My concert memories are kind of foggy so I hope this makes sense! Don't ask me what order the songs were in because I don't think I could possibly tell you! I am sure you have read the order by now anyway…

It was almost 6:00 by the time Piper and I got out of the conference. We were supposed to meet up before the show with a friend and her daughter who had driven in from Idaho, se we were in a hurry. They were supposed to open the doors to let people in at 6:30 so we dashed to the car to put A.J.'s can in a safe place and to roll up the posters the girls from Israel had helped us get off the walls. We had each gotten one plus we snagged one for Dana. I now think Cathy would have probably put one in her cubicle at work if we had gotten her one as well! :o) We rolled Dana's poster up as tight as possible and secured it with a hair tie so it would be easier to carry. Our entrance was all the way at the back of the arena. The lines were already out into the street and up onto the curb when we got there. We listened to people do really BAD Karaoke versions of BSB songs and tried to pass the time by reliving the conference. 6:30 came and went. We were both starving and had hoped to get something to eat before the show. 7:00 came and still they weren't letting us in. By now the lines had merged into one very large group of people and we were all FREEZING! Someone came out and said they were having electrical problems with the stage and we weren't going to be allowed in until the problems were fixed. Hmmm…is that what those booms were we heard earlier? The mothers behind us started asking their girls what they would do if the concert was cancelled! These girls were under 14, had 2nd row seats and needless to say, would not even TALK about the show being cancelled! One of their mom's heard us say something about the conference and started asking us questions. Her daughter had drifted over the Karaoke booth and when she returned, her mom told her what we had done. She told her exactly what we had said about being the only English-speaking people there aside from the boys and the Make a Wish girls. The girl spoke to us and said something about how lucky we were and that she wished she were a Make a Wish kid…Piper and I both shook our heads said at the same time, "No You don't" very quietly. I am not sure she realized what Make a Wish is. Finally at about 7:15 they opened the doors. They opened 2 doors near a shorter line that had formed and 1 door near our massive crowd of people. Piper and I stood in our line for a few minutes and after it didn't move…we sort of "merged" with the other line because it was moving very quickly! We got the door and the lady told us I could not bring my poster in and pointed to a trashcan! I was like "It is not a sign, it is a poster from the fan conference earlier today. I am taking it to someone we are meeting here." She said she didn't care, there were no signs allowed and asked me to throw it away. I took the hair tie off and started to unroll it. When she saw it wasn't a sign she said fine but she didn't want to see it unrolled during the show! NOT A PROBLEM! I headed to the souvenir stand while Piper headed to the restroom. Cold weather does have that effect on you! :o) She caught up to me before I reached the head of the line. The souvenir stand we went to was a joke! They had the shirt Piper wanted (it has the guys on it and it looks like they are Anime (sp). I was wondering if Nick drew it.) but only in a medium or a large. She chose the large since she only plans on sleeping in it. I wanted the long sleeved, white T-shirt but they only had it in a small! I could have worn it under vests and it would have been fine but I didn't want to take a chance on it shrinking. I choose another shirt but it only came in 2X! OK…I am not tiny like my friend June but I am not that big either. I had on my Brian Littrell Healthy Heart sweatshirt, which is an XL and it is so big on me that I had it folded over and tucked up which makes it look even bigger I am sure! My dad saw me in it and asked me if I was planning on growing again! Anyway, a 2X shirt would swallow me! I think I could have worn it as a dress! Dana wound up getting a shirt like I wanted and she had to get the 2X to get it. She is a lot taller than I am though so I think she will be able to pull it off. The third shirt I chose only came in a medium and large so I decided that was fine and got a program too. They had hats and pins (way over priced), shirts from Brian's charity and the Dorough Lupus Foundation bear. I had talked to Tom Herring about a week earlier so I knew the bears would be there but I also knew the promoters would be getting a percentage of the price (which is the same price as if you make a donation of $25 or more to the DLF) and that the charities would not benefit as much if I bought a shirt or a bear at the show so I already knew I wouldn't be purchasing either at the show. If I am going to donate my money, I want ALL of it to go where I am donating! :o) Piper and I stashed our stuff in her backpack and went to find Cathy and Dana. We were on the opposite side of the arena though and the guards wouldn't let us through so we just went to find our seats instead.

