Jan and Toni’s Recap: Danny Gokey at The E-Center (Salt Lake City, UT)

Jan and Toni’s Amazing Gokey Adventures!

Danny Gokey Opens for Sugarland

Salt Lake City,   May 7, 2010

Intro from Toni:

Months ago I had decided that if Danny was having a concert on my birthday,  I would be there in the audience!  Low and behold!  The Sugarland/Gokey concert landed on my birthday in Colorado Springs, CO!  But this review is about Salt Lake City, so let me go back a little.

It was around February that a decision was made to come to the Colorado Springs concert on May 8^th.  I called Jan one night and suggested that since we were going all the way to Colorado, why not make it even more exciting and attend the Salt Lake City concert one night earlier?  Jan, told me I was crazy.  But, I did not have to twist her arm very much since a few days later she called me to tell me she was already looking into the flights from Salt Lake City to Colorado!   We decided to do both concerts and then tour Utah and Colorado for a few extra days. These are states I’ve always wanted to see, so I was very happy that I was also able to combine it with 2 Danny concerts!

Jan will be writing the remainder of this SLC recap, but I will add my M&G portion to it.   Toni

Arrival in SLC–Jan:

I landed in Salt Lake City the day before Danny was to take the stage at the E Center to open for Sugarland.  Toni would be flying in from NY to join me that evening.  My airport/hotel shuttle driver had his car radio tuned to the local country music station when I got in the van.  By coincidence, it was playing a Sugarland song!  I mentioned that I was going to the Sugarland concert Friday night.  He looks at me in the rear view mirror, and says “You aren’t here to see Danny Gokey?”

Now, seriously, I gave no indication (other than a SHF bracelet on my wrist) for my driver (also named Danny) to guess that!  Is Gokey fever spreading wider than we thought? It turns out my driver is a huge American Idol fan.  He talked about how great Danny was to the fans at the AI live concert last year.  He was told that Danny signed autographs for hours outside the venue.  I hardly got to say a word!   He went on to say that Danny’s going to win new best artist next year!  Well, I’m not going to argue with that!  What a warm welcome to Utah!

Toni and I did get to explore downtown Salt Lake City prior to Danny’s concert.  If you get a chance, Temple Square is beautiful.  It has beautiful landscaping, flowers everywhere and interesting buildings to see.

Pre- concert

We had Meet and Greet Passes–but since this was only Danny’s second Sugarland concert, and not much info was coming out from Idaho (the 1st show), we didn’t know what to expect.  Our hotel was only a couple of blocks from the E Center, so we “dropped in” at 3PM to check things out.  The box office had no information.  They told us to come back at 5 or 5:30.  So, we walked around a little.  As we were walking by the VIP entrance, a person stuck her head out and asked if we were here for the sound check.  Before I could  clamp my hand over her mouth, Toni said “No”.  She claims she was just protecting me from being thrown out for impersonating a VIP.  It sounded  like a chance worth taking to me, LOL! In nearly circling the arena, we discovered that the days of Danny’s bus being in clear view is probably over.  It and three other tour buses were safely locked behind a big gate at the rear of the arena.  Its good to know they are protecting him…..

The Meet and Greet–General

We arrived  by 5:30, signed for our M&G and learned that it wasn’t starting until 6:40 (at the VIP entrance) along with the Julianne Hough’s M&G.  Meanwhile, three radio stations were vying for the attention of the arriving fans.  There was a T-shirt cannon (radio station shirts flying through the air) cell phone races, wheels of fortunes, and other competitions to win prizes –including front row seats.  We chatted with  some fans with the blue  M&G Danny passes and/or SHF bracelets.  (We received a bracelet in thanks for our donation to SHF.)  While we were waiting a couple joined us.  The guy was really excited and the woman was smiling broadly.  We heard him tell someone on his cell phone that “I just won backstage passes to meet Danny Gokey!  Yeah, that guy from American Idol!” Then it was time to go in and we nervously waited for a chance to see Danny. They lined us up and let us in two groups of 15.  While you think you know what you are going to say or ask Danny, its been my experience that cognizant thought leaves as soon as you are in a room with him!  I wanted Toni to go before me and she went up to talk to Danny.

