The Grand Palace

May 7, 1999
Branson, MO
Kristie

If you have never been to a Marvelous 3 concert before... go. NOW. RUN. I will not stand for whining like "Why don't they ever come here?" because if you want it so bad, you can find a way to make it happen. Take Inge and me for example. Respectively from Arizona and New York, we made the trip to Branson, MO to see our favorite band, Marvelous 3. From the second we arrived, we had the time of our lives! If you have never been to Branson before... let me tell you, it's an experience all in itself! It reminds me of the Vegas lounge scene on crack or something. It's a very pastel town... It's a lot of cheezy, country family entertainment. I was very surprised to see that the Collective Soul tour was stopping there, especially at a venue that has the Oak Ridge Boys and plenty other good time wholesome family fun (does the sarcasm drip or is it just me?) acts as regulars. They played right next door to the Andy Williams Pavillion if that gives you an even better visual. Needless to say, Branson scared the hell out of me. Not the same way, like say being in a total ghetto, but like scared for my mental state of being! Now, I did meet quite a few nice people, but the rest of it was still kinda... well you had to be there I suppose. The security for The Grand Palace went around posting signs prior to show tme, amongst them one that read, "No mosh pits." Now, ok, I can understand that, the first Marvelous 3 show I went to I thought I was going to die when this 300 pound crowd surfer fell on my head. However, what amused me greatly is they asked what a mosh pit WAS... Ok this scares me, security doesn't know what a mosh pit was, so everyone could be beating the hell out of each other and they would go (in their charming accents) "Well, as long as this isn't a mosh pit, it's all right!" I wonder if they pull out the mosh signs for The Oak Ridge Boys, they're a pretty wild bunch! Well before all you readers kill me about delving too much into background information, I will get straight to the Marvie stuff.

We arrived at The Grand Palace around 4:30 I believe. We ran into Slug right as we entered the building. He was very sweet. I asked him to sign my Math and Hey! covers, and he obliged. We spent most of our time waiting around talking to people. Might I say, if you ever go to The Grand Palace, please go get roasted/glazed nuts from Peggy. She's a total sweetheart. She bought a Collective Soul shirt (the bug shirt, as she calls it) so that she could look cool in front of her grandson. So, as we were waiting, Collective Soul came out and signed this piano, I also stopped everyone but Ed and asked for them to sign my cd cover. They were all very nice, special props go out to Ross and Will for being the most awesome. And the wait continues... Closer to show time, Butch, Jayce, and Slug all came out to sign the infamous piano. Very nice guys. I had never met Butch or Jayce before that day, and I was very excited to. Needless to say, they met all my expectations, and beyond. I was thoroughly impressed and they have even more respect in my book now.

So, the important part. SHOW TIME!!!!! Well, I was reminded again why I became a Marvelous 3 fan. And damn did it feel good! When the lights were out, the crowd was kept waiting anxiously with a Prince cd. Then following a little introduction off the cd the lights came on and Marvelous 3 exploded into "You're So Yesterday" Butch urged the crowd onto their feet, and everyone rocked! I of course was on my feet the entire time, totally out of control. Jumping, dancing, singing, I couldn't help myself, it was just so energizing! Through out the crowd I could see patches of people who were obviously great M3 fans, standing and rocking out the whole time. It was so wonderful.

Marvelous 3 really knows how to work a crowd. They definitely got them warmed up. A couple of the things I like best about Marvelous 3's shows (besides the fact that the music is totally rockin', but you knew that already or else why would you be here?) are that they aren't generic, and they are very much into crowd interaction. Little things like Butch going "I'm a little bit country, you're a little bit rock n' roll" made the show all the more amazing, and a little different and personal every night. We had more than one out of the ordinary occurrence. Since Branson wasn't a Marvelous 3 town YET (however now I am damn positive they're throwing out their Oak Ridge Boys cds and running out to get Hey!Album) the crowd was a little hesitant. Jayce got them roaring to their feet by making a couple of surprise appearences in the crowd. The crowd lost it! I lost it! I think Jayce had lost it! It was soooo great! The pick throwing that is famous in Marvelous 3 shows didn't go off as well as it usually does. There were more than a few misses, but it was all good.

Well, we went to a show on a very special day. It was Billy's birthday! He's one of their road crew, and they embarrassed the hell out of him by making him go onstage while singing Happy Birthday to him, ending with a threat to do evil things to his naked body with a fork! (Hey guys, can I come too? just kidding!) Anyway, happy birthday Billy! We hope you had a good one.

As the set was coming to a close, the crowd was getting more and more into it. During "Freak of the Week" The crowd was on it's feet with a large majority singing along. That was a total rush! Marvelous 3 was rocking as per usual. They closed with "Always Something There To Remind Me," a cover by Naked Eyes. I must say, when they thought that up, it was a very apropos song to close with, because every where they go, they leave wonderful memories with the people whose lives they touched with their music. Unless you've been to a Marvelous 3 show before, you don't know how beautiful it is to be in a room surrounded with so many people singing back the chorus, while watching them encourage us all to sing louder. It's truly an experience and I recommend it 100%.

So... I am reminded now, how I became a fan, and wonder how many Branson-ites are going to wind up the same? The show is what draws a lot of us in to the Marvie World (no shameless plug intended... well maybe just a LITTLE), but after they're gone, it's the songs that stay and what make the difference. It's all about the music, and the music rocks. I recommend that everyone go to a Marvelous 3 show, see the greatness that is Marvie. In a few words to describe a Marvelous 3 show: KICK ASS ROCKIN' FUN. Screw the Oak Ridge Boys, Marvelous 3 is where it's at!