ACMs
This weekend I flew to Vegas with Mustang Sally and attended my very first Academy of Country Music Awards! While we were not up for any awards, we got to watch the show from the audience and performed at the star-studded after-party.
This whole experience inspired an astounding amount of stress regarding clothes and clothing accessories, the likes of which I have never experienced before.
First, there was picking out a dress. Since we were performing after the awards, said dress needed to be fancy but something I could perform in. So not a "gown", per say. After much discussion, I settled on a gray dress I already owned, thus saving my poor bank account much consternation. Jewelry in the form of earrings was provided by the ever wonderful Jessie Greene-Hill of Put-In-Bay OH, and shoes I found in the back of my closet. Score!
We arrived in Vegas the night before the show, and I found a huge picture of Patrick Stewart hanging over my bed. I took it as a good omen.
The morning of the show dawned fair and clear, though it could have been raining cats and dogs (unlikely in Vegas) and it wouldn't have mattered, seeing as the the awards show was being held in the same palatial hotel I was staying in. (The MGM.) I went in search of Bill Vandiver, master hair and makeup wizard, and had more hairspray and makeup applied to me by his minions than I've ever had in my life. I want minions.
I realized as I was walking out the door that I never had time for a meal, so I pulled out a packet of tuna and some crackers and had a sad little snack. I promised myself serious food after the awards.
I arrived at the show itself after meeting up with the rest of the band, all of us admiring each other. We sat in the third from the last row, which meant the people on stage looked like colorful ants. The show was long. Some of the performances were good, some I didn't care for, but I enjoyed seeing the stage lit on fire while one girl was singing. That was cool, er, hot. My stomach kept reminding me that all I had eaten all day was tuna, and I told it to be good, I would feed it. Eventually.
Towards the end of the show, we ducked out and headed to the after-party. I was thoroughly shocked at the scope of the party, I guess I had expected something like a large wedding reception. What I got was a room capable of holding 10,000 people, with a special cordoned off area for the VIPs. And somehow I was one of them.
We performed two songs to a roaring crowd. My adrenaline was pumping, we sounded great, and as soon as we got off the stage we were surrounded by well-wishers. I made a beeline to the food table, and was horrified to find nothing but dainty finger food. In the end it worked out ok, it just took a few more plates of of nuts, cheese, and veggies than if they had had, say, real food. Like pizza. Or a five course pasta dinner.
From that point on, I sat and watched other people variously perform, get drunk, and schmooze with each other. It was interesting. As for which stars I saw, I came within arm's length of Taylor Swift (man that girl is tall!!), and shook hands with the Oak Ridge Boys. I'm sure there were lots of other people who are really important in the entertainment industry who were wandering around, but since they didn't have name tags I have no clue who they were.
By the end of the night my feet hurt so bad I could barely walk, and I was hungry again. I hobbled towards my room, bought a bag of potato chips, and fell asleep right under Patrick Stewart's nose half-way through eating them.
All in all, it was a fun experience. However, note to self: next time, stuff fluffy bunny slippers and a buffet in purse before heading out.
*It should be noted that the next day I tracked down a burger the size of my head. It was delicious. And I ate it all. I felt much less cranky after that.
http://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detail/85818291/Getty-Images-Entertainment
This whole experience inspired an astounding amount of stress regarding clothes and clothing accessories, the likes of which I have never experienced before.
First, there was picking out a dress. Since we were performing after the awards, said dress needed to be fancy but something I could perform in. So not a "gown", per say. After much discussion, I settled on a gray dress I already owned, thus saving my poor bank account much consternation. Jewelry in the form of earrings was provided by the ever wonderful Jessie Greene-Hill of Put-In-Bay OH, and shoes I found in the back of my closet. Score!
We arrived in Vegas the night before the show, and I found a huge picture of Patrick Stewart hanging over my bed. I took it as a good omen.
The morning of the show dawned fair and clear, though it could have been raining cats and dogs (unlikely in Vegas) and it wouldn't have mattered, seeing as the the awards show was being held in the same palatial hotel I was staying in. (The MGM.) I went in search of Bill Vandiver, master hair and makeup wizard, and had more hairspray and makeup applied to me by his minions than I've ever had in my life. I want minions.
I realized as I was walking out the door that I never had time for a meal, so I pulled out a packet of tuna and some crackers and had a sad little snack. I promised myself serious food after the awards.
I arrived at the show itself after meeting up with the rest of the band, all of us admiring each other. We sat in the third from the last row, which meant the people on stage looked like colorful ants. The show was long. Some of the performances were good, some I didn't care for, but I enjoyed seeing the stage lit on fire while one girl was singing. That was cool, er, hot. My stomach kept reminding me that all I had eaten all day was tuna, and I told it to be good, I would feed it. Eventually.
Towards the end of the show, we ducked out and headed to the after-party. I was thoroughly shocked at the scope of the party, I guess I had expected something like a large wedding reception. What I got was a room capable of holding 10,000 people, with a special cordoned off area for the VIPs. And somehow I was one of them.
We performed two songs to a roaring crowd. My adrenaline was pumping, we sounded great, and as soon as we got off the stage we were surrounded by well-wishers. I made a beeline to the food table, and was horrified to find nothing but dainty finger food. In the end it worked out ok, it just took a few more plates of of nuts, cheese, and veggies than if they had had, say, real food. Like pizza. Or a five course pasta dinner.
From that point on, I sat and watched other people variously perform, get drunk, and schmooze with each other. It was interesting. As for which stars I saw, I came within arm's length of Taylor Swift (man that girl is tall!!), and shook hands with the Oak Ridge Boys. I'm sure there were lots of other people who are really important in the entertainment industry who were wandering around, but since they didn't have name tags I have no clue who they were.
By the end of the night my feet hurt so bad I could barely walk, and I was hungry again. I hobbled towards my room, bought a bag of potato chips, and fell asleep right under Patrick Stewart's nose half-way through eating them.
All in all, it was a fun experience. However, note to self: next time, stuff fluffy bunny slippers and a buffet in purse before heading out.
*It should be noted that the next day I tracked down a burger the size of my head. It was delicious. And I ate it all. I felt much less cranky after that.
http://www.gettyimages.co.jp/detail/85818291/Getty-Images-Entertainment