Ah, Denver....where to begin? Hey, how about the beginning?

The longer I sit here trying to organize my thoughts to put forth as a flowery, poetic essay on my concert experience the more I realize such a thing isn't actually going to happen. So, instead, I am just going to touch on whatever happens to pop into my head when I think back to Sunday night.

The evening was very surreal. After three years it was hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I honest-to-gosh was going to see Paul again. We're talking, right up till the time the curtain swooshed back and Paul came walking out, playing. Right then is when it finally hit me and I narrowly escaped bursting into tears. I had my hand pressed over my mouth and gave a few dry sobs before I pulled it together. For the entire first number ("Magical Mystery Tour" for those playing along at home) all I could do was stand there and stare.

Our seats were just great. We were to the side of the stage; the corner of the stage was pointing directly at us. We were only five rows up in that section, which put us just at stage level. I actually watched Paul the entire time because I could see his face without the help of the t.v. monitors. And what's strange is, I finally saw him as a person -- a real, normal person who does the same things that everyone else does. For once he didn't seem like Paul McCartney, Music Superstar and Entertainment Personality. He just seemed like Paul from Liverpool who was genuinely happy to be doing what he was doing. And I don't mean that I thought he was insincere before or anything. I just mean that, by being close enough to really study him, he didn't seem so much larger-than-life any more. And that's a good thing, in my book. I saw him smiling when he saw someone in the audience doing something funny, saw his attention being diverted as he read the various signs people were holding up, saw him having the same issues with his pants that lots of guys have (Paul, get yourself a belt, son! They make fab ones in faux leather nowadays!) It was just good to see him in that light. I think, at the past concerts, although I was close enough to make out that it was him with the naked eye, I still felt detatched, as though I was watching him on telly. This time I felt like I was actually there, with Paul, the human being, spending time with him.

As for the actual set? Well, gosh, I hate to say, but, right now, I have to give the edge to the '02 tours. Don't get me wrong; it was a lovely concert and I had a fantastic time. It was great to hear the uber-oldie "In Spite of All the Danger" (the very first recording the Beatles ever made). Loved hearing "Too Many People," as well. I just think that, overall, the '02 set list was better. Now, mind you, this is after only seeing him once. When I saw him in '02 the experience just got better each time. I enjoyed the first show but the third was about a thousand times better. We'll see how I feel after the Dallas show.

I was very disappointed at the removal of the song tributes to George and John. This tour they are relegated to a brief pause between songs, where Paul asks the audience to take a moment to remember lost loved ones: John, George and Linda. On the one hand, I understand Paul doesn't want to keep performing "Here Today" and "Something" for the rest of his life, and that you have to switch the show up from tour to tour. On the other hand, I do wish he'd have included something more than just a mere mention.

Another thing that flummoxed me, and I will have to look into this online to make sure I'm not just imaginging things, but I am almost positive I read that he performed "She Loves You" at the beginning of the tour. He did not sing it Sunday night. Perhaps I am just remembering wrongly but if I'm not I wish I could find out why it was taken out. I was very much looking forward to hearing it.

And one last set list note: I just can't get over the squickiness of hearing "I've Got a Feeling" with someone else singing John's parts. Rusty did a fine job, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't sit right with me. I'm very touchy about John's songs and other people singing them.

Heavens, reading over those last few paragraphs one might think I was dissatisfied with the experience. I must assure you that is most definitely NOT the case! I absolutely adored the show, I'm glad I get to go again, I'm praying I will be able to go to Dallas, and I'd go a hundred more times if I could. It was beyond awesome just to see Paul, let alone getting to spend three whole hours with him. And, in case there are any haters out there, let me emphasize, in case you were doubting: the man most definitely does still R O C K. Hearing him belt out "Helter Skelter" live was one of the coolest. things. ever. I swear to you he sounds just like he did on the White Album, 37 years ago. It's unbelievable. HE is unbelievable. I am less than half his age and putting on ONE concert like that would probably kill me. Forget doing it thirty-something times! Paul is truly amazing and I, once again, am awestruck.

And only five days until I get to do it all over again!

I was honestly beginning to think that, perhaps, my Denver trip would not come off at all. I was waffling back and forth between putting my ticket back on eBay and trying to go. Plane tickets were pricing in the $300 range and my conscience was getting the better of me.

On a more cheerful note, my birthday was somewhat salvaged, after all.

A decision has been made that Madalyn will not be attending the Dallas Paul concert with me.

I must take a moment to express my current state of mind: OhmigodIonlyhave34daystillIseePaulwhatthehellamIgoingtowearohcrapIwas-
supposedtolose50poundsbynowohwellIgettoseePaulSQUEEEEEEE!

Thank you.

(The tour started this past Friday, babies! He has today and tomorrow off then will be in Atlanta on the 20th. Rock on, you lucky Atlantans!)

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: an update.

May I take another moment to point out that there are now only three months until the first of the Paul concerts?

Thanks (again).

Madalyn won't be going to Milwaukee with me, after all. Robert had a minor anuerysm when he found out not only how much I paid for the Milwaukee tickets but that I was also still planning to go to Dallas. After he recovered, though, he decided he didn't mind so much and also agreed that it wasn't fair for me to un-invite my friend, Dave, who had initially expressed an interest in going with me. So the original plan is back on: I take Madalyn to Dallas and Dave goes with me in Milwaukee.

