Just got in from the concert in Daytona Beach! What an incredible show. I really needed a dose of Mr. Jackson tonight! I almost didn’t go as I had a severe allergic reaction down here (think it was to my brother’s dogs or severe smoke in a Red Lobster). Anyway I had to call back to doctor in PA for some steroids as my throat had closed up and I could barely swallow. Until the last minute I almost didn’t go. But we had this second round of Girl Scout cookies we had to deliver to Tony and the Strayhorns, and what better way to feel better than to go see Alan. We caught up with Tony by some of the band trucks. He came out and lifted his shirt to show us how flat his stomach was at that point and then laughed about how fat it would be after he ate all of Rachel’s Girl Scout cookies. He joked around with Rachel and Matt for awhile…..they really loved his Donald Duck imitation. He asked us if we had good seats and I told him yes we were in the 3rd row thanks to the fan club tix! He said they had really worked this year at getting fan club seats working better at the venues. He also said he told them they were allowing any cameras as long as they didn’t record video! So hopefully everyone could get good pics tonight! We left then as Joe Nichols was coming on. I think I saw Debbie?? in the fourth row as we were scurrying for our seats. Anyway, Joe put on a great set! He has a wonderful voice and great songs. He waved at my kids which made their day. One of his songs was Farewell Party! He sang it really well (but my kids still think Alan does it better, haha). He ended with BrokenHeartsville and had the whole audience singing it! After Joe’s performance we went out to buy a Drive license plate in hopes Rachel could get it signed later. After waiting in line for about 20 minutes we were told they had just sold out. Just after that, they handed the “demo” license plate to the person that had been behind us. I asked why we couldn’t have had that one and she told me she didn’t make the rules and to talk to the manager at the other larger concession stand. Luckily when we finally found that stand, I was able to walk over to the side of the counter and see her immediately. She was really nice and found us another one. Just had enough time for the kids to get seated and Alan came out! He was wearing his red shirt and blue jeans with a large hole in his right knee. (I think I got a picture of it for you ladies, but I won’t be able to post anything till we get home next week). He started out with Gone Country. Then he added NEON RAINBOW!!! We were screaming. We have wanted to hear that again in concert for so long. Last show we went to we made a huge rainbow poster and held it up during the show. So glad he was able to add it this time. After that it was onto Tooth! He then talked for a few minutes about how nice a day it had been in Daytona and that the first time he had ever seen the ocean was in Daytona when he was 12 years old. He came for a vacation with a friend and as they came over the bridge he saw the Atlantic for the first time. Then he said….that was a long time ago! He sang some more songs: Trees, Livin on Love, Work in Progress, and added back in Whose Cheatin Who! Always loved that one because it gives the band members a chance to shine! After that it was When Somebody Loves You, and www. Of course when Little Bitty came on next, I hoisted Rachel up with her bitty baby and she got on the screen a couple times. So did Matt this time! Which was really cool! Next were Gone Crazy and Don’t Rock the Jukebox. When he sat down to introduce the band and do the unplugged section, he was singing Man of Constant Sorrow. A guy in the front row started dancing like they do in the movie. Alan saw him and was impressed. After the guy sat down, Alan said “come up and dance again” and he did! He had everyone laughing. We all gave him a hand after the song. The show kept moving along. Alan was really great tonight! He looked great, sang great, and just looked like he was having fun up there! People were standing a lot of the time so we were too! He also sang Summertime Blues, That’d be Alright, Blues Man (I love this song but I had to get to a bathroom so badly……you have never seen a woman move so quickly…..I was up those stairs and back down again before he even got to the instrumental part HAHA)! Then onto Pop-a-Top, Drive, Chattahoochee, and Where I Come From. I still can’t get over the response to that song and the clips he shows up on stage of local sites etc. I had my kids turn around and see how everyone was standing and singing that song and cheering the pictures. I reminded them of how in Hershey a few years ago they were the only ones standing and singing that song just before it was released! What a monster of a hit for Alan!!! As usual Alan ended with Where Were You! The crowd was hushed and lit little lights etc. Lots of blinking flag pins etc too! As I say after every concert, you MUST experience this song in person! Just before he came back out for Mercury Blues, Rachel (and Paul) climbed up into the front row with her Drive license plate. Paul put her on his shoulders. The camera man told her to hold it up high and smile, and gave her a thumbs up sign! And when Alan came back out, they put Rachel and the license plate up on the big screen again! Too cool! I decided to climb up with Matt too. I am usually so busy thinking about the kids, I thought maybe I could for once shake Alan’s hand or something. (I got my ticket stub out too just in case). I was over to the left, Rachel and Paul were in the middle. NO ONE else was over where I was standing. I thought I must be too far over so dummy me, I moved back closer to the center. Rachel got Alan her license plate about the 4th person. He signed it and she was thrilled. I grabbed her bitty baby and stood close to the stage. For awhile I felt almost like I was being a little crushed as people were really crowding the stage. Alan came closer to our side but there were lots of people by then handing him things. He kept moving further and further to my left. I thought “boy Hope, should’ve stayed where you were in the first place". By then most people around me were saying he probably wouldn’t come back our way. He finally said, “hey I really have to get out of here…..I am going fishing!”. He started back my way. I thought I’d give it one more try so I held the Bitty Baby way up high again and wiggled her around. He started past me, then came back and grabbed her. He gave the doll a funny look, just like last year and held her up. He turned her over (he was right in front of me by now), and was about to sign it and he realized he had ALREADY signed it before! I was trying to yell for him to sign “Jackson” under the “Alan” signature. (At least I was trying with what little voice I had!) He did sign it and then he handed her back to me! I said Thank You to him! When I looked at the signature, he had signed “Alan ‘03”, under the original “Alan”. That was the last thing he signed before he finished the song! I was ecstatic and so was Rachel! After the show the cameraman gave her a guitar pick, and gave Matt the song list! What a great incredible night! We were all on an Alan high all the way back to Orlando! I really so glad they talked me into going to the show. Just too bad I don’t have my desktop with me so I could post some pictures (can’t do it on this hotel dial-up). Hope you all enjoy this review! Have fun to everyone going to his next concerts. My hubby will actually be at the show in San Diego in the second row!!! (WITHOUT ME!) Hopefully he will get some good pics for us! See you all in Bristow, VA next month! Hope