Wow. The trip to Hopkinsville was...interesting. We made it almost into Kentucky fairly easily, but then we hit a road; only two lanes (one for each direction) and we were to stay on that road for 91 miles! To make things worse, it was VERY dark and most of the time, we could only go 45-55MPH...according to the street signs. Finally we were off that road and were to take (I think) US 41 North. Here's the kicker. There WAS no North. The road just...stopped. Barricaded. Now what do we do? We aren't from Kentucky and had no idea where we were. It was getting late and most stores/gas stations were closed. So we decided to take the South route and turn around and hopefully we'd go North. Wait, wait...nope. Kept seeing signs: "Road ends in 1 mile. Road ends in 1/2 mile...500 feet, etc." Geez. So we turned around AGAIN and kept driving. Thankfully a couple of miles farther up the road, we found out where we were supposed to be.
Our motel was in Fort Campbell, just about 10 miles from Hopkinsville. We'd only reserved the room for the 20th, but decided to leave a day earlier and hoped they'd let us have our room. So we pull into the motel at 2:20am and I can't even get INTO the door of the main desk. This old guy gets up from his chair and opens the door with a huge scowl on his face. I told him we had reservations for the next day, but needed a room for the rest of THIS night (it was actually now the 20th, but I knew it'd count for another day.) So the guy scowls even harder and says, "Well, I'll have to charge you for an extra day. It doesn't change over until 6:30!" Fine. So he acted pissed that I still wanted the room. What does he expect us to do? Sit in the parking lot for 4 hours? Hell no! Then he got pissed because we used a different credit card than what I'd reserved the room with. So I say, "Surely you can change it. It can't be THAT hard, right?" So he changes it. Meanwhile, he hasn't yet smiled or said anything other than the occasional grunt. So, VERY conspicuously, I pick up the survey card. You know...the kind that ask "How was your service?" And suddenly he gets VERY friendly. Too late buck-o. Yer Screwed. Another gripe about this motel. The cleaning ladies parked their carts right in the middle of the hall. They looked up and SAW us coming down with huge suitcases and a cooler. Did they move the cart? No. But "I" did. I moved it several doors down from where she was cleaning. Yeah, I'm a bitch.
Okay, enough complaining. We found the venue easily. Krik and I have learned now to call the venue, get directions from where we are at the time and make a trial run to the venue. THEN we know how much time we need to get there.
Once we got to the venue that night, it was a bit tough finding a place to park. Not that there were very many people there, since we showed up early, but it was downtown and most places said, "no parking". Whatever. So we drove around the back and saw Phil sitting outside. Then we parked where we probably shouldn't have and when we were getting out, we saw El getting out of a car and limping. At first we thought maybe it was because he'd been riding a long time and was stiff, but it turns out he'd injured his leg playing basketball with Scott, Kev and George and was in quite a bit of pain.
We met up with many of our 'Pella friends. Suzi, Wanda, Lisafromomaha, Boge and Suan and family, etc. Always great to see MOST people there. *G*
Once we'd located our seats (row F), we were getting our camera and film situated and this older gentleman was sitting beside me along with his wife, who was a beautiful lady inside and out and had on this really cool lime green jacket. The man said, I take it this isn't your first show." So we went on to tell him that we were from Texas and had traveled all this way just to see RP. This was HIS first show. We talked with them alot and his wife said, "Now honey. If you ever come back this way, give us a little notice and you can stay with us instead of going to a motel." How sweet was that? *G*
The show opened of course with "House of the Rising Sun" and as El came out it was obvious he was in a lot of pain. Several times through the show he had to sit on the stool normally reserved for the Pretty Woman. Kev and Scott kept offering the stool to him, apparently concerned about him, but most of the time he declined.
Next, "Moments of You" and when Scott introduced himself, he didn't have a name to give, so he just said, "Um, who am I guys?...Scott." *G* After MOY, he asked who was seeing RP for the first time with a lot of clapping. Then he asked who'd seen them before and got even MORE clapping/cheering. Scott: "It's great to be here in Hopkinsville. Is Anthony here?" Someone said, "no". Scott: "Oh, so we don't rate Anthony, yet?"
Scott: "We're playing with an injured player tonight. We were playing basketball down at the "Y" and Elliott...BUSTED his calf muscle." El: "I was trying to relive my youth." Scott: "It was El and Scott against George and Kevin. And then the tragic POP!" Jeff: "I was home watching cable." El: "I thought there was a sniper at the "Y". George: "Well I'm sorry that it happened, but Kevin and I were getting out butts whupped."
