Last Chance Summer Dance, Greenville, S.C.
August 9, 2003
By Whirlywind

Seriously, really, I'm sunk!!!

There were so many board people there, it was so fun matching up names and people. I met up with Mes and her family, and foolish (great folks, by the way!!) had lunch, and headed to the venue around 4:30. It was a really pretty spot, a fake little creek running through the grounds, trees, nice grassy area. Justin's scheduled sound check was at 5, but it was pouring rain, so I walked to the ticket office with Foolish and Caroline. We saw Poodles and her friend talking to someone in an SUV and Foolish screams, "Its Justin!!!!" And yes, there was that glorious fro in the front seat!!!! He was on the other side of the road, and Foolish was yelling that Joseph was there, which he got excited about, and then he left.

They were supposed to let us in at 7, but he had to do his sound check then (because of the rain), which I could see through the trees --yum -- a little taste of things to come!! Everyone was waiting around, and he made a funny comment to the sound person during one song along the lines of, "That's enough, I don't want to give them the whole show," or something like that. We had to wait in line with this crowd of people for well over an hour, and I had enough leisure time to notice that the chick in front of me had two toes that were joined together. Of course, after I noticed I couldn't stop looking at it - it was one big toe with two toenails.

Anyway, we finally got in, got right up front, and I was lollygagging on the blanket when Dream came on and kids appeared from out of nowhere and within seconds the front of the stage was 4-5 people deep. So I'm not very stealth lol. Sunnystuff had herself right up on the stage and when Justin was on she got a long hand-hold from him as he sang and sweet little acknowledgements. When he came out he was so humble and sweet as he addressed the crowd - he thanked everyone for standing by him and supporting him, and mentioned what a strange trip its been. He thanked his fans over and over again. Voice was beautiful and right on as you might guess. He stayed to the front of the stage (was I really within 5ft of him, ahhhhhh glorious!!!) and touched hands almost the entire time (people were really freaking out with the hands thing. Girls were shoving and crying, trying to touch him - it was crazy!) At the end of UM everyone was screaming so loud that you could hardly hear him. Even Justin commented that he had trouble hearing himself while he sang, and thanked everyone for the love.

He was so lively and animated! Itty got all kinds of sweet attention, she gave him a bouquet of roses and he said, "Thank you Brittany" and later he told her, on stage, "Itty, I been hearing about you allllll week, baby!" It was really, really cute. He totally made her day. He almost dropped her roses as he tried to sing with them in his arm and he made this really cute face as he caught them. Agile fella!!

One of the highlights, he was at the edge of the stage singing OHTM and he was thrusting his hips forward and backward to the music -- and he was just.........right..........there........and I thought I was gonna lose it. Whirly was a-lustin', and trying to not be too obvious with where her eyes were falling!!! I think this man needs a new word, cause sexy just doesn't cut it. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Afterward he went the whole length of the front of the crowd grabbing hands cause people were freaking out to touch him. Someone must have been grabbing his hand really tight because he kind of snapped it back (not in a mean way, but I could tell it took a little force to free himself) and he kind of laughed and shook his hand like it hurt. Then he went over to the VIP area, which was the shell of a two-story old brick building with huge, garage-door sized open windows. Really grand atmosphere. This was really nice because the unfortunate souls like myself without passes could still watch him from the sides. We hung out until the last person got their picture taken, watched him get into the car, and that was the end of that.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm so in love it ain't even funny, hehe. I had walked down to the peace center from my hotel, so Sunnystuff and Takestwo walked me back. Sunnystuff should have a great review - that girl is bold lol!!! I got to my room, freshened up, but it was too late to go hear that blues musician, so I just rambled downtown checking out the nightlife, had a locally brewed beer at the Blue Ridge Brewery, and called it a night.