This was probably wait, no it was, the best day of my life! Getting tickets alone for this show made me ecstatic. There were only 235 sold! What would unfold during the course of the day I couldn't have planned any better. My wish upon a star had been delivered and I am more than thankful and blessed that I got to live this experience. I met so many great people this day. Strangers that I instantly bonded with all because we shared one common thread.....we are Daughtry fans! I will probably never see these people again but through the pictures and this blog I will always be able to look back and re-live it. I know many of you were not able to attend a Daughtry show because tickets sold out so fast. This is for all of you guys. I wish I could have taken each and every one of you with me!

I made the 4 hour trip with my friend Johna and Connie, a lady that my friend Johna had met through Daughtry Official. We met one Sunday afternoon, as total strangers, back in February and discussed the trip to Des Moines. We decided that we were going to leave early on that Monday, March 5th 2007. Our thinking was maybe we would get lucky and catch Chris and the guys before the show. If we didn't get lucky catching the guys we decided the next best thing would be that we'd be the first ones in line outside House of Bricks which would mean front row for the show!

We left from Illinois shortly after 9:00am. We arrived at House of Bricks around 1:30pm. After we finally found the place! We were a little lost and pulled up next to some men talking outside and asked how to get to House of Bricks. The one man said "I'll take you there" and jumped in his truck and we followed him. That was so nice of him to do that! Iowa people are the nicest people! We pull up next to House of Bricks and the tour buses are right there parked on the side of the street! I instantly was so excited lol! We had some confusion on where to park the car because we definitely did not want to get a ticket or get towed. Connie found the parking enforcement lady and asked where we could park and she told us we could park about three blocks up the street for free. We got parked and walked the three blocks back to House of Bricks.

As we were about half way up the sidewalk by House of Bricks JP comes out of the building and went to go get back on the tour bus. I said to Connie "That's JP right there." So Connie then yells "Josh!". He turned his head in our direction. Connie asked if we could get a picture. He replied back "Yeah just a minute I'll be right back" as he went inside the bus. We waited outside for about five minutes and he came back off the bus with Brian and Josh! I was even more excited, here were three of the Daughtry guys standing with us! We said hi to all of them and I told them how excited I was to meet them. They all smiled and said hi back to us. We took pictures and then they went inside. Nobody was lined up outside yet which we couldn't believe! So we soon followed JP, Josh and Brian inside and decided if they told us to leave we would leave. To our amazement we found out that we could sit in there! We found a table by the bar and ordered drinks. There was a table of three girls sitting there already next to ours. It didn't take us long to start chatting with these awesome girls and we soon put our tables together and decided that we were going to become a "team" lol.

We exchanged names and info about ourselves all while laughing and talking about none other than Daughtry of course! We did this while being surrounded by some of the Cinder Road and Eve to Adam guys and JP, Josh and Brian were eating their lunch at the table next to ours. It was all to surreal to me! We asked JP where Joey was and he said "I don't know". Connie said "He's probably getting his beauty sleep right?!". JP laughed at this and said "Yeah."

Shortly after that in walked Joey. Oh Joey with his adorable personality. This guy is one of a kind. He was super sweet to all of us. We took pictures with him and talked with him for quite awhile. I asked him if he knew who I was since I talk to him here on Myspace and he wasn't quite sure. I told him it was ok and he seemed embarassed almost that he couldn't remember me. He said "I'm going to start having all the people I talk to on Myspace start wearing name tags so I can match the face with the name". We all laughed at that. Joey and his Myspace friends, too funny! He is quite the character. He told us how he has loved Duran Duran since he was 8 years old and even took out his wallet to show us just how much he loves them. Yeah it's a Duran Duran wallet! Nylon complete with a velcro closure! lol We asked him what Chris was doing and joked about him maybe showing us the tour bus.

Then it happend. The moment I had been waiting for. I was facing the window where you could see the Daughtry tour bus. A man who was bald (no not Chris ha!) had kept coming in and scoping the place out previously. We found out later this was Chris' security guy/tour manager Curtis. I watched as the tour bus door opened up once again and off came Curtis and someone else. I focused my eyes to see who it was. It was Chris. I whispered to the girls because the Daughtry guys were sitting so close to us, "I think Chris just got off the bus". Curtis opened the door and walked in first and I said under my breath "Chris is coming in!". Curtis proceeded to walk Chris over to the bar and Connie said "Hi Chris!". I was of course frozen and couldn't do anything! Chris turned and looked our way and said "Hey". He looked like he had just gotten up. He had his sunglasses on and sounded tired when he spoke. Connie asked Curtis if we could get a picture and he replied "No, he just got off the bus." That was totally understandable and we respected that and all sat quitely and statue-like while Chris looked over the menu. Then I heard that voice speak that I would know anywhere! "Um give me the Philly cheesesteak no onions no peppers." is what he said to the waitress. He was so polite ordering his food. I was going crazy hearing him talk and the fact that he was standing three feet away from me! After he ordered he thanked the girl (how sweet!) and Curtis walked him into a room that was next to where we were sitting. That was the room where the show was going to be later. All of us exhaled! We started saying how we couldn't believe he was that close to us!

