I was watching the season finale of Leverage tonight, and every time Christian Kane came on the screen, I kept marveling that I actually met that man mere days ago. There he was, on my tv, and yet I met him and bought him a beer and watched him sing. 

Wow. 

It is so surreal. 

I guess we'll start with arriving at the bar where the concert was held. Dante's. Well, Elena and I were there at about 7:30 and as soon as we got out of the cab, we see the line. The. Line. 

I don't know, I guess I didn't expect there to be a line. It isn't like CK is THAT famous as a singer. I didn't know anyone else who had even heard of him. But, sure enough, there was a line almost two blocks long. So we got to the end of the line and there we stand. Just chillin'. The show was supposed to start at 8:30 pm and the doors were supposed to open at 8:00pm. Well, the doors didn't open until about 8:45, but we'll get to that in a minute. 

While waiting in line, there were two girls in front of us and one said to the other that she was going to get a drink. She said she'd go and then come back and the other one could go. Okay, well, after the first one left, the other one turned to us and struck up a conversation. As Elena isn't a fan, I was delighted to talk to someone else who loves CK...except she doesn't. She was there to see Steve Carlson.

For those who aren't as obsessed as me, originally, Christian Kane and Steve Carlson were in a band, called Kane. They broke up (to pursue other things) and both became solo artists. They are still good friends, as evidenced by the fact that SC was there to play guitar and sing backup for CK even though he isn't in his band. This girl I am talking to, named Jo, tells me how she was here super early and went into the bar to have a drink. She had made a necklace for SC and the guys came out to do a soundcheck, pre-show, and she got to go up to him and give it to him. WOW. I was impressed and jealous as hell.

I then had Elena take a picture of us together and told Jo that I would get a picture of SC wearing the necklace and then blog that I knew the girl who made him the necklace. 

We even exchanged contact info so she could read my blog and I would email her the pictures. She didn't believe that he'd actually be wearing the necklace, but I figured it was best to be prepared. Also, while waiting, in addition to crushing on CK and SC, we noticed some guys walking past the line with a video camera. Jo had seen them already and told us they were CK's band. Turns out, they were recording how long the line was (three blocks was as far as I could see and it was AT LEAST that long). I guess even they aren't used to that many people showing up to see the amazing CK perform. 

Finally, after what seemed like hours (and it was damn close to two hours) we got up to the door. 

This was the sign outside the door, where they checked id's. Then we were finally in and had to have our names checked off the will-call list. While waiting for that, I noticed this sign, inside the door:

We did the line for the bathroom and then we headed over to wait in the lines at the bar, when CK first stepped onto the stage. 

  

I actually have several more of these, but I am trying not to destroy the blog under the weight of a hundred photographs. So I will pick only the very best ones. (Somebody count how many I end up with?!?)

Anyway, he was there to give three announcements. You'll notice the bottle of Coors Light in his hand in the left pic: that's what he drinks (well, that and Jack Daniels). In the right pic, he said that he had three things to tell us and then he held up two fingers and started the list with the second thing. It was adorable. As is he. The three things were 2) Leverage got renewed for a third season 3) they will once again be filming in Portland 1)the first opening act is Brian Nutter, who is the lead guitarist for Keith Urban. All very cool, but not at all why I was there. 

After getting drinks and wandering around a bit, we were jockeying for a good spot when I turned around and saw this:

That's SC in the red jacket. Just milling with the crowd. I got so excited I took a picture of his back! I summoned Jo over and we went up to him and said hello. Then she was looking at him and told him she had given him a necklace earlier and he said that he was wearing it! She then reached out and lifted it up off his chest while talking to him (I am sure she was in heaven)- good friend that I am, I did this:

That's her on the left and they're both looking at the necklace. Isn't that awesome? Then I got to talk to him and I asked him to pose for a picture and he said that he couldn't, that he had to go do something. He promised to "get me" after the show. I figured that was a huge brush-off. 

