Rodeo San Antonio and Styx - Friday, Feb. 27, 2015

Well, howdy. Today's blog comes to you courtesy of our evening at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo on Friday, February 27. For starters, we parked at a lot on a side street away from the main arena. Shuttle buses picked up riders every five minutes, we had a shorter walk to our destination, and did not have to pay $10 to park.

Let me tell you, it was cold that night! We were bundled up in heavy winter coats, gloves, sweatshirts, heavy socks and I even had my beautiful scarf to keep my neck warm in the freezing wind. We wanted dinner from the outdoor food court. We made one very quick pass, decided on the chicken yakisoba noodles, paid for our food and hightailed it inside a building where we found a table to sit and eat.

Most of our time was spent indoors shopping at booths before the rodeo semifinals began at 7:30 p.m. The booth that won my heart for the best name and display was...Trailer Park Trinkets.

This isn't just any rodeo. The PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys' Association) voted The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo as the Large Indoor Rodeo of the Year for the 10th consecutive year (as of December 2014). Attendance at the rodeo and stock show grounds is now over one million visitors per year.

We took a quick selfie with my cell phone before the rodeo began.

"Cell"fie

Tonight we watched the rodeo semifinals from our perch high up in the AT&T Center. I DID NOT forget my camera!! Even though temps outside were downright frigid, our seats high in the arena were quite toasty.

At 7:30 pm, the rodeo started with a laser-light show. Pretty awesome. Our rodeo admission included a Styx concert after the rodeo. Can't beat that. Styx is one of my all-time favorite rock groups.

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo logos

A cowboy, a boot and a saddle combo in laser lights

Next were the precision riders to present colors and to usher in the American flag for the National Anthem.

Flag presentation

When the rodeo got underway, we watched bareback riding, barrel racing, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping, as well as little kids riding on the backs of sheep. We had a fun time.

Bareback riding

This cowboy is having a very rough ride!

Look at that horse jump!

Winner in female barrel racing. She was excellent.

Cowboy thrown off the bull

Look at that bull kick!

The rodeo was entertaining, but we were really there to see Styx perform. As soon as the rodeo was over, the dirt was groomed, and a revolving circular stage was set up in the middle of the rodeo arena.

Then Styx came on stage. They were wonderful, especially their keyboardist, Lawrence Gowan. What a showman he is! OMG, he was playing the keyboard with both hands behind his back, and he stood behind the keyboard, reached over and played from the back side of the keyboard. He also had a helluva voice. One of my favorite parts of the concert was when he was the only one on stage. He played famous chorus lines from other rockers, e.g. "I can't get no satisfaction" from the Rolling Stones, and had everyone sing along.

We sang, we yelled, we enjoyed. The next day my throat hurt. All for a good cause.

Tommy Shaw still singing after all these years

Styx

Styx

Lawrence Gowan

Cell phone flashlight apps light up the AT&T Center

Tommy Shaw on the Jumbo-tron

Playing from the opposite side of the keyboard

Lawrence Gowan singing on the keyboard

At the end of the show, we bundled back into our warm clothes for the chilly walk to our shuttle. We were home a little after midnight.

While I'm on the subject of music, I forgot to mention that the other night when we went to Hans and Lisa's for dinner, Hans mentioned he writes songs for and plays in a surf music band. He gave us a copy of his CD, " The Sand Devils." We took it home and have played it ever since. Surf music is like what The Ventures play, or perhaps music similar to "Wipe Out." Thanks, Hans. We are getting hours of listening pleasure from your music.

Travel Bug out.