I must have saved a baby in a past life ...

Because I have incredible karma.
Driving yesterday from Minneapolis toward Boulder (by way of Omaha) was pretty brutal. Boring on the interstates and frustrating off, because I kept making wrong turns and having to backtrack. But as I drove toward Omaha, wondering how I was going to spend the evening and where I might run into Conor Oberst, my luck changed. I had the radio on, a station that seemed to purposely alternate good songs with frighteningly bad ones, when the DJ announced a concert, starting in 30 minutes: 311 and Matisyahu. For $25. Tickets at the gate. Free parking.
What?!
I called 411 to try to find out where the venue, Westfair is, but the woman had no idea. So I called my sister, who through the magic of Google found the venue and directions. It was about 40 minutes away, in the direction I was heading, in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Yeaaaaaaaah.
Matisyahu was fantastic. I saw him last year at Bonnaroo, but I didn't get very close. This time, I could see everything. He ran out into the crowd and climbed a tower, then ran back and brought a little boy on stage to dance.
This venue was a stage in the middle of a field. Surrounded by corn.
And 311 ... one of the best shows I've ever seen. Top 3, definitely, if not Number One ... but I'm not ready to make that commitment. It was insane. Those Nebraskans...
After the drummer did an absurdly good solo, the stagehands put out four more drums - one for each of the other members - and they all rocked out together. And there was dancing, and people bloody from moshing and crowdsurfing ... which, turns out, is pretty dumb when the area in front of the stage is paved with concrete. So when they fell - and fall they did - it was a bad scene.
During the third song of the encore, fireworks went off behind the stage. And beers were $3.
We won't talk about how it took an hour and a half to get out of the parking lot. But it was fucking worth it, sitting in the Bu, sweaty and tired from driving and dancing.
I wanted to sleep as soon as possible, so I found a pretty nice motel at the next exit. Heartland Inn. Paid too much but slept in a KING SIZE bed. Spread eagle. Waste not, want not.
And now I'm leaving for Boulder. I hear driving across Nebraska is horrifying. But we shall see.
Westward ho!