This concert was definitely the most exciting one I've been too -- and not just because of Lee Ann's performance, but because of everything else that happened during the day.  It seemed like just when the day couldn't get any better, it did!

Common Ground is a fairly new festival here in Lansing -- this was the second year for it.  There were two music stages (Ground Zero and Underground) with "bring your own lawn chair" seating.  Lee Ann was performing at the Underground stage around 9:30pm Saturday night.  Dad and I had decided ahead of time that we would get to the park at 11am when the gates opened to claim front row seats and then sit there for the remainder of the day before the concert started.  I didn't really know what to think of our plan, but, in the end, it totally worked out for the best.

It had been expected to rain all week and when we arrived at River Front Park at 11am it was cloudy and overcast.  By the time we picked out our front-row-center seats (they had wooden chairs set up already for the concert), it had started raining . . . hard!  Dad and I were not deterred though -- we stayed in our seats during the hour-and-a-half long rain storm.  After the sun returned, everything dried pretty quickly and Common Ground staff members continued with their preparations for the concerts that evening.

Of course staff members thought it was a little odd that we had staked out our seats nine hours before the show, but that was okay with us.  In fact, throughout the day a couple of the ladies would ask us how we were doing and we happened to get two free bottles of water because we looked so pathetic.

Not long after the rain stopped, the riggers showed up to set the stage for Lee Ann.  It was really entertaining to watch them because I didn't know how much stuff needed to be transported and checked before a live performance.  Everyone knew exactly what needed to be done -- they didn't get in each other's way, they were quick and effecient -- and did it with no complications.  After all of the instruments, colored light gels and sound paraphenalia were all in place, the crew preceded to do lighting and sound checks.

WITL, the local country station, was going to be set-up at Common Ground to promote the station.  I had e-mailed Jeff Michaels, the night DJ, Wednesday before the concert to request a Lee Ann song and to mention that I was going to the concert.  He e-mailed me back mentioned that they would be giving out WITL goodies for "WITL pride" and that they would be looking for people with "extreme" pride to give some "extra special" goodies to, meaning backstage passes.  As soon as I knew this tidbit of information, I made it my goal to get me one of those passes so that I could meet Lee Ann!  I decided the best way to show WITL pride was to make a tee-shirt to wear, so that's how I spent Friday night.  It took me two hours of work and 3/4 of a roll of black electrical tape, but I was more than pleased with the outcome:

Jeff Michaels and the WITL White Wagon showed up around 3pm and parked right next to the Underground stage.  Jeff and his two helpers (I think they were interns) started hanging up lots and lots of WITL banners around the stage area.  Dad and I were still watching Lee Ann's crew set up the stage so I slipped on my shirt, leaned against the barricade in front of the stage and continued to watch the riggers -- I thought I'd stay inconspicuous . . . at least for the time being.  Jeff came to hang a few banners on the stage barricade and started talking to me.  He said he liked my shirt then asked what time I'd gotten to the park this morning.  I told him 11am and he looked quite surprised.  Just as he finished hanging his sign he said, "Well, we see your shirt and we're making a list.  Right now, you're at the top of the list."

After an hour or so, I went over the the WITL van to get myself a bumper sticker.  Jeff gladly gave me a small handful and said "We're gonna try to get you backstage too."  I couldn't believe it!  He's like "stick around and we'll find you later."  I walked back to my seat on Cloud 9 to tell Dad -- he couldn't believe it either.  Dad went and called Mom to tell her the news while I sat in disbelief.

By this time (around 5pm), people had begun to save seats, but most of them just sat something across the chairs and left to enjoy the other festivities in the park.  The rest of the front row had been claimed along with most of the first five rows.  I didn't expect many people to show up until around 7pm (the opening act started at 7:30pm) or until 9pm just before Lee Ann's show.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, even in the beating sun, since I knew I had a 99% chance of going backstage.  I had come prepared with CD liners because Dad and I had planned on staying after the show to try and snag an autograph since we'd heard people had had good luck earlier in the week with other artists.

Elbert West, a new country artist, took the stage at 7:30pm as the opening act.  I didn't really enjoy his music, but I didn't mind sitting through it at this point either.  About 15 minutes into Elbert's set, Jeff came over to me to had me my Meet & Greet pass for later that night -- it was official!  He said to "meet at the van at 8:10pm and wear the sticker."

At 8pm I grabbed my camera, CD liners and pen and went to stand by the WITL van.  There were about a dozen or more people that eventually lined up with me, including Jeff and Stephanie McCoy (the morning DJ).  At 8:30pm they ushered us to the backstage area and had us stand next to her trailer.  After a minute or two, the trailer door open and out stepped Lee Ann Womack!  I still couldn't believe I was backstage and only a few feet in front of her.

