Moments D654: Bookend

This evening EQ and I went to our first concert together and what an incredible first concert it was.  As everything we do, do don't start small.

We went to see Elton John. A musical legend. A proper knight, knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1998 for his services to music and charitable services. And frankly a man who had great presence on stage without all the crazy costumes he's known for.

Elton John may be a whole lot more tame at 66 than he was at 29, but his talent and passion shone brightly for nearly 3 hours while he was on stage.  He even stopped to do autographs for those in the front row before his encore.  He was more gracious to his devoted fans than I've ever seen a performer be.  Elton John felt bigger than life and I now know, I really know, why he's a legend.

For me, it was a first.  I've never seen Elton John before in concert.  I've always loved some of his music, but I've not really followed him over the years.  My perspective:  A brilliant piano player, with incredibly fun music, married to a fellow Canadian David Furnish.  Yes.  Pretty limited.  I know.  As much as I love music, it's not something that I've invested a lot of time into.

On the flip side, EQ has a deep passion for music.  In many ways, EQ sees (feels?) music in nearly everything around him.  From the sound of my voice to the whisper of a snowfall and everything in between.  Music lives not only around him, but within him.

For EQ, this was the second viewing of Elton John in concert.  EQ's first concert was when he was but a pup.  At the ripe age of 14, EQ watched Elton John perform on his Goodbye Yellowbrick Road Tour.  As a teenager, the concert was, no doubt, awe inspiring to a young man.  This young man, filled with a passion for music, was himself on a path within the world of music.  For years he found deep satisfaction in the industry and music has offered him many extraordinary experiences.

Bookends.  That's what came to mind when I heard the story of Elton John being EQ's first big concert.  A bookend at the start of his musical career.   And then to realize that our first concert was to be Elton John.  Another bookend.  Another marker of a shift in perspective and a future of many extraordinary experiences.
A stretch?  Yes perhaps.  But I do like the serendipity and I'm going to enjoy the flush of excitement that comes with the dream of the extraordinary experiences to come for EQ & I.

Moments of firsts.

Moments of dreaming bigger.

Moments D588: Screaming tires

Tonight was the long awaited P!nk concert with my BFF, Big Sis and my niece. We had an early dinner at an area favourite, which, surprisingly, ended up being the best part of the night.

Why the best part you ask?  Well, that's really two fold.  Unfortunately P!nk's performance tonight was not stellar.  To P!nk's credit, I think she wasn't feeling well.  Given that likelihood, she performed brilliantly as she actually did all of her acrobatic stunts.  But, there was no encore (which was brilliant back in March when I saw her) and she had her backup singers sing quite a bit for her.  Disappointing.  So that's first reason.  

That said, here's a decent picture from the concert.    See - P!nk is way up in the air!

The second reason?  Well, that's because I had three pretty awesome ladies at the table with me and we had a lot of fun sharing stories over a delightful dinner.  We even talked, at length, about my grandma who had passed away this past weekend.  It was incredible and, at moments, quite deep.  Had we not had tickets to the concert, I think we all would have enjoyed sitting around the table for the rest of the evening, sharing drinks and stories.

So my moment today.  It's not dinner.  After all, I'm trying to be somewhat unique and interesting here!  No, today's moment was when we were leaving the parking garage after the concert.  The four of us tucked into BFF's Volkswagen, curling up the tight corridors of an underground parking garage, with traffic from the concert all around us.  

Cue the crazy girl driving a standard car that wasn't (likely) hers, up a ramp and directly towards us.  

But first:  Why crazy?  Well, we don't think the standard car was hers as it looked like the guy in the passenger seat was out cold and she was one nervous nellie!  As she took her foot off the brake, she immediately began to roll down the ramp.  You could see the panic in her eye.  We watched in horror as she eventually rolled back into the car behind directly her with a crack.  Thank goodness for bumpers!  

She rolled down the window and asked the guy behind her to back up because she wasn't comfortable driving a standard.  Blocked in with a car behind him, there was no where for him to go.

How did we see and hear all this?  Well, we were at the very top of the ramp waiting to go around the next corner.

And then the crazy girl gunned it.  The car comes squealing up the ramp. 

Right. At. Us.

Big Sis screamed.  And then screamed again louder (just in case we didn't hear her the first time) that then prompted my niece to start screaming.  BFF was looking for options, be we too were blocked in with no where to go.

Me.  I stared on at the scene with mild amusement.  I didn't think she was going to hit us, but here she was with the car screaming up the ramp at us.

And just as quickly (and loudly!) as it happened, the crazy girl slammed on her brakes with a squeal and stopped about three feet from us.

The four of us broke out into laughter.  

A second after our laughter erupted, the traffic ahead moved and we turned the corner.  

