Pat's Greensboro Review

Long time lurker and I don't think I have EVER posted here but I was at the Greensboro concert last night and have to wade into the fray.

First off, they need to change the name of the Greensboro Coliseum to House of DAUGHTRY! It was a Southern crowd and they wanted to see/hear Chris, Bucky and Kellie - no doubt about that. But I do want to say that all of the idols were welcomed warmly and it was a lively night from start to finish. I'm not going too deeply into song choices cause we all know them by now, but just want to try to give you all some impressions and try to pass on the emotion of the evening.

Gotta say it now, I am Soul Patrol through and through so although I enjoyed everyone, I was kinda bouncing there waiting for -uh- him. I was sitting stage right, first row about 20 feet from the very end of the stage, so did not get a lot of front on performances and most of my pictures are of backsides since folks almost always turned around when I snapped the picture. Right before the show we all got a peek at Kellie who was standing behind some equipment boxes and looking at us. Her little brother was with her; they were waving at us and the crowd kind of "ooohhed and awwed". Very sweet. The little girl next to me was about 9 and she kept "seeing" idols everywhere. "What if Kevin's in the Pop Tarts costume?" This girl was stoked. I suggest that anyone going to a performance without an adult to accompany them -take or sit near a 9 year old girl - different perspective entirely.

Ok on with the show. Mandisa started out and she has a super presence on the stage. The crowd was on it's feet and loud for her first song and then kind of settled back down for the Ruben dedication/invitation/whatever. She made her speech and it was recevied with applause and some cheers. Mention was made of being in the South and thanks to everyone for making us feel at home.

Sweet tea makes it's entrance. Ace and Mandisa did their duet - the girlies in the crowd screamed and waved. The little girl next to me almost creamed me with her glow stick (a recurring theme throughout the night) and when Ace came to our corner of the stage and waved at her I thought she was a goner. Ace did his death defying leap right in front of us - it was cool. He looked happy, comfortable and was very entertaining. The crowd looooooved him. When he started Father Figure, I noticed my little friend's mother giggling and when he took off his jacket there was a collective sigh in the building. Lots of love for Ace out there.

Lisa came on next and I agree with another poster on here, I loved the back of her shirt. She sang "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and did her two songs with the keyboard, then introduced Paris. Their duet was very well done. Even though I don't know the song, I liked it. The dance moves were well timed and both of them seemed to be having a great time.

Good applause for Lisa and then Paris was on her way to Georgia. Everyone "woo wooed" with her and we were having a blast. Highlight for her was the Beyonce song and the "chair dance". I swear a girl of sixteen can get away with that stuff but I think seventeen might be pushing it. (Joking here) She was working hard and pulled the crowd in with her. Much applause for Paris.

Bucky came up next and this was a hometown crowd. Everyone up and cheering, glow stick in my face. Bucky stopped on his way down the ramp and put his foot on the railing - my end of the stage loved it. He had friends in the front and they were loud. I couldn't make out the words when he sang but know these songs and sang along anyway. I think Bucky is the guy that would bring a cooler of beer over when you invite him to watch NASCAR. I like him a lot.

Elliot does too because he came out to the side of the stage (on the floor under the first elevated row of seats) to watch him. I think he wanted to see Bucky's reception from this crowd. Very nice, but it took attention from the stage. Elliott was waving the folks in the crowd to sit back down and wasn't out for more than a couple of minutes so as not to distract from Bucky, but folks in the crowd were yelling for him anyway. I hope Bucky didn't hear and am sure from his body language that Elliott didn't mean to take away from Bucky's time.

Sweet tea appeared again. We drifted with Bucky a little more then big applause and it was Bucky and Pickler time They WERE "The Ones that We Want, hoo, hoo, hoo". Really cute - the glow stick is going crazy and the mom had to rescue me from a concussion.

Kellie turned up the lights and talked about being home and sweet tea, fried okra and fried squash and how California doesn't know what they're missing. The crowd agreed - loudly. She sang her Walking song and well, walked. I love Kellie to death and my hubby would like to adopt her but she needs to work on that walking thing. I kept hearing Nancy Sinatra in my head " These boots will walk all over you....". Great applause for Pickler and then the lights came back up for intermission.

 Intermission was what it was, potty break, gulp down something liquid, run back to seat and look at pictures on the digital. Oh my, so many pictures of folks walking away from me. I think I see a theme here.....

