So it was time for another Albino Bowler adventure to a concert….this time Aerosmith!

   At 11:00am we all piled into my mom’s car for the long drive down to Atlanta.  It was 4 hours down to Atlanta, GA for the concert.  I spent the time reading a book and listening to music.  At around 3:00pm we met up with my aunt (Judy Fereday) at her hotel to head to the VIP party where we would be able to meet Joe Perry and Steven Tyler.

   We got to the outdoor amphitheater and waited outside the gates to be let inside.  The concert organizers had set up a giant tent with a food bar and Guitar Hero:  Aerosmith.  The first thing that my brother and I did when we got to the tent was play a little Guitar Hero.  After about an hour or so, they started calling people over to meet Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.

   We stood in line for another 30 mins and everyone started cheering.  Steven Tyler and Joe Perry walked outside for just a second and then into the room where you could get the autograph / picture with them.  They let everyone have a turn and the Albino Bowler got his first celebrity picture!  Let me explain what I had to go through to get this picture:  The rules were that you could only bring one item to get autographed.  Security made you put everything you had on your person on a table right outside of where you exited from meeting the band members.  They ran a metal detector over me and found the bowler!  Luckily, I thought fast on my feet and told them that was the item I wanted to have autographed (I actually wanted my backstage pass autographed).  So they let me through with the bowler.

   When it was finally my turn, I told Steven Tyler that I had an unusual request.  He asked me “What would that be?”.  I asked him if he knew what a Flat Stanley was and he replied with “I have no idea what you are talking about.”  I tried to explain to him as quick as possible and pulled the bowler out of my pocket.  I just explained I needed a picture of them both with this doll.  Steven Tyler replied with “Whatever floats your boat, man.”  The photographer gave me a funny look but took the picture anyways.  I also got my backstage pass autographed by both of them.

   After that was over, we went back to the party and picked up a free beer.  Shortly after, ZZ Top went on and did a great job.  They played almost all of their really popular songs like “Tush”, “Sharp Dressed Man”, and “La Grange”.  There was an intermission right after for Aerosmith to set up.  We ran out and got some frozen margaritas because it was so HOT.

   Once we got back,  there was a giant Aerosmith curtain hung up.  They started the concert and dropped the

curtain.  Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were directly in front of my for most of the concert (we were in the 2nd row).  I took some great pictures.  Unfortunately, the concert was cut short by 5 songs because Steven Tyler’s voice started to go out halfway through the concert.  It was still an awesome concert though.  They played some of the really good songs that weren’t on the playlist online like “Mama Kin”, “Train Kept A-Rollin”, and “Janie’s Got a Gun”.  Overall, the entire experience was amazing and I will remember it for the rest of my life.

   We drove home after the concert and I got home at 4:00AM.  I got a quick shower and went to sleep because I had to be back at work at 7:00AM the same day.

– Zac McKinney

 

Special thanks to Zac for the celeb pic!  You only got one picture with the guys from the band, and Zac committed his picture to the Albino Bowler.  Outstanding!

– Dan Thompson

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    Back in June, the Albino Bowler received an invitation to  take a trip to Florida’s lovely Gulf Coast.  This scenic stretch of the Florida panhandle  is sometimes referred to as the Emerald  Coast, sometimes as the Redneck Riviera.  Because the Albino Bowler is comfortable with both descriptions, he decided to make the trip

    Upon arriving at his beachside bungalow, he took a look out over the beach and the clear green water and was pleased to have made the journey.

    However, making the drive from Knoxville to Destin make the AB quite tired, so he decided to rest on a lounge chair and soak up some sun.  It wasn’t long before his travel companions dragged him down to the beach, where he wound up in an uncomfortable situation being bullied by five young roughnecks in the sand.  This was not the first time the Albino Bowler has been outnumbered.  He was able to use his superior intellect to find a way out by digging a hole in the sand and tunneling his way to freedom.

    Once the AB had made his escape he was finally able to enjoy an afternoon in the surf, enjoying the refreshing feel of the cool water washing over his plastic feet.  Things, however, got a little testy when  the Albino Bowler got a little hungry and tried to help himself to one of his fellow beachgoer’s snacks.  A beating and a good night’s rest and things were back to normal the next day.  The Albino Bowler went on a dolphin cruise where he was excited to see many dolphin frolicking with their young.

He was, however, sad to see that the downturn in the economy had taken its toll on some Destin locals.  While on the cruise, the AB decided to take a walk around the deck and catch a few rays.  He narrowly avoided becoming shark food when he slipped and fell off the railing, relying on his magnetic palms to pull him back to safety.  That was a close call.

    Though there were some rough spots along the way…. but the AB enjoyed his time on the sandy beaches of the Florida panhandle and even made a couple of new friends.

– Paul Noe

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