Security was tight in the casino. Somehow I get the impression that management wasn't sure what to expect. They had nothing to worry about. Parrot Heads know their limits. The crowd was energized like nothing I had ever experienced. Most of the fans were feeling no pain and scattered among them were well-to-do types who were dressed as if they were off to the opera. There were men and women in grass skirts with floral leis draped around their necks. The most colorful Hawaiian shirts you could ever imagine created an explosion of color in the corridors. It looked more like the Gay Pride Parade in New York City than a rock concert. There were folks wearing parrot hats, shark hats and the wildest cheeseburger hats I've ever seen. These people put the Green Bay Packer Cheese Heads to shame. The ten thousand fans assembled in their seats, beers in hand, flashing earrings on some while others were draped in beads that had flashing nipples woven in the strings.

After an hour or so of anticipation, Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band came on stage. The crowd rose to their feet cheering for their guru. There he was, this little balding, guy who has been entertaining his fans for almost four decades. In his red shorts, yellow T-shirt and bare feet he never for a moment failed to show his gratitude to his fans. He belted out his old classics - "Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude," "Come Monday," "Helpless," "Fins," "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "A Pirate Looks at Forty," and, of course, "Margaritaville". His concert lasted 2 ½ hours with a short break in the middle. He started his second half with a video retrospective featuring Johnny Carson. It was cute, sentimental and classically Buffett. Jimmy Buffet isn't just an entertainer, he's an industry. There's Radio Margaritaville on Sirius Radio. There's Jimmy's brand of tequila, his cafes and, of course, his book.

But rather than talk about the songs and the promotions, I want to talk about the fans. I've never seen anything like it. There were two and three generations of families. One little girl had a T-shirt on that said this was her first Buffett concert and Grandpa was the one who took her. There were women who would throw off their tops revealing mature breasts that jiggled in tune to the music. By the way, we're not talking about young women, either. Some of these women were in their 50's and it just seemed like such a natural thing to watch. It shocked me. They were there - young and old; rich and poor; gay and straight; doctors, lawyers and I'll bet there was an Indian Chief. As diverse as the crowd was, another thing that totally shocked me was how nonjudgmental they were. This wasn't about politics, religion or a generation gap. This was about Buffett. They remained on their feet most of the night. So many were singing along drowning out Jimmy himself. And he loved it. The more the crowd gave, the more he gave back. It was a love fest, an event, an experience.