Scott talked about A cappella music and how there are no instruments and told about the time a lady said to him, "Maybe you don't realize it, but there was a drum machine backstage." Scott: "I THINK I would have realized that." Then he introduced everyone and told what they brought to the group. They ended with a nice little rendition of "My Kentucky Home". But of course, Scott only knew a few words to the song.
Next up, "Here Comes the Sun". Beautiful as always.
"Dancin' In the Street" was next. Never get tired of Kev's little hip-swingin'! *G* Many times during the show, El got ribbed because of the injury. But he took it all with a good hearted grin.
El: "I think I was trying to achieve the same pain level as..my wife just gave birth, six months ago." He talked about delivering Jules in the bathtub..."And I caught him."
"No Doubt At All". During Jeff and El's Scat/VP trade-off, the man beside me kept going, "Wow. Oh Wow."
"Use Me" was next. Scott kept teasing El about having to use a cane, and would do his walk dragging one leg behind him. Then acted as if he was going to kick the cane out from under El. Meanie. *G*
Kev's up next. I should mention that there was a group of high school girls on Kev's side who were quite exhuberent during the show. So Kev asks them who they are. They tell him they're high school kids and he goes, "Okaay" and walks away to the other side.
Kev: "Who do we have here? Cardinal or Wildcat fans?" Most cheered for Wildcats. Jeff: "Meow". Some lady yelled, "One Cardinal."
"A Change in My Life"
"Have Faith"
"Love Potion Number 9" is a GREAT song!
Rockpella's Greatest Hit!
Next El gets up and since he can't do much for "Don't Do It", they instead sang "Let's Get Away". El: "Let's a grab a kayak to Hopkinsville or Nayak." During the "scat" part, Scott sings "Scooby dooby sue the YMCA." hehehe.
"Long Cool Woman". They had to get creative with this since El couldn't do much dancing. *G* Scott appeared to walk up and down more often, just to make it hard on El. *G* After the song Kev said, "It's not "That Old Kentucky CANE, it's "That Old Kentucky Rain". Uh huh...
Next Kev goes out to pick the Pretty Woman of the night. I was really hoping he'd see our new friend's lime jacket and pick her. She was such a sweetheart. But he instead picked Thelma who had horrible stage fright. She did fine until Kev tried to bring her up onstage and she walked right past the stage and was going back to her seat. Kev: "Thelma! Thelma! Come back. I won't embarrass you or anything." So finally she was convinced to join him onstage. At that time, Scott GLEEFULLY removed the stool from El. *G* Thelma was a doll! Obviously she had no idea what was in store for her. She was wearing a Halloween themed sweater. Kev: "Oh Thelma, how you look so Halloween. Oh Thelma, Thelma, Thelma...Trick or Treat."
Scott nearly killed himself flexing and Thelma wouldn't look at him. *G* But he was VERY gentle when he pulled her over to dance. Aw...
"Stand By Me" "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" gets better and better. During the VP break, George started doing this little dance. OMG! How sexy is that? "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" Jeff's solo was great as usual. But in the middle he had to cough or hack..or something. But even THAT's sexy, right? *G* Poor El couldn't do much of the squat part. But he tried. Encore: "Up On the Roof"
Before the next song. Scott asked who was going to Hazard. Many of us yelled. Then he asked the high school girls. Someone yelled, "Is it free?" Scott's like, "Um. No." Then he asked them how far they drove and they told him 2 hours. "So why can't you come to Henderson? If you can drive 2 hours you can drive 2 1/2." "Jenny Come Away". Scott forgot the words and they had to stop. Scott: "There's no instruments to cover up and when SOMEONE screws up, it's a terrible trainwreck here in Hopkinsville. So we'll give that one another shot cause I forgot the words." Jeff: "Who wrote that song, Scott?" They got it right on the next try and it was GREAT!
"Dance With Me" They had to again improvise. Poor El. George and the moonwalk for some reason cracks Jeff up everytime.
Final Song "Smilin'" The VP break was great! Scott: "Lovin', Lovin', Hurtin' Hurtin' Hopalong Kerman, Hopalong Kerman. Kev: "Right Thurr, Right Thurr". Scott: "I broke my leg at the YMCA, I broke my leg at the YMCA. Kev: "Oh no you di-n't." *G* I have a feeling when El heals, there's going to be HELL to pay. *G*
The Meet and Greet
Back to Hopkinsville