Meeting the Silversun Pickups at the Voodoo Experience, 2009
November 6, 2009 · Print This Article
My husband and I drove over 400 miles last year to see The Silversun Pickups in Austin, TX. We were ecstatic to find that this year, we’d have to travel far fewer miles to see the band at The Voodoo Experience in New Orleans. Little did we know however, that we’d still have plenty of obstacles to overcome.
The concert website said to “follow the signage” for parking. It took us 15 minutes to find a lot and the attendant assured us that we’d be able to get into City Park through the back entrance which was “just around the corner.” The back entrance did not allow people in. We went around the side, toward the front. Every attendant we asked told us that we could not enter through their gate and we had to walk just one more street. This was like the concert to which there was no way in.
We had to go through the main gate which was a 45 minute walk. 45 minutes! Fast-paced walking! We were hot and sticky by the time we actually got into the park, because it was a warm humid afternoon. The afternoon band my husband was hoping to see was finishing up their last two songs. The Vettes had sort of an 80’s sound and wasn’t bad, but the crowd was dead, unfortunately.
The band that followed, well, I won’t mention their name. But let’s just say that they repeatedly beckoned the crowd, “Raise your hands up” and mine were going straight over my ears. We bolted away from that noise and sought out some SSPU shirts.
As we were walking along, my eyes transfixed on four people sitting at a table autographing albums. Then I realized that, omg it’s Brian and Nikki, Christopher and um, that keyboard guy whose name I can never remember. Lester, Joseph Lester, yeah. Anyway, we’re told that we can get autographs if we buy something. So even though we have all their albums already, we bought another one just to meet the band.
I’ve never been a person to idolize famous persons. I mean, I know they’re people just like the rest of us. But this was really cool for me. I couldn’t believe they were just there, right there in front of me, so close I could look into their eyes. It was really awesome. I explained that we were at the concert just for them. Not sure if they believed us, but Brian shook my husband’s hand and I joked that he’d never be able to wash that hand again, I wouldn’t let him.
It was at that time that the rain started coming down. Of course, my main concern was to protect my signed album, so I wrapped it in the T-shirts we had just bought and fortunately found a plastic slicker envelope someone had discarded, into which I stuffed the merchandise.
Monae exited the stage, but my husband and I stayed, inching up to the railing while listening to The Black Keys at the opposite stage. They were like a trip back to the 60s, very groovy rock and roll.
The wind picked up. Cold wind, while the rain vacillated between drizzle and downpour. Dusk descended upon us while my hair dripped in my face and my feet began to ache. I was happy though, delighted to be there, hoping everything would carry on as planned.
The stage crew was covering all the music equipment. Someone decided to cover us too. A sheet of plastic spread overhead and we all huddled underneath, like those Antarctic penguins pressing together in the cold night. We all silently prayed the rain would cease.
When the hour came, just before 7 pm, we peeked our heads out into the open to discover that it was merely misting.
The band walked on stage. The crowd erupted into shouts of joy, pure joy.
The concert was about 70 minutes long. We were right in front of Joe Lester in his signature hat at the keyboard.
Brian was playing lead guitar in his traditional leather jacket with his shoulders up to his ears.
Nikki was playing bass in a jade green formal dress. Christopher of course had on a casual t-shirt while bobbing his head over the drums.
When I saw this band a year ago, they came on the stage, played their set, thanked the crowd and left. They’ve toured a lot this year for Swoon and it shows.
The band appears much more comfortable on stage and now interacts with the audience. Christopher took a picture of the audience, which he seems to do at all the shows, just before signing and tossing his drumsticks to the crowd. Brian actually got down and shook hands with a lot of the fans afterwards. It was great.
I was grateful for how the day played out. Meeting the band and viewing the concert so incredibly up close was more than I had hoped for. It gave me the thrill I needed to not begrudge the rain, the cold, the darkness that harassed us on our three mile hike back to the truck.
Myriah Christine, Contributor
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