I got a nice spot on a bench in front of the theater and it was fun watching all the people still driving up or walking up, seeing if they could still buy tickets to this sold-out show! Finally at 5:50 I went into the box office and asked where I need to go to check in for the Meet 'N Greet. The gal said she didn't have the list of names yet... but then a guy came around the corner and said he had the approved list of names. So I said YAY - Hilary Gorrie - and he said "Nope, not on here." As my heart thunked and the gal said "Are you sure - check the other side!" he turned the paper over, scrunched his brow and said "Nope - not on here." Then he looked at me and said "KIDDING". The girl whacked him on the shoulder real hard and said "That was mean!!" Sheeze, talk about a heart attack! Anyway, I happily got my pass and had some time to kill, so I sat and watched people some more. The atmosphere was very exciting!! People were arriving really early and there was a definite buzz in the air about Vince Gill coming to Redding!! My girlfriend Cathy arrived... then hubbie Don... and we took our seats in the 3rd row on the left. As I warned Sandee (my boss) -- Vince walked out at exactly 7:30 and started playing. No introduction, right on time!! The place was packed and I am happy to report that the Redding crowd was AWESOME - very loud and appreciative! Jenny was there and when she sang "Forever Changed", Vince was so cute and proud. When she was finished he sorta spun around with his hand on his heart and said "I have absolutely no buttons left on my shirt..."
Vince looked great and sounded better than ever. He was so funny too. We heard one lady say after the show, "That was UNBELIEVABLE" and it was!! He made a lot of comments about the great Redding crowd, and played for 2 hours, 40 minutes!! I think it really helps when the crowd is so into it... and I could've kissed each and every person there for being so supportive!!
The Meet 'N Greet was great -- I was the last person and I had him sign my poster from the 2002 Boulder Station Concert in Las Vegas (remember the Hawaiian Shirt Fan Club gang?) He remembered that show and said "That one was almost 4 hours." I told him how much we appreciated him adding Redding to his list and traveling all the way up here from Santa Ynez and then heading right back all the way down to Hanford. I said we knew these little venues aren't big money makers for him and we couldn't believe it when we saw he was coming up here. He seemed to really appreciate that. I also asked him Don's question: How does he remember each and every different guitar solo, each one different from any other of his gajillion songs - and never sounding alike? Always unique guitar riffs? That seemed to really throw him for a loop. He finally said "I guess it's just the way I feel" and I said "Well, it's absolutely awesome" and he said "I appreciate that - and that you recognize that, and thanks for that question!" Then I got to have 2 pictures taken (can't wait to get them back!!) and found my way home in a happy Vince Gill fog... only to find that Don had bought me a VG t-shirt as a surprise. Don is STILL talking about the concert. There is nobody like Vince Gill!!!!
Hilary