Lights dim and everyone rushes to their seats. Lights go out and everyone comes out of their seats! DAUGHTRY is in the house! This was the loudest pop of the night. Sorry Taylor, but Chris got ya beat in volume tonight. And isn't that what this is all about? Homecoming and the folks in that arena wanted to be in the family of DAUGHTRY. What a rush this must have been for him. Anyone still reading with me sit back and take a deep breath now cause this one is a shocker.....I SAW HIM SMILE!! Several times. Chris was having a good time tonight and was in fine voice. Whole Lotta Love was super and filled the arena. Renegade is one of my favorite Styxx songs and he delivered that one too. Chris so should not have been voted off when he was. Ok - crowd is ecstatic and at the end of each song Chris would turn around to drink water, pick up an instrument, do whatever and some big guy in back of me would yell "NO! DO ONE MORE!!!" over and over with genuine angst in his voice. I thought he would cry when Chris left the stage. The glow stick the little girl had has run down by now and doesn't glow but just a little, so she turns it upside down and starts swinging the rawhide strap. Geesh! I need a hard hat.

Time for the Chris/Elliott duet (would that make it Chello time?) Elliott was giving major props to Chris, pointing at him several times and getting the audience to cheer for him. Nice move Elliott, what a guy. Very generous and a nice brotherly type thing to do. All of the idols were aware that this was a homecoming for the three Tarheels among them and everyone had something good to say.

All right, Elliott does his thing and things simmer down a little. E's music is just a soothing type of groove and the quiet in the house was not an affront to his talent, just a general relaxation due to the music. Good applause, just laid back - like Elliott. Elliott finished with Trouble, my favorite performance from him this year. He reminds me of a naughty little boy on this one and that song riled things back up just a bit.

The boys came out to do Patience and the crowd just adored Chris and Bucky fronting this song with their guitars. Arena is LOUD LOUD LOUD.

Boys finish up and Kat appears on the top of the ramp and sings Black Horse. She's on her knees in that white dress. Super crowd response. Voice sounds fine. I notice when she stands up that she rearranges the dress very carefully from her feet and I feel that she is nervous and I worry about her falling on the dress. The press would have a field day and the internet would probably crash. She made it down the ramp and walked across the stage, singing softly. She is a beautiful girl. Said all the right things about this being her second show in the south and glad that she was able to come back for the best crowd (a common refrain tonight, but she did not mention sweet tea!). Then she did Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Again, beautiful voice, but holding back, not too much strain on those pipes. False ending with much applause and then the finish. Lights out, more applause.

Then it was TAYLOR TIME. Jailhouse Rock starts and his voice is coming from everywhere but I can't see him. Everyone is standing up looking but I don't spot him until he is near the front of the crowd, crossing in front of the stage. He came up the stairs facing us - at last a face for my camera! Woo! Goes next into Hollywood Nights - got that hot guitar thing going. Whoever said he can't dance has mush for brains because he is putting down some moves out there. Jumping up and down on those black tennis shoes and whirling, twirling, whew! Very hard to describe. He's like a whirling dervish and reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. My son plays in a band and I know how heavy that electric guitar is and Taylor is putting out a lot of effort to move around like he does with it on his shoulder.

Next is Living in the City. He does the Jagger Swagger with this great big grin on his face -is he checking for crowd response? - and all of the classic Taylor moves - I love it. It's like seeing a good friend up there just having a ball. Taylor attacks those end stage moves like a gymnast, I swear! He kind of squares off, takes a deep breath and then moves. And folks, I know he was looking at me when he came stage right. No one else - those poses were mine. Ha-ha, who says he doesn't connect to his audience? I've been thinking about this introvert stuff (being one myself) and trying to figure out what is going on here. I heard once that the difference between an introvert and an extrovert is that an introvert finds strength within them self while an extrovert finds his strength from outside sources. 

Taylor generates all of this excitement and then turns it over to us. We give it back and he responds. Wow! Taylor exits the stage to standing O and after we beg, encore! Taking it to the Streets - we get taken to church. Tambourine, harmonica (on his knees folks!) Short white shirt, tightie whities peeking above his jeans! Dancing, jumping, playing that harp! Whew. I'm tired just reliving it. Finishes his song and exits the stage.

Next up is everyone else and We Are the Champions. Chris starts it up and the crowd is on fire. I know this is supposed to be a cheesy finish, but I like Queen and I guess I like cheese too cause I like the performance. One last chance to take those pictures and see those faces. Oh, but wait there's more. Kat and Taylor join in for Living In America. Everyone is up and down the ramp in a kind of line and walking around the stage. Good photo ops. The girl next to me almost catches Chris's guitar pick and we yell at security until one of them picks it up for her. Wow! Bet she puts that under her pillow tonight. We're waving, the idols are waving, everyone's smiling. The idols wind up in a line in center stage and when he calls out the cities, I bet Taylor says Greensboro 3 or 4 times. The crowd is loud - the roof is coming off tonight. The group exits the stage and then returns for handshakes and more pictures and good-byes. Taylor announces Kellie, Bucky and Chris at the end and the crowd explodes.

Lights up, the end. Wow!