Well, then Jo and I wanted to be closer to the stage so we hunted for a good spot. I found one by the side of the stage, behind the sound guy. It was a side view, but oh-so-close! There was one small table over there and hardly any people. True to form, I made friends with the fans over there:

From left to right, we have Leslie, John, and Jill. We also traded contact info as none of these people had cameras with them!!! 

Then Brian Nutter did his thing, and he was good and all, but I wanted CK!

And then:  

Oh yes! There he is, FINALLY! Well, sort of. If you're not a country fan, you might not know that he's singing a cover version of Toby Keith's Should've Been A Cowboy. The other guy in the video (playing guitar) is Brian Nutter.  I also took a picture:

 Mmm, so delicious.

After that, he left the stage again. 

Brian Nutter introduced opening act #2, Cloverdale. They were also really good (good enough that Elena bought their CD) but I was getting so impatient for CK. He didn't actually take the stage until about 11:30 ish. Or about four hours after I first got in that line. Yikes. 

While Cloverdale was singing, Elena had gone to get us more drinks and she saw someone in the audience:

(Isn't this a great picture?) Do you recognize him? Anyone? He's Richard Kind, best known for his roles on Mad About You and Spin City (at least that's where I know him from). I guess he's also a fan, though he wasn't chatty so I couldn't ask him about CK. 

***sidenote*** It is hard to believe I have been typing this for 45 minutes and I am only now getting to when CK was on the stage. I'd do it in two parts and stop here if I didn't think lovespirit would reach through the computer and strangle me with my USB cable. But for the rest of you, I apologize for how long this is and how much longer it will be before I finish.***

In that picture, the guy in the center is Aldis Hodge and to the right of him in the black shirt and black ball cap is Timothy Hutton. Both of them are on Leverage with CK. 

Aldis Hodge got up on the stage and talked about Portland and CK for a bit then he introduced Timothy Hutton (that would be Academy Award winning actor Timothy Hutton, people!).

    (the first one is Aldis introducting Timothy and the second one is Timothy Hutton. I have a better pic of him smiling but he's turned slightly away from me and it is harder to tell it is him.)

Then they finally introduced CK:

There he is about to come up on the stage.  I was so excited I nearly wet myself. Even right now, typing this, I can feel the excitement inside of me, just like it was then. 

Once on the stage, he came over to give SC a "man hug" and I snapped this. Then I took one without zoom, just to show how close I actually am:

That's SC you see in the picture. And whoever the drummer is. But, man, am I close or what?

  

Here's a couple shots of him singing. (I'm like, giddy, as I type this...though 2:30 am could have something to do with it....?)

I really like this one!

Now, first I have to say that I don't yet know how to get my good high quality videos from my camera in here so you can't see those; however, I do have video from my camera phone and that I can show here. I have 7 of them, I will only post two (more...technically, I already posted one). 

Couple things. First song he did was "The House Rules" which I love. And I recorded on my camera (its one of the ones I can't show you.) Then, my battery started blinking. Seriously....rechargeable battery and I am not positive I charged it fully before using it and then after all the pictures of the trip and I was on my fourth video. Yep...it started dying. I said that all I really wanted was him singing "Different Kind of Knight" which is my fave (well one of my faves...I have a few faves by him). So he started singing it and I was recording and then, the camera shut off before the chorus. Crap-tastic. The other thing is: while he was singing the first song, he was moving around the stage and he glanced my way and I waved at him. He smiled right at me and pointed at me and then turned it into a half wave. I about fainted. And that was so far before all the good stuff that comes later. To think that after that moment I could have left the show happy. 

Here is where I hauled out the not-so-trusty camera phone and grabbed the chorus of "Different Kind of Knight".  

Boy-oh-boy do I wish I could have gotten that whole song in high-def. Guess I'll have to go and see him next year!

I also took several more on that. Most are barely watcheable and I will spare you those. I need to also say that I made buddies with the bouncer, Tonga, who was kind enough to let me go up on the stage with drinks I bought for CK and SC. No lie. You didn't read that incorrectly. I was actually up on the stage with them. 

