 |
| Photo courtesy of Dana Gorab |
As a performer, I go to see live shows quite often. When a band is really great or an artist is really special and commanding the stage, I’ll be smiling ear to ear, eyes wide open, screaming, bouncing and jumping around - but rarely do I cry.
One show in 2012 made me cry and I think about it often. I went to Outside Lands for the first time with a bunch of friends in college. We were stoked to see Neil Young, Foo Fighters, Stevie Wonder, Alabama Shakes, Rebelution, Metallica, Norah Jones; there were a lot of acts we bought tickets to see. The first night Metallica headlined but we were bouncing around the festival grounds because everyone we wanted to see was scattered across all the different stages. We ended up pretty far and to the side of the stage for Metallica and it was kind of hilarious to be honest. We watched this giant man, definitely middle aged, fly into one of our friends who is a small girl and the momentum of his body pushed her body off the ground and like 50 feet back where she landed right in the center of someone’s dinner on a picnic blanket filled with drinks and food. We laughed so hard, I can’t even begin to describe.
The second night, most of the acts we wanted to see were on the main stage so by the time Stevie Wonder got on stage, we were FRONT. ROW. Like, touching the stage - no one was between us and the stage, we were at the fucking stage. I don’t know what came over me but as soon as Stevie walked onto the stage, I started bawling. It was so off brand for me but I couldn’t stop!! Stevie was incredible, obviously. I remember finally calming myself down and I was able to stop crying but then he started “Isn’t She Lovely” and the tears came flowing again. Then he brought his daughter out and told the story of writing “Isn’t She Lovely” about the birth of his daughter and I HAD NO IDEA!!!!! That blew my mind and it was truly the most special and beautiful and magical performance I have ever seen.
Anyway, Stevie Wonder is the shit and he made me cry my eyes out. I can’t believe I got to see him play live in that way. And that’s the story of the time I cried at a show!
One show in 2012 made me cry and I think about it often. I went to Outside Lands for the first time with a bunch of friends in college. We were stoked to see Neil Young, Foo Fighters, Stevie Wonder, Alabama Shakes, Rebelution, Metallica, Norah Jones; there were a lot of acts we bought tickets to see. The first night Metallica headlined but we were bouncing around the festival grounds because everyone we wanted to see was scattered across all the different stages. We ended up pretty far and to the side of the stage for Metallica and it was kind of hilarious to be honest. We watched this giant man, definitely middle aged, fly into one of our friends who is a small girl and the momentum of his body pushed her body off the ground and like 50 feet back where she landed right in the center of someone’s dinner on a picnic blanket filled with drinks and food. We laughed so hard, I can’t even begin to describe.
The second night, most of the acts we wanted to see were on the main stage so by the time Stevie Wonder got on stage, we were FRONT. ROW. Like, touching the stage - no one was between us and the stage, we were at the fucking stage. I don’t know what came over me but as soon as Stevie walked onto the stage, I started bawling. It was so off brand for me but I couldn’t stop!! Stevie was incredible, obviously. I remember finally calming myself down and I was able to stop crying but then he started “Isn’t She Lovely” and the tears came flowing again. Then he brought his daughter out and told the story of writing “Isn’t She Lovely” about the birth of his daughter and I HAD NO IDEA!!!!! That blew my mind and it was truly the most special and beautiful and magical performance I have ever seen.
Anyway, Stevie Wonder is the shit and he made me cry my eyes out. I can’t believe I got to see him play live in that way. And that’s the story of the time I cried at a show!
- MEGG, alternative artist
0 comments