When I found out co-hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht were bringing Diggnation to New York City for a live show, I just had to go. They have had multiple live shows in NYC in the past, but unfortunately I was never able to attend. This time it was different. 

Let me rewind a bit and explain what Diggnation actually is. To put it simply, it’s a weekly video (or audio if you prefer) podcast that covers some of the hottest user submitted stories on the popular social news website digg.com. Kevin Rose is the founder of the site and teams up with Alex Albrecht, who is well known for creating The Totally Rad Show, on a couch to discuss these stories. This is all done while consuming a drink of some kind, usually alcohol, which makes it even more interesting.

I attended the live show with my good friend Jesse, who I’m sure many of my viewers have gotten to know pretty well by now. Not to sound cheesy, but I couldn’t imagine spending time at a Diggnation show with a better friend. Awesome times were definitely ahead!

The show was scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM, so we first stood in line about two hours beforehand. It was there when we met up with our friends Sully and Eric, whom we originally met on YouTube a while back. Eventually two hours had passed and the line began to move. Within minutes we were finally inside Manhattan Hall and then were directed to climb multiple flights of stairs.

Arriving at our destination, there it was -- the stage. Right away we moved forward as much as we could and luckily scored some great spots. We were literally feet from where Kevin and Alex would soon make their debut. As any Diggnation fan would instantly recognize, I spotted David Prager on stage; he appeared to be signing autographs and prepping for the show. Patiently waiting, I talked with my friends to kill time for an hour and a half. Unfortunately the show didn’t begin until around 8:30. I’m not sure if this was originally planned or if there were problems getting ready. Regardless, I didn’t really mind, especially considering the fact that I was already inside and guaranteed a good spot. The wait was definitely worth it, without a doubt.

Before you know it, the Diggnation theme began to play, along with the usual intro on the dual projector screens. Out walked Alex and then Kevin. The crowd went crazy, including myself. I couldn’t believe it. I was definitely in awe! Not only was I experiencing a live Diggnation, but I was also witnessing Kevin himself. For those who don’t know, Kevin has been an idol of mine for quite some time. He’s young, successful and extremely motivated; three factors that drive me in life.

The rest of the night consisted of the usual show with jokes left and right, tons of cheering from the fans, and even free stuff from the sponsors. And yes, that includes Squarespace, who also has been sponsoring thecreativeone.tv for a few months now. I won’t spoil anything that happened during the show, so I’ll save my YouTube videos for that. Some crazy things happened. Take my word for it.

I will skip ahead, though, and talk about what happened once the show was over. Kevin and Alex were nice enough to step off stage for a couple hours to sign autographs and take photos with their fans. Patiently waiting once again, I was within feet of meeting Kevin. Finally making my way to the front, I shook his hand and got my picture taken with him and Jesse. Unfortunately I didn’t have anything for him to sign, but a handshake and picture were enough to make me happy.

Within a half hour or so, Jesse and I eventually made our way up to Alex for the same routine -- a handshake and a group photo. Again, I couldn’t believe it. To some people, Kevin and Alex may seem like two regular guys. To me, they’re icons. Not only are they great at what they do, but they’re also extremely nice. They care about the fans, take the time to reach out, and overall just have a fun time.

I should also mention that I met a viewer of mine. Thanks for saying hi, Thomas! I’m sure we will meet again in the future. My experience at the live Diggnation was simply unforgettable. Hopefully I explained everything clearly and in enough detail. Next time there is a live show in NYC, you can bet I will be there. It’s just too much fun to pass up.

Expect to see videos of my experience online within a few days of this blog entry. It’s definitely an experience that I think is worth watching. Also if you want to check out Diggnation for yourself, head on over to diggnation.com and you’ll have plenty of episodes to choose from. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!