LIFE LIST: MEET SOMEONE FAMOUS

LIFE LIST: MEET SOMEONE FAMOUS


When: We (Shannon and I) were 16 the first time we met the Gypsy Kings as I discussed in the first portion of this story DANCE ON STAGE AT A CONCERT . I think the second time we met them we were 17.


Where: DTE and I can't remember the other venue. [Michigan]


Why I wanted to do this: Both times it actually just fell into our laps! On both accounts the manager of the group approached us and gave us back stage passes.


Cost: Free!


What would I do differently? I remember thinking that we should quickly run to the store and get a camera but both times we were worried we'd lose our spot. It would have been neat to have pictures to share with you.


Was it life changing? I guess not really. It was fun and interesting...but I did learn a little lesson about naivety. And it's always so cool when I see the Gypsy Kings doing an interview on Regis and Kelly or Good Morning America, I think about our wild night with those nuts.

     1st meeting.... The first time we went backstage I remember we had to wait forever! Then the manager came out and said that none of the group members spoke English-only French and Spanish-which was perfect for Shannon and I as we both spoke both languages and we both so eager to practice. Then when they finally came out one of them signed my shirt (his name was Pitacci and I totally still have the shirt!) and they told us they were flying to Paris in the morning and invited us to come along. Shannon was dying to go, I said 'Shannon, we cannot go to Paris tomorrow with the Gypsy Kings, we have school in the morning [high school] and our parents would be so pissed.' I think she was a little mad at me. Now had we gone....I'm sure it would have been very life changing.


    2nd meeting.... The next time we saw them, the following year, the groups manager came up to us and gave us a kiss on the cheek acting like we were old pals, I thought he had mistaken us for someone else. And I believe it was he who invited us to dinner afterwards, like just assuming we were coming along. This was the time that we DANCED ON STAGE AT A CONCERT . After the concert was over we were told to just wait by the tour bus and then we could follow in our car to the restaurant. So that's what we did, again I remember waiting and waiting and waiting. Then we followed them to the restaurant. I don't remember talking to them very much at that point, what I do remember was having a cigarette at the bar and a couple next to us saying "I think that's the Gypsy Kings over there." Then I just got up and walked back over to the table, I remember thinking what a cool moment that was. Dinner was over and 'good idea Shannon' says 'hey they're going to play the guitar in their suite, they want us to come up'. In my 17 year old head I thought that meant that all eight members of the group and some of the other dinner guests would all be going up to the room as well and they were going to put on a little private concierto. That was not so much the case, it was just the two of us and two of the singers...and yup, they were putting the moves on us-heavily- you know how intense those Spaniards can be. I felt ENORMOUSLY uncomfortable, grabbed Shannon and said that I didn't think anyone else was planning on coming up here tonight. We told the singers we had to feed the meter for my car or it would get it towed. They insisted they would pay for any tickets accrued. I told them that wasn't necessary, we'd just run down real quick. And run down to the car real quick we did...and we got the hell out of there! We didn't even know where we were, we were very far from home and just had to wing it getting back.

 Had they been younger and better looking...who knows what would have happened!