Greatest Night of My Life 09/21/2011
The concert was awesome! The venue was awesome! The only thing between us and Blondie on the stage was our noses. We were a little left of center as the center seats were reserved for the “true fans.” You know, the ones that won them by being caller 10 on the radio. But I’m not bitter… anyway:
The band seemed to smile at us alot and Tommy Kessler (the relatively new guitarist) seemed to play to us alot.
Then it happened, Debbie looked at us and waved! No, wait, really? Was she waving at us?
She kept gravitating our way and singing to us. Tommy kept throwing out guitar picks and I swear 4 or more bounced right off William.
When they got to the song “Too Girlie Girlie” Debbie danced over our way and then got in our faces and pointed at us and exlaimed “You’re too girlie girlie!” (even though the song is about a guy with too many women, ha!) William immediately said, “Haha, she thinks you’re girlie!” and we tossed that back and forth for the remainder of the song.
Point being, they spent alot of time on our side of the center line and we were getting a kick out of it. Then, this is where it started going into over-drive:
After encore #1, bassist Leigh Foxx walks over to us and throws us a sweaty towell. I was in heaven, William was a little put off. Hahahaha! (who’s girlie?) They leave the stage and Clem Burke turns, almost as an after-thought and walks over to William and hands him a drumstick!!!! “There ya go.” He says to Will. To which I replied, “No… flippin’… way!”
There is an exit just a couple hundred feet to our left and I tell William that we have to get out there, to the bus!
We wait patiently about a half hour with some other really great fans and out walks Tommy Kessler.
Tommy Kessler during the show
He signs a couple autographs and then stops in front of us and says “Hey, I saw you guys in there! Thanks for coming to the show!” I thought I was going to completely lose it. But instead I politely told him that he was “incredible on the accoustic guitar.” and he proceded to give a back story about “Wipe Off My Sweat!’ I was going nuts inside my skin!!
Then out comes Leigh Foxx, I stop him to tell him what a great time I had and he stops me, “Oh hey, yeah you guys were in the front! I remember you!” He too was very kind and talked for a minute.
The other 3 were still inside doing some press obligations and about 30 mins later Security says, “Here they come,” and out walks Debbie, Chris and Clem. Chris says to Debbie, “Hey, here’s some fans. Do you wanna sign some autographs?” She says “Yes, of course, sure! but let’s put our stuff on the bus.” They walk off and Clem starts signing stuff for people. My phone camera finally decided to work and I asked If I could get a picture and he said sure!
Clem Burke and I
I stood politely as to not invade his space and the superstar drummer leaned over and rested on myshoulder!!!
Then Debbie was out of the bus and talking to fans signing this and that and then it started to rain. Security pulled out an umberella and she continued. Soon she was at us and then it happened, she looked at us like old friends and said “Hey! I saw you two!! I love you guys, you are so much fun!! I am so glad you two were enjoying the show.” I COULD HAVE DIED RIGHT THERE!
William then asked, “Hey Debbie, can you settle an argument for us?” She feigned anxiety and I said “oh, William’s been dying to get this out!” and she said “geez, Will, I don’t know, if I can.”
William asked, “When you pointed at us and sang ‘your too girlie girlie’ did you mean me or Kevin?” she just laughed and said “Well, hey, if the shoe fits…whoever it fits!” And then she let us take pictures. She sqeezed William’s arm and he said whe was pretty powerful!
Debbie Harry and William
Debbie Harry and I
In all this time Chris never came out of the bus. Debbie asked her guard to take a record in the bus to be signed for a fan. So when we finished talking to Debbie we started walking off and then I heard William say “Chris? Kevin really wants to meet you. Can we take a picture?” and there he was getting off the bus and he said “Sure, I’d love to.” and he did and he was amazingly friendly and talkative.
Chris Stein and I
I shook his hand and said “thank you for writing so many wondeful songs for so many years. They’ve been a part of my life since 1976.” He thanked me and it was very genuine. It was the greatest night of my life. and yes, I waited till I was out of earshot to scream!!!
Setlist from the show:
Setlist from Blondie show 09/21/11 at DPAC Durham, nc
Union City Blue
Dreaming
Atomic
D-Day
Call Me
Maria
Girlie Girlie
What I Heard
China Shoes
Wipe off My Sweat
Horizontal Twist
Mother
Rapture
Fight for your Right (Beastie Boys cover)
One Way or Another
Encore:
The Tide Is High
Heart of Glass