I was the third or fourth person in line and before I knew it, it was my turn.  Just before I met Lee Ann, one of the crew people asked if I'd like them to take a picture for me -- of course, I said yes.  I thought I'd end up like one of those blubbering fans who either says nothing, or just rambles on about nonsense, but that didn't happen to me.  Lee Ann is nice and really pretty in person -- she wasn't as small as I thought she'd be either.  I asked her if she'd sign both my CD liner and a picture and she said "sure."  I handed them to her (the CD liner on top) and she asked "Who does it go to?"  I told her my name and spelled it.  Then I asked if she'd personalize the picture for my dad and she did.  The crew member took our picture, I thanked Lee Ann and walked away.  I didn't leave the backstage area right away though -- I hung back and took a handful candid pictures before going back to my seat.  Had I been in a less-clouded state of mind, I would have asked Lee Ann how she did on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but I didn't think about that until halfway through the concert.

PLEASE BE PATIENT WHILE IMAGES LOAD!
(Click on any shot to see a larger version -- all pictures copyright Vicky Croisant 7/21/01)

Lee Ann took the stage around 9:30pm.  I couldn't have been more than ten feet from her and with the zoom capabilities on my camera, I got some outstanding pictures (the best shots are posted below).

Lee Ann's voice is even more gorgeous live than on her CDs -- it totally blew me away!  She was constantly smiling and waving at the crowd.  She even waved at me twice while I was talking pictures and singing along.  Between songs, Lee Ann didn't really talk a whole lot -- I'm assuming it was more because she was shy as opposed to not having anything to talk about though.  Lee Ann also sang with her eyes closed 80% of the time, which is reflected in the pictures below.  She sang all of the big hits from her three CDs, and covered all of my favorites.  The only "big" song I can think of that Lee Ann didn't perform was "The Fool," which kinda surprised me since it's one I hear on the radio all of the time.  She also performed a few songs that aren't on her CDs or were cover tunes.

During "(Now You See Me) Now You Don't," two of the Common Ground staff guys were talking to each other in front of the stage.  Lee Ann was totally aware of them and walked up behind them singing.  When she finished the phrase, we put her hands on her hips and stared down at them.  The guys were oblivious!  After loud yelling from the crowd, the guys finally turned around to see Lee Ann above them.  Both of them blushed when she waved and continued on with the song.  Lee Ann also signed a little girl's CD cover during the fiddle break/instrumental.

At the end of the show, Lee Ann didn't do an encore, but squatted down at the front of the stage to sign autographs.  She had the staff guys hand up items that people wanted signed and set them on the stage for her.  I passed up one of my other CD liners and was lucky enough to get another autograph!  To speed things along (and to increase the number of autographs), Lee Ann simply signed her initials (LAW), instead of her full name.  Lee Ann signed a wide variety of items (shirts, CDs, Post-It notes, hats, etc.) for about twenty minutes before leaving the stage for good.

PLEASE BE PATIENT WHILE IMAGES LOAD!
(Click on any shot to see a larger version -- all pictures copyright Vicky Croisant 7/21/01)

Shortly after Lee Ann left the stage, some of the riggers came out to start packing up for the road.  People had started leaving, but there were still quite a few lining the edge of the stage hoping she'd come back out.  Since Dad and I had been watching the crew since they started setting up this morning, we remembered a few names.  When the crew leader came out, Dad yelled his name to get his attention -- and it definitely caught Scott off-guard.  He said "Who called my name?"  Dad said that it was us and asked if we could have the set list off of the stage for a souvenir.  Scott gladly pulled it up and gave it to us.  When he handed it to Dad he asked how we knew his name.  Dad said that we'd been here since 11am and had watched them set up.  I think that the guy was impressed that we knew who he was.  After we got the set list some of the people started asking for other stuff (drumsticks, Lee Ann's water bottle, etc.), but I don't think they got anything.  Sometimes it really pays off to know some of the "little" people that tour with the big stars.

On the ride home, my dad and I decided to play a trick on my mom -- we we're going to tell her that things just didn't work out and I didn't get to meet Lee Ann.  When we walked into the house, Mom asked about the show and I broke the news to her.  She was disappointed, but she wasn't surprised that Lee Ann didn't have time to meet the fans.  To play her along, I showed her the autograph I got at the end of the show to prove that I did get something out of waiting all day for front row seats.  I then turned on my camera and loaded the picture of me and Lee Ann to show Mom.  All I said was "here's one of the best pictures I took."  I handed the camera to her and she just about dropped it because she was so surprised!  Then Dad and I told her all about the show and fun times we had after she finished "yelling" at us for fooling her.

AND NOW FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CONCERT PICTURES!
Please be patient while the pictures load -- there's lots and lots of them.
(Click on any shot to see a larger version -- all pictures copyright Vicky Croisant 7/21/01)
If you want to use any of my pictures for a webpage, please e-mail me and I'll send you a "marked" copy.