Ted Nugent Concert Aftermath

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I woke up this morning with a headache - a glorious, pounding headache and a scratchy throat from all of the screaming and yelling last night.  My feet are sore, and my ears are trying to recuperate.  On the kitchen counter next to my cell phone is a rag-tag ticket stub, a squished pair of ear plugs, and a white guitar pick flung by the Motor City Madman himself - a set of items I laid there only hours ago.

Last night was the AWESOME Ted Nugent concert at the Agua Caliente Casino, Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. . . and The Nuge puts on a helluva show.  For me it was amazing to realize that the man on stage kicking ass and taking names is a 65 year old rocker who doesn't exactly fit in with the political insanity of his Leftist-loving music industry. In fact, at one point he referred to that, joking that folks have told him that he needs to slow down.  In Ted Nugent fashion, he said he replies, "F-That!"  Oh, and "F-Obama."

But let's go back to the beginning.  Why was I there, how did I discover the event, and what in the heck is this "I got in for free and I sat near dead-center in the front row" crap all about?

In the Inland Empire yours truly has been making a mild impact that is becoming less mild more and more as time passes.  In the process of growing what I do regarding educating the public about the Constitution, and spreading the word about how we can turn this thing around if we all would just get involved and start kicking butt, a wonderful network of fine folks has grown around me.  I am blessed to have an small army of folks that believe in what I do, and are willing to assist me along the way in the manner they have been Blessed with in regards to their God-given talents.  A core group at my Constitution Class I lead on Thursday Nights at 6:30 at Faith Armory in Temecula have been doing what they can to help spread the word.  Our fledgling Constitution Association has a number of folks doing what they can to try and grow that group, or help as they can.  One member brings a microphone and speaker for our use each meeting on the first Saturday Night of the month.  We have been graced by fantastic speakers, and we have influenced local politics in a significant way.  I have done a number of public speaking events, and more are cropping up.  Groups are approaching me, asking for me to join their coalitions, make an appearance at their events (I will be at BJ Sporting Goods in Hemet today from 4-6 at the NRA table), and in some cases, even to run for office - The United States House of Representatives 42nd District is one that I am seriously considering.

Among those folks taking interest in what I am doing is the Southern California chapter of the Sons of Liberty Riders, who were a large part of the drive behind the Ted Nugent concert - or at least the VIP group they were putting together to go to that concert.  The goal was to bring together the influential constitutionalists of the area for a night of networking, and concert-going.  They booked a suite at the hotel, gave us many hours before the concert for members of the group to get to know each other, gave us tickets to the show (bought on their dime - or should I say "many dimes"), and then after the show brought us back to the suite for more congregating.

I was one of those invited guests, and I am humbled by being chosen to join the group I was a part of.  From gubernatorial candidate Robert Newman, to author and patriot Lawrence Hebron (His book is Solutions), to San Bernardino Sheriff candidate Paul Schrader, the group was populated by some fantastic people.

With a plan to get off work early, pick up a friend who is also influential locally (Harry Ramos, Murrieta City Council), and get up to Rancho Mirage right at 3:00 pm, I got up at 3:00 am to go to work.  Work went a little long, Harry had a family emergency that kept him from being able to go, and accidents and roadway shutdowns along the way, resulted in me arriving at 4:00 pm, an hour later than I desired.  Coincidentally, and as a Christian I don't believe in coincidences, 4:00 o'clock turned out to be the perfect time to arrive.  I met a bunch of folks, had an opportunity to network with them, and then had lunch with San Bernardino Sheriff Candidate Paul Schrader, and Steve Lopez of the National Rifle Association.

Then, the concert.  I can describe it in one word: LOUD.

Thank God for the ear plugs. . . which actually killed the blaring, and made the music sound better, and the singing clearer. . . but it was still loud.  In fact, I could hear the music just fine - and I could feel the music, too.

I was up front and could see the sweat on Nugent's hands as he played that guitar like Montag directed his brass nozzle in his fists, playing the symphonies of blazing and burning, but instead of bringing down the tatters and charcoal ruins of history like Montag, Ted Nugent, with his music, and fiery political words in between songs, was educating and uniting and igniting the fires of revolution, healing, love of country, and a return to the United States Constitution.

The cheers roared as Uncle Ted talked about the Revolutionary War, and how when the British came for our guns, we shot them dead.  He referred to the White House, and the sweeping sickness of socialism that has engulfed our government, and he said that we must fight back.  This is America, and we will prevail.

A fan brought an American Flag to the stage, and Nugent took that flag, held it up in reverence, and placed it behind him on his stack of stuff, momentarily later bringing out a guitar graced with the Stars and Stripes.  He talked about his love of this country, his love for his wife, his love of hunting, and how if they come for our guns we know what to do.

And then as abruptly as it began, Nugent completed the final song, Stranglehold, letting us know that is what the Left is doing to us, and then walked off stage - with a roar of screaming fans confirming that it was a night of good fun - a night where the attitude of Nugent, that irreverent attitude, was appreciated.

On the way home, after midnight, I found myself having trouble keeping my eyes open, so just short of halfway, I pulled into a travel center, cocked the seat back, and closed my eyes.  I slept for three hours before I resumed the trip home, with the concert continuing in my dreams during the short time I slept.

Great show.  The man knows how to perform, and get the crowd riled up.

And yes, I love the fact that he is an irreverent, non-conforming patriot that says it like it is - and if you don't like it, that is your problem.  He curbs his rhetoric for nobody.

Ted Nugent, thank you for a fantastic concert at the end of your summer tour.

Now, it is time for him to get ready to go hunting.

Oh, and hears the pictures I snapped of the concert.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary