Chasing Icons

Chasing icons has gotten easier this year. If you live in Boise Idaho your opportunity for catching iconic musicians is usually limited. This year, things have been easier. Kicking off the outdoor concert season at a new venue in Eagle was CSN. Then it was Jackson Browne/David Lindley, then the Steve Miller Band, Los Lobos/John Hiatt and Bob Dylan. Since no one called at the last minute to offer free tickets, I missed Bob. But then it was Willie Nelson. I had seen Dylan a couple of times before, so I couldn’t rationalize spending $50 on Bob, but since I had never seen Willie before, rationalization rules. Then when my buddy H said he was interested in going, and I found myself with the Wednesday after the Tuesday concert off, the deal was done.

Our first indication that this was going to be crowded was when we hit backed up traffic on Warm Springs at Broadway. We were waved on past the turnoff to the Garden and ended up parking in the LDS church lot. The stream of cars and people arriving for the concert was interesting, families with kids, Wrangler wearing wannabe cowboys/girls as well as some senior citizens that listened to Willie back before his “outlaw” days and wanted to remember when…

We found a spot on the grass with a higher vantage and surveyed our near neighbors, a nice cross-section of Idahoan. The opening act, Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses, took the stage and got the crowd warmed up with a mix of mandolin and guitar even rocking out a bit at the end. During intermission, I showed H a Waylon & Willie belt buckle I had gotten in my record store days decades ago and never wore. I thought I might find a buyer here tonight. I told him I’d be happy getting $20 for it and he wished me luck.

Heading down to the souvenir stand, I watched as fans bought t-shirts, bandanas and other bling. When there was a lull, I asked a kid behind the counter if they ever bought Willie stuff. He informed me I would have talk to “Ruth” over at the next table talking to a security gal. After asking if she was Ruth, I told her my belt buckle story and pulled out the buckle. She wouldn’t take it from me but after examining it for a few seconds, asked what I wanted for it. I almost blurted out “$20” but decided to see what she thought it might be worth. When she said, “I’ll give you $40 for it” I immediately said sold. Ruth walked over to the till and pulled out two twenties and we consummated the deal. I wonder who wearing it now…maybe Willie?

When Willie came onstage, most of the crowd stood up and paid tribute to the 77 year old musician who has spanned categories and generations. His voice is still strong and he proceeded to entertain the audience with a selection of his many hits. He even laid down a few solos on guitar and seemed to be enjoying himself on stage. I had to wander down to the front to get a good look at him and he is a lot smaller than I imagined. There was one group of fans standing and the people behind them weren't happy about their view being blocked. I won't get into the concert protocol of standing or sitting during the show here, except to say that most concert security will follow the perfomer's request to allow fans to move down to the front of the stage. No one wants to get caught in the surge of people went every one is trying to get closer, but the fan that just has to stand up and move to the music should be allowed, for a tune or two anyway.

I won't print the setlist here, but whether you were a new Nelson fan or one who first heard Willie back in the day, you had to hear something you liked.

My only complaint was the lack of an encore...we were on our way out with the early departures and Willie's bus was already loaded and on the road again. I guess Willie has to get his beauty rest these days.