...2009 continued

After Rea's wedding and the 4 days with the Go Getters, I had a couple days to pack and get ready for Viva Las Vegas. I was working for Kim Lenz, helping her with promotions for her new CD. We had drop cards printed up to be dispensed all over Viva, with information about her new CD, a scheduled CD signing and time and day she was scheduled to play Viva (Sunday). I think we started a bit of trend with that. She also had an advertisement for Rocketbuster boots on the back of the cards. This year at Viva, so many bands had cards with the time and place they were playing during Viva. I don't remember people doing that before Kim did. Anyway, the plan was for me to arrive in Vegas on Thursday and Kim would arrive late Friday night.

I flew into Vegas on Thursday with my friends Woody and Tanya. Tanya is one of my friends who came up with "The Kim Show" to describe me and my life. She is co-founder of the Bombshells and one of my closest friends.

Once I got to Vegas, I had to check into my room, then check in Scotty and Nick (of the Jaguars). I left the keys for them at the desk. I went and unpacked and then ran into Nick and Scotty downstairs and we went to eat. Thursday was kind of a relaxed night, not too much going on, but I did put drop cards out by the wristband check in and on tables at the Hooch N Smooch and the ballroom. I also checked in on Big Ed, made sure he had posters of Kim's new CD up since he had an exclusive to sell them at Viva.

Because I was working, I didn't have hardly any photos from Viva. Here is one I found in my friend Mouse's pics:
I'm sitting against the wall, looking kind of sleepy, surrounded by Swedish guys. Nice face Ashley is making:

Friday was the day Kim arrived and it was kind of a whirlwind from her arriving until after she played Sunday night. I know I put the drop cards around at least 3 times a day, I sold merch for Royal Crown Revue and Go Getters on Saturday night. They played back to back so I was selling merch for about 4 hours straight, maybe longer. Saturday Nick and Scotty moved into my room because they were supposed to move over to the Gold Coast and this was the first year the show was at the Orleans. It was a little unreasonable for them to have to take the shuttle with their instruments and the Orleans was sold out. Here is a picture of me with some of my League of International Party Girls friends

Sunday, Kim had to practice with the guys. I helped get that all sorted and while they practiced in the practice room, I went to the pool party. I had to steal this photo, also, and these were the only photos of me at Viva 2009. Never again am I going to be working there.

Sunday night was a blur...Kim was getting ready, too many people in her room, I was running errands getting her phone charged, checking this and that. Just as she was about to go on stage she realized she forgot her set list. I found her room key and bolted...I ran all the way through the Casino, to her room which was at the end of the LONG hall, found the list and ran all the way back...she had just started. Out of desperation and time constraints, she had quickly written a makeshift set list, but was relieved when Marlene from the Rhythm Shakers, who went on stage to sing a duet,  put the original in front of everyone. Before she was done with her set, I left to set up the Merch and sold dozens of CDs. Kim's CD was the biggest seller at Viva that year, and might have been the biggest all-time seller of a new CD at any Vegas. I think the hype and promotion were the key.

I was busy selling merch and missed Jack Rabbit Slim who played after her. It was disappointing because I heard from a friend they thanked me personally...from stage...at Viva...for helping them out. That will be the story of my next blog.