ANDRE RIEU

By Duncan 

TW picked this lovely hotel. ($119.00) Most of you know I’m a Motel 6 kind of guy.

The price didn’t seem to be outrageous, so be it!

Where is this fine hotel? Columbus, Ohio.

What in the world are we doing in Columbus, Ohio?

You would need to know the name “Andre Rieu.”

And now, for the rest of the story.  

While surfing the internet one night, I stumbled across a three-hour concert by Andre Rieu. I’m not into classical music, but this concert had a different flair, so I stayed with it for a few minutes. TW came into the room, stopped, and looked at the program. 

“Turn up the sound.” She said.  

Then she sat down, and we began to watch the concert. Yes, all three hours of the concert. When the program was over, she wanted to know if Andre (Now her personal and very close friend) was touring in the United States?

I checked Google and found he was, in fact, touring the United States, in September. The schedule was Washington D.C., Boston, New York, Detroit, Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio, at the Schottenstein Center. 

“What do tickets cost?”

(Oh, please, not a live concert.) 

“Which place do you want me to check? Chicago or Ohio?”

“Try Ohio first. See if there are any seats available.” 

Really you see a three-hour program and now you want to go and see the same thing all over again?

I pulled up a seating chart for Columbus, Ohio, Schottenstein, Center.

The front row in front of the stage had one seat left, $2,598.00.

The second row in front of the stage had one seat left, which was $1,920.00.

The third row in front of the stage (one seat) was $1,332.00 dollars.

The first full section (on the floor) was $800.00, and the second section was $600.00.

Way up in the back, way up … were the $89.00 seats.

Of course, TW didn’t want to sit in the crow's nest. 

As it came closer to showtime, I found two discounted seats online. They were in the second section, normally ($600.00 a seat). There were two seats, but not together.

I found a single seat in the $600.00 section, priced at $130.00.

I told TW I found another seat in the second section for $130.00, but we would not be sitting together.

She didn’t take long and told me to “Pull the trigger.”

So, now I get to go on Ticketmaster, and all of a sudden, Ticketmaster adds taxes and fees to the experience.

A new total of $320.00. 

MONTANA, VERY LATE AT NIGHT

"Are we staying overnight or driving back to Indianapolis from Columbus after the concert?" I asked.

TW reminded me of my driving experience in Montana, driving down a dark two-lane road when I hit a moose.

I said, “It’s probably not a good idea for me to drive late at night after a long day in the bar."

I had to hand it to her on this one. 

The trip to Columbus is about 175 miles. It will take about three hours. We left about noon and decided we didn’t need to be in the hotel much before 3:00 PM. We checked in and decided to eat something before going to the concert. Next door to the hotel was a Waffle House. 

THE FIRE TRUCK 

I know what you're thinking. No, not this trip. I am not behind the wheel of my Mean Yellow. We are using TW’s “Fire Truck” on this trip.

We entered an almost empty restaurant. I think there was one other customer in the building when we entered. Our waitress, as it turned out, was Ty. She was also the cook. She had a real personality. She seemed glad to see us; interacting with her was a joy. 

WAFFLE HOUSE - TY, TW, DUNCAN 

Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio. 

By the way, parking was $20.00. I did notice that a charge card was required for every expense at the Schottenstein Center. The Schottenstein Center holds 20,000 seats. Keep that number in mind.

So, let’s think about this for a minute. You and I need to park our car. Schottenstein management has two choices: We park our car, give the parking attendant a $20.00 bill, or use a charge card instead.

With twenty thousand seats, I assume two people to a car. The ticket takers will be handling $20.00 X 10,000 cars. Which is something in the neighborhood of $200,000 dollars. Management asks themselves, do I trust a handful of people to bring me $200,000.00 in cash, or is there a "better way?"

I can only pay the parking attendant with a charge card. They all carry charge card readers.  

And I see that Andre is selling out his shows to about 20,000 seats no matter where he plays. People who keep track of concerts estimate his show grosses about a million dollars at every venue. By the way, the demographic at these shows is a “mature audience.” 

As I move around the country, I don’t feel I’m in that "mature" demographic. As I look out with my eyes, I would guess my age to be in the 40s or 50s. But, of course, that would be a bald-faced lie. All you need to do is look at me in these pictures.

But humor me, this is my story.  

Another new experience is how I received my tickets to this event. Ticketmaster sends the tickets to my cell phone. Now I've got to figure out how to download the Ticketmaster Application, and when I get to the gate, I place my phone under a scanner, and the scanner reads my phone. Yes, I was nervous that I would be able to pull off this miracle of technology.

The closer we got to the scanner, I noticed two “OLDER” people having problems with their phones, and the line behind me was getting very upset with the slow-moving couple that couldn't figure out how to get their tickets to scan. I must admit that I was calm; I didn’t want the same experience.

"Oh, please let my phone work for me."

So when I placed my phone in the scanner, it went through “Likity Split.” I did it!!! and I don't have an Apple I-Phone.

  

TW WANTED A PICTURE OF THE BILL BOARD.

THE SEATS ARE EMPTY AND THIS IS THE WAY IT LOOKS BEFORE WE GET STARTED. 

  

Schottenstein Board Room

Well, there was plenty of time before the show was to start. So I made my way to the “Schottenstein Board Room.” The building has some years on it and looks like it holds all kinds of events. The “Board Room" is very proud, very proud, of their libation. One small glass of wine and one Vodka & 7 = $37.50 on a charge card, of course. I’m living very large tonight. 

“When in Roam, do as the Romans do?”  

Let the show begin.

Andre Rieu. 

Rieu created the Johann Strauss Orchestra in 1987 and began with 12 members, giving its first concert on 1 January 1988. He performs with between 50 and 60 musicians. 

Rieu plays a 1667 Stradivarius violin. Rieu and his orchestra have appeared throughout Europe, North and South America, Japan, and Australia. 

You know that solemn atmosphere you find in the concert hall with classical music, and how it intimidates most people and keeps them away? With us, it is simply not there. 

My orchestra consists of young, enthusiastic musicians who put their heart and soul into the music every evening when they play in our concerts.

At one of our concerts, you'll see me, the orchestra, and the audience all having a lot of fun together. Swaying with the music, humming along, clapping, jumping up and down - it all happens! Every evening is a wonderful experience, and there couldn't be a greater pleasure for a musician. My concerts are about joy and love!“ says André Rieu. 

  

This rashing young lady (Betty) was my seatmate on my right. 

Ken and Susan from Fort Wayne and Tampa were on my left for the evening. The term is snowbirds. Fort Wayne and family for six months and warm Tampa weather for six months. 

After the concert, it was time for a little something to eat and a cocktail. The hotel was located on the west side of Columbus, so we searched for a waterhole that was open.

It seems they roll up the carpet on the west side of Columbus at about 10:30.

Lucky’s was a sports bar, and the Thursday Night NFL game was on all the TV’s. We enjoyed chicken wings and salty hot pretzels.

By the way, the following morning we were preparing to leave the hotel. The Courtyard by Marrotte, Columbus, Ohio, room 233, on the west side of Columbus, has a problem with its plumbing. The tub does not drain. I had water to my ankles. Reminds me of a Motel 6.

Just saying.

 

SAY GOODBYE TO OHIO. 

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