07/18/08 Rochester Hills, MI: Meadowbrook

Post by **algonacchick** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:46 pm

Thank you, Jeremy. It was nice seeing you, too. Wish I had actualy gotten to a chance talk to you. I envy you, because you get to see Al again...and again...

Oh, I just want to add, ladies, that both Annette and I thought Al smelled nice.

Post by **kyky27** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 10:57 pm

I have always wondered what he smells like...

Kristi Ohlervic · Post by **Kristi Ohlervic** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:06 am

This concert ROCKED!!! It was very nice to sit down and eat with everyone at Max and Erma's before-thanks Patti for saving us seats at the table! We got there later than we wanted due to traffic/construction, but not too late.

Got to the venue and picked up our passes without trouble-we weren't sure if we would just get 2 for Alchav's brothers or 4 for all of us, but we did get 4, which was AWESOME!

Chatted with various friends before going in. There were a TON of people at this show! You could tell that the band was feeding off of the crowd's energy, and I think that Steve or Jim mentioned that same thing after the show.

Alchav's brothers ended up getting seats on the outter aisle-right be Fred, and that was also the aisle that Al strolled up during WBUL-if we had traded them seats, Al would have been singing the line I had printed on my shirt {Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again} right as he went past me. *sniff*

The storm troopers were numerous and very animated here as well. I think everyone was having a good time. Steve appeared to have some equipment problems at one point, but after that was making faces at the crowd a lot.

Going backstage was very cool. But it did feel a bit rushed. I know in olden times, it used to be more casual, but maybe Al prefers to be on a tighter schedule.

I again got flustered when talking to Al-started out saying something about his family, and how nice it was to see him and Suzanne together at the last Alcon, but I was feeling rushed by the dude taking pictures and ended up blurting out something incoherant like thanking him for introducing me to all the awesome comedy music out there...or something.

Alchav gave Al a copy of his latest cd and then he and one brother had Al sign their wallets, while the youngest brother had Al sign his Coke shirt. I didn't have anything to be signed. It was over way too fast, but it was great nonetheless. We got to chat with Jim a bit before being shooed away.

I was pretty surprised that the parking lot was very empty when we finally left-thought more people would have hung around, but maybe security was hurrying them along as well.

All in all-great road trip, and I'm sorry I can't get to any more shows.

Post by **algonacchick** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:37 am

Oh, you're welcome, Kristi. It was pretty much everyone's decision to save seats for you. It was nice to see you again, and to meet Alchav and his brothers. hehe, you're the second person to mention Steve making faces *I was first* He just cracked me up. It was kinda quick backstage, but Annette and I were thinking maybe it was because they had to drive to Tennesee. I actually did ok talking to Al, between heavy sighs, for whatever reason. LOL! I am so glad he liked my cake. Anyway, so true about this show. It did indeed ROCK! I'm also sad that this was my only show, but what a great one! I still have to thank Lisa for the awesome front row seats. She rocks!

Pickle · Post by **Pickle** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:26 am

Hey, you didn't get a chance to mention the shirt, did you Patti?

Just wondering. I don't blame you if not, sounds like it was indeed pretty rushed, and I know you had plenty of your own stuff to fill up time!!

Glad you had a great show!!

Post by **algonacchick** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:30 am

No, I'm sorry, George, I didn't get to ask about the shirt. Hey, maybe someone will post an aftershow pic from another show, and he'll be wearing it. You never know...

jerAL · Post by **jerAL** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:38 pm

Patti, I envy Al so much, getting to eat that gorgeous cake! I'm sure he appreciated it! So cool that you got sung to, too!

P.S. Thinking of Scout...hope he's okay...

Trebor · Post by **Trebor** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:15 am

Hey Patti, that was a great cake! I'm sure Al like it and will remember it.

It was nice to say, "Hi" to you before the show. That's the second time we've met in what, five years? Soon it will be a habit! Sorry we couldn't make it to dinner. My wife got home from work and we turned around to head to the show and didn't get near Meadowbrook until almost 7:00. Just grabbed a quick sub and headed for the pavillion.

I could see Al singing to you a few times and I swear he gave you a long "WTF?" look once. I couldn't quite tell exactly, but that's what it looked like about 14 rows back.

The concert was great. Al puts on quite a show. It sounded like there were some sound problems at the begining and more distortion on the speakers then normal, but it got better as the show went on.

I'm liking more of AL's new stuff better. "White and Nerdy" has to be my fav of the last 10 years, easily. Yoda is still my all-time fav and I was glad to see him pull out the accordion for the start of that.

Btw, anyone know where the Stormtroopers came from? Did he recuit fans from the 501st Legion locally? Or are they roadies in costume or what? I was SOO envious of the troopers being onstage with AL. My love for Star Wars and my love for Weird AL both go back to that same place in my childhood and combining them both is just indescribible.

(By "love" for Weird AL, I mean that cool, fan-love where I appreciate his skill as a musicain and an entertainer. Not that weird, obsessive, stalker type love that I reserve for my wife .... and George Lucas....)

Post by **weird_el** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:41 pm

I believe all the storm troopers are local talent much like the Nirvana cheerleaders.

Post by **like_im_27again** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:20 am

Trebor @ Jul 21 2008, 10:15 PM wrote: Btw, anyone know where the Stormtroopers came from? Did he recuit fans from the 501st Legion locally? Or are they roadies in costume or what? I was SOO envious of the troopers being onstage with AL. My love for Star Wars and my love for Weird AL both go back to that same place in my childhood and combining them both is just indescribible.

(By "love" for Weird AL, I mean that cool, fan-love where I appreciate his skill as a musicain and an entertainer. Not that weird, obsessive, stalker type love that I reserve for my wife .... and George Lucas....)

Yeah...me too.

The stormtroopers, etc. are always members of nearby 501st Legion Garrisons.
IIRC, the 501st first came on stage with Al during the first leg of the Poodle Hat tour at a concert in Washington State (correct me if I'm wrong, somebody). I think the 501st contacted Al's management about wanting to do it, and I believe word traveled nationwide through other 501st garrisons, and they do the same thing--contact Al's management and volunteer when there's an Al concert near them.

Al was made an honorary "Friend of the Legion" last year:

http://www.501stlegion.org/honorary.php

Vikki