As traffic continued to merge into the exit lane, we never did see the crazy girl and the standard car again, but we could hear her squealing the tires around every inclined corner.  

The four of us laughed nearly all the way home about the silly moment.  

Sometimes, it's the strangest things that can bring a smile and create a conversation. 

Moments watching someone push outside their comfort zone.

Moments enjoying the silly reactions and conversations that we found ourselves in.

Moments D351: Imperfect

First - let me apologize for being MIA - it’s been a challenging week for me as I found myself behind on my studies and feeling under the weather. But never fear, I did make quick notes to remind me of my special moments over the past few days. All is not lost! I do hope to catch up properly today/tomorrow.

_________________________________________________

Today my BFF & I had our own Ground Hog day . How so? Well, I haven’t been on my game. Yesterday and today only proved that once again. Yesterday, we showed up at the ACC for the MUSE concert. Our tickets WERE FOR TODAY!.

Oh my. I haven’t been so shocked and embarrassed in a long, long time. What an utter failure. Here, in my last week before my 50% final exam, not only did I spend one night out for dinner and then a concert (which didn’t happen yesterday!) I spent TWO. One night, I could justify. A second? I was mortified. Not only had I put my BFF out for two nights, but now I had lost a full study night. Wow. How on earth did this happen? Scheduling. That’s what I do.

I didn’t even look at the tickets when they arrived in the mail. I didn’t even check my receipt when I bought them. I was convinced that we were going on the 9th. The tickets clearly stated the 10th. Shock and awe.

I won’t lie, I felt more than embarrassment (and my BFF was very gracious about it even though my mistake caused her to juggle her own schedule). I felt ashamed. Ashamed to have failed at this small thing.

When the (AWESOMELY INCREDIBLE) concert was over my BFF and I parted for the evening. She made it clear that it was okay, that it was shocking to her as well, but that it was okay.

As I thought about it on my solo ride on the way home, I realized that it’s okay to be imperfect. I know I strive for perfection, but it’s an impossibility. I know I have high expectations, but it’s okay when things shift. Being imperfect is what life is about. It’s OK. Now, I don’t have to like that knowledge, but it does make me feel less ashamed that I dropped the ball. And believe me, dropping the ball is not a habit I plan on picking up, but I know that it’s okay if it happens once in awhile.

It’s moments like this that make me really appreciate my BFF (and those like her) that have been incredibly supportive over the years. The mistake was taken in stride, love and humour. I couldn’t ask for anything more.

It’s also moments like this that I remember that I’m human. I’m not perfect. And that’s okay.

Moments admitting you are overwhelmed.

Moments where your friends are there for you.

Moments D309: Concerts and Cameras oh my!

This evening I spent at a concert with my 17 year old niece.  I found myself in a sea of young adults, some of which were most certainly still going through the last stages of puberty.

It was an amazing moment to share with my niece.  We laughed at the pushing crowd (pushier than my hardcore rocking Soundgarden concert goers) and we conspired about flying elbows and gum being dropped in hair.  Of course none of that happened!  But we giggled about it in whispers.

And as the concert progressed to the most popular of songs by Imagine Dragons, the sea swarmed with cameras and smartphones recording the songs in their entirety.  For me, that’s a disconnect between the “here and now” and “capturing a moment”.  A moment isn’t the entire concert - it’s snippets of it.  I realized years ago that being caught behind a lens all the time takes you out of the moment.  A moment that becomes a memory in and of itself.  Is it nice to have a couple of pictures to jog your memory?  Definitely, but I don’t want to relive entire moments through image.  I want them to be deep within me.

The disconnect between self and the world around you.

Are we now more interested in being connected with others through image instead of absorbing the moment within?  Hmmm.  A question that puzzles me.

Instead of being annoyed or upset that I could no longer see the stage and band through the sea of arms and cameras I closed my eyes and listened.  I listened to the intricacies of the band.  I listened to the people around me and their reactions to the music. And, I danced.  Quietly.  By myself.  For me, that’s absorbing a moment.  Taking it all in.  And for me, I will always fondly remember this night, not because of the band, but because it was such a treasured time to spend with my niece.

Moments connecting.

Moments going deeper than the world outside.

Moments D277: DOCs & Soundgarden

Today was a slow start and not nearly as productive as I needed it to be (I’m sorry tomorrow, you are going to be a little more crammed now because of this!), but even so it was a good day and this evening ROCKED.

Literally!

My BFF and I went to see Soundgarden tonight at the Sound Academy. We were about to leave my place when she noted my footware and suggested that I go get my DOCs. Damn. I haven’t worn my DOCs in (ahem) over a decade. Hell, I thought to myself, why not. If not at a Soundgarden concert, when would I dust those maroon bad boys off? I smiled the entire time it took me to lace them up properly. The memories that flooded to me. Incredible really. I was 15 years younger all of a sudden!

