"...until i get to rock and roll heaven's gate" -amy ray and emily saliers

whoa. the stars were in line for amy and i on tuesday. yes. we're crazy. we fly to other states to catch a show. don't you wish you were just as crazy, though?!! we've been planning this thing for months. well actually since last summer when we pulled out of the parking lot of the seattle show. we are true blue through and through indigo girls fans. let me just tell you that again. we love amy and emily. i've been dying to tell every little detail to someone and andrey just says, "did you see your chicks?" amy is the only one who would really care to hear...and she was with me. so we keep calling eachother today saying,"did that really happen?" "is it really over?" it was a perfect day. treasures at the golden braid bookstore. the grateful deads' "ripple" played over the speakers during lunch at the rusted sun. traffic was smooth sailin'... we switched out our cd's all day to study up on our i.g. lyrics. the sun was hot and when we saw the line at the gate of red butte garden...we felt the hot heat and the shame in the fact that a true fan would have been there first thing that that morning to get in line. lesson learned. i'll bring a tent next time and we sleep over the night before.

oh the shame! we tried to soothe our pain by saying, "our seats could be worse." we laid out our blanket a bit disappointed. ate our dinner and scoped out the scene.

this just wouldn't do for us. the zebra scrunchie in front of us blocked my view and the annoying girl behind us was going to be talking about her sangria and boyfriends during the whole show, i was sure of it. we left our blanket to save our spot in case we couldn't find a new home. grabbed our cameras and snaked our way up to the front row. yes...you read me right. the front row. ah! the front row!! should i say that again too? ok. THE FRONT ROW!

brandi carlile was the opener. cutest little thing. what a voice coming out of her plaid shirt, loafer wearing self. i knew she was going to be good... but i'm in love after that. she sang a little johnny cash and the party had begun. then guess who joined her for "cannonball" ??? yup. amy ray and emily. my amy got a bit shaky* and oh so dreamy eyed. there they were. right in front of us. we could've touched em. strummed their guitars for em if we were brave enough. the "girl in the cowboy hat" was. even brave enough to leave amy ray a love letter.


we saw amy's scuffed up dr. martens. and emily's guitar pick necklace. emily sang her sweet heart out and amy was all giggly and dancin' around.

the crowd at an indigo girls concert is all part of the experience. we've been to three of their shows together now and this was by far the real thing. "love thy fellow indigo girl goer." we squeezed right in and sang and danced our little hearts out.

the sun started to go down and emily started strummin' "last tears." coolest moment ever. amy yelled out, "i love you amy ray!" and i'm pretty sure we heard her yell back, "i love you, too!"

i left with two new song favorites. "hope alone" and amy ray's "let it ring" i love how they can sing the words that i'm not quite sure how to say. is it really over already? i've been stalking the setlist over the internet, so when they started in on "galileo" i knew they were closing up shop. lights out. shows over. head on home. concert high...woke up to a concert hangover. i love it. it couldn't have been better. i could've used me some "chickenman" but i'm not complaining. maybe next year? next year we're going to the tour opener. wherever that may be.
my summer of concerts has begun. i may not fit into the summery-twirly concert dress that i imagined...but i will be filling my summer with live music. time to switch out the cd case for some willie nelson goods. better go get myself a bandana. good night loves.