Lisamarie Dean



I got to be Gunnar's PA at the Grinnel Iowa show on 2/4.  Due to some transportation setbacks they had had in getting to the venue from the previous city they played in the night before, I wound up meeting Tami and everyone at their hotel.  They had just enough time to get their room #'s and keys, set everything down, and zoom over to the theatre for sound check.  Everything sounded FANTASTIC, and I felt very fortunate to get to see Gunnar play drums at this show, with Matthew and Cary on guitars.  Tami ran out and got us some food from Dairy Queen and we enjoyed our meals as we watched the guys run through all of their checks on stage to make sure everything would be perfect for the show.  After a while and with everything being put behind schedule a bit I rode back to the hotel with Tami, Sue(the other PA) and her friend Michelle, who was doing the driving, so they could get ready for the concert.  While I was waiting in the hotel lobby for everyone, Tami called down to the front desk for me and I got to have copies of the set list made, which Sue and I later taped to the stage at each mic so Matt, Cary, and Gunnar would have them for reference.
When everyone was all ready to go and we got back to the venue we walked the guys into the theatre and showed them where their dressing room was.  As they prepared themselves Sue and I went down and set water bottles out on the stage along with the set lists and made sure we had plenty of  back-up water for them in case they got low during the performance.  Soon after we had everything ready Matt, Gunnar, and Cary came down to get ready to go on.  Gunnar asked me to retrieve his gloves off of his drum base and his headset.  I got his gloves but his headset wasn't were it was supposed to be, but the sound tech showed up with it a couple of minutes later(thank God!).  Just as soon as Gunnar got his gloves and head set on it was showtime, and they did about a good 60-90 minute set to a sold-out, full crowd of people consisting of all age ranges.  Sorry I don't remember all of the songs, but the list was a mixture of Rick Nelson and Nelson songs, and one song they did that I didn't think I would ever hear live was "Cross My Broken Heart" and they also did "Evermore" from Red37, along with "Just Once More".
After the show while Matt and Gunnar took a rest in the dressing room for a few minutes while we got the crowd under control and formed in a line for the M&G, Sue and I helped sell by taking a stack of CD's and pics through the line of people--I actually sold a FEW cd's and pics, which I enjoyed--it was ALOT of fun!!  I also met some VERY nice people that way too--everyone at the venue was GREAT!!  Then during the M&G I took pics for the fans who needed someone to operate their camera for them so they could pose with the guys.  It was really enjoyable watching how Matt and Gunnar really interact and talk to ALL of their fans like they know them!  It was very obvious with each and every person who approached them that they truly wanted to take the time to talk to them, and let everyone say whatever they wanted to say to them without rushing!
After the M&G we had the pleasure of watching the guys tape an brief interview for Zoe, a member from, I believe, England for the Rick Nelson website she runs, and then Tami recorded a little Valentine greeting too, which I assume will be put up on Backstage very soon.  It was COOL getting to watch them film it!!
After that Matt and Gunnar signed the things that Sue and I had brought for them to sign for us and took pics with us.  Then we helped carry all the equipment and belongings out to the van that the guys were taken back to the hotel in.  As we were leaving I got a nice, good hug from each of the guys.  When I got the one from Gunnar he thanked me for my work, which made me feel REALLY good and rather relieved actually, since I was a bit worried about the kind of job he thought I was doing when I couldn't get him his headset earlier.
When we got back to the hotel Tami gave me a nice hug and said it was good to see me, and that she was glad I came.  I was too--this turned out to be one of the GREATEST, most rewarding experiences of my life, and hope to get the opportunity to do it again sometime!!