BRENDA'S STORY:
Okay, well I'm only putting this up because I've been asked many times (especially lately) and every time I give the short version which isn't nearly as much fun. So here it is, the long version. If you're not a DMB fan this will all seem like too much information but if you are, I think you'll understand. And please, I respectfully ask that if you have nothing nice to say, do as your mother told you and please keep it to yourself. Thank you.
First time meeting Dave was after the Sept. 11, 2005 show at Red Rocks. This was the same night that the crowd burst into the "Halloween" chant and got the band to play an impromptu version of it (with maybe two of the right words, lol). After the show, my friend Alan and I decided to wait by the buses and see if we could catch a glimpse of the guys as they were leaving. Their buses, though visible from where we were, were fenced in. When we got there we were told by the people there that LeRoi, Butch and Carter had already left. We started out with a good size crowd but as time went by, it thinned out so that there were maybe 8 of us left. While we were waiting, Stefan and Boyd both came at different times, waved to the crowd as they got out of their van and went to their bus (because the theater is so far from the parking lot, they were driven by vans to their buses.
Much later, Dave finally showed up. It was REALLY late, it was chilly and a long time had passed since the show and I really didn't think he'd come out to sign autographs. We were all yelling and trying to take pictures while we could see him, because we thought he too would just wave and leave. He got out of his van, thanked the driver, thanked the security guard watching the buses and then he headed to the gate to come out towards us. From then, it kinda became a blur really. Everybody just RAN towards him, including me. First thing he said was "What are you all doing out here? It's cold!" then he said he was sorry he wasn't dressed better (he was wearing what he wore during the concert), and said he wasn't expecting anyone to be out there. Then he just started signing stuff. No one was really saying anything so I blurted out "Thank you for playing Halloween" to which he answered, "Are you kidding? We had to play it. We couldn't not play it!" Then, out of nowhere, I asked for a hug! He looked up from what he was signing and said of course, but I didn't get it then because he was still signing stuff. Then of course, other people started asking for hugs.
We then took pictures, my friend Alan told him they should play Mexico and he responded that he "loved Mexico" which made Alan very happy! My other friend Karen told him that she was a therapist and that he was HER therapy and I don't know exactly what he said to that, lol! I think he smiled and said thanks. Anyway, just before he was about to go back to the gated area I had not yet gotten my hug, so, I asked again and he was nice enough to say sure.
Okay, everyone wants to know about the hug (or at least the girls do!). Imagine a friend you LOVE but haven't seen in a really long time, and then imagine you finally get to see him or her and you give them a really TIGHT, long hug--that's what HE hugs like . I was just going to give him a quick one so as not take up any more of his time but he hugged me SO tightly and for a good 8 seconds. So, I guess while he was hugging me--totally without meaning to, I whispered in his ear "oh my god you are SO awesome"! I SWEAR I didn't know I was saying it out loud, but when he let go, he smiled very shyly, kinda bowed his head and said "thank you." It was VERY sweet. Then, he went and got on his bus and we all burst out laughing and yelling and hugging each other.
