I finally have the energy to recap the moments leading up to Bright Eyes last Saturday, but please forgive me if I run out of steam because it's been a really long week and a helluva day.
The Norva has a restaurant attached where you can make reservations the night of a show and be let into the venue 15 minutes before everyone else. The day before the show I called to make reservations, but unfortunately they were all booked up.
My friend Robbie, who has been to The Norva a billion times suggested we get there a little before the show, hang out at the bar, and see if we could sneak in with the diners before official "doors open" time.
We got off to a bit of a late start and didn't arrive in Norfolk until about 7:20, doors open at 8 officially, and unofficially at 7:45.
The line in front of The Norva was at least a block and half long, several people wide. This didn't make me happy, but it wasn't an insurmountable number of people to plough through once inside. Besides I thought, I'm good at manuevering.
Robbie, however, insisted we check out the back entrance, via the restaurant, and I was immediately relieved to see only 20-30 people in line there. We took our place and prayed we could sneak in with these peeps.
As we stood in line, there were murmurs here and there about a receipt. Finally, a couple behind us straight up told us that we couldn't get in the back door without a receipt. The time was 7:32. We had 12 minutes to scam some drinks from the bar, get a receipt, and go in the back.
Damn, it's a hard life when you've got to buy a beer just to get into a show before the rest of the crowd. Robbie bought us drinks and we all sat around and shot the shit. Before we knew it, the line outside the door was moving - the 15 minutes early line. The rest of us were unsure what to do, but Robbie was immediately on the case.
He sought out the door where people were being let in while we kept on nursing our beers. A minute later he pops his head into the door of the bar and commands us to come, like now, like 5 minutes ago.
We run out and the door guy is about to shut the door on us. Robbie convinced him to wait for his friends, and that was that. We were golden.
We went in backstage where the artists go. At any moment I thought I would round the corner and see Conor. Unfortunately, all I saw were security guards.
When we entered the venue, it was awesome. There was a crowd of people already in front of the stage, but not more than 5-7 rows deep. We took our places, front and center, and watched as the throngs of people from the "regular" line began to push their way in.
The rest of the show was just awesome. Nik Freitas, one of the openers, sounded like Paul Simon, and Rachel and I decided he looked like a cross between Jim on The Office and someone else I can't remember right now. Then the Felice Brothers totally rocked the house with a kind of music that I just really can't describe. I would urge any of you to go see either of these bands if you get the chance.
Because I can't get enough, here's one more clip from the show that night (and damn it, there better be more clips posted online because there were enough damn people putting their cameras in my point of view the entire night).
"Method Acting" - if you watch, you'll hear Conor mention he's only good at "acting sick." He then proceeded to sniffle and rub his nose throughout the show...so I'm pretending that I had his germs and his cold this week : )
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