Not long afterward we headed out to pick up Alex at his place, since he was getting out of work around 3:30. Once we picked him up, it was time to head off to Danville! The ride was interesting but we didn't get turned around too bad...there was this one weird thing in Yanceyville that was kinda kooky but we figured it out without too much trouble. Also, in the beginning of the ride there was a big bug in the back of the car, and Alex was scared so he was lying on top of me (aka CRUSHING me :-P) because he didn't want to sit up and let it crawl on him. We finally got it out about 20 minutes into the trip, lol.

The trip was less than 2 hours long. Perhaps around an hour and a half? I think we got into Danville a little before 5:30. We hadn't eaten, so we went to The Purple Onion which is where I went with Cheryl and Jordan when we went to see REO Speedwagon there last August. I am glad I go to introduce Alex and Seth to it. It's not like it's AMAZING or anything, but it's got a nice hint of local flavor, which you can't help but notice in a place like Danville. Click here to view my pictures of the place from last August!

We left a little after 6:30 to get to Carrington Pavilion, which was just down the street. Seth got to keep the pretty flower he'd taken a liking to from the Purple Onion, and the nice waitress told him he could keep it, lol.

We parked without too much trouble. Actually there was a pickup truck pretty much parked in our space when we got there, but he may have been just dropping something off. Luckily we saw him come out when we realized our spot was taken, and Alex ran out and asked him to move. He did, and we parked :) Hooray!

At the gate, there were no camera checks. They did check some bags, assumably for outside food and beverages as well as dangerous weapony things. One man asked me what I had in my plastic bag. I asked him if he really wanted to know, and I pulled out a pair of undies that I'd brought to throw on the stage that night! They got a kick out of that; they apparently are not familiar with Styx shows ;)

I stopped by the shirt stand and greeted Casey, the merch dude. I hadn't really spoken with him since I went to Gulfport in May 2003, and we started talking about that venue. Casey said that he'd heard it wasn't going to even be rebuilt, only the Biloxi one :( Memories are so much more bittersweet when you just know they're never gonna happen againóbecause the place where they happened doesn't exist anymore! He then recommended a shirt to me, a white one with a Journey / metalesque heart design on the front, made if this cool "sports shirt" material. He had Alex feel it too, knowing he was my boyfriend, and then told him to lighten up, lol. To be fair, I think he did :)

We then headed to our seats (after I made my purchase). 12th row at that venue is so much closer than regular 12th row! Of course I was not planning on staying there if I could help it. A band called "Days of Eden" were playing when we got there. I hadn't really cared if we got there on time, because I wasn't too excited about what I'd heard on their MySpace page. However they were not bad, and we only really had to watch like 15 minutes of it. The worst part of it was the sun on the back of our necks!

During set change I introduced Seth and Alex to my friend Kathie who was up in front row with her mom and dad. We talked for a short bit then went back to our seats to wait for Styx to come on. After playing a few rounds of the "what if" game with Alex (he can keep himself entertained, hah), signs were clear that the show was getting ready to start! I heard the music stop and the lights dimmed. I immediately stood up because I saw there were people going up to the stage.

I wasn't sure if I was going to get the boys to join me, but they did. Alex was saying he didn't want to stand the whole time, and could we sit down after awhile? I said "We'll see" and quickly went up to find a place close to stage. I actually took a spot right behind Kathie as the Styx guys started to step up from behind the drum riser. I always have loved how they start their shows like that :)

Here, now, is a setlist. It's very loosely in order, though I know it's not accurate. But all the songs they did are there :)

And now...highlights!

• I was the only underwear tosser that night. I'd brought my tacky Wal-Mart purchases in a plastic bag that was tied around my belt loop. When Larry came around to our side of the stage I threw a pink lacey pair at him. Of course he caught it and swung it around for awhile. People around me praised me awhile for that, haha. Hey, just doin' my job :) I also got another turquoise one to him a little later that he used as an arm band for awhile (you can see it pretty clearly on the "Come Sail Away Intro" video that I uploaded to the videos page!).
• We were right in front of Tommy Shaw for the whole set, and during the medley, when Shooz started up, I pulled one of my shooz off and held it up for him to see. It took him awhile, but he finally saw it and gave me a huge smile. He then looked straight at me and pointed and said "You've got your rock 'n roll shooz, baby!" :-D I feel like it's a great feat to get Tommy to look at you, because he always seems so spacey on stage. So I am honored :)
• The part of the CSA intro that unfortunately did not get on film was Larry trying to get the crowd to sing lines from a bunch of songs he started belting out to us. One of them was "Honky Tonk Woman" by the Rolling Stones, and I could tell Alex was very pleased!
• DOCTOR. Need I say more? Always an amazing performance. If nothing else, I'm sure Gowan impressed Seth and Alex that night. He's such a madman on stage! :-D I love it love it love it!
• During the encore, Alex caught a Styx frisbee! However, he gave it away to this man who really badly wanted to buy it off of him because it was his wife's birthday. That was nice. And it was cool with me, I have enough stuff :) It was cool enough just to be able to see him catch it!
• Just Be! I was so glad they performed this new song of theirs for us. I'd heard the audio of them singing it with the CYO last month, but I wasn't sure if they were doing it in regular shows on their tour. They are! It's a beautiful song. I feel privileged to have heard it live so soon after it was written!
• Thanks to Kathie for this info (I can't catch everything by myself, you know!): Concerning those pink panties I threw during Lady, Larry apparently referenced them while singing I Am The Walrus. "Boy you've been a naughty girl, you let your knickers down...pink ones!" :-D Haha!

The show ended around 10-ish (which was really weird!) since it started so early, and we were out of the venue before 10:30. I really love that venue. So lenient, and intimate, and easy to leave! lol. The man at the gate jokingly inquired about my underwear bag again (which I didn't completely empty out) as we left. After that, something thirst-quenching was required. The trip back was not a problem, we found our way home fine. And then we called it a night!