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urbana concert 4/26

edited November -1 in OK Go
hey kids....

i guess it falls to me to start this thread...if you've been following the jay leno topic you knew that sheri and i were planning on going to this show thursday...but her health has not been cooperating AT ALL; we've confirmed it a few minutes ago....she's not going to make the show. she'll most likely get out of the hospital friday at the earliest.

i just got off the phone to her, and read/described all your kind messages to her; you're all very sweet to think of sheri...she really appreciated it.

well...as for me...i was really only planning to go cuz sheri wanted to, but, since it's more or less planned out...amtrak, here i come...

turns out sureeyesawake(suzanne) and toiletdog (jen) will be joining me there, so i know there'll be at least a few diehards out in the audience for the boys....

now as for the description of the evening....i think there's no way i can/would describe goings on like sheri, and i'm not going to try; but i will do my best to fill in any blanks on the evening for sheri's sake.....i'm not as obsessed as our gal is, and in agreement with theresa on not wanting to be stalkerish on any level AT ALL....but i'll do my best to give you gals something to giggle about, if nothing else....

wish me some luck too....

j
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  • have fun at the show, Jacki! Sheri, get well soon! And you'll be there in spirit!
  • Ahh, so there's the update. I hope Sheri feels better soon! I emailed her over on Myspace, but she'll get that when she comes back. Have a fantastic time tonight Jackie, Suzanne, and Jen!
  • deep breath....here we go...

    well guys and gals....

    just got home from a snail slow amtrak train, but mind relatively intact so i figure i better write this quick before i forget details....

    got in to urbana pretty late from the first train...jen and suzanne wanted to stay at the venue i'm assuming so i cab'd it to my hotel, did a quick drop off of stuff and gathering of necessities for the nights festivities (cameras, presents/bribes, and a double pimm's & ginger in a plastic sippy cup i could later toss) while the kindly cabbie waited for me and quickly shuttled me to the venue...shoulda brought him a cocktail too, but i only had one sippy cup....on later reflection of the evening...i shoulda made mine a triple...but be that as it may....

    actually pretty nice venue...rest of campus pretty nondescript/boring architecturally...

    finished inhaling my cocktail and went in...found jen and suzanne pretty easily...at the merch table...wascals...

    figured out where our seats were...they were 5th row, left...mine 3rd right of center...more on that later...

    i kinda wanted to get rid of at least half of my pressies/bribes...this one for brendan...we know each other thru old 97's- (an incredibly fun band...check 'em out!) i knew if i ran into him later he could be of some assistance... i saw jordan and asked if he could do the honors...he cheerfully agreed and took my package-very nice kid...though i knew he was partially cheery about it cuz i do give pretty decent presents; he's had some of my treats before-and i knew brendan would be sharing....ANYWAY

    went back to the foyer as the place filled in...the opening band started; jen & suzanne went to their seats, and me to mine until i heard a bit of the first song, thought better of it and decided to sit in the stairwell of the luverly auditorium in semi-quiet....called sheri to give her the update and see how she was doing (i just got off the phone with her before typing this....still in hospital, no release yet, but we're hopeful) then found a even more luverly comfy chair to lounge in whilst omitting the audio onslaught inside the auditorium...

    set over...whew!
    went back inside to find some of the students had filled in to the center aisle....i asked the ushers if they'd be moved...hoping the answer was no so i could move in on the side myself...they didn't know, but i took a chance...turns out it was fine...so the people sitting in the first row wound up in front of the stage, with another row's worth of kids filling in the space behind them....very well behaved crowd...in a good way...no drunks(obviously) no shoving, lots of cheering and applause in all the right places...an incredibly large stage with nearly another stage's worth of space in front of where the band was playing...damian remarked during the show about it, said it was slippery...i tried it out later...he was right...but i digress..

    standard set list...i'll let jen fill that in...she got a set list, suzanne did too; they both got tamborines as well...they wound up left of center, me right of it...damian said tim was very sick...honestly all but dan looked pretty tired out...but played incredibly well like the troupers they are...they played their acoustic set basically 2nd row center...damian asked for everyone to sit in their seats so all had a better view, and the front row to sit on the stage-which was a bit higher than waist high...some(me!)wound up standing to get a better vantage point...it was pretty odd to be filming them in the crowd while i was onstage....strange...but nice couple of tunes...everyone quickly jumped off the stage to re-take their places while the boys re-took the stage...they did prove my love during set and don't bring me down for encore along with do what you want - for all you trainspotters out there....lots of confetti cannon use during set...the cleaners should be finding white confetti strips til the end of term...and air socks for encore....they did use vid screen behind them for this show as well...

