The Tale of Killeen and Back, Eleven Eleven Eleven, and Going Downstream...

On the bus...

November 2, 2011

I woke up to it being a pretty average and normal day at home in Branson. I had a few errands to run in the afternoon; but by evening I did some cooking and made myself a nice dinner. Once I finished that up though, I had to pack up my suitcase and start moving on my way to get to my parent’s house by 8pm. I actually ended up there a bit early. However, it wasn’t too long before I heard the familiar sound of the bus pulling up the street. We all started to assemble on the street and get our bags and stuff loaded.

By just after 8pm, Dad, Tim, Larry, Bob, Gabe, Spence (our sound guy for that trip) and I were all comfy on the bus. Our driver was a very nice country fella. I loved his accent! We all watched some TV and chatted until it started getting late. I climbed my way into my bunk and started watching a movie on my iPad. Sadly, I didn’t get very much sleep. It was rather windy and rainy outside, and the road had a lot of curves in it; which usually that doesn’t bother me, but for some reason sleep just was not in the cards!

November 3, 2011

We rolled into Killeen, Texas at 6:30am. Tim went and got our room keys as the guys and I lounged in our bunks. Spence had a point- it did kind of look like the Brady Bunch when we were all sticking our heads out of our bunks to talk! Once Tim came back with our keys, I was on my way to my room. I got all cuddled up in my bed and watched a little TV, then passed out. It was a lovely couple hours of sleep!

When I got up, I just got showered and ready to head over to the theater. By 3:30pm I met Dad downstairs and we found our driver. The venue wasn’t very far away, only a couple minutes. They weren’t completely ready for us when we got there, so I wandered around the ballroom looking at all the raffle items. (The gig that night was actually a private party and a Gala.) They had some great things being auctioned off! Wish I could have been apart of that!

Sound check went pretty smoothly- but it was not a great room to be doing sound in. There was a lot of sound bouncing and other issues, but we made sure we were ok; then we disbursed. Dad went back to the hotel, but the rest of the guys and I stayed at the venue for dinner. I have to say, the dinner was not great. All the guys and I tended to agree. But we were all pretty hungry!

We didn’t manage to leave the theater until around 6pm. But we were back at the hotel in a couple minutes and had a bit of a break. I just hung around my room for a while until it was time to get ready for the show. We all met in the lobby at 8pm and we were driven back to the gig. They had given us a boardroom to hang out in until show time.

But eventually they were starting to play our intro video so we all rushed over to behind the stage. However, right as we got to the stage, they stopped the video- apparently they made a mistake and started the wrong video. So we stood by the stage and waited, but we had to wait- what seemed like, a good while… They still had a few announcements and stuff to do before we got to hit the stage.

Spence.

One of the photographers was roaming around and got a picture of us, and then wanted a picture of herself with Dad, so Bob offered to take the shot. But that didn’t work out as easily as planned. He had to give it a few tries- he is not trained to use a professional camera! And by the time they got the picture, it was time to hit the stage.

I waited until my cue about twenty minutes after the guys got out there and then I hit the stage as well. The show went great! The audience seemed a little quiet- which isn’t uncommon when it comes to a private party, but they all seemed to really like the show! We got off stage around 10:15pm and we didn’t have to go sign afterwards, so we were back on the bus and on our way back to the hotel rather quickly.

Gabe in his bunk.

Once we got to the hotel, we all ran up to our rooms to grab our stuff. I washed my face and got into my sweats, and then I headed back to the bus. We actually got on the road to Branson by around 11pm. All of us made some sandwiches and watched some TV. There was some funny stand up shows on Comedy Central- and those are always fun to watch with our big group! I didn’t stay up too late; I was in my bunk by 1:30am I think. But again, I didn’t sleep too great.

November 4, 2011

We arrived in Branson by 9:30am, and we all started unloading the bus at my Dad’s house. I made my way back to my house, and then I got into my bed. I needed a bit of a nap! But after a much needed rest and a mellow day of seeing some friends, it was time to crash! Nothing better than a good night’s sleep at home!

