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Deby (SeattleDeb)

Seattledeb, myrrhii, rhockeyangel, Lois, and puzzlejunkie got to spend some quality time with Josh. Seattledeb & myrrhii flew overnight from Seattle and after arriving at 7 am in Boston, immediately drove to Tanglewood. When they arrived they could hear the Boston Pops warming up. No admission fee was charged, only season ticket holders could sit in the shed, but everyone else was welcome to watch the rehearsal. It took myrrhii about 2 seconds to locate Josh in the shed area. When he turned to look around, we WAVED TO HIM. Josh waved back. We did this a few times. Then myrrhii asked the security usher to let the stage manager know that the Grobanites were HERE. She did, the stage manager told David Romano who was with Josh and Josh turned around again and waved. In a few minutes he and David moved back towards us. Two more minutes later, David and Josh came to the back of the shed and just started up a conversation. This conversation lasted 30 minutes, included lots of hugs, a couple of kisses on the cheek from rhockey angel, a signed /autographed Tanglewood map for Seattledeb for her birthday (today is her 48th birthday), and hugs for myrrhii for a job well done. Then Josh sang 4 songs during a period of 45 minutes. He told us about a special song(we’re sworn to secrecy) that will be performed Saturday night. All in all, even though the rain was pouring the entire time and it was a chilly 50 something degrees, Josh looked nice in his sweater with his unshaven face.

Judy (PuzzleJunkie)

A weekend that was pure serendipity and yes I did meet Josh on Friday morning. Tara had called the Tanglewood office at 10:00 am to ask about rehearsal times, so that was how Lois, Tara, and I knew to book it over to the Shed. Seattle Deb & MyrhhII ended up being at rehearsal just because they'd driven straight in from the Boston airport. We all met up at the back of the Shed not long before Josh saw them waving and came back to kill time chit chatting until they were ready for him. David Romano & Reid, his Sound Tech were with him. We were able to spend almost a half hour just talking, goofing etc.

We knew before the rest of the Grobies (and kept the secret!) that Josh would be singing the theme song from "An Affair to Remember" as a special bonus Sat night. Then later when we heard him rehearse Alejate we figured out that would prolly be sung too! Six, count 'em, SIX songs!! Too bad the sound system was sub-par for the concert and at one time during Gira totally cut out. I had my binocs all focused up and glued to Josh during the entire time he was on stage for the Saturday night performance and saw the whole thing play out. What was initially thought to be a "I forgot the flipping lyrics" thing was in truth Josh's mic and ear monitors quitting. It took a couple of seconds of nothing, frantic looks right and left then something came back on, Josh had to catch a couple of beats then jump back in. All this with no signals or verbal communication with Reid!!! Flipped me right out to see the reactions & emotions go across his face as he professionally and smoothly recouped and carried on. Amazing!!! Even with a sub-par sound system Josh blows you away!

But I digress, ya'll wanted to find out what Josh & I talked about. Well, Tara and the others will discuss their conversations with him because after initially greeting Josh, introducing myself and chatting about whether he wanted more puzzles I basically ignored the guy and talked to David Romano! Talk about an unexpected instant connection with somebody! Turned out David wants his own puzzle--of course he'll get it after we discuss ideas and wants, but even after that we were still engrossed in conversation for quite a while. But about Josh & the puzzle, Tara initially gave it to him because I was further down the shed perimeter talking to other fans who loved Josh's music but weren't Grobanites and had stumbled across the rehearsal. I had convinced them earlier to stick around, telling them Josh was sure to show up and went to chit-chat with them. When I got back Josh, David & Reid were standing in front of our little crowd. I surprised myself when I never got nervous, or even missed a beat as I walked up to the bench, reached out to shake hands with Josh and said "Hi Josh, glad to meet you, I'm Judy, Puzzle Junkie". He replied with a grin and recognition "Oh, the puzzles! I've enjoyed being puzzled" My memory sucks but we did discuss puzzles during which he thanked me for the one I cut that Tara had just given to him. He asked what it looked like upon which I informed him he'd just have to put it together to find out--there was a note included explaining why, then I turned to talk to David. After a bit I remembered the question I wanted to ask him, and interrupted him talking to the others--bad me! I asked him if he enjoyed my puzzles and wanted more or would he rather not be bothered with them. He replied, something to the effect of "If you want to keep making them, I would absolutely love to have them. I really enjoy being puzzled!" So I said "Great, expect the next one at Chess".