    i'll post some vid for this a bit later....sheri's gotta get it first...and you'll know why soon enough....cuz...

    after show...re-met the girls...figuring out what to do...they kinda ushered us out of the auditorium...we were thinking
    we'd go back to the side/stage door...but i thought it was too cold for them...i was the only one wearing a coat...those kids!!!! so after killing a bit of time...i told them i'd go and call them if it got interesting...actually ran into brendan returning to the venue from the bus...he told me tim and andy terribly sick...andy had a particularly rough go of it ...poor guys....filled him in on my info...told him the present i had with me(oh yeah, he thanked me from onstage for his pressie)was serving double duty as a bribe to get some sort of get well something for sheri, she's in hospital, etc...brendan, being the great guy i know he is...said he'd make something up for her(as i had nothing to be signed)....sweet, huh?

    i saw tim with a student volunteer who assisted in getting him out of the venue without having to go through the 20 or so kids lurking along...i was lurking a bit to the side of the kids...then saw andy come out....after talking to brendan, i didn't want to be a bother; he was beelining it to the bus...so i turned so he couldn't recognize me and feel obligated to talk...went straight on and never came back out...poor kid. called sheri, gave her an update....starting to get cold...brendan comes back out with a mid size poster signed by all the guys with various and sweet get well messages...i knew he'd come thru for me! he's the greatest! called the girls...no answer...so went back in..to find the wascals on the stage talking to damian....went up there too...but the conversation didn't really interest me so i slid/danced around the front part of the stage on the confetti while they talked....later saw dan sitting on one of the audience seats talking on the phone...he spotted me and gave me a big friendly wave and mouthed "hi!"...eventually the conversation died down and degenerated to the "take my picture with me" portion of the night...so i played photog for suzanne- got a loverly wide and long view of the two....she wanted to make sure her red pants were in frame; said she got them specially....hope she posts it... it was a very nice shot indeed....nice gal...

    then we're gently asked to leave...so we start to...dan's still on the phone...he's the one i know best..even more than andy....AND not sick....he's the one i need to talk to...so he waves bye, not understanding that i want to wait for him to finish his call...the girls want to go back to the foyer...i want to lurk not quite as far...glad i took a second look back, cuz dan did finish his call and was in the process of leaving when i spotted him...i called to him...he quickly turned around as i give a "can i snag you for a minute" gesture, which, being the complete gentleman/sweetie pie that he is...works.
    i thank him for his kind words for sheri and ask if i could get him to make a video get well card for her...to which he graciously agrees....really...what a doll...

    and i want sheri to see it first...so i won't post til she can get home to see it...okay??

    suzanne had been dropped off by an aunt, who she called to pick her up and kindly dropped me off at my hotel/serving double duty and navigator for jen, who needed to find the on ramp to i-74 conveniently located across the street from said hotel...goodbyes all around...

    not too rough a night, considering i was surrounded completely by a crowd who probably had parents my age...me, bitter?? nah!!!

    hey....enough info for ya????

    jackeroooooooooooooooni
  • ^^ Awww, Jackie, that's so lovely of you to keep phoning Sheri and get the signed stuff for her! I love how you casually get bored with a conversation with Damian. This is just not possible for me lol.

    Glad you had fun as well, of course! And keep us posted on how Sheri's doing smile.gif

    I'm worried for the guys now. I mean, Damian's often sick nowadays, but the others are all ill too now??? Noooo!!!
    They need a break. Now.
  • Jacki, you're the kindest, most awesome girl in the world! Sheri will be so happy when she sees what you got for her!
  • Thats cool! laugh.gif
    Sheri is lucky she has you! your sweeeeet wink.gif


    Best wishes to Sheri! happy.gif
  • I'm glad you had a good time, Jackie! You're a true friend to Sheri. biggrin.gif Did she like her presents?
  • Thanks for the review, Jackie! And I love how Suzanne wanted her red pants to be in the shot; I completely understand!

    I found someone else's review with a few pictures, just in case you're interested:
    http://alexactionbot.blogspot.com/2007/04/ok-go.html

    EDIT:
    I just took a second look at the photos. Is Damian wearing "that shirt" again? I see the striped tie, brooch and black pants which he usually wears with "that shirt." laugh.gif
  • QUOTE (ihave7stars @ Apr 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
    Thanks for the review, Jackie! And I love how Suzanne wanted her red pants to be in the shot; I completely understand!

