Sunday, March 27, 2011

Thoughts for Eve: Groupie or not a groupie; that is the question.

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend in Nashville who reprimanded me for not blogging enough. So from now on, once a week, I'll be posting a light-hearted little something called "Thoughts for Eve." Sunday seems like an appropriate day for "St. Eve" ... AKA "Steve."


I spent the last week in Myrtle Beach on spring break, and took a detour through Knoxville to spend the night with my sister Friday night. Steph wasn't the only reason I went though... Drew Holcomb was playing at the Bijou in Knoxville that night. I can't pass up an opportunity to see the Holcombs. As mentioned in previous posts, it's just good for my heart to see Ellie Holcomb once in a while. In fact, I've seen her about once a month this semester, which has been awesome. Jonesboro in January, Memphis in February, Knoxville in March.


So this got me thinking... I feel a little bit like a groupie. What exactly defines a groupie? Because if it's simply attendance to shows in multiple cities on one single tour, I'm definitely guilty. When I saw the Holcombs with Marc Broussard in February, I'm pretty sure I stood next to a hand full of middle-aged Marc Broussard groupies. Oh gosh I hope I'm not "that girl." But then again THAT girl would be defined as "the one who's following (insert musician here) until she finally gets in his pants." Rest assured I am most certainly not trying to get into any of the neighbors' pants.


Now I say all this completely jokingly — Ellie's a good friend, and I cherish every time our paths cross and I get to go see her. But I sometimes wonder what other people think. You might be asking yourself, "What other people that know you are seeing you at all of these different shows in all these different cities?" Until last night, I would have said no one.


Well, Drew's brother is on the road with them right now running merch. I met him briefly in Memphis in February, not thinking he would recognize me again. Well when I walked up to the merch booth Friday night he says to me, "Hey I met you in Memphis didn't I?" While I was both impressed and flattered that he remembered me and enjoyed a quick small talk conversation, I'm thinking to myself, "this guy is probably so confused as to why he's now seeing me a month later clear across the state of Tennessee." But I couldn't be like, "oh you must be wondering why I'm here also, well funny story I was just in South Carolina and my sister lives here and so here I am..." Because either (a) I sound like an idiot and maybe he's not thinking anything of the fact that I'm here, or (b) news flash, Sara, he probably doesn't care about your spring break or your sister ... and now you sound like an ass.


It gets better. Yesterday I was driving through Nashville on my way back to Jonesboro, and stopped to meet a friend for lunch. I kid you not, I'm driving down 21st Ave trying to find a place to park, and there he is standing on the sidewalk outside of the place I was about to eat. (They were in Nashville for a show the very next night.) So now I'm thinking, "oh my gosh, I feel like I'm following this guy. Please, please, please don't see me... this is almost embarrassing." To make it even better, I'm wearing my Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors tank top I bought from him the night before. Now I definitely look like a groupie/creepy fan.


Well to save myself an awkward conversation and slightly embarrassing moment, he was gone by the time I parked and walked back up the street. And so I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to decide if I've reached groupie status or if I've safely escaped it due to actual friendship...


Groupie or not, I'll be seeing my new friend Sam again in Little Rock in just a little over a week. Hope he doesn't judge me. :)