It wasn’t long before we found ourselves in the Sound Academy. It’s a smaller venue and it was crammed with people tonight! I swear it was a sea of six-foot-something guys for I barely saw the stage for the entire concert! No matter, though as the SOUND at this venue is amazing and Soundgarden did not disappoint. Chris Cornell sounds incredible live as do his band mates. Such an incredible concert. Bravo.

So today’s moment, enjoying a blast from the past. Both my fun, well-worn, well-loved DOCs and one of my favourite bands from decades ago.

Easy to dance and sing up a storm with these guys!

Moments D228: Unexpected Concerts

Today I slept in and then lounged in bed a bit.  It was warm and cozy unlike the cold, dreary day I awoke to. (Another perfect study day though!)

I was a good student. I worked hard to get through my notes. And I ploughed through quite a bit! But, I won't lie, I was bored.  So, when I was asked to fill for an a cappella concert, I really couldn't resist!

Company that made me smile, music that made me sing, and a group that was inspiring to watch.

The best moment at this unexpected concert outing tonight was when the "meat and potatoes" worked with the crowd to create an interactive song. (of course I sang along!) It was absolutely fantastic!

And yes - we bought the CD. Actually BOTH. Their Christmas CD too! Check out their rendition of "Carol of the Bells".
Moments to enjoy an unexpected concert with beautiful voices.

Moments with the music.

Moments D215: VIP Concerts ROCK

Tonight was an amazing night.    BFF + VIP = fun, fun fun.

It was the Theory of a Deadman & Big Wreck concert at Massey Hall (a beautiful venue!). Big Wreck is my girlfriend’s favourite band (well, at least top two!) and she went all out for this show - VIP.

We met the band. We received a signed and numbered lithograph. We had a laminated pass given to us. We had our pictures taken with them. And best of all, we were in the second row! Best, seats ever!

Moments to dance and sing along with fellow fans.

Moments with the music.

Moments D213: Girls sticking together

Tonight was the Metric concert. I’ve been looking forward to this concert for some time for a couple of reasons. One, they are a great band and two - it was an opportunity to catch up with my BFF who has been insanely busy mitigating much change in her life. Fighting a cold and tired, she hauled out for the evening’s festivities. That was a special feeling in its own right.

After a delightful dinner with cocktails and wine at E11ven, we made our way through the definite winter chill to the ACC. We quickly found our seats and were introduced to the couple just next to us. Little did we know that this was NOT a good thing.

This 40-something couple was very drunk! Unfortunately the guy was incredibly obnoxious as well and in everyone’s space around us. Because of this, a group of ladies just behind us were also drawn into the drama as we waited for the concert to begin.

I had hoped that once the concert began they’d settle down into the music and the performance. Sadly, this was not the case. Further, my poor BFF was right beside them. She was bumped and pushed and annoyed to no end by the male drunkard.

I too was distracted by this couple’s actions, for I was worried that my friend, fighting a cold, was really not enjoying herself. I even offered to switch seats to help. It was one of these times where I looked over to make sure that things were going okay when I noticed that the lady directly behind the couple was leaned over and talking sternly to them. YES! She was giving them shit for intruding into my BFF’s space. That was an awesome moment. Having a complete stranger look out for us.

I mentioned this stranger support to my BFF. She said that it was like the 4th time this particular lady had done just that. Oh my. I was doubly impressed. This last time seemed to do the trick though as the drunken couple did seem to keep their distance from that point onward.

In the end, it was a great concert that we were unable to fully enjoy because of this distraction. The woman of the drunken couple actually vomited at one point. Yup. Forty year old party animals. So strange and so unfortunate.

And yet, I smile at the thought that we had a complete stranger watching and helping out from behind.

Moments of distractions.

Moments to thank strangers.

Moments D68; Proud Canadian

Yes, that’s right, I am CANADIAN and proudly so. I spent an incredibly three days and two nights with my bestest friends and then, I topped off the weekend with the most Canadian thing you can do by celebrating Canadian musicians at a concert featuring the Tragically Hip, Death Cab for Cutie, The New Pornographers, Dispatch and the Rural Alberta Advantage.

It was an amazing experience even though we ran late and missed most of the opening bands. We managed to drink some beer, dance and sing along with some of our favourite songs from the hip, and that, is something that is just so darn Canadian I can’t even explain it.

And hey, if anyone has sights on a medium ladies t-shirt from the event, please let me know. I missed out on picking one up - they were plumb sold out! I can’t find it online at all. Maybe those t’s will show up later. (My fingers are crossed!)

A Canadian moment. A sea of red and white concert goers. An incredible, moment to share.