November 5-10, 2011

Margarita??

There was a week of down time at home in Branson. Well, at least there was for Dad and I- the band was still working with the Texas Tenors in their show. But I got to enjoy a week off. Not much happened that was noteworthy- just a lot of great dinners and times hanging out with some of my friends. But before I knew it, it was already time to leave again…

November 11, 2011

I wasn’t in any hurry to go anywhere; I was just enjoying the day. But eventually it was time to take my dog Danny to the Pet Resort. Now, this normally wouldn’t be a huge ordeal, but I had forgotten it was Veteran’s Day and I was in Branson! Oh my gosh! The traffic was insane! It took me almost a full hour just to get back from the place to my house (and normally it is a ten or maybe fifteen minute trip!). I haven’t seen Branson quite that crazy- or at least not for a while! (Or maybe I just know how to avoid that kind of stuff usually!)

Drive to Downstream.

But once I got home, I packed up a small suitcase and jumped back in my car. This time I was driving to the gig! I had about an hour and a half drive in front of me. But I was only going a few miles past Joplin to get to Downstream Casino. I had a great drive out there- sometimes I really love to drive alone, it is kind of therapeutic! But when I got there, it was about 5:30pm; so I checked into my room and then since there wasn’t anything else for me to do, I went downstairs to keep my mom company at her slot machines. (My Mom and Dad had driven up earlier that day.) I didn’t want to gamble, but my mom put some money in the machine next to her for me to play. I couldn’t win anything! However, she was doing quite well… (Not fair!)

11-11-11 at 11:11pm

By 6:15pm we met Dad at the steakhouse for dinner. We had a great meal there, and around the time we were finishing up, Tim was supposed to get to Downstream, so we ordered him some food and a beer. (We figured he might be hungry from his journey!) But we all left the restaurant by 8pm because Dad had a meet and greet to go to, and Tim escorted him there. Mom stayed downstairs to gamble for a bit, but I just went back up to my room and started watching a movie. I love watching movies in hotel rooms! That’s how I catch up on all the movies I miss in the theaters! It was a very nice and relaxing night!

Downstream Pavilion.

November 12, 2011

I woke up around 10am and wasn’t in a hurry to do anything! I didn’t want to go gamble, so my options were pretty minimal. I ended up just hanging in my room and watching another movie and talking to some friends until it was time for me to get showered and ready.

Dad at sound check.

At 3:30pm I met Dad at the bottom of the elevators and we walked over to the pavilion that we were performing in. It is a great room- smells amazing because of all the wood on the ceiling! But as for sound… It isn’t so great! It was a hard one to get figured out, but that is what sound check is for! The rest of the band had driven in that day- and they got lost on their way there! Big time lost- like took them an extra hour and a half kind of lost! But they did make it!

After sound check, the band and I went over to the buffet- which seriously is never the best idea! I am not meant to eat at buffets, I eat too much! But once we all finished chowing down, I went back to my room and got a few things done, then it was time to get my stage clothes on!

I didn’t want to get down to the pavilion too early, because there really wasn’t a backstage. But I also knew that all the elevators that go up to my room are also the only elevators that can get you down to the showroom- so I didn’t want to cut it too close and have the elevators be too busy to get me in a timey manner! So I got downstairs by 7:30pm. We all just hung out behind the side curtain for a while, but then it was show time!

The show started at 8pm, and it went great! It was a great crowd! We had a lot of fun! Afterwards, we were taken up to the lobby of the hotel to sign. I actually had my friend Stephani and her Mom there at the show that night- it was so great to see some familiar and friendly faces out in the audience ! And I got to say hello real quick before I started signing- but then it was back to work!

I was done signing by just after 10pm, and so I went up to my room and packed up my things. I figured I might as well drive home that night. (Most of the band had already started driving home…) So I actually got on the road by 10:30pm. It was a great drive home- I listened to Jason Mraz the whole time! (Love him!) And I managed to get to my house by 12am! I washed off my face and got all comfy cozy in my bed. It had been a great day. But now time for a little rest- until the next trip out!