After Chris was in the other room for about 30 minutes Curtis walked out with Chris following him! Chris walked over to our table and said "Hi ladies!". We all chimed back "Hi Chris!" sounding like we were teenagers I'm sure! lol He then said "So ya'll want to do pictures now?". I about died right there! I couldn't believe he was talking to us and asking if we'd like to take pictures! Of couse we all said yes but no one would get off their chair and move! I jumped up and said "Ok I'll go first!". I was not going to miss this opportunity! I must say he has a firm grip when he holds on to you. I never wanted that moment to end. He was so nice to all of us and thanked us. Yes, he thanked us and we thanked him in return. So it had happened. I had met Chris Daughtry!

At about 3:30 the owner of the club came over and told us that we would have to go outside at 4:30 so they could start getting things set up for the show and for meet and greet. It was so nice of him to let us sit in there all afternoon and hang out because it was freezing outside that day. We all decided that we would go out a little before 4:30 so we would be first people in line. And yes we were first in line! And yes it was freezing cold! They ended up moving the door time back by half an hour so now we would not be let back in until 7:00pm. That was the coldest I've ever been in my life. I couldn't feel my toes my 6:00. We took turns going over to a neighboring pharmacy to get warm and buy snacks and use their bathroom of course! They were so nice to allow us to do this! Once again Iowa people rock! I shared a blanket with the girls we had met inside and we had the best time ever freezing our asses off waiting for the much anticipated show to start! At one point Chris had walked by us coming off the tour bus and said "I'm sorry guys, I know it's cold". I thought what a guy to say that to us fans. It truly showed how much he cares about all of us. At 6:30 the staff came out and checked I.D.'s and wristbanded us. I knew this meant it was getting close to go in. And at 7:00 they opened the door and instructed us that we going to be allowed inside. I was freaking out!! This was it what I stood outside for those 2 1/2 hours shivering to death for was so worth it!

I got inside with my friends beside me and behind me and walked very fast towards the stage. I had done it! Front row center! Inches from where Chris would be. I soon found out the ceiling had a leak and was dripping on me but that couldn't even stop me from smiling. I didn't care if I got soaked! Chris was going to be performing so close to me! My toes began to thaw out while we watched the roadies set up for Cinder Road. I was getting so excited and couldn't wait for it to start.

Finally it was time to rock! Cinder Road kicked it off and I must say I love these guys! I was able to talk with most all of them and they are a great group of guys. So friendly and very funny. Not only that, their music rocks! If you haven't checked them out you should. They played for about 40 minutes I think. Next up was Eve to Adam. They are awesome. Another great band to check out. They are heavier sounding then Cinder Road. Which is why I'm sure they play before Daughtry. They really got the crowd pumped up. Joey came out while Eve to Adam was playing and rocked out with us fans. I love him even more for this. He was behind my friend Connie the whole time dancing and getting us all into it. Joey is a riot! I believe Eve to Adam played about the same amount of time Cinder Road did. And now it was Daughtry time!!!!

I can't even think of a word to describe how it was to watch Chris perform so close to me. It was so personal and intimate just like he said he wanted it to be. They opened with "Crashed" and the whole place went nuts. For only being 235 fans that had bought tickets we were loud! Camera flashes were going off everywhere. They did an electric show and it was loud just like a good ole rock show should be! My ears were ringing the next day! I couldn't believe though how I could hear everyone singing along. Everyone knew the words to EVERY song! There were a couple points during the show Chris was hanging directly over me. I have that pic on my page. It was absoultely amazing it be that close to him and all the guys from Daughtry while they rocked it out for us fans. The set consisted of 11 songs. They played "Crashed", "Used To", "What I Want", "Gone", "Over You", "Feels Like Tonight", "Breakdown", Chris performed "Rocket Man" accoustic, "It's Not Over", "Home" and the encore was "There And Back Again". It seemed shorter then 11 songs because I was having the time of my life! I never wanted them to quit playing!

When it was over JP, Joey, Josh and Brian all came back out as did the Cinder Road and Eve to Adam guys and hung out with all of us fans. We asked Chris from Cinder Road if Chris would be coming back out and he told us that he probably would. So waited and talked with all the guys and took pics and met some more Daughtry fans. It was about 1:30am and Chris still hadn't come back out. A lot of people had left. There were only about 20 fans, band members and staff left. We decided we were just going to leave because we didn't think Chris was coming back out. Connie went to use the bathroom (Thank God she did). About 5 minutes later in walks Curtis and he kind of looked around and walked back outside. Then he came back shortly and who is behind him?! Chris!! Yep he came back in. I was so glad he did because I had my CD signed by all the other guys but I was missing Chris' autograph. I was so excited the first time I met him that I forgot to have him sign it lol! So yes I met him again. He was standing by our table and I got up and went over to him and said as I handed him my CD "Chris will you please sign this for me?". He was holding a Miller Lite (good choice!), and said "Oh hi again". OMG I thought he remembers me from earlier. He then said "Sure I can sign that" as he turned and set his beer down on the table. I said to myself ok Melissa you have to say something to him. So I said "The show was awesome!". He turned toward me after setting his beer down and looked me directly in the eyes and said "Thank you very much". It was so sweet and sincere the way he said it! I then asked him to take another pic with me which he said "Oh yeah sure". I thanked him and he said "No problem". We left shortly after that. What an end to a great day.

On the drive home we talked about the days events and I said "I can't believe I got to do all of that today". How often does a fan get to hang out with a band that has a double platinum album and is #1 on the Billboard charts?! Chris and the guys from Daughtry are the real deal. They are all so caring and appreciative of their fans. This was the best week of my life. And little did I know that it was going to get better. Yes there is a part 2 to all of this!