When those dates were announced in late 2004, I was lucky that the band was touring the Midwest during the week I was off. I don’t know what I would have done if they weren’t when I was off. Would I have taken off of work? Maybe. What if none of them were near me? Would I have flown? I don’t know. This, of course, was my introduction into the flurry of activity that takes place in Duranland when dates are announced. At that time, I went on the message board I was frequently reading and posting on to see what everyone was planning on doing. I had no idea which shows, for sure, I would do and who I would go with. This is very different than how it is now. When tour dates are announced, I, immediately, go to the phone and call my partner-in-crime. Then, Rhonda and I yell about the dates, no matter if they are good or bad, and then, calm down enough to start coming up with a plan. Now, it is assumed who I would go with. I also plan to purchase a plane ticket. How did this change take place?
In some ways, this changed slowly over time and, in other ways, it happened quickly. Rhonda and I attended our first show together in March of 2005, during that spring Astronaut tour. It wasn’t just the two of us, though. We were in a large group for both that Chicago and Milwaukee shows. Yet, I think it was obvious that Rhonda and I just got each other. Heck, I think we laughed more that weekend than we ever have before. Did we continue to tour with the same group after that? We definitely did and many of those people are still good friends today. Yet, as time went on, it was clear that not only did Rhonda and I have a similar philosophy of how to tour and how to go to shows, we also could travel together. I’m sure that some of you are wondering how there can be a philosophy to going to shows, to touring, and to traveling, but there is! Let me give you some examples with shows. Some people like getting to shows early and other people like getting there right before Duran starts. What about after shows? Do people want to go out or go straight home? Then, if the show is GA, then, there is additional consideration. Do you wait in line? How long are you willing to do that? The same type of questions come up with touring, in general. How early do you want to leave a place and get to the next? What types of hotels do you want to stay in? When are you going eat? What are you going to eat? What do people want to do in between shows and traveling? That’s all goes into someone’s touring or traveling philosophy.
Over time, it became clear that Rhonda and I had a similar idea about how we like to travel and how we like to go to shows. Thus, it slowly became more and more of us just together deciding what shows to do. It wasn’t about excluding others as finding out what works and going with it. To that end, we still tour with others, at times, but it usually works best when that other person or people either match our philosophy or can and want to go off on their own so everyone can be happy.
I can’t imagine that we are the only ones who have changed how we tour over time. I would love to know how other people tour and has it changed or stayed the same. After all, touring is at the heart of the a great deal of the fan community.
-A
Touring. My favorite topic!!
I often wonder if my husband would have still made the choice to drag me, yes DRAG me, to the show in 2001 at the Anaheim House of Blues had he known the life that all of this would have taken on. Notice I only wonder about it and never ask him. 😀
Back before the Astronaut tour, my goal was simply to see them. I never considered being able to be “up close”. Then during the reunion, my goal was to be able to take a picture of them while they were performing. (4th and B theater in San Diego was the first time I ever took a camera into a show and got a photo, and they are incredibly blurry because I couldn't stand still LOL) Then before and during Astronaut, I had the audacity to go to a convention in New Orleans and then two shows….neither of which were in my home state.
It seems to have careened out of control from that point. When a tour is announced, I automatically know I'm traveling, although my husband has pointed out on several occasions that they actually do come to California, typically without fail, to do more than one show….. (no idea what he's going on about there…) I've gone overseas. Twice. I'm about to travel again, this time to the southeastern part of the US to see them.
I'm so fortunate to have met Amanda when I did. It's opened my eyes to a completely different and spectacular part of being a fan. I can honestly say I've experienced fandom in a way I never would have prior to meeting Amanda, and what's more – it's not as though either of us have driven the other to do more – we just keep going on together. We're having a great time.
There was one point, nearly five years ago now, where I thought my touring days had ended. I found out that I was going to be adding another child to my family – much to my surprise – and I thought that was it, that I'd never be able to travel again. I think I've traveled more now that I have three kids than I did with two! (coincidence??? Probably not!) While there are moments that I think my husband is just absolutely at his wits end with all of this – like yesterday when we got home from vacation and I mentioned that I was leaving on Friday again – overall I know my marriage and my happiness as a person is in a much better place now than it was. Sure, traveling is a little more complicated because I have yet another person to schedule around, but it's still worth it.
Now I'm off to tackle a pile of laundry so that I can repack for my trip on Friday!! -R
I think you said it well when you said that we aren't pushing each other to do more, Rhonda. I think we just are on the same page, which is basically what I was getting at here. 🙂
-A
Absolutely….we both seem ready to do whatever it is we're planning at the moment. Most of the time I think that works well, but there are times where I think I need a bit of a shove, just like you saw during our first UK trip in May of 2011. 😀 -R