It is Monday. Typically, the dreaded “back to work” day. In our case, Monday WAS a back to work day, and we couldn’t have been more excited!
Monday’s gig was one we had pushed for and had set up long before we left Tacoma. Randi Driscoll is a friend of our Tacoma friends, Ray Hayden and Jessica Lynne Witty. They put in the good word for us and then Randi checked us out and it all worked!
Twice a month, Randi has a showcase at the True Music Room inside the Cambria hotel, right off Broadway, called “Randi’s Revival”. She features acts, songwriter rounds, touring artists, etc. What is super special about this night is that it is original songs only! And these artists are good and they are honored to be there. They WANT to be there, and it shows. Passionate performances, thoughtful story telling, crafted lyrics, powerful voices, and most of all, a HUGE love and appreciation of the craft that unites us all. Randi is a gracious and lovely host, with an almost child like sensibility to her, the voice of an angel and the warmest heart, just welcoming in all the performers and the audience to share in something special that you will NOT find on the Broadway strip. She carefully cultivates her shows, combining acts that she feels will resonate with audiences and entertain them from 6:00 to 10:30. It’s a long night of music, but it flew by because of each person’s dedication to their art, their show, and their fellow performers. I just can not stress enough what an incredible evening this was, just to be INCLUDED in. And that’s before we even played a note!
There is rarely a time when Jared and I go on stage without a care in the world, and tonight was no exception. However, it being the last time we were going to play a full set in Nashville, we had a confidence and excitement that (almost) made us feel invincible.
I think the for the past eighteen years, the safest and happiest place you can find my husband and I, is on some sort of a stage, performing for people. During those times, we are untouchable. Whatever came before that moment, leading up to the very first chord, is left behind in a dust cloud of melody and emotion. Whatever is to happen when we bow and say our “thank you’s” and “good nights”, can wait its turn to be acknowledged. We don’t take phone calls, post on social media, pay bills, look in a mirror. We don’t worry about the what’s, when’s, why’s and how’s of all the unanswered questions and problems that every one of us faces in life. Nope. We just sing and play. Like children wildly flailing towards the jungle gym after being cooped up in a classroom ,we charge ahead into the show with reckless abandon. No matter how many times I’ve done it, I have to tell myself to slow down and just breathe. I get so excited to be up on stage with my greatest mate, my best friend, my adventure partner and maker of dreams, right there for everyone to see and hear! Our relationship spilled out into the ether, like a bucket full of glitter and toys, blankets, and love notes. We just stand there together, giving everything we’ve ever had, to complete strangers, and in doing so, we make them our friends. Because you can’t fake what we have and they know it. They see it. They want in…
You can fake a whole load of things in this business. You can phone in stories, lyrics, talent even. You can autotune vocals and pipe in tracks. You can dress up, suck in, lift, cover and hide all kinds of flaws and signs of aging, I’m certainly guilty of it…But you can not fake what my Jared and I have. You can not fake an undeniable love for each other that becomes a critical part of each thing you ever do, say, feel, think. You can not fake the countless hours spent together, rehearsing, loving, writing, arguing, laughing, crying, wondering. And THAT is what they see. More and MORE, I know that now. They see that first and foremost, and then hang onto that through he entire show, hoping for a little peek, a little piece to come their way, a little light shed on a secret so deep we dare not speak of it, for fear it may slip away like an eyelash on a cheek. It’s magic. And it’s ours. And yours. We give it over and over and over again and will continue to do so until we die, because we want everyone to see how special love can be. It’s outrageously cheesy, I know. If I weren’t living it, I’d gag to write it. But if you come to a Champagne Sunday show, I KNOW you’ll understand.
That is the kind of show we had Monday night.
