Dan meets American Idol alum Danny Gokey

Tonight marked the season opener at Comcast Center in Mansfield, and with a studded first night lineup featuring Sugarland, Jake Owen, and Danny Gokey, I had to head down to the venue in hopes of landing a photo op. I tried not to get overly optimistic since the past couple times I've tried hanging out by tour buses it has not turned out to be worth my while. But, I headed down anyway, and as it turns out it did pan out today (not to mention it was a gorgeous 75 degrees and sunny to be lingering around outside, so no complaints here).
This was my first time really scoping out the area at Comcast Center, and things certainly didn't look promising when I got there. Parking was easy enough, and I found the equipment trucks quite easily, but it soon became clear that the tour buses themselves were sectioned off in another area with a security guard who was not going to let me by. Nonetheless I hung around the trucks hoping that maybe I'd get lucky and run into a band member or manager. After a long time waiting, I see a tour bus pull in, and quite frankly, got pretty excited. I didn't know if it was Jake's, Danny's, or Sugarland's bus, and really I didn't care, I would gladly take a pic with any of the artists. Unfortunately, the bus pulled into the blocked off area and I started to think that today would be another in my string of unsuccessful photo attempts, but that was not to be. A short while later, things looked up when the tour bus pulled back out and parked along side the trucks in an area that - to my benefit - was very VERY easily accessible. I maneuvered over closer to the bus, had a little chat with the driver (who didn't really have any in sight), then decided to wait around. Whoever's bus it was, if they were going to be going to it at any point, they'd have to walk right by me...and that's exactly what happened.
A few minutes later, I see Danny Gokey walk by with another gentleman, and here was my chance. Danny saw me and I think kind of gathered that I was a fan asking for some sort of request, as he started to slow. I asked if he had time for a picture, and he said sure. Once we got the Banner set up, I was able to get a great picture with Gokey and an autograph, and had a little chat about the two common topics regarding the banner - "is he really that tall?" and "wow, a lot of people have signed this." Although I didn't get any kind of glimpse of Sugarland on the day, it was a success to get a picture with Danny. And with that being the first show of what is already scheduled to be a busy concert season at Comcast, I'm going to stay optimistic that I'll be able to have more successes at that venue over the course of the year.

Great picture, and as usual, another great addition to the Dan the Banner collection.

Dan hanging out with Cat Country 98.1, narrowly misses Dierks Bentley

Well yesterday was an interesting day for myself and the Banner, as I spent most the afternoon hanging outside Showcase Live in Foxboro with hopes of running into Dierks Bentley, who was playing a show there.
After a couple of hours, some nice conversations with Dierks fans, and a lot of patience...it didn't pay off. Without a ticket to the show, I had to head home, a little dejected. I did make a last ditch effort on my way out, stopping by Dierks' tour bus and asking the crew member there if there were any way I could snag a pic with Dierks. Well come to find out, both he and the girl - Brit - he directed me to (who I believe was Dierks' assistant) were certainly willing to help me out, but it was too close to show time and Dierks had interviews etc to do, and so I couldn't get a picture then. I even thing my charm worked enough that Brit was going to hook me up with a meet & greet pass if I found her inside later! One problem, I didn't have a ticket to the sold out show. And come to find out (because she told me), had I asked her earlier in the day and not so close to doors opening she probably would have been able to help me out and I would have gotten my picture. So as I patiently waited all afternoon in the hopes of a glimpse of Dierks and watched her walk back and forth from the bus 4 or 5 times, if I had just asked I would have gotten my meeting. Quite frustrating, but you live and learn, next time I'll ask A LOT sooner.
The day would look up though. I had a lovely little chat with the team on site from Cat Country 98.1, they were super nice, and my charm must have worked again because one of them gave me a free ticket to the show - thanks again!!! And they were nice enough to take a picture with Danny in front of their display and with their mascot, Jake.The show was awesome, I even got a Dierks guitar pick! While I didn't get the pic I wanted with Dierks, I did get a great pic with the Cat Country people, and I feel pretty good that if sometime down the road Dierks rolls back into town, I'll finally be able to get my pic.