I started
this post yesterday, and didn't have the time to finish it. I'm happy to
report that I'm still on a Daughtry-high, and don't plan to come down anytime soon.
*************************************************
I don't have a voice this morning. I don't care - it doesn't matter.
My new friends can have it. My feet hurt, and I'm not worried.
It's completely, utterly, and totally worth it.
Last night was amazing. It was like nothing I could have ever imagined.
Better than I could have expected. I'll try to give you a
recap....hopefully, I can make you feel like you were there. Everyone
deserves a night like last night!
The day was pretty low-key. Levi and I hung out yesterday morning, and
left the house at around 11:30am. We headed to the mall, where I spent
some time with my friend Stacey at the MAC store, getting all done up for the
concert. I figured that I should look sassy when meeting the band - why
not, right? From there, we headed downtown to Comerica Theater to meet up with my
new amazing friend Gina and her husband Max. We hung out for a little bit
until the security guys brought us into the nice, cool lobby. (It was
well over 100* yesterday, and while the shade and breeze helped, it was nice to
get into the air conditioning.)
They checked us off *the list*, and handed us our VIP badges and upgraded
tickets? What what? Oh yes. They upgraded our tickets - all
four of us - to SECOND ROW!!!
Once we came to terms with the fact that we were going to be so close to the
stage, we got the briefing from Shawn, head of security for the band, about the
sound check and meet-and-greet. Basically, the rules were pretty easy -
don't kiss the guys on the cheek (Gina had to confirm that we couldn't kiss
them at all, and forced Shawn to re-write his speech...LOL!), and don't touch
the bald heads. Ok. This, I can do.
With that, they walked us into the sound check. There were maybe 30 of us
in total attending the sound check, so we could all get right up next to the
stage. We were so close that when Chris came out on stage, he commented
on how close we were. :)
I thought this would be the best part of the night. Oh, I'm
so glad I was wrong.
The band sang three songs, and Chris made an art form of moving around, making
it difficult for us to get pictures. And, that was ok. I was happy
to just stand there and watch.
After he finished the third song, we all trekked back to the lobby to wait for
the meet-and-greet. Ok - so maybe this will be the best part of the
night, right? We waited in line, and had a moment of terror when we
thought Gina would miss it (she was in the rest room, and they wouldn't let us
go get her for security reasons - ack!) Anyways, she made it back and we
were just about the last folks to meet the band.
They were behind this curtain, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Would
they be behind a table? Kind of stand-offish? Nope - standing up,
lined up, waiting to meet folks. I turned the corner, and there they
were. All 5 guys. *sigh*
I hugged the first (I don't even remember who....LOL!), then stopped and told
them the story. I explained that, while I knew it wasn't them answering
the facebook posting, I wanted them to know how much it meant that their people
took notice of me, and took *very good* care of me. I was shocked when
Chris not only knew the story, but came up out of their lineup, grabbed me,
hugged me, asked how I was doing, made sure I was feeling alright.....ACK!
I hugged the rest of the guys, then chatted for a few minutes. They
were genuine - kind, nice, sweet, and really just regular guys. They have
a professional photog that took the pictures (not sure when we'll get that via
email...will post it here when I have it), and we were shuttled away. Gina and
her husband did the same routine, then we were kicked out of the theater until
the doors opened.
Dinner with new friends was amazing. We went to a little diner near the
theater, and got to know Gina and Max more. I think this is the start of
a long friendship....this makes me happy. Sometimes, life gives you gifts
when you least expect them.
After dinner, we went back to the theater and hung out in the lobby a bit more.
Some drinks were had, and we visited the merchandise booth (I got a
sweatshirt to wear to chemo....hey - I can take the band with me now!).
We had a chance to chat more with Shawn, the band's head of security that
imposed the "no kissing" rule. Anyways, he found us in the
lobby, told us about his new venture (a television show where he's the host -
cool!), and mentioned to us that the guys (meaning the band) specifically
mentioned how much they enjoyed meeting us, and enjoyed our energy.
*grin* And, again, he was a genuinely nice person. We talked
with him a little bit about his job, which is less glamorous than it seems, and
he told us about some of the bands that he has worked for (Metallica, Santana,
etc.). He was just an awesome person, and I'm sure, an asset to the band.
Gina,
Shawn (or Sean) and I, hanging out before the concert.
I think
there's a hot-ness criteria for Daughtry and his opening acts/band, and I'm
totally ok with it. :)
Shawn left to get back to work, and we took a few moments to debate going in to
see the opening acts - I'm SO glad we did.
The first opening act was Mike Sanchez. You can find him on twitter
@TheMikeSanchez. You can also see him on youtube here.
He was really, really good. I will definitely be keeping an eye on
him.
