2003-06-03
Surrounded by Twang
It's that time of year again in Nashville. Fan Fair time. For those of you not familiar with Fan Fair, it's basically four or five days of country music madness. Okay. Let's just ignore the fact that the crap that passes for country music these days makes me queasy (I'm looking at you, Shania Twain and Jo Dee Messina). Let's also look past the fact that most of the fans of this stuff are not the most, uh, refined people around. I am annoyed by Fan Fair because it inconveniences me.
Fan Fair used to be tucked away at the nasty ol' State Fairgrounds, where the fans (and the musicians!) wouldn't bother the rest of us, who merely want to go about our jobs and lives. Last year, it was moved to the middle of freaking downtown, spread out among three or four venues. All of them surround my poor, poor library.
To prepare, we've replaced interesting lobby displays about photography and hiking with crap about record labels and harmonicas. People with fanny packs and Big Gulps have been traipsing into our building, looking around, expecting to stumble into Wynonna Judd at any moment.
The lines at Subway were longer today, and full of people in Nashville T-shirts, with screaming kids in cowboy hats. I'll have to pay extra to find a parking spot anywhere within walking/shuttle distance of my building this week.
Wah. I guess it's good for our local economy, but really, it's such a load of crap. Fan Fair started out as a way for fans of country music to meet with their idols, to get autographs and pictures, and to see their favorite acts live. Now, I don't know what the hell it is. For example, this year marks the start of a "Lecture Series." First on the bill? Lance Bass (yes, that Lance Bass) and the lead singer from the group Alabama. What? Also, Bo and Sami from Days of Our Lives. I'm sorry, what? What do any of these people have to do with anything?
Also, at Walgreen's today, I saw a big display of guitar-shaped fly-swatters? Help.
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Tonight: Step class and that horrible "Fame!" show. Also, leftover tiramisu from last night's birthday dinner.
For the ladies out there, a picture of Billy Ray Cyrus, from a past Fan Fair:
