VIVA LAS VEGAS. A recap of all the excitement at the ACM's in Vegas.
Posted on April 23, 2010 with 2 comments
It all started with Texas Hold Em Poker. Sean Dooley a fantastic writer here in town said at a poker game “I should put you on my blog” and the next day he did. (His ‘blog’ over at http://countrymusic.about.com is with the New York Times and gets its fair share of about.com’s 2 million hits a day. That ‘blog’.)
From that article I received about 10 days before April 18th an e-mail from Red Bull asking if I would be available to perform at the MGM-Grand Hotel in Vegas after the ACM’s. A flurry of e-mails ensued and 5 days before the show contracts were signed. Simple as that.
I had three goals. 1. Have an great show, 2. Take time to enjoy this whole shebang and 3. Play Texas Hold Em Poker in a real casino.
Woke up at 4:30am packed and ready to go. (I may or may not have gone to bed until 1:15am due to wonderful backstage access at the Grand Ole Opry, Go Jim Ed Brown & Dailey & Vincent!) but I was psyched. Had done all the research day before and found Delta has a tendency to be a little less then friendly to musician’s wishing to carry their livelihood on the plane. So I used a hard-shell case for guitar. Which was a great call because both flights were regional jets. (regional jet equals pretty darn small puddle jumpers with helpful gate attendants swooping down on anything larger then a small purse or McDonalds bag with pink gate check tags, which they did.)
In Salt Lake there was the normal full mile walk to your next gate, a quick connection and we landed in sunny Las Vegas. When we flew over to land it I had a window seat and my view was the starting sequence of CSI. EXACTLY like the starting sequence of CSI.
Baggage claim, the line to get a taxi was like getting in line for a ride in Disney World. They had numbers to stand on. The walk and wait for a taxi was longer then the ride itself.
11am Vegas time walked into the MGM-Grand. Academy of Country Music Award advertising was everywhere. The awards were being held AT THE HOTEL. I don’t know how I missed this memo, but yes. From then on the show kept getting to be a bigger and bigger deal.
Early check in, super nice people work at the MGM, lunch out by the pool, wave to Chris Young while waiting for an elevator, oh Taylor Swift is staying here too? Her and Brad are tweeting each other about it? Alright. Reading the twitter feeds was a good and bad idea.
I had barely any cell service which was tough because I wanted to update as the day went but kept having bad luck with it. Made plans to meet the promoter later in the afternoon, tried to take a nap but was too excited so I set out in search of the venue.
Walking past the mile of slot machines, blackjack, the poker area (aka the motherland) and stumbled across a giant sign, with a picture of Lacie Madison on it. Advertising the show. Have you ever tried to take a photo of a sign of yourself that the photo you is bigger then you are in real life while still looking cool? Put it on your bucket list, it’s an experience. They were set up throughout the hotel and were awesome.
The West Wing Lounge, as soon as I found it I fell in love It was great for what show they had booked me to do, a hour long acoustic set. Cool sexy place, intimate feel but not tiny, perfect.
Spent 10 minutes playing dropped call phone tag with the promoter, finally found each other and visited with him for a good while planning staging and hearing his story. I love the vibe of people who live in Vegas, they have this “anything can happen, lets make it happen so it will” spirit that is so fantastic. Also, they have no sense of ‘time’ not in the fact of being late, but in there is no morning, noon, or night. Phone meeting at 8am? No problem, going out to a show at 11:30pm? No problem.
Dinner was sushi with the promoter and John from the Red Bull team, it was 9:30 Nashville time but I wasn’t tired. Tony the promoter though when he sat down at the table sat his cell phone down and with a Cheshire cat grin said “Well I have news. Miranda Lambert’s after party is gonna be at the Lounge.”
(Miranda had just won Video, Female Vocalist & Album of the Year.) yep. This show is a big deal.
After the best sushi I have ever had went up to the room, changed into my Manuel shirt, grabbed my guitar and went to the show. Passed Julianne Huff signing autographs. Posed for a couple of photos myself (guitar and a shirt & jeans with a few rhinestones is a great ice breaker)
Since it was Miranda’s party I couldn’t film the show (darn it) but they had a staff photographer there. Set was supposed to start at 10pm, ended up starting at 11:30pm, (happy to report that singing at 1:30 in the morning Nashville time isn’t trouble with enough water. *laughs*) and the hour just flew by. Larry my guitarist was fantastic, the show rocked.
After the show, some business cards were exchanged, nice things were said (thank you all!) and it was time to party! Walking back up to my room passed Kix Brooks and his posse in the casino, we spotted my guitar and we made eye contact and smiled, no words needed. Awesome awesome.
Phone call home, had to stand in one spot in my room and not dance around like a crazy so to not lose cell service. Then it was down to the Poker Tables.
I wasn’t tired. I hadn’t seen the sun set, the magic lights inside the casino are well, magic, and I was hyped from the show. From 1am to 6am Vegas time I spent 5 of the most enjoyable hours playing Texas Hold Em. The guys at our end of the table were funny!, great players, and entertaining as all get out. And they bought CD’s so what’s not to love right? *laughs*
Best advice I got from a financial advisor (at the poker table that night) after I asked him “So do you tell your clients not to gamble?” he looked me in the eye and said “No, I advise them to budget how much they want to play with, and don’t budget anymore then you want to lose for entertainment purposes only.” That is the best advice to any one who steps into a casino. :D
6am I had lost money (but still happy), went up to the hotel room, slept for 4 hours and when I woke up had a goal. I needed to make my money back and at least break even. I had 1 hour. Yes I know that’s the crazy thinking of a gambler, but I had to try. That and I love Hold ‘Em. And its Vegas for pity’s sake. I couldn't say no to one more hour of fun. And in one hour, I made my money back and then some. Literally won the ‘then THEN some’ on the last hand, hastily scraping chips off the table, tipping the dealer, apologizing to the other players for hitting the king, picking up my gear and running for a taxi.
Bought a deck of cards at the airport and taught my guitarist how to play Hold Em, (I think he wanted me to quit telling him about all the different hands I had played the night before) and he won the entirety of our fake torn up receipt chips in 5 hands… Then we had to board. I will tell you how the rematch goes. *laughs*
Made it home by midnight Nashville time, it was a magic surreal experience, I love Vegas, Red Bull knows how to treat an artist right and are a great team to work with, loved the trip, thank you everyone who made this show happen, I love being able to work a job where anything can, and does happen, sometimes even better then you imagined, and most of all and love and thank YOU, you all for the encouraging words, support and being the coolest fans ever.
All three goals, made and then some. VIVA LAS VEGAS.
From that article I received about 10 days before April 18th an e-mail from Red Bull asking if I would be available to perform at the MGM-Grand Hotel in Vegas after the ACM’s. A flurry of e-mails ensued and 5 days before the show contracts were signed. Simple as that.
I had three goals. 1. Have an great show, 2. Take time to enjoy this whole shebang and 3. Play Texas Hold Em Poker in a real casino.
Woke up at 4:30am packed and ready to go. (I may or may not have gone to bed until 1:15am due to wonderful backstage access at the Grand Ole Opry, Go Jim Ed Brown & Dailey & Vincent!) but I was psyched. Had done all the research day before and found Delta has a tendency to be a little less then friendly to musician’s wishing to carry their livelihood on the plane. So I used a hard-shell case for guitar. Which was a great call because both flights were regional jets. (regional jet equals pretty darn small puddle jumpers with helpful gate attendants swooping down on anything larger then a small purse or McDonalds bag with pink gate check tags, which they did.)
In Salt Lake there was the normal full mile walk to your next gate, a quick connection and we landed in sunny Las Vegas. When we flew over to land it I had a window seat and my view was the starting sequence of CSI. EXACTLY like the starting sequence of CSI.
Baggage claim, the line to get a taxi was like getting in line for a ride in Disney World. They had numbers to stand on. The walk and wait for a taxi was longer then the ride itself.
11am Vegas time walked into the MGM-Grand. Academy of Country Music Award advertising was everywhere. The awards were being held AT THE HOTEL. I don’t know how I missed this memo, but yes. From then on the show kept getting to be a bigger and bigger deal.
Early check in, super nice people work at the MGM, lunch out by the pool, wave to Chris Young while waiting for an elevator, oh Taylor Swift is staying here too? Her and Brad are tweeting each other about it? Alright. Reading the twitter feeds was a good and bad idea.
