You've got something so incredible in my eyes...

**NKOTBSB Tour - 7/20/2011 - KFC Yum! Center - Louisville, KY**

*Part I - The Wylee Party*

Well, I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to continue with my Backstreet Adventures in order or go ahead and review my NKOTBSB show from last night first.  I decided that I would go ahead and skip ahead to review the show and then go back to where I left off.  Then I realized that A LOT happened yesterday (Wylee Party, VIP, and Concert) and it would be a VERY long post if I posted everything in one post.  So my NKOTBSB - Louisville review will be split up into a couple parts.

Before this tour was announced, I was hoping and praying that NKOTBSB would go to Lexington, KY for a show.  I absolutely love Lexington and if it were up to me, that is where my husband and I would be living right now.  When they announced that they would be in Louisville instead, I had to take what was given to me.  I had to go to this show since I had lived right across the Ohio River for two years and was very upset when we had to move back to Northwest Indiana.  I loved it down there and miss it every day.  I thought it was great that they were playing in Kentucky but knew that I was going to have to represent my University of Kentucky Wildcats since they were doing the show in the KFC Yum! Center, where the University of Louisville basketball team plays.  I was going to be in enemy territory.  Although, I believe that the fact that UK leads the record over U of L in both basketball (28-14) and football (14-9) shows which school is superior.  Oh and for those of you who are wondering...I am NOT a UK fan just because Brian is.  I was a UK fan long before BSB even formed.  My guess is that this is one of the many reasons that I was drawn to Brian.

Tammy and me at a UK Basketball Game

Anyway, I was originally supposed to go to this concert with my friend Susan (met on BSB fan club).  However, on Monday, she texted me to tell me that her husband's grandfather had passed away and she was not going to be able to go to the concert with me.  I had to do some pretty deep searching to find someone who could buy her ticket.  it was such short notice that people either had to work, could not find a babysitter, were on vacation, or had family coming into visit.  My friend, Tammy (met at one of Brian's solo concerts), ended up taking Susan's ticket.  She had wanted to go to this concert since day one, as she is also a fan of UK and wants to live in Kentucky.  Now, she was getting her opportunity.

I left for Louisville on Tuesday night after work.  I was staying with some friends who we used to spend a lot of time with when we lived down there.  My normal place of accommodations was unavailable because they were on vacation.  I didn't really have a plan for the next morning except to go to the mall so that I could go shopping at "Kentucky Korner" to buy myself a new UK shirt for the concert.  However, when I woke up I decided that I better check Twitter to see if Leighanne was having a Wylee Party.  I got my butt in gear once I discovered that she was from 1-4.  Check in for soundcheck (I had won Silver VIP) was at 3:45 so I really did not expect Brian to be there.  Usually when he attends the Wylee Parties, Drew will bring him from the venue towards the end.  I knew the end of the party was going to be too close to soundcheck for him to be there.

So I went to "Kentucky Korner" and bought my new UK shirt.  I wasn't planning on changing into it until the show because it was HOT that day and I knew I would be sweating.  So I wore my old UK shirt (which I do have on in a picture with Brian during his HHC event) because I still had to represent while I was in Louisville.  I also decided to do a little searching for a possible cruise dress.  A hint for a theme was released back in May and my friends and I believe it will be a White Night.  I did find a white dress and picked that up while I was there.  I then headed across the river to a store called Clodhoppers, where the Wylee Party was supposed to be.  I got there at 1, went in, and there was no Wylee anywhere in sight.  There were two other people outside.  We later found out that the party was supposed to start at 2, even though Twitter said 1.  There was a heat index of 105 so there was no way I was going to continue to stand outside.  I went into the CVS right next door and picked up a water, a Snickers Ice Cream Bar, and a book of Sudoku puzzles.  I went back to my car and blasted the air.  At 2, the Wylee trailer pulled up.  Shortly after, a white van pulled up and out popped Brian, his parents, Baylee, and Leighanne.  They started unloading the Wylee gear and we all went in.  At that point, there were maybe only 7 or so fans.  I knew Brian usually did not take pictures at the Wylee Parties but he was just kind of standing there and helping them set up.  All the fans were just kind of standing around so I decided to work up the courage to go talk to him.  Sometimes I find it intimidating to talk to them because of who they are.

Wildcat Fans Forever

I asked Brian if he was going to be taking pictures and he said it depended on the number of people there.  Since there were so few of us, I recommended that we just take it then and he agreed.  So I now have five photos of me wearing this same UK short (one from this day and four from the photo booth at his HHC event).  He complimented me on my Maymee Hold It (a Wylee product) and I discussed my UK bracelet with him that I found in Cozumel on the BSB Cruise 2010.  We then discussed how he had requested that they do a show in Lexington at Rupp Arena when talks of this tour first started, since they hadn't played there since Millennium (he had completely forgetten that they did Lexington for the Black and Blue Tour).  He was disappointed when they chose Louisville instead, but still felt good to be home.  He then told me that he was trying to get them to find him a UK jersey to wear for the encore but wasn't sure if they would be able to find one since we were in Cardinal country.  I told him that I knew where I might be able to find one and that if I did, I would bring it to soundcheck.

Can you tell why we may have been talking about my bracelet?

Brian's dad then came up to me and asked if I was a UK fan (duh!).  I said, "Is there any other team?"  We then talked about Drew and how he played football for USC (I believe) until he hurt his knees.  I also talked to Drew for a little bit.  Can you believe he has not actually seen the show (he is always backstage)?  I also wished Leighanne a Happy Birthday.

I picked up an Ellen tote (more Wylee merch) for my friend Cory, who did not get a Wylee Party in Tulsa for her concert.  It was actually hand delivered to me by Brian Littrell himself.  I decided that if I was going to find a UK jersey for Brian, that I would have to leave before he left.  I traveled back across the river and back to "Kentucky Korner," where I could have sworn I had seen a UK jersey.  However, since it is not basketball season, that was a no go.  I tried!  How amazing would it have been for him to wear a jersey I had given him during the show.  I would have died!

I headed back to the venue for the soundcheck, crossing the Ohio River one more time for the day....

Stay tuned for my Soundcheck Review....