big time rush

Last week we found ourselves the recipients of some complimentary tickets to teeny bopper heaven on the Bangor Waterfront.  Big Time Rush and Victoria Justice (musical groups with shows on Nickelodeon) were in town and testing the lung capacity of all the kids between the ages of 3 and 18 and the nerves of the corresponding parents.

 

The Bangor Waterfront, formerly a weed-laden pile of bumpy earth and sketchy post-dark activity, is the happening place all summer long.  The entire area has been revamped and a permanent outdoor stage has been constructed.  Big-time acts are booked all summer here: Bare-Naked Ladies, 'Lil Wayne, Kenney Chesney, Toby Keith and so on.  Our friend Matt works for Darling's which is the big corporate sponsor for the Waterfront Pavilion (thus the name Darling's Waterfront Pavilion) and at several shows a season, Darling's runs a VIP tent. 

 

Not only did we get tickets but we got VIP passes as well.  We are talking free ice cream and food in the tent,  drinks for Sandi and I,  and use of the fanciest portable toilets- we are talking FLUSH toilets- on wheels.   I felt like we were totally and entirely spoiled and I loved it.  Thank you Matt and Darling's for being so awesome.  (If you need a new car, go buy it at Darling's because they make good things happen.  Not just concerts and music but we did the Darling's charity ice cream truck to help a friend in need last fall.  They are the coolest company.)

 

It was the girl's first concert and probably gave them the total wrong idea about what concert-going is really like.  I mean, what five and eight-year-olds get to flash a VIP pass?)

 

After two opening acts, the big wheels came out and the screaming- I mean shrill, ear-splitting screaming- began. Maya was really, REALLY into the screaming.  It was like she had returned to her people. 

 

I must confess I had never heard of these musicians.  When everyone around me started screaming at pitches that made me worry for the dogs of Bangor, like Maya, I had no choice but to scream right along with them.  Honestly, there are so many times in my life when I want to scream but really shouldn't, it didn't seem right to let a screaming opportunity pass me by.

Yup, I'm a VIP.  Read it and weep.

The concert was super fun and super loud and left me feeling very old.  I had a crick in my neck and I was wondering if I had Ben Gay in my purse, that is how old I felt.   Seriously, I was wishing for ear plugs.  Ella plugged her ears a few times and we actually got a pair of ear plugs for the kids from a generous ear plug-toting mom.  We had been smart and left Maya's hearing aids at home but I still worried for our children's auditory health. 

 

Seeing Big Time Rush wasn't a dream come true for me but being out on a warm summer night with my family and friends on the edge of the river of our increasingly cooler city of Bangor was a big time rush for me.

Thanks Jeff Kirlin for the great pic.  I'm stealing it to put here but giving you full credit- you take awesome pictures!