We got to the Mankato Civic Center at about 6:20. My friend Heather, her friend Stacy and her mom, Carol were already there waiting for us. The doors opened at 6:30 and we went in to find our seats. We were in the 6th row, on Derek's side. That's the closest I've ever been to a ticketed show before. The stage was up high so if the rows in front of us stood we'd be able to see and a family with 3 little kids sat in front of us, so we would not have any problems seeing around them.

The show started at 7:30. The Wilkinsons (or the O'Wilkinsons for tonight as Steve told us since it is St. Patrick's Day). They were great! Tyler and Amanda bounce around a lot. They sang "Boy Oh Boy", "I Can't Do A Thing With My Heart", "Fly (The Angel Song)". Tyler sang "Don't I Have A Heart", and "Then There's You". They did their hit "26 Cents" and the "Yodelin' Blues". They ended their show with a medley of Dubie Brother's songs, "Black Water", "Listen To The Music" and one other one, but I didn't catch the name of it. They did a great job. They were all over the stage and looked like they were having a lot of fun. During their show, people were going up to the stage to shake their hands. I could just imagine how nuts that would get when Bryan came on.

There was about 20 minute break. I notice this was a much better controlled crowd compare to the last time we were here for the Clay Walker concert. There wasn't a bar set up right inside the arena and there weren't too many drunk college students around. And people stayed where they belonged, it was very nice.

Michael Peterson came on at about 8:20. He was good, he is one of those that pretty much just stand there and sings. I didn't know too many of his songs, just the singles. He sang "Drink, Swear, Steal & Lie", "Something Out Of Nothing", "Find Love When You Make It", "Something About A Sunday". He sais his next album would be out in June and then he sang the title cut, "Being Human". Then he sang "By The Book" and then something about "The Smile of a Satisfied Woman" and then "From Here To Eternity". Then "No More Looking Over My Shoulder" and finally "To Good To Be True". It was 9:00 and I thought he was done, the house lights were coming back on. But he came back out and sang a song about McDonald's, Burger King & Wendy's. Cute song, I've heard that somewhere before. Then his last song was cool, "Love's Great, When You're Not In It". He was good but he did move around to much, he was fun to listen to though.

There was another break for Bryan's people to set up. Heather, Stacy and I went up to the stage to see if we could talk to any of the band members. I tried to take so pictures of the guys, but the stage was so high it was kinda hard. I saw Scott and waved to him and he threw me a guitar pick! Then the show was about to start and we had to get back to our seats.

Bryan came running out singing "Signed, Sealed Delivered", I love that one! Then he did "Love Is The Right Place" and "Sittin' On Go". I love how he gets so into the music and gets to crowd in to it too. He yelled out "Where's your heart at Minnesota? Say Yeah!" and every body screamed! He thank the Wilkinsons and Michael Peterson and told us to sit back "cause it's not over yet!" Then he stared that: Someone's knockin' at the door/Someone's ringin' the bell/Someone's knockin' at the door/Someone's ringin' the bell/do me a favor, open the door, and let 'em in/Someone's knockin' at the door/Someone's ringing the bell/Someone's knockin' at the door/Someone's ringing the bell/do me a favor, open the door, and let 'em in. Then he went into "Rebecca Lynn" , who of course, grew up in Minnesota! He thanked everyone for coming and yelled "let the party begin!" Then he sang "The Natural Thing" (or the "Mankato thing") Then he sang "I'm Not Suppose To Love You Anymore". The family in front of us left so we got to move up to the 5th row! There were some girls in the isle taking pictures and told them they could have our seat, we made them very happy, their seats were somewhere way in the back. Next Bryan sang, what he said is probably the first song we remember from him, "Look At Me Now". After that song the band left and Bryan started to say "I'm gonna do a song..." and he stops "... is there a band behind me?..." Everyone yelled "NO!" He looked around him and said "guess it's just you and me!" and everyone screamed! He told us that he gets asked if he still does acoustic shows like when he opened for Pam Tillis and Diamond Rio. He said he tries to do a little bit of that in each show. So he thought he "tinker' a bit for us. He did a little bit of "Tree Of Hearts". He said his grandma likes that one a lot. Then he sang "That's Another Song", and we sang it for him on that one. He said we were good singers and said he could always count on Minnesota. He said he did a duet with this girl who's done all right, Shania Twain. He asked if we felt like doing some more singing, of course we did, and we sang Shania's parts for "From This Moment On" with him. He thank us for singing with him and the band came back out. Bryan said "say hi to the drummers, Joe Finger and Lynn Williams" and they played while sang his little "Do you wanna go home? or do you wanna stay here!" thing (there's a stupid question, huh?) Then they did "Bad Day To Let You Go". I love that song! I still can't believe it didn't do better on radio. Next Bryan introduced us to the bad. First Derek, then Tom, then Lynn, then Lee. When he came to Joe, he just looked at him at said "never mind" and went on to Randle, then Scott and then Brinson. Then he went back to Joe, he's from St. Paul so he got a big response. Bryan said Joe's mom was in a the audience tonight. Then he asked if he forgot anybody, and he goes "Oh, and I'm Bryan White" and everyone screamed. He asked "Where's all the young people tonight!?!" we all screamed. Then he sad 'Let me ask that again, "Where's everyone who feels young!?! Then everyone screamed!! Next he sat down on one of the black boxes on our side of the stage and gave his little speech about following your dreams and staying in school. "Because I did, and I tuned out great" he said. He then told us that statistically he has sold the most albums here in Minnesota, that's cool! and he thank us for everything and then sang "Someone Else's Star". At the end we sang the chorus back to him it was so nice! He said his good-bye's and left the stage, but I knew he wasn't done yet! He came back out on the drums and played a little solo and then did "Imagine That". He came off the drums had had us do like him, and he did that hand waving jumping up and down thing. They ended the show with So Much For Pretending!

What a great show! I Can't wait to do it all again Friday night!! After the show the band was taking the set down. We went up to say hi. We talk to Randle for a few seconds, we told him we'd see them in Mahnomen Friday night, so we'll see if he remembers us. The security guards were shooing us out. I wanted to talk to the other guys. Scott was signing autographs for some girls and this guard was try to make them go. I really don't think Scott minded, but we had to go. I hope we get to talk to them in Mahnomen, they seem so nice.