Vintage Trouble @ Uptown Charlotte

Unbelievably this is the first night out Amy & I have had on our own since our anniversary in May.  But it's not just a concert I take her to.  Vintage Trouble is playing at the Q-City Barbecue Championships downtown.  And because it is hard to find anything for a vegetarian at a BBQ festival we start the evening off at Mimosa Grill. What a great restaurant!  Food, service, ambiance was all top notch and just what the doctor ordered for the two of us.  I had the Mahi Mahi special with andouille sausage and rock shrimp jambalaya, after a wonderful butternut squash soup.  Amy the pecan crusted trout.  Fantastic meal.  And again, after living in Vegas for 10 years, we laughed when the relatively cheap bill came out.

Only 2 blocks away an outdoor stage had been built for the festival, and surprisingly not many people were there to see Vintage Trouble.  The got close to the front, on the left hand side of the stage and had a great view.  It wasn't long before they took the stage - and as usual - by storm.  From the get go the band exudes so much energy and passion.  (It was the same thing in February when I saw them in Vegas).  Although the crowd was small, they were instantly mesmerized!  Nancy Lee was great, as was Total Stranger and Pelvis Pusher.  Lead singer Ty Taylor has an awesome stage presence and makes you want to dance.  He was unrelenting for the whole show and took it upon himself to get out into the crowd and amp them up.  He dances his way through the whole crowd and started a Soul Train-style dance line.  With only one album under their belt, most of the songs to me are familiar, and Amy loved it.  They finished the night with a barn-burning cover of Ike & Tina Turner's Baby Get It On.  For those who got out to see this band I hope they have a new favorite band, and I can't wait for these guys to get the recognition they deserve.

One of the things that stood out about the show was the diversity of the crowd.  From your BBQ fan, to your Uptown Charlotte Executive, a spattering of Troublemakers, the Charlotte homeless, the out of town St Louis Ram fans in Charlotte for the game tomorrow - everyone having a great time.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 367th concert.
Uptown Charlotte is the 101st venue I've seen a concert.
This is my 18th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 19th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 175th concert in the USA.
This is my 2nd Vintage Trouble concert.