38 Special – Analog Artist Digital World

On Friday March 1st, The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida proudly sponsored the 20th Annual Hearts of Gold concert which featured Southern Rock classic 38 Special at the Hard Rock Live in Universal Orlando.

All ticket sales and silent auction items benefited the Coalition for the Homeless. The elite All-Access VIP Reception in Hard
Rock Live’s Lennon Room included
an exclusive meet n’ greet with the band members of 38 Special, complimentary
beverages and hors d’oeuvres. When I got to the White Lennon Room, the band members hadn’t arrived yet so I sketched out on the balcony. As I was working, one of the volunteers for the event told me that she had bought a record album for the band members to sign. A security guard had confiscated the album from her saying that there were to be no autographs. She met the band members and one of them said he would have gladly signed her album. When I was waiting for the elevator downstairs, the volunteer was desperately trying to get her album back. I don’t know if she ever retrieved it.

The CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless was on stage before the concert thanking the many corporate sponsors who helped make the event possible. Top sponsors included, Bright House, Disney, Hilton Grand Vacations, Starwood Vacation Ownership, and Dellecker Wilson King McKenna Ruffier & SOS, now that is a mouth full.

The 38 Special concert was great with plenty of hard hitting rock and roll. I didn’t recognize every song from the group, but obviously many hits had been on the radio. An older couple seated next to me were having a great time. The man was bobbing his head and rocking out. This obviously had been one of his favorite bands as a teen. A woman seated 5 seats away won the raffle. They kept calling her number but since she was in the rafters, they didn’t notice her from the stage. Finally when the house light went up they saw her screaming and shouting with her section shouting as well to help her out.

On March 1st, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida hosted a fundraising concert at Hard Rock Live. Hard Rock is located at Universal Studios City Walk complex. After 6PM, the parking garage becomes free for Florida Residents. I left home later than usual to make sure I got to Universal after 6PM.

There was a long line of cars waiting to get past the parking admission booths. When I got up to the booth, the collections agent asked me for my Florida drivers license which I was happy to show him. Now my license isn’t the prettiest thing in the world. It is dog eared at the corners and the renewal stickers that Department of Motor Vehicles keeps sending tended to slip a bit from being in my hot wallet too long. Anyway, I’m holding my license out the window and he barks at me that he needs a FLORIDA License. “It is a Florida license.” I respond. He frowned and took the card from me, then handed it back. “I can’t use that”. He said. After some arguing, he did admit it was a Florida license, but he said “I can’t scan that.” “What? You didn’t even try!” was my response. “It is valid till May of 2013, read the back.” I got five bucks out of my wallet since there seemed to be no way to reason with this Parking Nazi. I held my bill out the window but he took so long with the car on the opposite side of the booth, that I changed my mind. “I’m leaving.” I told him. He slapped a ticket on my windshield under the wiper and pointed me towards the exit. I turned on my wipers to send the ticket flying as I drove away.

After leaving Universal and cooling down, I decided to return to the parking garage but this time I would look for a female parking attendant. I figured a female attendant would be more reasonable than the Parking Nazi. It was quite a drive on side roads and a very crowded International Drive. When I drove up to the female attendant, she gasped when she saw the card, but she did let me into the garage. I probably wasted an hour of drawing time by arguing and driving in circles, but I was in. I stayed off the moving walkways and used the steps rather than the escalators, for the exercise and to warm up. Besides walking is often faster than the moving walkways.

There was a metal detector to get into Hard Rock Live. The security guard said, “You can’t bring that chair inside.” “Your kidding.” I replied, “What am I supposed to do with it?” “You’ll have to bring it back to your car.” If you’ve been to Universal, then you know that the parking garage is a loooong walk. If I had to walk all the way back, I’d probably leave in a huff. This was the last straw. As I was debating what to do, a second guard said, “Let him in.” I set off the metal detector then emptied all the art supplies in my pockets onto a table. Finally I was in.

Betsy Dye who had recently started working for the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida greeted me in the lobby. Her warmth and cheer melted away my frustrations. I went up to the White Lennon Room where people were able to meet the band members of 38 Special. The band members hadn’t arrived yet, so I went out on the balcony and sketched there. It was a cold night, so I drew fast.