    I found someone else's review with a few pictures, just in case you're interested:
    http://alexactionbot.blogspot.com/2007/04/ok-go.html



    awesome!!
    "Did you just say 'take your pants off?' I'm starting to wonder what we mean to you people. I mean, I know we're those assholes from the treadmill video, but I didn't think we were strippers." -Damian

    lmao
  • I thought Damian knew they were strippers. I guess Tim didn't pass out the memo.


    Thanks for the show review Jackie. You're awesome for doing all that for Sheri!
  • QUOTE (ytel82 @ Apr 29 2007, 12:39 AM)
    I thought Damian knew they were strippers. I guess Tim didn't pass out the memo.

    Yeah - whatever made Damian think he would ever be allowed to keep his clothes on?? wink.gif
  • Jackie indeed kicks ass.

    She played me the audio of Dan's video message over the phone Thursday night, and he sounds really sweet. Can't wait to see it!! And can't wait to see the poster!!

    Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jackie
    Thank you, Brendan
    And thank you, OK Go (especially considering most of them were sick as dogs themselves that night).

    And thanks for the write-up, Jackie--you did fine! lol Well, I already knew it all from the phone anyway, but it was still nice to read. biggrin.gif

    Oh, and thanks for calling during "No Sign," Suzanne smile.gif I tried to catch you to not hang up once you'd told me what song it was, but it didn't work. But that's okay! Thanks for thinking of me. Hope you and Jen had fun--it sounds like you did.

    But anyway, yeah--thank you, Jackie, Brendan, and OK Go for making a really shitty circumstance into something really sweet. I watched My Name Is Earl and The Office with Brad with the NPR recording of the November D.C. show in one iPod earbud, starting at OK Go Urbana showtime wink.gif, and the calls made me feel really good and in the loop--and what a cool treat getting to hear Dan's voice over the phone from that vid, telling me to get well, while I was in the hospital. Oh, the weird, wild things in this wacky world.

    I hope everyone at this show had a great time, and get well, Tim and Andy (and Damian? regardless, rest up, Damian).

    I'm rambling even more than usual here, and repeating myself. Early night for me tonight! In my own bed!!!
  • Sheri, you're home!

    I'm sorry you couldn't hear the song during No Sign. I felt bad when I hung up, but we wanted you to know we were thinking of you. We know you like that one!

    Jackie does indeed kick ass.

    Full review coming in a few minutes...
  • OK Go Concert Review. U of IL, Urbana, 26 April 2007
    Warning: This is super long. I had time to write today. (I did not go to Cleveland, as it turned out.)


    I met Jennifer at the venue. Jackie came later by train from Chicago. (Sheri, as you know, was supposed to come with Jackie, but her health situation prevented that. Jackie got some nice compensations for her, though.)

    The venue was an old lecture hall built in 1907. It’s at the south end of the quad at the U of IL, surrounded by other stately buildings. J and I waited at the top of the steps for the doors to open. It had just rained hard, and the view looking back across the quad was nice, with the rain-washed sky above and the bright green grass below.

    Doors were supposed to open at 6:30, but they were late. We could hear a sound check inside – don’t know if that was OK Go or the opening band. We met a few other fans outside the doors; they were nice.

    Inside, we found our seats, then got up again to go back out to the lobby, since it wasn’t near 7:30 yet. Jackie arrived as we were buying CD singles (“What are you buying?” Jackie asked. “Stuff we already own,” I said. smile.gif) We talked with Jackie for a while, asked about her trip down, etc.

    Halfway through the opening band’s set, the 2,000-seat venue was only about half-full. Our seats were fifth row on Tim’s side. (Jackie's was in the next section over.) Jennifer noticed two seats still open in the front row and suggested we try to sneak up there. We walked out and a few minutes later walked back in, straight to those seats. No one was checking tickets once you were inside. As more people started coming in, we hoped no one would come up to us. A knot of fans, mostly girls, gathered in the center aisle and began to spread sideways. We kept our eyes on them, ready to stand up and claim our spot if need be.

    Pretty soon, two guys holding ticket stubs approached us. We knew this was it; we were in their seats. I talked to them, trying to stall, trying to suggest they had the wrong section…when that failed, I just pleaded and told them the truth: “We’re huge OK Go fans. I drove up here today from Cincinnati, and she’s from Indianapolis…” As soon as I said it, they were like, “Oh! Yeah, that’s cool,” and they let us stay in their seats! We traded tickets, and they went back to the fifth row. I couldn’t believe it. Whoever you are, boys, we wish you good grades on your exams and hot girlfriends for the rest of your lives!! This totally changed the concert for me – to be front row (again!), and to go from deciding not to take any pictures at all (because I was too far away) to taking 80. (The band was just the right distance away and in a tight group, and I was at such an angle that I could get all four of them in the frame. That almost never happens. So I took a lot – for the boardies and for anyone who’s just learning about this band. They’re up on Flickr.)