After he'd been called to rehearsal and started to walk off I noticed he'd left his puzzle on the bench. I commented "Oh look, he forgot his puzzle". Tara called out "JOSH", then he turned around just as I held out the puzzle at arms length, dangling from my fingers in it's protective plastic bag. I said "Oh Josh" in that sing-song voice we all used as kids. He got the biggest grin on his face, came dashing back for it saying something like, "Oh my goodness, I'd have missed being puzzled", said a heartfelt thank you and was gone.

Mary (MyrrhII)

Always expect the unexpected. Deb, her hubby, Tom and I booked it to Tanglewood on Friday morning from the Boston Airport(a 3 hour drive) after taking the redeye from Seattle Thursday night. Talk about a miserable drive in torrential downpouring rain! Eeeek! Now I know there are places where it rains more than in Seattle! Anyway, still in the pouring rain, we're running onto the Tanglewood grounds, cuz we hear the strains of the symphony and Deb "hears" Josh. I say, "No way! That is just strings, Goofy!" She says, "But I KNOW Josh is here." Of course, I want to stop by the gift shop, but NOOOOOOOO.....Deb says we have to get in there! Okay....off we go, when I hear, "Grobanites!" and turn to see my little buddy from Orlando, Tara, and her friends Judy and Lois. Now we have Groban Power.....we're going to channel our energy to Josh and we're going to make him appear....we just know it!

After a minute or two standing at the back of the shed my Josh magnet eyes spot some curly hair down near the stage...aha! THERE HE IS!! Tara and I begin our channeling...but it doesn't seem to be working......YET! Bugs Bunny on the big screen.....we're cracking up.....I look up and what to my wondering eyes should appear.....but David Romano and our lovely Josh Dear! Groban Power! I ask the usher if she could get a message to Josh, to let him know there are a few Grobanites there. She says she can tell the stage manager and then it is up to him. Groban power.....he does! Josh and David both turn to look at us and we are goofily waving frantically, because you can't make any noise when musicians are rehearsing! Josh flashes that beautiful grin of his and waves back. Hmmmmmm....not coming over. We need more Groban Power!! Now Tara and I are frantically sending our joshbrainedwaves to Josh...come to the back, come to the back. Ok....Bugs is ending....David gives the nod. HERE THEY COME! WOO HOO! JOSH HUGS ALL AROUND!

Ok....now I remember I have just been on an airplane all night long, I have racoon eyes from lack of sleep, smudged mascara, and torrential rain in my face....and the humidity has done the 70's fro thing to my hair..... oh great! I finally get to meet Josh and I look like, well.....WHO CARES! It's JOSH!

Josh and David were both so wonderful. Sorry, about the little "secret" thing when there are not secrets in Grobania, but Josh said, "Don't tell!" So I didn't! What a special treat, huh.....that "Affair to Remember"! *SIGH* It was beautiful, and YES! You should record it, Josh!

Kay (dkayg)

As you've already read a few extremely lucky Grobies got to meet Josh before rehearsal yesterday -- and Cheeky, Josh didn't just have stubble -- he had the beginnings of a full blown beard going on there. You'll have to ask Tara & Judy how soft it was . . . I understand that Josh will not have that beard this evening. During his run through of Alejate, Tara & Paul (my hubby) began dancing. We think Josh saw this because all of a sudden he laughed and it kinda broke his concentration and he waited until the refrain to pick up the song again. After the rehearsal Josh & Brian left the Shed. We stayed around hoping that Josh would make another appearance and is paid off because the band came out and talked to us for quite a while. Hugs & pictures all around. They are really nice guys! At some signal from TW staff they had to leave and then we saw John Williams, David, Josh & Brian climbing into a their cars (Josh into the black mercedes that pulled Connie over). We waved and said "Hi Josh." He waved back and said "Hi Guys". Brian was half way into the car and he said "Oh I have to say 'hi' to the Grobanites". So Brian walked over for a few brief moments and said they were going to a private rehearsal with John Williams. So soon they were gone and we went our separate ways -- some to sleep, some to Grobie elf, some to tour the area.

Later in the evening many of us met for dinner. Paul & I were at the Brewery in Pittsfield. About 60 Grobies in attendance. We had a private room and buffet dinner. We had a blast! It is always so awesome to get to hug your favorite Grobies that you haven't seen in toooo long, and meet new smiling Grobie faces. We played Josh on the sound system, and talked and talked. We also had a b'day cake for Lisa whose b'day is Aug 9. Once I get my pictures I'll be sure to post a picture of the cake as the decoration will be of interestt to all of you.