Meeting Danny–Toni:

A few days before I had been thinking of different things I wanted to say or ask, but sure enough, I failed. When my turn came up and Danny was standing right in front of me with that famous smile that makes you melt,  I just lost all thoughts of what I was going to say. I sort of recovered and I had not even noticed that he had shaved. As I was going to greet him I started to put my hand out to shake his hand but then I said to myself “What are you doing?” and then all I remember is that we hugged. I told him that this concert was my fourth time seeing him perform and told him that I had been with Jan at other concerts, too, and he looked towards Jan and said something like “I remember you!“ and he turned back to me and said “Thank you for your support!.”  I told him to have a great show and  that I was happy to finally be able to buy concert tickets to my local area concert on June 11th.  I do remember hugging him one more time before I left his side.

Meeting Danny–Jan

Before I knew what was happening Danny points at me and says I remember you!  I handed my camera to Mike (the drummer) and I asked Danny if I can have a hug.  He said of course.  I dropped everything I was carrying to the floor–in order to have both arms free!  And I got one of those great hugs.  Then Mike took our picture. I told Danny that my son and I loved his concert at Joe’s Bar in Chicago.  I told Danny that Joe is now a big fan.  In fact we now had four fans in the family, but I was going for 5 for 5 by working on my daughter!  He gave me a big smile and a high 5.  I walked away in a daze.  Toni and I left the area and went to look for our seats, since the concert was to start in half an hour.

The Concert

Danny sounded GREAT–his voice is in fine shape.  The stage was small (it had Julianne’s weird set already in place–a curtained area under some stairs so that she could change as well as a overhead bar for her dance moves/swing) but D still worked it great. Danny seemed like he was having a good time.  It must be an amazing experience for him.  I just can’t get over how “rich” his voice sounded.

The  songs:  He started with Life on Ya, then What Hurts the Most, Be Somebody, IWNSGB and he finished with MBDAAM.  The crowd seemed to love his single the best.  He had great applause.  Being an opener is not the same as the star.  People are coming in, no fancy set, short number of songs.  BUT Danny did a great job.  Danny was the only performer that asked for text donations for the Nashville flood relief. The ladies that I was sitting with (Toni and I both had aisle seats, two rows apart) thought he did great. In fact they asked me some questions about Danny during the intermission.  Neither had ever seen him perform live. Sugarland’s performance and stage set were awesome.  Jennifer Nettles is an amazing performer.  Its high energy and high tech with a large circular video screen and a very interesting set.

The concession stands were selling lots of Sugarland merchandise, but also Julianne and Danny items.  Danny’s items were two white shirts:  black and white version of the armchair picture (oh, yeah…) and a cool ladies v-neck with the words Danny Gokey and chains hanging form the neckline. They were also selling his CD with a picture for autographing.

Post Concert Signing

By the time we found the front of the arena where Danny would be signing, there was a good, long line, and lots of people holding the picture and CD for signing.  (Yeah!  CD sales!)  When we looked at his merchandise at the intermission on the second floor, they had sold out of the CDs. But they were replenished by show end.  Since neither Toni nor I had anything signed at the Meet and Greet (the hug, pic and chance  to talk were all we could manage) we decided to get in line for the autographs.  Danny moves quickly in signing things.  You can take a picture of Danny before or after you step up to the autograph table but you are not suppose to take a picture with Danny  (he occasionally made an exception–especially if it involved a child.) After the concert Toni stood in line primarily to tell him in personally how awesome he sang and she brought from home a CD cover for him to sign.   When it was my turn, I thanked Mike for taking the picture earlier and I asked Danny to autograph the pictures I had taken of Danny with my family members at previous events. (Don’t tell them, but I’m going to mat the pictures as gifts!) We left already thinking about the concert we would go to the next day in Colorado Springs!

The End

We had a wonderful time.  While would have loved to listen to Danny sing all night, this tour is a wonderful opportunity for new fans to capture the Gokey fever!  I think  its becoming very contagious!   Next up:  Colorado Springs and an Iheart gathering!

Toni had previously sent her other pictures from Salt Lake City. Check them out HERE.