We found our entrance and headed over the catwalk to start the descent to our seats. Brian-the guard from the afternoon turned out to be the guard at the top of the stairs. He asked if we knew where we were going and we said "Yes. All the way to the bottom of the section" but showed him our tickets anyway (7A, Row 1!). He laughed and stepped aside saying "Yep…you need to go ALLL the WAAY to the bottom!" It was cute! As we started walking down, I grabbed Piper's arm and said "The second stage is RIGHT in front of us!" We squealed… :o) We got to our seats and I was relieved to see an adult sitting by me. There were 2 little girls (under 10) in very elaborately decorated shirts and jeans sitting beside Piper. These were some of the best outfits I had seen all day. They (more likely their mom) had printed various pictures onto iron-on paper and then put them on their jeans and shirts and decorated around them with glitter paint and fabric markers. It may sound gaudy but they were very well done and quite impressive. There were obviously a number of hours into each of the 2 outfits. They chanted and yelled very loudly before Krystal came on and then again before the guys came on but they were quiet while the guys were on. It is not that we didn't want the screaming, that is what concerts are for; it was just that they had very shrill little girl voices! Speaking of shrill voices, there was group of about 5 teenage girls behind us going on and on about how cute one of the security guards near the second stage was. One of them offered another $1 to go down and get him to wave to the group. The girl climbed over the seat next to Piper and started toward the guy and then chickened out and climbed back over the seat! Her friends were making fun of her and it was getting a little annoying so Piper turned around and asked them which guard they were talking about. They told her and SHE got up, walked over to the guy and said "I am an old married lady so I have no shame. Those girls in the second row over there think you are really cute. Will you please wave to them?" So he kind of laughed and tentatively waved at them! Now, you know from my previous account that I am a clothing critic. I always have been. In my opinion, when you go to a concert, you should dress for comfort because even if you do really dress up or dress in an outrageous way, the chances of one of the guys noticing you and you getting backstage are very slim! I have heard that A.J. picks girls out of the audience but I have never seen him do it. While we were waiting for Krystal to go on, this mother and daughter walked by that made me just shake my head and laugh (and sort of want to cry). The mother was in her early 40's, dressed in faux leather pants-at least 2 sizes too small, a tight T-shirt and a faux leather jacket. That is not so bad though when you consider what her daughter was wearing. She was 6 at the very most. She had on HIGH HEELS (I mean 2' inch spikes! I didn't even know they made heels for a 6 year old!), a short, tight faux leather skirt, a tube top and a midriff jacket! She was wearing more make-up than Piper and I combined! It was pitiful! We also saw the girls from Israel walking around-the girl who had fainted had recovered but she did trip over the cabling… Jeff- the head of security in the afternoon walked by and smiled and waved at us. Finally at around 8:00 the lights went off and Kevin came on to the video screen to introduce Krystal. It was the same footage from the Wal-Mart promo.

Krystal. Not too many people have reviewed her performance and I think I know why. People don't know what to say. She has an incredible voice. I will give her that. She doesn't strip on stage and perform half NEKKED like Britney or Christina. That is refreshing. She just didn't fit the night though. Her style is nothing like the boys. To me she would have been a better warm act for BLINK 182 or Filter or someone like that. Her first song was the one that is the extra track from BK. I like that song. I think it is called "My Religion"? Her other songs just didn't touch me though. She seemed to me like she was just walking around the stage, screaming into the microphone. There wasn't much audience action either. She tried to get people to yell and scream for her but it just wasn't there. The electricity to her piano didn't work so she did "I'll Be There" acapella. THAT IMPRESSED ME! She messed up the words a couple of times but to be able to maintain her composure for the most part and carry on without getting flustered, impressed me. Overall though, I have to be honest and say I if it weren't for the fact the guys will be doing a duet with her on her CD, I doubt I would give her a second glance. That is my honest opinion. I would like to know what anyone else who has seen her perform though thought. Maybe she was just having an off night???

