When the organizers of Haverhill Rocks were told they could get Elliott Yamin to close their little town battle-of-the-bands fest for $15, 000, they thought it was too good to be true. Of course, it was. When Elliott found out about the promoter who tried to scam town organizers, he decided to perform at the event for the cut rate. Very cool, and very smart.
Saturday was a perfect day for an outdoor concert. The weather was dry, and there was a bit of fall chill in the air, as the sun began to set at Winnekenni Castle, the beautiful estate where the concert took place.
For $50, I got to park right next to the castle, and had a folding chair to sit on instead of the ground. Extra-special bonus–I would get to attend a meet and greet afterward.
Elliott performed a sweet acoustic mini-concert that I managed to capture on film. Here is the set in order:
“Trainwreck, “ “Movin’ On, “ “One Word, “ “Find a Way, “ “I’m In Love With You Forever, “ “Wait For You, “ and “Take My Breath Away.”
So what do you guys think? I felt pretty lucky to be present at such an intimate event, with Elliott as the main attraction. The sound system was pretty good, and Elliott was warm, relaxed and in fine vocal form. Thanks carpy scam artist who nearly bilked the town of Haverhill out of $15, 000! I owe ya one.
A couple of notes–I sat next to the “Idol Junkies.” Hi kids! And I have to give kudos to the event organizers who put together a very nice and well organized event. The M&G afterward was the typical rush-rush affair. (I’m not complaining–the artist has a short period of time to smile at and chat with many people, some who will go away mad if they don’t get their “perfect moment” with their Idol.) However, the organizers did a really good job keeping the line moving. They had snacks, drinks and a place to sit for the peeps waiting their turn. The passes were numbered, and we were called up in sections, like boarding an airplane.
So, I got my few minutes with Elliott. He was as gracious as could be, and he even remembered meeting me in New Jersey. The picture here is Elliott mugging for my camera. Ha ha. Good stuff.