
Now, this parade isn't comparable to Scranton's parade day, but you know what?
This is definitely the year that could take W-B to the next level - there's so many more places downtown open, it's refreshing.

Over the past four years, I've seen W-B grow so much, from hundreds of spectators, to thousands. From nothing, to some things open on parade route.
This year is going to be pretty exciting for W-B and if you believe in hair of the dog as they say, make sure to slainte both days!