The intermission before the guys came on was pretty short. This is where my memories start to get fuzzy so I think I will just highlight my favorite parts! :o)

:þ First let me say that I think ALL of the guys did a FANTASTIC job! I thought the sound system was little off but they sounded great overall. They interacted with each other and you could really tell they were having fun! I loved every minute of it! There were no bad seats in my opinion. With the screens being as big as they were and the second stage, I think everyone had a decent view.

:þ Howard and his salsa dancing! WHOA BABY! That hip action almost…well it…He knows…He can…OH NEVER MIND… You KNOW what I am thinking! :o) He hadn't shaved that day but I thought he looked INCREDIBLY sexy! I don't usually like a lot of facial hair but he looked REALLY GOOD! His voice was FANTASTIC! I thought Piper was going to have to hold me up when he did his solos but I was so mesmerized that I went catatonic! I WISH he would have just let his curls fly free instead of binding them back with the dew rag but I understand that would be distracting while he danced so…I will just fantasize about the curls and my hands and…Oh sorry…This is supposed to be about the concert right? He looked RIGHT AT US when he was on the second stage…Could have been what Piper did that caught his attention. That account is at the end of this report! Piper said at one point towards the end of the show, the dancer Howard was with was totally feeling him out and he looked like he was really enjoying it! I must have been fantasizing because I didn't notice… :o)

:þ Kevinlooked and sounded really good! His hair didn't look half bad! I think he got the subliminal messages we sent and lost half of the products he was using! He did a lot of the talking and he was very funny! He did this country twang accent at one point and asked how the audience liked it. No one really answered so he said, "Guess y'all didn't care for that!" and he stopped! When it came to the second stage, he just sat down and sang from the edge while the other guys walked around. It was kind of weird. We didn't get to see very much of him on that stage. Just his profile-which was totally cool with Piper! Later on in the concert he talked about their various charities and said a portion of each ticket went to the charities the guys support. I thought that was kind of cool. It made me feel like the ticket price I had paid was a little more reasonable. I don't know…

:þ Brian…All I can say was that he was adorable! I know that is not the way to describe a grown man but he was so playful and free spirited that "adorable" is the only word I can think of that fits! He sounded great- very on even with the sound system not working right. The Brian part of the show I will always remember was when they were coming back across the catwalk to the main stage. A little girl had a pinwheel she was trying to get to him but she just couldn't quite reach high enough so he laid down on the catwalk and stretched through the bars until he finally reached it. He had to REALLY stretch to get it but I know it made the little girl's night!

:þ A.J. A.J. A.J. At the conference he had his hair down and was wearing a cap. I think he should have left it that way for the show but he didn't. He did the cornrow thing… I know I have already said it to many people but I will say it again. If he keeps that up he will be bald by the end of the year! If he is afraid his hair is going to get his way during the show then he should take a cue from Howard and wear a few dew rags and scarves! His performance was very high energy! My favorite A.J. part was when they were doing the trunk routine. Howard, Brian and Nick had already climbed down below the stage so just Kevin and A.J. were still out of the trunk. He starts teasing about the show being "The Kevin and A.J." show and how they don't need the other guys! It was really funny! He really is a born performer and it showed!

:þ Nick…OMG NICK! I saw Nick up close in Tampa but it was NOTHING like the Nick I saw on February 25th! First of all…it is no wonder "Thor" comes out to play so much! The boy could not keep his hands off his crotch! I saw Howard and A.J. "adjust" a few times and Kevin once or twice but Nick seems to have a real fascination with his crotch! He was like a little baby who just discovered his feet or something! :o) HOLY COW NICK GIVE IT A REST BEFORE YOU SEND THE AUDIENCE INTO CARDIAC ARREST! I noticed a definite maturity in Nick's performance though. His vocals were more on and he seemed more focused on his performance than I had seen before. (This was my 5th BSB show) Hmmm…maybe holding his crotch is a good thing… Most of all, he really looked like he was enjoying himself. (No pun intended…)

