It's Oregon, where people are ultra-nice and courteous
People were up from the beginning, but sat for the benefit of those behind them. Still, it looked, from my balcony viewpoint, that there were always fans up close...just not a hoard of them leaning against the stage. Also, security was kinda strict - nice, but strict, it seemed. Made me put my camera away ( in the balcony! ) almost as soon as I got it out
BUT, they were definitely into the show, and loving Lindsey
There were standing O's after probably half the songs. Very enthusiastic crowd! The place was packed, too. There were people lining the wall behind me, and in the balcony aisles too, that didn't have seats...so a bit over capacity. Really fun night
Also, with all this talk of Lindsey not changing things up much, I have to say, maybe for those of you that have seen him on every tour, you've heard it all, but I've only been to his SWS tour, before last night, and so I was treated to
5 songs I'd never had the pleasure of hearing live before
And as for it not being completely acoustic, I really think Lindsey made the right decision ( he knows what he's doing ). The crowd went absolutely nuts when Stan walked out with the M1! Come and So Afraid, were mind-blowers. Come was really cool, and So Afraid, was...I can't even describe how un-real it was. Good freaking GOD. What can I say, it was an eargasm
He played it very different than the way I'd heard it before. Yes, some of it was of course, the same - it's the same song! But, dang! That man brings it, and after hearing him again last night, I still say I'd pay good money just to watch him tune his guitar...he's THAT good. Anyways, the crowd just ate out of his hands last night, and he was feeding us well
No disappointment here
One more thing of note, in the continuing saga of Lindsey v. Venue Security
...
Lindsey wasted no time after So Afraid ( after standing O ) launching right into GYOW. Just plowed through it...soooo cool how he played it too. BUT very early in the song - before the first chorus I think, he walked over to the very front of the stage, and I was thinking, WTF, he's going out there to let them strum?? But it's not even the solo?!! Whatup?? So, as he's strolling over, completely ditching the singing - LMAO - the crowd is singing along, and handily carries the chorus, as Lindsey walks up to a guy and just pops him on the top of the head - I laugh every time I think of it. I shouldn't...but I do. It wasn't violent, but more, kind of a wake-up sorta pop on the head. Just, "pop". Well, it was a security guard who was trying to escort David out after David ( he told me later ) got into it a little bit for asking him/them to get away from the stage. So, I guess Linds just went over and said "don't do that" and popped him. All was fine after that, though.
There was a tweet later ( Elle posted it here ) last night from the venue, saying Lindsey peeked around the corner and thanked them all ( the staff ), so no harm, no foul, I guess And he got a standing O, of course!!
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