We’re back everybody. Sorry for the delay since our last State Fair update…but we had to swim back to the stage after all the rain. Man…this year sure holds the record for least number of sunny days over the course of the fair. But, oddly enough, we’re still getting in most (if not all) of our sets every day. Not to mention our daily rubbing of elbows with all the celebrities.

 
Yesterday (Sunday) we saw Oprah. She was in the building right behind our stage for a locked-down, limited guest cooking/food contest tasting. Of course, it’s not like it was any secret given the fact that there were two helicopters hovering above for about an hour. Hmmm…I wonder who’s inside? She had more protection than the president himself it seemed.
 
She was making her secretive way around the grounds that day filming little snippets capturing the essence of this great State Fair in preparation for the filming of her show on the main stage this morning, which began at 10:00am. Rumor has it that some people actually starting showing up at 2:00am to ensure they got a good seat. We were told that “Oprah” day combined with the Columbus Day holiday was gonna be a madhouse. Not so. We did have great crowds at all 5 shows today, but by the time we took the stage at 2:00pm, all excess levels of estrogen had cleared the grounds.
 
Tonight I saw Bono. And that was from a far distance too. Only this time, it was from the nosebleeds in the new Cowboys stadium. U2 were in town, so of course I had to go. This new stadium of ours is so obscenely huge, that I felt unworthy to be there. I mean seriously. 90,000+ people in a closed ceiling room this size is only asking for sonic disaster. And it was. The band was of course performing great. But, the sound quality was terrible. A giant cave. Yet…the spectacle and production were other-worldly, almost magical. A very strange and removed concert going experience for me.
 
Best song of the night: “Stuck in a Moment” duo w/ just Bono and The Edge (on acoustic). Beautiful. Best surprise of the night: “The Unforgettable Fire.” A rare song that goes back all the way to 1984. Very cool. Worst moment of the night: me being mad at Brek because he was 7 rows up from the floor about 50 feet from the massive stage. Realization of the night: Larry Mullen Jr. is still one of the most under-rated drummers. He still brings it!
 
So…in the outcome of today’s celebrity match. Bono wins…but only by a hair.
 
Just another day at the office for me.