It was simply magic...
12/07/09 22:03 Filed in: Performance Reviews
Have you spent time with someone when magic happens? You can’t explain it. You can’t draw connections to why or how it happens. You simply know something rare has occurred.
It could go something like this… You’re on a date. In the restaurant. You arrive at 6pm. You’re peeved, because the guy in the parking lot outside took your spot and you had to walk 3 miles in heels to the entrance. You’re nervous, because you don’t know how this new person will view you. You’re anxious because you really want them to like you back. And you’re curious, because you haven’t spent a lot of time with them. What will they be like? What will they wear? Will they use deodorant? Will they order vegetarian or better yet, vegan?
They walk in the door. You forget what you’re doing, why you’re there, how you got there, and what you ordered 3 minutes ago… Conversation flows so smoothly. It’s shocking how well you communicate, already finishing each other’s sentences. Showing grief over the same tragic memories. Laughing at the same jokes. Giggling until your face hurts. Oohing & aahing over the same hobbies and heroes.
A waiter drops a plate. As the plate’s pieces crash to the floor, your breath is suddenly yet quietly knocked out of you. You recognize the entire restaurant is empty. The waiters are sweeping and cleaning up shop for the next days activities. You have just spent the last 5 hours sitting and your legs are falling asleep. But both your eyes and the eyes you’ve been looking into all night are still sparkling…
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THAT is the perfect metaphor for how last Tuesday’s Round(50) went. As we walked on stage a brilliant magic descended upon the stage. We were communicating, conversing, laughing, grieving, giggling, and crooning over the same things. Musically finishing each other’s sentences.
And for me? At the end of each song I had to take a deep breath because I realized: “[Sigh…] That was really good. Woah, that just happened. Woah, we’re on stage. Woah, this is live! Umm… Yes, let’s do it again!”
Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado, and Jesse Sykes took turns playing their songs while Scott Teske (bass), Lacey Brown (drums), and myself improvised as their “band” for the evening. I have to say that, it was so refreshing to share the stage with each of them individually. It was an honor to share the stage with all of them together! Fantastic.
Occasionally, a poet would walk on stage and perform a masterpiece with verbs. “Putting words in your face, and nouns on your chin” said one of the poets, Buddy Wakefield. Behind Buddy and around all this musical interaction, three painters were doing their thing – giving the audience a 3rd dimension to the evening.
The richness of the evening – the sights from the paintings, the sounds of the music, and the smells of the phenomenal food – could be a source of this indescribable magic. Perhaps it was the musicianship of the Seattle Rock Orchestra, who joined us for the final half of the show. Perhaps, for me, it was getting to know each musician better than just their music – I now know them as people, as fellow Seattleites. Perhaps it was the feeling of getting out of those dreadful yet sexy high heels I chose to wear. Perhaps and probably it was something more. All I know is, it was magic – and I want it to happen more.
Still feelin’ the magic,
Emily
(Photos courtesy of Sarah Murphy Jurado - visit her website!)
It could go something like this… You’re on a date. In the restaurant. You arrive at 6pm. You’re peeved, because the guy in the parking lot outside took your spot and you had to walk 3 miles in heels to the entrance. You’re nervous, because you don’t know how this new person will view you. You’re anxious because you really want them to like you back. And you’re curious, because you haven’t spent a lot of time with them. What will they be like? What will they wear? Will they use deodorant? Will they order vegetarian or better yet, vegan?
They walk in the door. You forget what you’re doing, why you’re there, how you got there, and what you ordered 3 minutes ago… Conversation flows so smoothly. It’s shocking how well you communicate, already finishing each other’s sentences. Showing grief over the same tragic memories. Laughing at the same jokes. Giggling until your face hurts. Oohing & aahing over the same hobbies and heroes.
A waiter drops a plate. As the plate’s pieces crash to the floor, your breath is suddenly yet quietly knocked out of you. You recognize the entire restaurant is empty. The waiters are sweeping and cleaning up shop for the next days activities. You have just spent the last 5 hours sitting and your legs are falling asleep. But both your eyes and the eyes you’ve been looking into all night are still sparkling…
---
THAT is the perfect metaphor for how last Tuesday’s Round(50) went. As we walked on stage a brilliant magic descended upon the stage. We were communicating, conversing, laughing, grieving, giggling, and crooning over the same things. Musically finishing each other’s sentences.
And for me? At the end of each song I had to take a deep breath because I realized: “[Sigh…] That was really good. Woah, that just happened. Woah, we’re on stage. Woah, this is live! Umm… Yes, let’s do it again!”
Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado, and Jesse Sykes took turns playing their songs while Scott Teske (bass), Lacey Brown (drums), and myself improvised as their “band” for the evening. I have to say that, it was so refreshing to share the stage with each of them individually. It was an honor to share the stage with all of them together! Fantastic.
Occasionally, a poet would walk on stage and perform a masterpiece with verbs. “Putting words in your face, and nouns on your chin” said one of the poets, Buddy Wakefield. Behind Buddy and around all this musical interaction, three painters were doing their thing – giving the audience a 3rd dimension to the evening.
The richness of the evening – the sights from the paintings, the sounds of the music, and the smells of the phenomenal food – could be a source of this indescribable magic. Perhaps it was the musicianship of the Seattle Rock Orchestra, who joined us for the final half of the show. Perhaps, for me, it was getting to know each musician better than just their music – I now know them as people, as fellow Seattleites. Perhaps it was the feeling of getting out of those dreadful yet sexy high heels I chose to wear. Perhaps and probably it was something more. All I know is, it was magic – and I want it to happen more.
Still feelin’ the magic,
Emily
(Photos courtesy of Sarah Murphy Jurado - visit her website!)