Connie (NY Connie)

~~~ I awoke this day to rain, rain, and even MORE rain - if that is possible!!! gathered a few "Josh things", a couple bottles of water (Dasani!) and my Mom and I headed out for Lenox...I really HATE driving in the rain, but it didn't take us long to get there, probably about an hour...We rode around town, checked out the hotel we would be staying at tomorrow, and headed over to Tanglewood...

Ran into Amy and Lisa, Laticia(?) and a bunch of other fans - Kay & Paul, Deb, Tara, Judy, Mary....I can't remember everyones names - sorry!!! Went inside the grounds to the shed...It was a closed rehearsal, so we had to stand outside the shed in the rain to watch...It was all good though, 'cause we snuggled up under several umbrellas...found out that while I was waiting outside the venue, several were INSIDE talking to Josh!! AHhhhhhhhkkkkkkkk.....

Josh started rehearsing and it was soooooo hard not to cheer for him...But we kept quiet.....mostly.....hahaha....no cameras were allowed, so we couldn't get photos...after the rehearsal we were HOPING that josh would come over and say "HI"...But he went into "seclusion" to rehearse a couple of songs with John Williams in private...

The band did come out and hang with us for a bit...How cool was that??? I knicknamed Tariqh "Jolly Black Giant"...not to his face though, but that man is TALL!!!...Photos were taken, and things were signed...It was getting a bit late, so we decided that josh wasn't coming out after all and we left...Little did we know that after about 5 more minutes, Josh came out to leave and waved to everyone that remained...AWWwwwwww...

We were driving home in the rain...I don't remember how long I was driving, but all of a sudden the car behind me starts BEEPING...BEEEEEEP..BEEEEEEEP..BEEEEEEP...I just figured it was another fan that saw my plates...so I slow down, and see some guy getting out of the car...it was DAVID ROMANO telling me to pull over!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEP..He wanted to take a photo of me with my "JOSHFAN" license plates...OMJ!!!...And guess what? there was Brian and Josh too, and some other men (Warner people?)...AHHHHHHHHHHHHKKKKkkkkkk...needless to say, my Mom got her Josh moment and photo taken...It was so sweet!!! Josh was reading an article about himself in a Boston paper...Hahahaha....

OH MAN, can it GET better than that?? And what are the chances??? Or was JOSH FOLLOWING ME??? STALKING ME??? hahaha..NOT..I still can't believe it - I guess that GROBANDUST does work in mysterious ways!!!...All the way home, every time the weather started getting bad, or the traffic was backed up, one of would giggle and say "WE GOT FLAGGED DOWN BY JOSH!!"

Robby (ambyguity)

I just wanted to send a special thanks out to a fantastic woman from Virginia.

The story is that I was nervously anticipating the concert, so I arrived on the grounds with a large boquet of flowers at around 1. I searched around for someone who could put it in josh's dressing room so he'd have some love waiting to meet him.
I found my seat and just sat there watching the stagehands prepare.
Around 2:30/3, Mr. Provost came on and began playing the piano. By that time a few other people had gathered.... among those were Craig MacIntyre's family, his mother, father and grandparents. For those of you who don't know, Craig is Josh's new/current drummer.

I was able to chat with them for a bit as the other guys began filtering on stage. I was quite transfixed by Mr. Provost's playing. It was great.

And then all of the sudden, josh was on stage. Some other fans were there (and I'll let them speak up should they desire to use their names) and I took pictures of them with Josh, and some of my own of just josh...We asked a few questions, and he had mentioned Connie's story. I swear i must have been wearing brass balls because i reached up to touch josh's freshly shaven cheek and gave my approval.

I showed him the badge i made (a picture of me and josh from April 16th, 2002 from when I met him post-rosie) and it said "Robby & Josh a match made in grobania." He asked if he could keep it. Of course he could. Am i going to deny Mr. Josh Groban of one of his desires? Heck no!

He went off eventually to a meeting about the rehearsal, and we all went back to our seats. A tanglewood employee was about to usher us out when Mr. Brian Avnet saved the day. He said that we were with Josh (*swooon* with josh!!) and that we could stay. (THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH BRIAN!!!!!)We watched him rehearse Alejate, Affair to remember (with Mr. John Williams at the ivories), Cinema... etc.

Being the chatty cathy I am, between songs I was talking with Craig's family. I found out that Craig's family had lawn seats (not even shed tickets) so I gave him my cell phone number in the hopes that I would be able to figure out something to help them. After all, they weren't young like I am/was.

Concert time came around and they still hadn't found tickets, so I offered my seat to Craig's grandpa. But this story isn't about me, though I am from virginia. This is a story about Ruthie. This was ruthie's first Josh concert. She gave up her seat so that Craig's grandma could sit behind Craig's grandpa.

I was so taken by this young woman's generosity and spirit that any animosity i had overheard the past day about Hollywood Bowl or other incidents was wiped away. Grobanite karma is at an all time high when a first-timer can find it in her heart to give up her seat for someone else.