DUNCAN: ANN WILSON

JIM IRSAY KICKOFF CONCERT

By Duncan

LUCAS OIL STADIUM - INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

You may have already heard about the big rock and roll concert in downtown Indianapolis at the 67,000 seat Lucas Oil Stadium. It’s already happened so don't get too excited about thinking you might want to go. I’m going to drop some names in this story because for some unknown reason I found myself attending this big event. Even though I wasn't sure what it was all about.

All I knew was JIm Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts Football Team was picking up the expenses for the night. It was advertised as a Rock and Roll “Give Back Event” being held in the 720 million dollar house with the logo of Lucas Oil on the side of the building.

In 2006, Lucas Oil, a manufacturer and distributor of automotive oil, additives, and lubricants, secured the naming rights for the stadium at a cost of $122 million over 20 years. That’s tall money, no matter how you count it.

When you’re the owner of an NFL football team, the numbers can get very large. The concert had a “KICK-OFF” theme to the festivities, so I assume Jim is excited about his football team this year. And yes, there are great expectations with 21-year-old Anthony Richardson at quarterback.

Now, get this: the tickets to get into this extravaganza were free. Free to everyone. Parking on the south lot of the Stadium was free. (First come, first serve.) I was told there would be a voucher at the gate for $10.00 worth of food or drinks. The show starts at 8:00 PM.

I was advised I needed to head downtown early to get a free parking place.

“What time should we go?”

“I would think you should leave Fishers and head in that direction at about 2:30 PM.”

“Oh come on 2:30? We don’t need to go that early.”

“If you want to fool around and wait, and pay $20.00 in parking fees, someplace else because the lot filled up, then you wait.”

I’m not fighting city hall. So, begrudgingly, I fired up the Mean Yellow and headed into the valley of the shadow of death (downtown Friday night Indianapolis traffic.) And honestly, I got to the south lot of the Lucas Oil Stadium parking lot at about 2:55 PM. The parking lot was about 10% full. So I didn’t need to come this early.

“Where are you from?” Avon, Noblesville, Fishers.

You meet the nieces women standing in line for an hour.

The gates open at 4:00 PM. Which means about an hour's wait standing in line. The free tickets were sent to my Ticketmaster application on my cell phone. I would show the barcode to the ticket taker. And I would be allowed into the venue after a security check.

Once inside, the three women from Avon, Noblesville, and Fishers decided to hang out for a while. In fact, we “hung” for the rest of the evening. It was obvious to me the people in the building were excited to be there. As we walked around the building, we came upon a band playing and rocking the hits. They were good, but I don’t know who they were. I can only assume they are a local band. Here are a few pictures to give you a feel of the music.

I honestly don’t know the name of the band.

My “Three-some” for the evening. Life is good.

Organ and guitar decided to get it together. Life is good when you are having fun.

The lead singer rocks with a beer vendor. Get down!!!

Well, it was time to head to the main event.

DUNCAN ON THE COLTS PLAYING FIELD (without grass) READY FOR THE KICKOFF CONCERT.

I was amazed at the amount of sound equipment, lights, the stage, the cameras, and the huge TV screens everywhere. This was a first-class operation. This promised to be a very well-run show. Keep in mind I didn’t know many of the artists that were going to perform. But I guess I was learning to learn.

Jim Irsay came on the stage with his black cowboy hat and Blues Brothers sunglasses and gave away three checks for $250,000 to local hospitals to benefit children.

Then the concert begins. I didn’t realize Jim Irsay was a singer with his own rock and roll band. But, as I watched Jim’s performance, it came to me that when you have all the money in the world, you can attract a stadium of 30,000 if you give the tickets away for free. And you invite other well-known artists to the house. Now, I know that sounds “cold,” but Jim loves rock and roll memorabilia. He is into this world of the rock and roll lifestyle. And who doesn’t want to be a rock and roll legend? His collection of guitars is enormous.

WILD MUSIC, WILD LIGHTS, WILD NIGHT NIGHT

BILLY BRANCH - Harmonica / KENNY ARONOFF - Drummer / DANNY NUCCI - Sax / KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD - Lead singer and guitar / MICHAEL RAMOS - Hammond B3 organ

BILLY BRANCH - Harmonica player and singer of Chicago blues. Branch is a three-time Grammy nominee, a retired two-term governor of the Chicago Grammy Chapter, an Emmy Award winner, and a winner of the Addy Award.

KENNY ARONOFF - drummer, backing bands for singers such as John Mellencamp and John Fogerty. He has taught drumming at the college level and owns a recording studio as well. He is the drummer for John Mellencamp.

DANNY NUCCI - He is best known for his supporting roles in blockbuster films, including his roles as Danny Rivetti in Crimson Tide, Lieutenant Shepard in The Rock, Deputy Monroe in Eraser, and Fabrizio de Rossi in Titanic, as well as his lead role as Mike Foster in the Freeform series The Fosters. I had no idea who this guy was.

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD - guitarist. He has released several studio albums and experienced significant commercial success as a blues rock artist. This guy was excellent on the guitar. He looked like he was in charge of keeping the program going, but man, oh man, could he play a guitar.

CARMELLA RAMSEY - She plays violin, mandolin, Saxophone & vocals. She has worked with (Reba McEntire, John Hiatt, Olivia Newton-John)

TOM BUKOVVAC - guitar - (far left) has toured with Ann Wilson, Joe Walsh, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vince Gill, John Fogerty, Faith Hill, Trigger Hippy, Wynonna Judd, Tanya Tucker, and others. Bukovac is currently a member of The Jim Irsay band

PETER WOLF - Peter Wolf is best known as the lead vocalist of The J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983 and as a solo artist. Peter ran all over the stage like a crazy possessed man, performing hits such as “Centerfold” and “Love Stinks.” I had no idea who he was, but he seemed to enjoy himself acting like a lead actor in the movie The Cuckoo's Nest.

STEPHEN STILLS - musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Manassas. As a solo act and a member of three successful bands, Stills has combined record sales of over 35 million albums.

MIKE MILLS - (Far left) Singer and composer who was a founding member of the rock band R.E.M.C. Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., his musical repertoire includes keyboards and occasional lead vocals.

MICHAEL RAMOS - (On the organ) A producer/composer/musician living in Austin, Texas. He has toured and/or recorded with the likes of John Mellencamp, Patty Griffin, BoDeans, Paul Simon, and Kris Kristofferson.