A large part of Robert's recovery can be attributed to Dave, who totally ROCKS, by the way, and who is going to pay me back for the entire half of the purchase price even though he knows he doesn't have to and I didn't expect it. Also contributing to Dave's awesomeness is the fact that he is going to let me stay at his place and also chauffer me around town which will keep my expenses to a minimum. Basically I just need a plane ticket and food/t-shirt money. I need to find out if Judaism has anything equivalent to sainthood because I'm totally going to nominate Dave for it if it does.

(Also, in case anyone wondered: I do have other things to talk about besides my concert plans. It's just that, after a week of Vacation Bible School shepherding, I have exactly two functioning brain cells remaining. One is entirely focused on the concerts and the other is repeating, "Must. Sleep. Go. Lie. Down." on a continuous loop. And since there's not much to write about napping, I'm writing about the other thing. Hopefully a nice lie-in tomorrow will bring the higher functions back to normal capacity.)

Add another one to the schedule, boys and girls:

Milwaukee, October 23rd -- Section 225; Row E.

11.

It's a beautiful number.

Let's all ponder it for a moment: 11.

Why, you might ask?

I got tickets. It involved me, a scalper, Ebay, and about $200 more than I would've spent if I'd gotten them at face value. But I have them. And now I'm completely worn out. Talk about an emotional wringer. The tickets are pretty good and I will post more about it later. Right now I'm going to go lie down or something.

I entered my first request for tickets at 10:04 (went on sale at 10) and I could not get anything. Apparently no one else could, either, judging by the thread on the McCartney forums. Which begs the question: if they didn't sell the tickets to the general public in the "general public sale" then where the hell did they go? I've tried upwards of fifty times and the two times tickets came up they were bad seats and not worth the money. Now all that's left is ticket brokers, scalpers and Ebay, for those who have available credit lines or lots of cash, or, for people like me, who could barely scrape together enough for tickets at face value, it's the end of the line. Oh, sure, I could probably find some upper-level tickets from a broker for the amount of money I have. But I'm not spending five hundred dollars to watch a stupid concert on a stupid Jumbotron.

So, thanks a lot, Paul and all who were involved in this brilliant decision-making process. Glad all the corporate bigwigs and radio stations and rich people were able to get their tickets. You must have had half the arena reserved for them because there were people who were on at 10:00, exactly, and couldn't get tickets. I didn't realize I'd have to have superhuman powers to secure tickets. Thanks for wasting my time. Hope you have a good tour.

Just having a mini-panic attack over buying the Paul tickets tomorrow. What if I can't get good seats? I am hoping for seats at least as good as the ones I got last time, if not better. I keep thinking, though, what if the first ones I pull up aren't that great? Do I buy them anyway? Or do I take a huge risk and throw them back and try again? Most of his shows are selling out in about half an hour. Now, I will be specifically requesting the best available $250 seats, which does keep me out of the upper levels (I think). And Ticketmaster.com is the way I got the seats last time so I do have a good chance, I think, of doing at least as well this time. I don't know, I'm just freaking. I am going to be devastated if we are so far away that we can't even tell it's Paul. I mean, why would I pay 500 bucks for to watch a concert on the Jumbotron? It's important to me to be close enough to actually see him because you never know if this will be my last chance. Who knows when he will retire? This could be his last tour! And I want Madalyn to be able to look at him and see that, indeed, that is Paul and not just some indiscernible blob with a guitar.

I guess if I am really unhappy with the seats we get I can keep an eye on Ebay for better ones between now and then, and maybe do some kind of swap, buying a new set and then selling the other ones. Hopefully that is a decision I won't be faced with.

Okay, breathe....breathe....certainly after this past year fate owes me a good turn....

Have I mentioned I'm going to see Paul McCartney? Really? Because I could totally say it again.

Tickets go on sale in under 59 hours, people. Come Saturday morning it's me at the computer, Mastercard in one hand, seating chart in the other. Ticketmonster had better be good to me.

(Added bonus: I probably won't mention the subject again for a good five months after the tickets have been purchased. Till then, give me a break, it's all I've got going for me right now.)

The official Paul McCartney tour dates were announced today.

Naturally, the announcement comes one day after I spent most of the money in my Paypal account at the Galleria in Dallas. *sigh*

However, according to Ticketmaster, the Dallas show does not go on sale until the 30th. So we have almost two full weeks to scrabble together enough money for two tickets.

As thrilled as I am over this development, I am also exceedingly disappointed. Paul will NOT be coming back to Oklahoma City. No, he has decided, instead, that stops in Des Moines and Omaha are necessary. Let me repeat that. O. ma. ha.

Between that and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" I have given up ever trying to figure out what goes on in that man's head.

Robert and I have been talking, though, and we have a plan. It is thus: I will only be buying tickets for the Dallas show immediately. Then, as the summer and, hopefully, our financial situation progress we will try to plan for me to see Paul in some other city. Possibilities include Vegas (very large pie in the sky -- that will only happen if things improve dramatically) or perhaps Milwaukee (never been to Wisconsin before) or who knows where else.

Now to begin the countdown to November....

Last night I got word that the Dallas concert date for Paul McCartney is confirmed and that tickets go on sale on the 16th -- and then had a mini-breakdown when I realized that I really, truly am going to see Paul again. I'd have been okay with just getting the information but then "Maybe I'm Amazed" came up on the playlist I was listening to and I lost it, briefly.