Some times, having a family member involved in the local music scene can pay off. Such was the case when my cousin, a drummer for a band in Salt Lake City, called me up and said, "Hey, what are you doing tonight?" I told him I didn't have any plans and asked what was up.
"Maren Morris is playing at the Complex and we're the opening act. I got a few tickets from it to pass out and thought of you first," he said.
I was a big fan of Maren Morris and had been trying to get tickets to her show, but ran out of money before I could, so I quickly accepted the offer. He told me where to meet him, just outside the Complex, an event venue in downtown SLC and he would pass over the ticket.
It was a hot summer day in early June in Utah as I made the drive a few hours later. I had Maren's music blaring in my car, eager and excited to see her live for the first time. The Complex wasn't very big, only holding 2,500 people, so I was hoping I would have a good view point of her. Because, as much as I enjoyed her music, I also greatly enjoyed her body, the way she showed it off, and would love to see it up close.
When I found my cousin outside the venue, he said, "Stick around close to the barrier after the show. I'm gonna try to get you backstage. Maren is cool as hell and I've been talking you up."
Talking me up? I wonder what he meant by that. But a chance to meet Maren? I'll stick around all night.
Once inside the venue, I was able to make my way up close to the stage, standing right next to the barrier. My cousins band was on first, of course, and I enjoyed the mix of country and rock music that they played. I had seen them numerous times live and seemed to be the only one in the crowd that knew the words to their songs.
By the end of their thirty-minute set, they had the crowd going and they ended up getting a standing ovation, which made me happy for them. As they walked off the stage, they each ran over to me, gave a little hug, and thanked me to support them. When my cousin got to me, he whispered in my ear, "Seriously, don't go anywhere after Maren is done. You won't regret it."
Maren came on the stage about twenty minutes later. For most of the shows on her tour, she had been wearing either a skirt or a dress but for this show, she was wearing black pants and a black tanktop. The tanktop had a deep V cut to it, showing off portions of her chest and was mostly backless, tying up at the top, and around her waist in the front.
Maren sang for about two hours, chatting with the crowd in-between songs, and put on a hell of a show. I was memorized by her ass in the tight pants she had on and the way her brown hair, ending just above her shoulders flowed and moved as she sang. I knew every word to all her songs and was pretty sure she caught me singing along to them.
When she ended the show after her encore, I stayed by the barrier like my cousin instructed. As everybody else followed out, I saw a security guard walking towards me.
"Are you Kevin?" He ask!ed me and I confirmed that I was. "Come with me, please," he said as he moved the barrier out of the way and lead me backstage. I followed him down the hallway to a room where it sounded like a party was happening. He opened the door to the room and gestured for me to go in.
Once in there, I saw my cousin's band and Maren's band all laughing and joking. My cousin, Randy, saw me walk in and came over to me, handing me a shot glass, filled with whiskey. "Just in time! Maren was just about to give a toast and then I'll introduce you," he told me.
I felt a little strange standing in a circle with all of the band members and some of the crew but as I caught a glimpse of Maren for the first time off-stage, I was totally focused on her and how beautiful she was up close.
"Alright, everybody!" Maren shouted, trying to get the room to quiet down. "What a great show! I want to thank Five Odd Bear for opening for us tonight. Next time we're anywhere close to Utah, we're calling you guys! Great show. Amazing time. I fucking love you all! Cheers!"
We all screamed cheers and took our shots and I felt like a member of the band. As people started to file out, Randy guided me over to where Maren was sitting and chatting with somebody and said, "Hey, Maren, this is my cousin that I was telling you about."
"Oh, hi," Maren said as she stood up and shook my hand. I had to be at least a foot taller than her, if not more, as I easily towered over her. "Randy told me a lot about you today."
"Really? Why?" I asked, a little confused.
"He told me that you are a big fan," Maren said.
"I am. Have been for a while. You're really talented," I told her.
"Oh, thanks. Do you only like my singing?" She asked me, taking a glass of wine somebody offered her and taking a sip from it.
"I mean, from what I've seen online, you seem like a pretty chill person, a good mom, and that you really enjoy what you do and are happy with yourself," I told the thirty-four year old country singer.
"You're cute," Maren said with a giggle before she walked away to talk to somebody else.
As she left, I turned to my cousin who said, "Dude, you're an idiot."
"What? Why?" I asked him, confused again.
"She's looking to get laid. Seriously. That's why I called you and been talking you up and why you were allowed back here," he told.
"How do you know?" I asked him, looking over at Maren, drinking her wine and laughing with one of her band mates.
"She told me. She was hitting on me earlier, I told her I was married, she asked if I knew any hot single guys in town, and I showed her your picture. As soon as she saw it, she told me to get you here," Randy explained to me. "Go get her. Now."
I walked over to where Maren was and stood next to her, debating what to say. I wasn't a stranger when it came to getting a woman into bed with me, but it wasn't every day you got a chance with one that is famous. She saw me standing next to her, finished her wine, and said, "Hey, Kevin, something on your mind?"
"Yes, there is," I said, looking down at her. "You asked if I only liked your singing and I don't tell you the complete truth about what else I like. You're also one of the most beautiful woman in the woman."