To start the day off, they made a special appearance at a local guitar shop called Guitar Center. John, Will and Jerry greeted fans, signed autographs and posed for pictures. We even got a taste of John's guitar playing when a fan handed him a guitar. One fan had John sign her shoulder. Later that night I saw her at the show and she had the autograph tattooed...OUCH!!
I couldn't believe the patience these guys had with their fans. They signed every autograph, posed for every picture and were so friendly to talk to. No wonder we like them so much, other than they are fantastic guitarists.
It was then time for the band to leave for sound check and time for us to get ready for the show.
The Variety Playhouse is an old movie theater located in Little Five Points in Atlanta. It's very small and very intimate. They had a full house this night. We (5 of the Hellecasters biggest fans) got a table up front. Jack Ingram opened up the show. Remember this name cause he is great. Oh, and he's also a cutie. Check out his debut cd next month. The crowd loved him. My fave was "Hey You".
Before the Hellecasters came on, the five of us took our places at the stage. We had to stand and cheer for our stars.
If you like their cd's, you will LOVE their live shows. I was in awe the whole night. After a while, security asked us to sit in our seats so the people behind us could see. There was a girl sitting on the floor, so we did the same. For the encore, everyone stood at the stage and the guys played one of my faves, Orange Blossom Special. This really showed off their talent cause each of them were able to have the spotlight shown on them for at least five minutes. Will pulled out what looked like a squirt gun to play his guitar with. Sorry Will, I know you told me what it was, but I can't remember. John not only played the guitar, but he also pounced on the piano a bit. Look out Elton! We also learned that Jerry spent some time in jail, haha. Just kidding, they were joking. The crowd loved them and gave such an applause. After the show, John, Will and Jerry sat in the lobby and met with fans and signed autographs.
I talked to many fans that night and I couldn't believe how far they traveled to see the show: Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, etc. But, it was truely worth the drive. Just ask my friend, Lynn. She drove all the way from Alabama without ever hearing their music. Now she is a BIG fan of the Hellecasters.
I want to thank John, Will and Jerry for taking the time for us fans and for putting on such a great show. I hope you come back to Atlanta REAL soon.