We got a chance to meet Mike after the show - this is Gina and I with Mike and
a guy whose name I cannot remember but who sang backup for both Mike and
Daughtry.
The next opening act was SafetySuit. The lady sitting in front of us was
a HUGE fan, and got us excited about the band. Rightfully so - they were
amazing. Energentic, enthusiastic, and ROCKING! They had the crowd
up on their feet from the very first song. I highly recommend looking
them up - you can find them on twitter @Safetysuit, or here. Check out their new
single, "These Times." Talk about truth...me thinks I have a
new theme song.
We got the chance to meet these guys after the show as well. Super nice,
genuine. Still full of energy after the show. Just awesome.
After a quick turn-around, Daughtry came on-stage. And, they freaking
rocked the show. From the first song to the last note, I was on my feet,
screaming, clapping, cheering, laughing, crying. I knew from the sound
check that they would kick ass. But, to hear them with the energy and
power of 5,000 fans behind them?
Un. Real.
I don't know if I can put to words how awesome this concert was. We
started out in the second row, which was amazing. I mean, I highly
recommend viewing a concert from this vantage point, if you can. It
changes the experience completely.
These are pictures from the second row. I was blown away. Not only
are they talented musicians, they seem to really enjoy what they do.
Sometimes, when I've seen an artist in concert, they let me down.
Their vocal skills aren't quite there, they aren't personable, or they go
overboard on their performance and stray from what the fans know and expect.
I was so happy that this band wasn't like that - they improvised but
stuck to the core songs, they can *sing*, and good Lord, did they put on a
great show!
By about the fifth song, Gina and Max had convinced me to join them in the
front row, and I ended up being literally up against the stage, right in front
of Chris, for the rest of the show.. *swoon*
This is my new friend Cindy - see how close we were? Yes, Chris is
singing behind us. This was *during the concert*! She was following
our story on facebook on Sunday, and made sure to find Gina and I. It was
amazing, the people that recognized me/us and sought us out. Apparently,
folks were pretty taken with the whole situation, and wanted to make sure that
I was taken care of. The generosity and kindness shown to me is just
unparalleled. I'm so hopeful that, one day, I can make you all proud,
when I'm finally able to start paying it forward.
This is
the set list that was next to Chris' microphone. Yes, I was that close.
It's ok to be jealous.
For me, one of the most amazing things was the personal vibe the
band made sure they provided for me. It was almost as if the concert was
for me, and the other fans were just bystanders. Chris found me while I
was in the second row, and waved, smiled, sang to me. Then, when I moved
up to the front row, center stage, he found me again. During this song
(picture above), he looked at me several times *swoon*, and when the song was
over, he came down to the ground, sought me out, and pushed the pick he was
using into my hand and held it there. (Even as I'm typing this, my heart
skipped a beat.)
I know
that, for the band, this is not a big deal. They probably get people like me
swooning all the time. They are, I imagine, immune to the screams, the
sighs, the tears. I'm sure that they won't remember me, my story, this
concert specifically. They travel all the time, see thousands of people
daily, and are sacrificing time away from their families to provide little
folks like me a chance to see them do what they do. Chris has a family,
and he and his wife probably spend more time away from one another than they do
together. I know what that's like, and I ache for them. But, like
Levi, he's just doing his job.
For me? This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I can't
begin to express how much it means to me that they made simple gestures like
handing me guitar picks during the concert. To have Chris find me in the
crowd, smile at me, wave to me....who gets that kind of treatment at a concert?
He doesn't know me personally. He had no reason to do that; another
artist would have maybe smiled once at me. He made me feel like the
entire concert was *for me*. I'm still overwhelmed...
I need to specifically shout out to Josh Steely, Daughtry's lead
guitarist. He's the one in the four pictures above. He was super
nice when we met him at the meet-and-greet, and (let's be honest), he's
adorable. So, when we realized that he was on our side of the stage, we
were pretty happy about it. (By we, I meant Gina and I. Not so sure
the guys cared....)
Like Chris, he found me in the crowd, and made me feel like the
concert was for me. He was constantly looking at/for me, watching to make
sure we were paying attention. Lo and behold, we were sitting directly
behind his cousin, who was seated in the front row. It was nice to meet and
chat with her (she was the one who got us excited about Safetysuit), and she
helped us feel like we knew Josh a little better before the concert began.
Anyways, twice during the concert, Josh came right up to me while
I was right up against the stage and stopped me, grabbed my hand, and both
times, told me he loved me and was so glad I was there. It was so
genuine, not at all fake or phony. The second time he approached me, he
grabbed my hand, kissed it, held it tight, and was very adamant that
he was glad I was there. It. Was. Epic.