    As soon as the lights went down, everyone stood up. J and I stood up against the stage, about 30 feet(?) from the band. The stage was waist-high, with a deep, empty apron between us and the row of monitors and microphones.

    The crowd seemed good. People were singing, knew the words, and seemed to respond well. I don’t have the set list in order, but they played all these songs:
    House Wins
    TV TV
    Don’t Ask Me
    No Sign
    Prove My Love (Violent Femmes cover) (I had never heard this live before! Woohoo!)
    A Million Ways (acoustic)
    What To Do (acoustic)
    Get Over It
    It’s a Disaster
    YSDH
    Oh Lately It’s So Quiet
    Invincible
    HIGA
    Encore:
    Don’t Bring Me Down (ELO)
    DWYW

    Here's some of what I remember:

    We got tambourines! Tim totally hooked us up. Before “Don’t Ask Me,” Damian, Andy, and Tim were tossing them out into the crowd like Frisbees, sending them up so they would arc down. We yelled, “Tim!!” and he threw one and then another, up high like the rest but so they would land right in our hands. He has good aim.

    Damian announced that Tim was sick, and he had the whole house yell, “GET WELL TIM!” several times.

    Damian came out onto the apron and talked to the audience. He walked back and forth on the polished wood floor and commented how slippery and slidey it was. He skidded across it a couple times like kids do when they’re wearing socks on a slick floor – very cute. Then he spontaneously decided to do the Prince half-split that he does; it happened to be right in front of Jennifer and me. He popped down and popped back up, with a very Prince-like “aow!” as he did it. It’s the popping up that’s the amazing part.

    Standing on the apron and holding the giant flashlight before the acoustic set, Damian said this lecture space reminded him of college, like this is where they would go see Spike Lee…He shone the light on himself and hunched down like he was at a podium and mumbled, “Hi, I’m Spike Lee. I make movies.” biggrin.gif (I’m sure this is a specific memory of his from Brown. So cool.)

    I always envied those people who were close enough to the acoustic set to get good video, and this time, it was my turn. They played about 10 feet from us, in the space at the bottom of the center aisle, between the first two rows, close to the stage. All the people who had been standing there moved up onto the stage, more or less. Damian asked everyone in the front rows to sit down so people behind could see, and everyone did! smile.gif That was so great. They played just two songs: “A Million Ways” and “What To Do.” After “A Million Ways,” Damian told the crowd that at a recent college show, when they played this, they noticed a group of guys doing the dance up on the balcony. He gestured to the balcony and said, “I don’t know if there was any dancing up there this time – I mean, I know you were all dancing in your hearts...”

    I don’t know why, but for some reason, watching Damian during this show, I was reminded of the jeans and T-shirts days. (I never experienced those days, but just from photos and old videos, you know…) It might have been the way he looked up sometimes, or his stance, or his manner, I don’t know. At one point I turned to Jennifer and just said, “He was born to do this.”

    They had a LOT of guitar trouble. Damian switched to the backup guitar about 2/3? (4/5?) of the way into the set, and even that one wasn’t working right. Oh, this was cool: At one point Damian’s guitar went out completely, and Andy was right on it: He played Damian’s guitar part for him. Go, Andy!

    They did all their usual stuff. J and I know what to expect by now, and we still love it, but it’s good to remember all those people who are at their first OK Go show. Because when you do see it for the first time, it’s delightful and totally intoxicating. I had told a girl outside, when I heard this was to be her first OK Go concert experience, “You are going to be totally hooked after this.”

    The set felt really short. When Damian announced the last song, I couldn't believe it.

    They closed the show with a rockin’ (always is) “Do What You Want,” complete with the pink blowy things and a big guitar finish.

    When the cheering faded and the house lights came up, Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day” came over the speakers, and J and I gave each other a big hug, feeling the OK Go love. (I like that song, too. I’m telling you guys: Listen to some good soul music before the next album comes out.)

    We went out to the lobby to wait because it was cold outside. Jackie (who had a coat) went around back. J and I chatted with two high school girls, one of whom really wanted a meet & greet, because she had drawn sketches of the band members on a page in her sketchbook, and she wanted them to sign it. It was their first OK Go concert. J and I urged them to buy CDs and shirts and the DVD, and to tell all their friends.

    After a while I poked my head back in and saw Damian on the stage talking to some students who had worked the event. I motioned to the others to come in with me, but they didn’t get it. I finally got them to follow me, and when they saw why, the girl with the sketchbook said, “I LOVE you.” I did have to coax J forward. I went back and put my arm around her and held her hand as we walked up.

