Dave Matthews Band 2013

It was that time of year.... time for the Dave Matthews Band concerts.  Tom and I had been anticipating this year's concerts for quite some time.  Way back in January, we requested tickets from the Warehouse Fan Club for the summer tour concerts that were to be at Alpine Valley.  Surprisingly we were given "pit" tickets for one of the nights.... which means we were going to be in the standing area right in front of the stage!  We were pretty pumped about this!  Bad part, at the time we didn't know we would be expecting a baby at the time of the concert.  But as the concert got closer, we weren't too concerned... I had gone to other concerts pregnant, I would be fine this time too.  So anyway, we had pit tickets for the first night (7/5) and then general lawn tickets for the second night (7/6).

After a long 4th of July entertaining friends and staying up for fireworks, I was spent, so I tried to take it easy all day Friday before we had to head to the concert.  I still wasn't full of energy by the time of the concert, but I was determined to have fun and enjoy one of our favorite times of the year! 


Pre-Concert - Hanging in the parking lot with all the DMB fans!

We got there a little early and met up with some friends that had come up from Chicago.  We had fun tailgating for a couple hours pre-concert, and then we headed into the show.  We didn't get in as early as planned so it was already pretty full on the concert floor.  We worked our way into the crowd, but I was already tiring quickly and my legs and back were aching.  Plus I was just too short amongst the other fans... I couldn't get good air flow and it was worsened by the cigarette and pot smoke around us.  I was able to manage staying on the floor for three songs and then we left to find some open seats that someone had left in the seat area.  Thankfully we found four seats right on the end and only about 5 rows up!  It was great... I enjoyed the concert from the comfort of those seats.  Half way through the concert, the couple seated behind us asked if I was okay (since I was sitting) and I told them I was pregnant and he offered to go get me a water since he was headed to the concessions.  So sweet of this stranger and so appreciated.  We talked to them after the concert... super nice couple with two teenage boys away at camp.  It is amazing... there are so many caring people in this world.  I smile just thinking about our conversation with them that night. 

Tom with our friend Justin

Minutes before the concert started!

The concert ended and it was a great one despite the fact that I didn't enjoy it like I normally would.  We made it back to the van, and wouldn't you know, our battery was dead.  We have no idea what happened, but so it was.  Thankfully there were some more super nice people still parked next to us and they jumped it for us.  Didn't even take too long.  So that was our evening of concert fun... Unfortunately things quickly changed from there.  I guess I will post more on that later, but as you may know or guessed, this is when I started to go downhill.  We didn't make it to Saturday's concert.  It sounded like it was a good one from what we read and from friends we talked to.  I guess we will just look forward to next year's tour.

I do have a little side story to share from the concert as well.  Tom and I had been hard at work thinking of baby names... we had a pretty good idea of names if the little one was a girl, but we really couldn't come to a decision on a boy name.  Well while we were on the concert floor for those three songs, we were so close to the band and could see each of them so clearly.  The whole band was so energized, especially the drummer... he is always smiling a huge smile, but that night he was even more happy than we had ever seen before.  His smile was just infectious!  We loved it!  At the same instant of watching the drummer, Tom and I both looked at each other... I said, "What do you think of the name Carter for a boy?"  And Tom's reply, "I was thinking that same thing!"  So thus, that is how we came to name our little angel... we know he is looking down on our family right now with a huge smile on his face and loving us... just like the drummer Carter Beauford was smiling that night at the concert. 

Check out this link and you'll see what we mean - http://davematthewsband.com/band/members/carter-beauford