Mark Ballas Concert at The Mint

I just got home from tonight's concert (4/12/2010) at The Mint, Dancing With The Stars' Mark Ballas. He plays with his band at the venue every Monday and his DWTS colleagues turn out to support him, so it's a great opportunity for the autograph collector as well.

There was a red carpet out front of the event and Skating legend and Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi arrived. She signed quickly at the end of the red carpet but is a notoriously difficult autograph, just as she was during her hey days in the completitive skating world. Mark Ballas spent a lot of time on the red carpet, even going inside The Mint and coming back out onto the carpet twice. He signed every time and multiples to boot. Cheryl Burke was also on the red carpet but I missed her as I was getting someone else's autograph. Chelsie Hightower signed several photographs for me and I met up with her inside the event and got a photo with her. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls signed as soon as she arrived, after the red carpet and even a couple for me inside the event. She also signed a couple on her way out the door but tended to skip over a scantily-clad picture for collectors, saying, "I don't like that one." However, she did sign one for me when she first arrived to the event. Fellow Pussycat Doll Ashley was also on hand, signing and posing for pictures with fans. British sensation Pixie Lott is billed by some as the "next Lady Gaga" and she was pleasant, signing anything put in front of her and taking pictures with those who asked. In fact, when I left the event, Pixie was still loitering around on the sidewalk in front of The Mint with some of her friends. "Bachelor" Jake Pavelka also showed up but I didn't have any items for him to sign. Dancer Anna Trebunskaya signed an index card for me on her way in.