Now for me, rock stars are people just like us. They have a job, which often may be a little more glamorous at times, and in many cases not so much with all the traveling through the year and stuck on a coach bus if they are lucky going through North America.
I've not met very many rockers in my day, which is fine, because really I don't know if I'd have much to say to them. The whole "I love your music!" would just be so freakin' lame. I'd really have to think about it before I ever met one, if their music inspired me somehow other than wanting to drive really fast, down a 26'er of Jack Daniel's or do other things that best be kept to myself.
I give birthday wishes to some if I know the date, suddenly learning it on their special day through social media, and while I cannot personally wish them a happy birthday, I think a little acknowledgment through my own Facebook, Twitter and a blog for this one works for me.
So, with Doro, you gotta give it up to this woman and her band of whom some have stuck with her through much of her solo career. She's been at it for 30 years now! That's a long time in the rock n roll world, and still going strong.
I've seen Doro twice now. Funny how both shows were in the same venue and each time the crowd barely hit 100 heads. I wonder if it's a downer for the band to come out to such a small crowd? I've seen clips of Doro at Wacken Fest in Europe playing to many thousands. So coming to a double digit crowd in a tiny bar in Toronto must be like hitting a wall. But when she hits the stage, she may have 70 fans in front of her, but she gives it to us like we are 7,000. Seeing her perform, you can tell she just loves what she does, and appreciates her fans with all her heart. Now this is where my little story about that appreciation comes in...
The second time I saw Doro, Angie was with me. It was at The Wreckroom at the corner of Bathurst and Bloor. We ran into a couple familiar faces in the crowd and through one of them along with his friend, they made the night a little more special for me.
I had no idea there was a meet and greet. Would I have signed up for it? I'm not really sure. Remember above? What would I say? I'm happy to be at a show, which are few and far between for me nowadays what with work schedules and fatigue come later in the night. I'm up with the birds as most know. I have no shame admitting that. I love my music but I love my wildlife friends too, see my near weekly blog
Weird that I say I'm uncertain about signing up for a meet and greet, not sure what to say, but for some reason I brought my Doro live dvd with me in my coat. Maybe it was a premonition?
The show was in September and right around my 40th birthday (this is kinda important).
We rocked a solid 90 minutes with Doro and had a blast. Even Angie enjoyed the evening, not really knowing any of the songs.
I was pumped and suddenly found myself quite excited about this meet and greet. But that got shot down pretty quick as I learned it was pre-pay, and was actually supposed to happen before the show. There were some delays, making it happen afterwards. Someone wanted to cancel the greet but Doro is not one to disappoint, and wanted to be sure everyone got what they paid for.
Our "music friend" Allan Robertson, along with another guy (I forget his name) were doing a concert review that night and a little interview. I learned of the greet through them, they learned of my birthday and how I suddenly had it in me to wanting to meet Doro. It couldn't happen so they gave me a great back up gift of sorts by taking my dvd backstage and asking Doro if she would sign it. I thought that was very cool of them and was a great ending to the night.
They returned a short bit later, and even to their surprise, with more than just a signature on my dvd sleeve somewhere. Doro did a little note inside the cover and then made me a birthday card of sorts with one of her promo photos.
To Rob, Happy 40th Birthday and all my love with a little more at the bottom saying Rock on and Fur Immer which means forever and lastly had her signature Doro Pesch
And then the promo photo, which surprised everyone, and even had some in the back scoffing at her to not do that as people (fans) were waiting to meet her that had paid for this. She kept saying "just give me one minute!" and finished what she wanted to do for me. How awesome of her, eh?
I was more than thrilled by this, and touched.
Someone once told me it's nothing compared to meeting them. Ya, it's not the same as looking them in the face, maybe shaking their hand or getting a hug; but really, she didn't have to do anything with this, not even sign it. So a big shout out to Doro on this one and proof that she loves all of her fans. She knows without us, she wouldn't be doing what she loves so much.
So here we are almost 4 years from that night, and a day after her birthday... thanks for the memory Doro Pesch and hoping your 50th birthday was awesome. It sure looks like it was as here she is on the night of her birthday performing!
May you rock with us for many years to come.