And, before anyone gets any ideas, he's happily married with kids
(as I understand it). During one of the songs, they showed family photos
on the screen behind the guys, and apparently that night was Josh's family's night.
He spent the entire song looking, not at the crowd, but at the screen
behind him, blowing kisses to his kids, telling them he loves them, and just
radiating a sense of love for his family that could honestly be felt in a room
of 5,000+.
There can't be enough words in the English language to convey what
this concert meant for me. It's not just the fact that we were upgraded.
I think, looking back on it, part of the reason this was so special is
that I was able to enjoy something that had nothing to do with my cancer.
I was normal(ish) for a day, and it was amazing. I see the irony
there - the only reason this all happened was the freaking cancer. As my
friend Heat said, this is like a consolation prize - yes, you have cancer,
but look at some of the good things that you get because of that.
But, on Monday, I was a fan of a great band, enjoying the surprise
of a lifetime, making new friends, making memories with Levi and Gina and Max
and hundreds of other people. I was given the chance to meet three
amazing bands that seem genuine, kind, and grateful for what they have been
given in life. I met people who I'm sure will become lifelong friends,
based on how we all got along on Monday.
For a day, I was just me, a fan given an extraordinary
opportunity. I wasn't Michelle - stage 4 colon cancer patient. I
wasn't worried about my doctor's appointments, my nausea, my medical bills, my
fears, my worries. I was just Michelle, music lover and Daughtry fan.
To Gina and Max - this was truly an epic night, and I'm so glad we
were able to do it together. Here's to many more memories.
To Levi - thanks for coming with me, and for allowing me the
freedom and confidence to know that, no matter how much I swooned, you were
right there behind me, holding me up. I love you, more than you
know.
To Chris, Josh and the rest of the band - You. Rock. I was a
fan of the band and your music before Monday night. This fan of your
music has become a fan of each of you as individuals, as people. Never in
my wildest dreams did I ever expect that something like this would happen to
me. You read stories about it, and you dream and wonder "what
if". You gave me the chance to stop wondering and live the
"what if". My only regret is that I didn't get a chance to
thank you personally at the end of the night, and tell you just how much this
meant to me. Your compassion for me, some random fan with a sad story
about fighting cancer, is, was, something I will never forget. I'm sure
that you won't remember this concert, this story, and I'm certain you won't
read this blog. But, please know that, for me, you gave me a night I will
never, ever forget. This story will be told hundreds of times over, and
my friends and family will get sick of hearing about Chris and the guys.
No doubt, my husband will be sick of me listening to Daughtry, Safetysuit
and Mike Sanchez. But, this is my way of extending and reliving the most
amazing night I've had in a really, really long time. Going through what
I've been through, it's hard sometimes to see the good, the positive, to
remember that there are amazing things happening in the world. I can
assure you that, during this next round of chemo and as I move forward in my
fight, I will have Daughtry and Steely guitar picks with me, my Daughtry
sweatshirt on, and your music playing in my ear. I can't imagine a better
way to help me get through the icki-ness of chemo than to relive Monday.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and from the deepest reaches of my
soul. Quite simply, I love you all.
To my readers - thanks for indulging me my Daughtry talk. :)
ROCK ON,
people. Rock on.
Comments:
So
thrilled with your time at the concert! I have chills and tears as I read what
a wonderful time you had! I love amazing people - so glad that these amazing
people, ALL these amazing people, opened their hearts to you - you are so
deserving! :)
May
23, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Love
it, love it, love it! I think my favourite part of the post is how so many
people came together to make the night so special. Often we get bogged down by
the a-holes in the world - we (I!) have to remember that there are so many
genuinely fantastic people on our planet! Dig how you bought a Daughtry
sweatshirt so you can bring them along to chemo! Got thinking about the
"no touching their bald heads" rule. I don't know if I could stop
myself from touching Joe Mac's curly hair...I'd like to think I'd be sensible
but um, couldn't guarantee it! Love this post Michelle - I can feel your
excitement all the way up here! *grin*
May
23, 2012 at 11:23 AM
you
deserve it. what you are going through isn't easy and anyone that has been
touched by cancer knows...
so glad you created an amazing memory.
steph h
May
23, 2012 at 12:41 PM
I
am so glad you had a great night! I seen you guys. Down up front rockin it!!!
So glad you had this experience that you will remember for ever!!!
May
23, 2012 at 3:46 PM
I
don't know how many more Daughtry concerts my parents will let me go to. (uh
oh) So I might wait till they're headlining when Daughtry tickets are
cheaper and I have a better chance of meeting them. Although, Daughtry's not
bad either. I don't know, we'll see how it goes
May
24, 2012 at 2:09 AM