I had barely any cell service which was tough because I wanted to update as the day went but kept having bad luck with it. Made plans to meet the promoter later in the afternoon, tried to take a nap but was too excited so I set out in search of the venue.
Walking past the mile of slot machines, blackjack, the poker area (aka the motherland) and stumbled across a giant sign, with a picture of Lacie Madison on it. Advertising the show. Have you ever tried to take a photo of a sign of yourself that the photo you is bigger then you are in real life while still looking cool? Put it on your bucket list, it’s an experience. They were set up throughout the hotel and were awesome.
The West Wing Lounge, as soon as I found it I fell in love It was great for what show they had booked me to do, a hour long acoustic set. Cool sexy place, intimate feel but not tiny, perfect.
Spent 10 minutes playing dropped call phone tag with the promoter, finally found each other and visited with him for a good while planning staging and hearing his story. I love the vibe of people who live in Vegas, they have this “anything can happen, lets make it happen so it will” spirit that is so fantastic. Also, they have no sense of ‘time’ not in the fact of being late, but in there is no morning, noon, or night. Phone meeting at 8am? No problem, going out to a show at 11:30pm? No problem.
Dinner was sushi with the promoter and John from the Red Bull team, it was 9:30 Nashville time but I wasn’t tired. Tony the promoter though when he sat down at the table sat his cell phone down and with a Cheshire cat grin said “Well I have news. Miranda Lambert’s after party is gonna be at the Lounge.”
(Miranda had just won Video, Female Vocalist & Album of the Year.) yep. This show is a big deal.
After the best sushi I have ever had went up to the room, changed into my Manuel shirt, grabbed my guitar and went to the show. Passed Julianne Huff signing autographs. Posed for a couple of photos myself (guitar and a shirt & jeans with a few rhinestones is a great ice breaker)
Since it was Miranda’s party I couldn’t film the show (darn it) but they had a staff photographer there. Set was supposed to start at 10pm, ended up starting at 11:30pm, (happy to report that singing at 1:30 in the morning Nashville time isn’t trouble with enough water. *laughs*) and the hour just flew by. Larry my guitarist was fantastic, the show rocked.
After the show, some business cards were exchanged, nice things were said (thank you all!) and it was time to party! Walking back up to my room passed Kix Brooks and his posse in the casino, we spotted my guitar and we made eye contact and smiled, no words needed. Awesome awesome.
Phone call home, had to stand in one spot in my room and not dance around like a crazy so to not lose cell service. Then it was down to the Poker Tables.
I wasn’t tired. I hadn’t seen the sun set, the magic lights inside the casino are well, magic, and I was hyped from the show. From 1am to 6am Vegas time I spent 5 of the most enjoyable hours playing Texas Hold Em. The guys at our end of the table were funny!, great players, and entertaining as all get out. And they bought CD’s so what’s not to love right? *laughs*
Best advice I got from a financial advisor (at the poker table that night) after I asked him “So do you tell your clients not to gamble?” he looked me in the eye and said “No, I advise them to budget how much they want to play with, and don’t budget anymore then you want to lose for entertainment purposes only.” That is the best advice to any one who steps into a casino. :D
6am I had lost money (but still happy), went up to the hotel room, slept for 4 hours and when I woke up had a goal. I needed to make my money back and at least break even. I had 1 hour. Yes I know that’s the crazy thinking of a gambler, but I had to try. That and I love Hold ‘Em. And its Vegas for pity’s sake. I couldn't say no to one more hour of fun. And in one hour, I made my money back and then some. Literally won the ‘then THEN some’ on the last hand, hastily scraping chips off the table, tipping the dealer, apologizing to the other players for hitting the king, picking up my gear and running for a taxi.
Bought a deck of cards at the airport and taught my guitarist how to play Hold Em, (I think he wanted me to quit telling him about all the different hands I had played the night before) and he won the entirety of our fake torn up receipt chips in 5 hands… Then we had to board. I will tell you how the rematch goes. *laughs*
Made it home by midnight Nashville time, it was a magic surreal experience, I love Vegas, Red Bull knows how to treat an artist right and are a great team to work with, loved the trip, thank you everyone who made this show happen, I love being able to work a job where anything can, and does happen, sometimes even better then you imagined, and most of all and love and thank YOU, you all for the encouraging words, support and being the coolest fans ever.
All three goals, made and then some. VIVA LAS VEGAS.