Jimmy Buffett in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada - I am emotionally spent. I am exhausted. The Far Side of the World concert was the best EVER. Okay, so I say this after every tour. Jimmy was in fine form. Considering he is 56, he can still rock like a young boy. The Coral Reefers are the best - the costumes for this tour are gorgeous. Our seats were FABULOUS - we were directly above the stage, with a side-view... these were the best seats I have had a Buffett concert since circa 1978. He rocked for over 3 hours and we rocked right along with him, we only sat down during the intermission. I phoned Lisa during Brown Eyed Girl and held the phone up so she could hear the song and I phoned Mary during Margaritaville. For my fellow Parrotheads, the set-list:
 
Stars on the Water, Blue Guitar, Weather Is Here - Wish you were Beautiful, Come Monday, Boat Drinks (Bluegrass version), Why Don't We Get Drunk, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Last Man Standing, Son of a Son of A Sailor, Fruitcakes, Margaritaville, One Particular Harbour, Banana Republics, Volcano, Far Side of the World, Savannah Fare You Well, Everybody's Got a cousin in Miami, What if the Hokey Pokey is All it Really is About, A Pirate Looks at Forty, I Love The Now, Fins, Southern Cross, Brown Eyed Girl, Thank God The Tiki Bar is Open, They Say it's Your Birthday (Beatles), Changes in Latitudes, Someday I Will. That's 27 songs, folks.
 
My comments: Fruitcakes threw me, as I haven't heard him sing that song since his Fruitcakes album tour and also Cousin in Miami was a strange addition. He sang Savannah, my favorite song from the new CD. The Parrotheads are well-versed in tradition and technique and were in fine-form themselves. Jimmy and the Coral Reefers broke-out in a wild version of They Say it's Your Birthday - a surprise for his daughter, Savannah Jane. Savannah jumped up on stage hugged her Proud Papa, who reported: "it was Savannah's 23rd birthday (she had graduated from UCLA) and "she has a job". She really has grown to be a beautiful young woman. I totally lost it.
 
So, let me back-track to the rest of our day. We were LAZY! I did walk two miles and DT did go for a jog, but that was pretty much it for effort. I was saving my energy for later. We are parked, er... camped... right by a beautiful swimming pool (86 degrees) and a bubbling hot tub. We went to the pool! This is the first time I have ever gone to a pool while we are camping. (Of course, it is usually FREEZING where we camp.) Not here. It is over 90 degrees today and I can officially report - our air conditioner is ON. After an exhaustive hour at the pool, I came back to the motor home and did needlework for several hours. (Can you even stand this excitement?) At about 4:00 pm, I started getting ready and donned by Parrothead Parrot-phanalia and we drove into the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
 
So, there I was - wearing a wild tropical-print skirt, several leis around my neck, the ticket from the party last night around my neck, gigantic plastic margarita glasses dangling from my ears - when someone asked me if I was "here for the concert?". I totally deadpanned and said "Concert? What concert? Huh?"
 
Vegas seems to draw the wildest sort of Parrotheads. The Hotel held a party in the parking lot before the concert (sponsored by Corona Beer and Margaritaville Tequila) with a hat contest (Cindy's Barbie hat did not win!) and a Hokey Pokey contest (the winner came up on stage when Jimmy sang the song) and there were not a lot of sober people at the MGM Grand by 8:00 pm. I saw one hat with a Jimmy Buffett "food theme". Glued to the straw hat were Jr. Mints, Juicy Fruit gum, plastic cheeseburger... etc... very clever. Lots of grass skirts, Hawaiian shirts, leis, coconut-shell bras - and new this year, scallop-shell bras for the less-endowed ladies. What a hoot! Of course, no cameras allowed, or I could have filled an entire website with crowd shots. You will have to trust me - it was a crazy crowd - and there were 17,000 of us. The waiter pouring my beer told me he loves to work the Buffett shows as the fans are so happy, tip well and are so much fun. (He didn't say "Hey, you dudes are OLD!) Yes, we are getting to be an older crowd. DT and I saw several couples well into their 70s, with the average age about 40. Nearly everyone I spoke with would attend both shows.
 
After the show, and 4 encore songs, we walked back to our car. I was so tired; DT practically had to carry me. He was starving, so we drove through the same 24-hour taco stand at 11:30 pm. It was a magical night and I can't believe my luck in getting to experience it again tonight. I will be resting today. But I will have a big smile on my face.

RV Park: Outdoor Resorts Las Vegas