Stubb's, Sam Tsui, and an unseasonable storm

Last night, D and I walked with my sister and her older three to Stubb's Bar-B-Q *shudder* (at the misspelling) to see Sam Tsui. There were going to be other performers there, too, but that was the headline act for us.

Since Stubb's is only 1.3 miles from the Nuthaus and there's no free parking, we walked. It was hot. In fact, it was 98 degrees with 33% humidity. When we got there, it was about 15 'till doors, and there was a line down the front of the building...

The front doors are just at the right, and we were back about twice the distance of that big truck. In fact, we were here...

See the window at the left? In the white-bricked building? That's where we were standing. You can see the front end of that same truck at the right frame. Anyway, notice the ATM and the small awning there and for a few feet beyond it. That will be important later.

It was nearly 100 degrees and we were waiting in full out sun. Ugh. As it got closer to 6:00 PM, the line got a lot longer. Also, people started packing in very tightly. Eventually, even though the doors weren't open so no one had moved, we were closer to the scraggly tree.

Then it started sprinkling. We were so relieved. It felt amazing! For about three minutes. Then some serious rain broke out. Like big, downpour drops. Uncomfortably heavy rain. Thankfully, they opened the doors and we started moving.

Here is where Reminder #1 of the night that I'm an old person happened: As the people poured into the building and up under the larger awning of Stubb's (note the first picture) some sweet little things in front of us apparently strategized that they would wait under the post-ATM awning until the line thinned out enough for them to dart across the half block of rain and up under the shelter themselves.

I didn't notice this at first, but a person behind me did. She asked, "Are you guys going to go, or what?" One of the sweet little things said that she was, "but..." and that's when it hit me what they were doing. So I reminded her of something that she apparently had not thought. I said, "Well, while you're standing there NOT getting wet, EVERYONE ELSE in line behind you IS getting wet. You need to go."

See? Right there. I mommed someone who wasn't mine. Old lady style.

Yeah. We were all pretty much drenched. Then it stopped. It apparently barely sprinkled here at the Nuthaus.

This was Reminder #2 that I am an old lady: I hadn't really fixed up for the show at all. There were a lot of girls who had obviously ironed their hair and picked out special clothes... and the fact that everyone got dumped on by this rainstorm was infinitely amusing to me.

But don't worry. I am about to get mine.

We walked inside and realized, as I should have guessed, that this was a standing room concert. Ugh. Pppth. Fortunately, we were early enough that the front row of the "balcony" (really just the top floor of the bar area that is opened to the stage below) was open, so we stood there. Then people stood behind us. And in case you've never been in Texas before when it has been nearly 100 degrees while people were waiting in the sun, sweating, THEN poured rain, thus giving everyone a bunch of moisture that's sure to hang around in the ensuing 55% humidity, and THEN had every one of these people all stand shoulder-to-shoulder and front-to-back... let me assure you, it's a ripening situation.

Again, we were lucky enough to be on the front row, so we didn't have to smell anyone's backside. But people had to smell ours.

The first band was King the Kid. They were AWESOME. They rocked, and I was glad because, frankly, after standing there for 45 minutes, I needed an excuse to MOVE. Here's an official video.

After they played for a while, the instruments were reset and Landon Austin and Luke Conrad took the stage.

They were good, too, but I felt like, with their acoustic set, they really should have opened. Rather, if I were the one putting the concert together, I would have had them go first so that the energy could build throughout the show. I would think that would put them in the best position to make a good impression on those of us who had not heard them before.

Luke started off in a band called The Ministry of Magic, and if you've never heard of Wizard Rock, you can either trust me that it's a thing, or go here and read about it. He sang one of his songs about Hermione and Ron called "Accio Love," and that was sweet.

It's interesting, though, how when Sam Tsui took the stage, it was a whole other level of presence. He was just this rock star. Even though the other two bands were talented, and I think that King the Kid could have a great future if they stay with it, Sam Tsui is an entertainer on a whole different level.

I had to grab him on keys because when he wasn't playing, he was all over the place. I recorded a bit, but it was so loud, my camera didn't capture well; everything sounds blown out. His show was very high-energy all the way through. As you can tell from this picture, he was "glistening," as I might have mentioned the heat. And the people. Which one doesn't notice as much when one is being engaged. 

Here is one of the songs Sam Tsui performed last night. He did several original songs from his new album, as well as a couple of covers and medleys. But I'm including this one because I think the video is pretty clever. For this song, he and the guitar player unplugged and did everything acoustically.

Alex Goot was on after Sam Tsui, but I don't know him well enough to hang out another hour. That, friends, was Reminder #3 that I'm old: I have a back injury and it is excruciating to stand in one place for three hours. I was glad that Daphne and I were in a cornerish area and/or near the railing because I was able to brace myself to pop my back if I needed to.

My sister and her kids stayed after the show and got pictures with Sam and the guys from King the Kid. Daphne and I walked back after Sam's portion of the concert. So we didn't get a picture with Mr. Tsui, but I saw this on the way back. It was pretty lovely.