And what you wish for could come true...

Continuing along the vein of super summer concerts, two nights ago I paid my regular bi-annual (or however many times they decide to visit the area) homage to my favorite band of all time. I think Guster has gotten about three or four postings on my blog now... definitely statistically significant at whatever alpha level you decide to set.

The concert at Wolftrap began like any other... luckily the weather was about twenty degrees cooler than a year ago, with clear skies and virtually (for DC) no humidity and really quite perfect for an outdoor venue. Pete Yorn was fantastic, though for a wanna-be fan I am embarrassed to admit I only recognized one or two of his songs... but I bought a t-shirt, so that counts, right?

Guster came out, my friend Shauna and I were thrilled (it being her first Guster concert, she having had biked twenty miles - twenty miles - to make the show in time) and the crowds sitting stoically and motionless on the lawn just weren't cutting it for us. We wove our way through to the back and then proceeded to mimic, in exponential outlandishness, the actions of the very fans I had been deriding not seven days earlier at the John Mayer concert. We danced like maniacs, we bawled every word ("bawled" in a 'loud and unrestrained' way, not in a 'weeping' way...), we earned the looks of contempt, scorn, amusement, and annoyance of everyone around us. We even earned some guy's third row center ticket, as he was leaving and thought that we would appreciate a closer view... though Shauna's staunch loyalty to not deserting a friend kept us where we were.

As we continued in our unfettered joy and delight, we were suddenly approached by a big, burly, middle-aged man who had apparently been watching us for some time. He introduced himself as Guster's stage manager and that he had been sent out to recruit some 'excited fans' from the back of the peanut gallery for an intimate 'meet and greet' after party, and he thought that, judging from our gusto, we fit the bill. Ha! Whilst tempting, honestly, does that EVER happen? No way am I going anywhere with you, big burly man. We were about to go our way when he introduced himself as Roger, and something in my distant, recessed obsessive fan memory clunked into place, and I said "wait... are you the truck driver who had a fish fry with your son and Brian (the Thundergod) on... some Jewish holiday... back in like, 2005?" (Yes. I know.) His eyes widened and he said "boy, you really are a fan... I think you've earned your place." He offered to bring us backstage so we could watch from there; I was all for it but the sound and view were admittedly better from where we were, so we told him we'd stay put and he said he'd come get us at the end of the show. To add magic to jubilation, as this conversation was ensuing, I dimly heard Ryan onstage talking about performing an 'old school monster ballad that we haven't sung in a long time', and proceeding to... yes. Either Way. Ironic, isn't it, that I had publicly declared not hearing it performed since 2000...

Still not believing it was wholly true, I ran and fetched my one male friend to join us in the back, because I figured a) if we really were going to meet Guster, he would owe me forEVER and b) if we weren't and Big Burly Man wanted to attack us, at least we had a male to protect us. Really it was a win-win situation (and Josh, I'm sorry that I didn't exactly inform you about option b...). The show ended, the crowds exited en masse, and I started to doubt... really? Seriously? Was I truly about to meet my most favorite musical group of all time?

Really.

Roger came up the stairs ("I had to work y'know, it takes me time to get up here, this is why I wanted you to come backstage") and herded us backstage... weaving our way inbetween the tour buses and giant equipment vans, I suddenly found myself face-to-face with Ryan Miller and Joe Pisapia, who ignored us with dignity (as I attempted to maintain my own composure) but were verbally attacked by some woman who snarled "Roger! Get them some identification! This is a FEDERAL building!" to which I *almost* retorted "and I'm a federal employee...!", then to "the room where they hang out before the show" (I know he said some official title, but I was too dazed to catch it) and finally to a secondary, larger room, where about twenty nervous people were awkwardly standing about, muttering with restrained excitement.

Gah! How do we approach music stars? What do we do??? Josh wisely remarked "well, probably what will happen is, someone will come in the room and tell us "Okay, Guster is coming in in a few minutes, this is what you should do..." and then we'll all be prepared..." As he was stating this eloquent opinion, Brian the Thundergod shuffled in, stopped, and peered around the room. "...or not..."

One by one each band member trickled in (Joe being the last, "I'm sorry, I was on the phone! I was buying a car on eBay...") and seeing as they were tired and not exactly predisposed to making the rounds like politicians, it was up to the gumption of us, rabid fans, to approach and speak to them. This resulted in many awkward conversations and giggly, high-pitched laughs, but hey, I haven't been madly in love since 1999 to lose my nerve now, right?

Ryan was the first one we had the guts to approach. He insisted on taking all the photos.
After waiting literally ten minutes to speak to Brian (whose attention was monopolized by some teeny chick who bombarded him with questions about his drums, to which he finally replied "I don't understand why people care what brand drums I use. I bought mine at a yard sale.") he finally turned to us with a self-deprecating "Hi I'm Brian..." on a semi-dare, I immediately approached him and said "I'm taking your picture... now..." Yes, I often have this effect on guys I crush on...
Joe is nice. Joe takes nice pictures.
Adam stretched his arm waaaay out to get us all in the frame; I told him he wouldn't need to as it's a dual lens... He was impressed by the camera: "My arm looks like a gorilla!! How does this thing work?" I told him it had two lenses...
...that could catch closeups quite nicely. "Wow! I look totally evil!... Actually, I look like an eagle, don't you think?" He was fascinated.
"Look, I'm such a @#$%-ing rebel..." said Ryan as I snapped this picture.

After an exhausting, thrilling night, we shoved Shauna's bike into the back of my car and I took her home. Fanaticism sometimes does pay off... :)

Do you have a brush with fame that fulfilled all of your wildest dreams? Share! Share!

*full slideshow here for your viewing enjoyment...

** many of you have remarked on the Thundergod's frightening appearance. Be assured that there is good reason why I've been such a fan all these years.