:þ Prior to the concert, I had seen pictures and read about the guys using canes in one of their numbers. I didn't think I was going to like the effect because from what I had read, they just strutted around with them. That wasn't the case at all! They did sort of a soft shoe dance number and I loved it! A.J. and Howard especially shined here! I also LOVED they way they performed As Long As You Love Me this time. Instead of each having a hat, they had one hat. As each guy sang his part, he stole the hat from the previous guy! Of course, they cut out Howard's part…Hey maybe I didn't like that so much after all! :o)

:þ Glow sticks…I have definite issues with glow sticks. They look really cool when you see a few thousand of them in the dark arena. I will admit that. What I have a problem with is the strings they are attached to. The girls next to the lady by me were twirling them around and the lady had to duck out of the way on several occasions to avoid being hit in the face. I think maybe glow bracelets would be a better idea. Just a thought…

Now, to what Piper did that will forever burn her into the "Concert Hall of Fame". Remember how the lady at the door wasn't going to let me bring in Dana's poster? Well, a few girls on the floor must have slipped by her or come in another door because they had a HUGE signs they had made from a cardboard box they had cut up. The signs were so big they had them folded accordion style in order to carry them! I noticed them when they came in and I knew there was going to be a problem. They weren't in our way until the guys came onto the second stage. As soon as the curtain around the guys dropped, the girls IMMEDIATELY put up the one of the signs and blocked the guys COMPLETELY! Piper stepped forward, grabbed the sign and threw it on the floor where another girl took it and tossed it farther thus preventing it from being used again. Piper started back and they put the second sign up! She took that one out of their hands as well and threw it to the ground! She told them no one could see behind them when they started to protest. Their mother turned around and said "YOU F**ING BITCH!" to Piper. Now, Piper is not a big person but you don't want to mess with her either! She said, "You wanna go at it? I will take you down!" The lady didn't say another word and the signs all stayed down. Everyone in our section applauded when Piper returned! During the second stage show, someone handed Howard and Brian a HUGE scrapbook to look at. They didn't have a lot of time but they glanced at it and returned it to the guard who handed it back to the owner. I thought that was kind of cool!

Due to the late start, it was 11:30 when the show got over with. On the way out of the show, we heard several people complain because they didn't one song or another. I wanted to ask them how they would choose a line up if they had 4 multi-platinum CDs plus various B-sides to pick from but I didn't. I loved the show and I would go back in a minute!

After the show we headed to the parking lot and were fortunate enough to be one of the first cars out! As we headed back to Seattle, I tried to call Cathy but I only got a message saying she was unavailable. She was still in the parking lot at this point! We were starving since we hadn't eaten anything in over 12 hours and I really didn't want to wait until we got back to Seattle to eat so we decided to go to Taco Bell in Fife. We had just ordered when Cathy called from her cell phone! By the time got our food she and Dana were in the drive thru and by the time we wolfed it down, they were getting their food! It was so cool to meet them! Cathy gave us both big hugs! We gave Dana her poster and I think she liked it! I had Cathy shake my hand and then I told her Kevin had shaken that same hand! We showed them A.J.'s RED BULL can! We talked about the concert and Nick's little problem (if you want to call that…) and then we took a few pictures! I LOVE meeting people I talk to! I wish I could do it more often!

Odd fact…as I was driving home the next day, I took a wrong turn and wound up driving by the Tacoma Dome again and getting WAY off track from where I was supposed to be driving! I didn't panic too much because the road I was on was actually one of the roads I learned to drive on so I knew where I was. When I finally reached North Bend-the top of the mountain I think, I just burst into tears! I don't know if I was relieved I had made it through the way I had taken without getting lost further than I did or if I was sad because I knew the guys were doing a show close by and I wouldn't be there to see them or if the entire weekend and everything that happened just finally started sinking in. That is when I called a friend at work. I got her answering machine. I was sorry I didn't get to talk to her but somehow I felt better just leaving her a message. I pointed the car toward home and I was fine after that! :o)

© 1999-2002 Kendra