    We walked up the steps to the right of the stage, picked our way around fat electrical cables and amp stacks, and stood there quietly. Damian was kind of sideways to us and didn’t see us. A girl who seemed to be in charge said (not in a mean way), “If you’re not supposed to be here, you need to leave.” I didn’t know what to do, but the sketchbook girl (I have her name; I just don’t want to use it here) saved us. She said, “Well. Damian? Could you sign this?” And he immediately turned around, LEFT the group he was talking to, and came over to us. Sweet! (It was my turn to love her, I guess.) Then he talked to the four of us for like 15 minutes. We all asked different things. He did indeed sign the sketchbook and let us take a few pictures. I’m sure we really pissed off that girl who had asked us to leave, but what could she do?

    When enough time had passed, I thanked Damian for talking with us; he bowed his head and said to all of us, “Thank you for talking with me.” Could he be any more charming? Jesus.

    And as Jackie said, I did indeed get a picture of Damian with me in my red pants. (Thanks, Jackie!) I said, “Aren’t these awesome?” He said, “They are. If I had known…” (like had he known, he would have worn his, too) biggrin.gif (I’d rather not post the picture; it’s too special, and I hate how I look in pictures.)

    We didn’t get to see Tim or Andy; Jackie had heard that neither of them was feeling well. Dan was still around, and we got to say hi to him. Yay! Thanks, Dan! Hooray for all of us!

    Until next time…enjoy your own upcoming shows and your memories of the rest…
  • QUOTE
    Then he spontaneously decided to do the Prince half-split that he does; it happened to be right in front of Jennifer and me. He popped down and popped back up, with a very Prince-like “aow!” as he did it. It’s the popping up that’s the amazing part.


    So did anyone get video or pics of this infamous half-split?!?!

    Suzanne, what a great write-up! You're a perfectly trained fan trying to get those girls to buy merch and spread the OK Go love biggrin.gif
  • QUOTE (ytel82 @ Apr 29 2007, 02:19 PM)
    So did anyone get video or pics of this infamous half-split?!?!

    Suzanne, what a great write-up! You're a perfectly trained fan trying to get those girls to buy merch and spread the OK Go love biggrin.gif

    Neither of us got photo or video of the half-split. You know, it happens in like less than a second. I was so surprised and stunned, I don't even know if I screamed or not.

    Thanks! OK Go has their job to do, and I have mine! biggrin.gif
  • what a great time you had! How awesome was that that he left the ppl to talk to you! And that Tim aimed right at you!
    I loved that it ended with Bill Whithers, who Damian once said was a musician he admires.
    And it was neat that he remembered the WPI balcony dancers.
    And that was sooo nice of those boys to give you their seats!
    My fav part if your story was when Andy played Damian's part- so cool.
  • QUOTE (sureeyesawake @ Apr 29 2007, 01:31 AM)
    OK Go Concert Review. U of IL, Urbana, 26 April 2007
    They had a LOT of guitar trouble. Damian switched to the backup guitar about 2/3? (4/5?) of the way into the set, and even that one wasn’t working right. Oh, this was cool: At one point Damian’s guitar went out completely, and Andy was right on it: He played Damian’s guitar part for him. Go, Andy!



    well kiddies, a little something to hold you until i can get the cdrom sent to sheri...i just got the stuff off the memory card tonite....and youtube can't seem to synch up the sound...but not to worry, when sheri puts this on her site the vid will be clearer and the audio synched....

    you'll really like it when sheri puts them up....the big gap between the first row and the band actually helped the audio....this way we weren't getting too much of anyone's monitor, incredibly clear....or maybe that's just the incredibly talented brendan....most likely that....

    and now you can see what suzanne was describing....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ktZQak1Bg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4i9S-3sK4Y
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GToniwirFI

    and i got a couple of surprizes too...that'll have to wait for sheri to post...

    now if i could just find a mailing tube to send her the poster...

    jackeroooooni

    p.s. editing this....just clicked the link to see if it worked and i copied the link correctly and the audio is synched!!! blink.gif wow, this is a first for me! well...enjoy...clearer ones coming soon from sheri...
  • sweet thanks for the vids!!!!!!!!!!
  • that first one was when Rusty played the part? As I commented, they are so damn hot.
    Ah, you are so good at filming, Jackie- usually ppl's vids are so blurry, but you really captured the sexiness.

    Edit: WHAT WAS DAMIAN DOING AT THE END OF DWYW? THAT WAS ORGASMIC. He can sing, man, he can sing.
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