Two Amazing AVA And Concert Filled Nights!

                     So the amazing casino I work at has concerts this time of year all the time.  The selections are all over the board with even Snoop Dog coming to town next month.  There amapathereter is as amazing as the workers.   Recently I enjoyed two concerts here.  One with our oldest  and one just a few days ago with my beautiful wife as we snuck away from the kids and the small town of Benson and had a very needed date night.   Before I go with the new post    Last year our oldest and I snuck to the AVA to see Z Z Top.    Here is that past post  in case you missed it.  http://exarizonagobensonbobcats.blogspot.com/2014/09/z-z-top-concert.html

                       

 

 

I am looping these two posts together because they have the same theme and because I do not have very many pictures from either.    I also hope that these posts are seen in a very positive light by all   especially my bosses.  Any way you look at it -we had an amazing time!!

 

 

Neon Pepsi sign through the trees.

 

 

Last month our oldest and I snuck away to the Fall Out Boy concert.

I let him pick any concert he wanted to go in the long line up, for a late birthday present. 

And this is the one he picked. 

I have to admit this really was not my cup of coffee and I love coffee!

I only found I knew two of the songs in the full line up.

BUT they put on a really good show.

With fireworks, a huge crowd following, and fire balls!

All night I attempted to film the fire balls, but alas, never did manage to snap a picture.

 

 

Just inside the great entry way   was the largest line I have seen in a great time.  Maybe ever.

This line was to purchase T shirts and such.

And we noticed that some people were in line for the full concert. 

 

 

 

 

 

  A dj played as it grew darker. 

 

And than around seven o clock it was time for the opening act.  

A very energetic Hoody Allen.

 

 

 

And the crowd went wild!

 

 

 

I have to admit that the thing that bugged me most about this concert

was not the noise or the angry teens, or the even angrier  30 somethings in the crowd.

It was that everyone seemed to be watching the live concert through a screen.

Yes I took some pictures   but I than enjoyed the thrill of being at a live venue.

Many  in fact almost all around us seemed to tape the entire show on the phone or device.

Why bother?   Just save your cash and watch them on TV or your device?

 

 

 

About this point the band let out a great deal of weighted floating balls. 

And the crowd went nuts!

Even more so when the balls started hitting the near by cactus and popping!

 

 

 

 

All in all it was a great experience.  Although the concert was on a Sunday night

with school the next night so we had to hurry home.

We did find that if one parks near the main entrance of the casino 

they can avoid the rush to leave.

When the new traffic lights are lit up   most of this pain and gridlock should

diminish.

 

 

About a week ago my wife and I ventured here again.

This time to sneak away from the kids, eat well, gamble a little, enjoy each other-maybe

and watch Weird Al live.

 

 

Obviously a whole different ball game!

 

I was pleasantly surprised with how good this show was.

I had never seen him in concert just on TV.

And knew he was wild for sure.

The bits, comedy, and wardrobe changes were perfectly timed.

To make it a great experience. 

 

 

Right here I was trying to snap a picture  and this man stepped in front of me just

as the flash went off. 

I apologize for blinding you   but it was overly funny to me.

 

 

Completely different feel and crowd from the last show.

But when he pulled out some of his old classics 

the crowd went wild!

 

 

 

 

Making fun of Lady Ga Ga

 

No one is safe  present or from the past.

 

 

In deep thought I am sure.

 

We were very pleased that he did not pull out his newer "hit"  stuck in the drive through.

I have listened to the full 11 minute "song" and it was torture.  

Find it in case you like it!

 

At one point he started signing his version of morbid pick up lines.

He jumped off the stage   something most artists never do  

actually he started the show by walking around the whole property and than through the crowd.

And than started singing his love thoughts to random ladies in the seating area.

At empty chairs he would jump on them and attempt to dry hump the chairs.

The people around all of this went wild  cheering, getting pictures, and of course taping it all.

 

 

 

I had forgotten that he also sings    

Pretty fly for a white boy!

My theme song for sure. 

He came out singing this song on a Segway.

I broke my rule about hating people at concerts behind a screen and taped most of the song. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Valley Waterfall

       Welcome back!    As always for more Exploring, adventure, and coffee love   please check out my first and longest running blog page  at:     www.wyomingjack.blogspot.com.       In fact I posted a blog post on that page earlier this morning. 
  This very page is  in seek of more readers.  I am very happy to report that my last post on ST David already has 100 views!   Please share this page   and keep the views coming.  I have a ton of new pictures and posts in the works!  

      Last week I learned that there was a waterfall close to us.  We lived in Washington state before moving here, and I am still getting used to not seeing water every where I turn.  Including constantly falling from the sky!  We have been here three years now, and I find myself still getting used to it.  That said, any time my desert Exploring takes me to water, I take lots of pictures.  I also recently heard there is a lake in Wilcox, so that is now on my Exploring list of to do's.  I wish to learn for certain if a lake is this close to us, or if it is more like a drainage pond. 

    On this day I decided to venture out to the waterfall.   I had hoped that the recent storms would make it really flowing.  But found a small trickle.   Possibly a good thing because our truck with four wheel drive is back in the shop.  This is mostly down a dirt road and I am not sure our little pickup could have gotten me home, if a big storm came through.  With the wash board roads and run offs.   Although this dirt road starts off very very well maintained.  And maybe even smother than the near by section of I-10. 

  

 

Neat cloud shot from our front yard before venturing out to Explore.

 

To get here, especially after a heavy rainfall, just jump on I-10 heading to Tucson and get off on the Mescal  J-6 exit

you than turn right.  And just keep going. 

Near the exit off ramp is a very nice little store with gas.

And a bar or two. 

I have not yet ventured to either bar  but they might be a great stop after my next

trip to the waterfall. 

 

 

Right about these old buildings  this turns into a dirt road. 

 

 

Turns out these buildings are movie props.

The whole area being part of Old Tucson studios.

The road is blocked off and has many do not enter signs.

It also turns out I some times choose not to read to well, and ventured a little closer.

 

 

 

 

 

It also turns out that there are care takers that live on the set.

So this is as close as I got to any of the buildings.

I than was being watched by several people and made a quick exit to my truck.

 

 

I always enjoy a good windmill.

The older the better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must note here that I was told to go till the end of the road and than hike.

This is NOT true.

And you soon end up around a good deal of homes.  In fact I am not sure where the road actually does dead end. 

The road does become more like a dirt road at some point about mid trip.

Full of rough wash boards and such.

BUT  at the point pictured above  just to the left is a parking area

THIS is were you wish to park.

 

Some more sights along the way.

 

 

 

 

You pretty much circle the mountain range to get to the parking area. 

 

 

The area is also an open range. 

 

 

This happy little guy was happy that I "mooed!" at him. 

 

 

 

 

This is past the waterfall. 

But I was not aware of this fact at the time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to Explore!

It is a very quick trip once parked to the water.

The surrounding hills look like they wish to be Explored.

But I was on limited time on this day.

And I am really not a fan of snakes

so I stayed on the trail.

 

 

By the water I saw more than enough snakes to keep me moving fast. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said  there was just a trickle of water on this day.

But it was running water!

The rock formations are just high enough  after a big storm I could

see real potential in this being an amazing sight. 

I must note here 

that the rocks are all super slippery even with dry feet.

 

 

 

 

 

I was also very happy that even with the standing water

I ran into no mosquito's on this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always take to many pictures when I actually stumble across water in the

desert, so please bare with me. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the top of the beak   just off the trail.

Look at them boulder holders!

 

 

 

 

Back on the dusty trail.

 

 

 

View from our yard again

Same tree  near the end of the fine day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next some local live concert action.