Thursday: We went to our usual outing of seeing the Evergreen Park Fireworks. After that I was off to work (I work midnights). After working a very busy morning Friday (all the action at the "Taste"), once home; after a unusually long 6 hour stretch of daytime sleep (the Mrs was home, and I had earplugs in for the annual bombardment that takes place in our neighborhood). I awoke and was told that were were going to a T-Bolts game, which is always a fun time (more fireworks too!). On awaking Saturday morning, I was told I was driving a group to Summerfest which I had never been to as yet. But hey: Choice of Cheap Trick or Tom Petty and great food and beer you don't have to buy tickets for (ala the Taste), I'm in!. We walked the Milwaukee lakefront on a picture perfect day.
We were sitting down by the Cream City Music tent, deciding what to do for the two hours before Cheap Trick came on, when a guy with security outfit came over and asked if were were here for the Meet & Greet. We said: "What meet & Greet?". He said: "Oh, Sorry, we're having a meet & greet for the band tonight" Then he left. A few minutes later he walked back up to us and smiled. Daughter #1 had a Cheap Trick shirt on, he looked at us again, smiled and said: "This is your lucky day" he then had us (myself, the Mrs, and daughter #1) scoot into the tent. Ten minutes later Rick and Robin were in the Cream City Music tent, joking and laughing with the owners. My usually trusty Canon Powershot A75 took this moment to lock up, I had to cycle the battery compartment door to get the camera to reset. Rick seemed to zero in on the younger fans and managed to get Daughter #1 to crack up (while I was fumbling with the camera). They perused the 60 years of guitars Cream City had on display (including one of Rick's Parker Custom shop models), gabbed a bit, and then stopped for pictures:
Robin, Rick, two other kids...and Daughter #1 on the right
Now on the left (While Rick signs the Mrs' Biz card).
Robin asks if he can take this one home
Cream City employees mug with the boys.
Rick also tossed out picks and signed anything anyone wanted signed.
Robin was happy to talk to folks, but didn't do any hand-shaking or signing.
The whole event lasted about 10-15 minutes, but it certainly (needless to say) made our day.
There is gobs of stuff at Summerfest, I personally enjoyed the NAMM booth/tent with it's Wanna Play Music setup where you can stop and jam on some Godin Guitars, I played a Freeway Classic Leaftop, very nice (though they had the amp controls locked down, so you couldn't tinker too much). Daughter #2 liked the kids stage and the Skyride. The Mrs' liked the shopping with many items we don't usually see at the fests here in Illinois. We stayed for the Concert, and amazingly Cheap Trick went right on at 10p.m.. We lagged a bit in getting back to the M&I "Classic Rock" stage so our pics didn't turn out too well as we were a good amount of crowd back, but you can see the intro for "California Man" as a video came out O.K.
A good time was had by all.
A big thanks goes out to the Mrs and Aunti Jan for plotting to get me to go.
And thanks to the mystery security dude who let us in the meet & greet.
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