  

In the first one, SC is taking a shot with me. CK had a bottle on stage and didn't want the one I brought him, so SC and I STOOD ON THE STAGE, CLINKED OUR GLASSES AND TOOK A SHOT TOGETHER, DURING A SONG WHERE HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING THE GUITAR. In the second one, he saluted me and turned back and started playing. You can see CK there, and they just let me stand there taking pictures and recording. I know I am gloating here, but I am the only person in the entire concert who got to do this. Only. Me.!

This is the video. The sound sucks, because I am actually BEHIND all the speakers.

Isn't that amazing? Then I politely left the stage, so as to not abuse my power. But how freaking cool is that?

 

Gee, looking at those and the earlier ones....the quality of my camera vs. my camera phone is disgustingly obvious, hmm?

What else? Okay, I can tell you that after the show, I met the lead singer of Cloverdale. She was really nice. 

  

The second one is me and Tonga, the kickass bouncer who got me on stage and got me near enough to both CK and SC to get autographs, which no one else got. (They weren't signing autographs that night).

In one of my favorite pics from the night, that is Aldis Hodge and me. Of course, you can't see me because I am taking this as a self-portrait with my camera phone and I am so drunk by this point I can't aim it right. He actually put his arm around me and scrunched down (he's really tall!) and I consider myself lucky that I got him in there at all. 

And in possibly my favorite story of the evening. Tonga the bouncer told me that the guys hang out downstairs until most everyone leaves and then they come back up and clean up the stage (small time, they don't have people to do that for them.) So, we are hanging out..Elena found some guy and was dancing with him. I am buying shots for everyone in sight (or so it seemed) and just waiting. Then, around the corner comes Steve Carlson. He starts to walk by me and then stops and looks right at me and says, "I promised you a picture earlier, didn't I?" WHAT?!?!?!?!? I couldn't believe it. I really thought he was brushing me off before the show, but he sought me out and came up to me and held up his promise. I was so damn impressed. Thus:

Is that great or what?

Then, because he seemed so accommodating, I asked for his autograph:

In case you can't read that, it says: "Cheers & Love! Steve Carlson". Written on the hotel stationery I had in my purse. Cool!

Then he went off to do his thing and left me behind, quite happy. Now, I was just scheming how I could do this with CK. 

Finally, I spotted him up on the stage, cleaning up. It amazed me that no one else noticed he was up there! I walked up to the edge of the stage and called out his name. He asked me to wait a minute (he had his arms full of something or other). When he put them down, he came over and crouched down in front of me. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind NOT to take a picture of him inches from my face (probably blinding him for life with my god-awful flash!). I shook his hand and told him I am a big fan of his work and said something about how I can't decide if I like him better as a musician or as an actor. It's kind of fuzzy so I don't remember exactly what I said. He smiled (I remember that crystal-freakin-clear!) and said thanks. And then I asked him for his autograph:

His says "XX, Christian Kane" though his signature is a very messy scrawl. And he wrote it upside down on the paper. Which I find endearing, but then I think everything he does is endearing, so make up your own mind. 

And I was so dazzled to meet him, it NEVER even occurred to me to ask for a picture WITH him. (The alcoholic haze may have also impacted this slightly). I don't know if he would have said yes, it was late and he was busy, but I just appreciate him taking the time to talk to me. 

As he was finishing up, I did manage to get this. One last pic. And that is without zoom on my camera phone, so realize that I could actually reach out and touch him at this point, that is how close I am. 

Okay, well, this is the longest post of my life (and that's a record I expect to last for a while!) and it is 3:30 am and I need to sleep. This took FOREVER to write up and to post all the multimedia. But I sure hope you find it worth it. I find it worth it. 

Every friggin' second. Even the nasty hangover the next day seems worth it now, looking back on this amazing night.

Lane-thanks for taking care of my drunk ass and getting me home safely. 

Friends I made in Portland: hope you enjoyed this night as much as I did. 

Everyone else: I know you think I'm a nutcase, but kudos to you if you managed to make it this far without giving up. This blog is definitely a test of endurance. 

Christian Kane!!!