Antjoy

It was pure joy, seeing Adam Ant perform live, singing along and dancing in the front row.  It was the best concert I've ever seen (and I've seen Prince four times), and it was one of the best nights of my life.

My Sweetie-Pants, wearing Adam's concert t-shirt
that we bought last year

I really am still amazed that he's back.  He seemed irretrievably lost for so long.  Several years ago I told Greg that Adam Ant would never be back, he'd never release another album or go on another American tour, but I told Greg that if a miracle ever happened and he did a concert in America, we'd do whatever it took to get to wherever it was, even if it meant buying airline tickets and a hotel and traveling across the country.  It won't happen, though, I said.

This is my profile picture on Facebook

And now he is really and truly back.  He looked so good in concert, he performed without stopping for two hours, dancing all over the stage and interacting with the audience and smiling.  He sounded great and looked happy.  

I smiled the whole time.  I was in the front row again (although not quite in the center) and I swear Adam looked right at me several times.  Whenever he did I would forget the words of whatever song he was performing.  The band was great, and again, he did so many of the old punky songs, including several album cuts (and not including several actual hits, which in my opinion are pop blandness, relatively speaking, and Adam must think that too, I think).

The audience was largely middle-aged, which is fine, and many of them were dressed up, which was really cool, and all of them were on their feet dancing and singing for the whole two hours, which was like a religious experience.  At one point I told Greg that I loved them all, the whole audience.  Antpeople!

A new royal family, a wild nobility.  We are the family!
Antmusic for sexpeople

One of the main things that keeps playing over and over in my head is his performance of Shrink, one of the best songs on his new album.  It's about the time he spent in mental hospitals, in therapy, being medicated.  He pantomimed being punched in the head, in the crotch, and staggering around drugged and disoriented.  

A fist in the skull is worth two in the bush
You feeling lucky right now
Or does your brain need a push?

Is it me or is it just medication?

Good Morning mister, how's it been?
Your daily bread's a daily sin
Look at the mighty how they fall
I have the shots but it's your call
Your fifty minutes is up up up up

Woooo!

We saw several of the same people that were at last year's concert, including a woman from North Carolina who was driving around to all of his concerts in the southeast, and a teenager who was dressed head-to-toe like Adam's Kings of the Wild Frontier look.  

He took off more and more clothing as the concert went on...

The two hours went by way too quickly.  When the encore was over and the lights came on, Greg and I walked over to the side as instructed.  He stayed with me as long as he could, helping me stick the Meet and Greet ID on my blouse and put fresh batteries in my camera.   I know he hated to leave me because I'm sure he could tell how freaked out I was.  I wasn't even exactly nervous, I was just overwhelmed and really kind of numb.

My ID stuck on my envelope protecting the items to be signed.
Also, I had on special occasion nail polish!

Then he left, and they started taking the 20 or so Meet and Greet people upstairs.  I got my Meet and Greet goodie bag, which consisted of a pretty cool cotton Adam Ant tote bag, a magnet, an autographed photo, a patch and a badge.

The guy I knew from my internet research must be Alex came out and gave us a friendly little speech about how many items we could get autographed and how it would work, and asked us to line up.  I was fifth.

Then Adam Ant came in.  He glanced around the room and when he looked at me, I looked away.  They didn't rush people through, but things moved pretty quickly, and soon it was my turn.

I gave my camera to Alex.  The signing area in front of the room was a step up, and I stepped up.  Adam gave me a quick hug and a little kiss on the cheek.  I got so freaked out I forgot I was holding my glasses, I never did put them on.  

The worst picture anyone's ever taken.  :(

We posed for two photos, which have to be the two worst photos of anyone in the history of people.  

I posted this one on Facebook, and a friend
commented that I look like I'm about to cry. 

Then he asked my name, and he started signing my stuff.  

See my glasses in my hand? 

I'm so glad you are back, I told him.  I love your music, I love your new album, and I'm just so happy to see you in concert again.  And your performance tonight was even more awesome than when you were here last year.

Thank you, he said.

Then he gave me another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, and I stepped down.

Luckily the Hard Rock Live is well-staffed and organized, and they led me down the hall and into the elevator and around the side and out the door.

Greg was sitting on a step outside, waiting for me.  When he saw me he stood up and gave me a quiet hug, and I only sobbed a little.

It's taken me forever to write this post, at first because I was still so freaked out.  I swear, it took me a week to get to the point where I didn't tear up every time I even thought about it.  I cried at little at my desk at work a few times.

I remain overwhelmed.  I'm still trying to shove this experience into me, into who I am, into my world view and my history and my story.  It just meant so much.  I've done a terrible job of explaining it.

Waiting for Adam.
SO HAPPY.