Close Encounters of the MLE Kind

Friday Night, April 16, New York, The Roseland.

Wow. I can’t believe it’s finally here. Another Melissa concert.

It seems like I’ve been waiting forever for another Melissa concert. In reality, it’s only been less than a month and a half, but it seems like much longer than that. I could go on and on about how much I’ve been anticipating and waiting for more MLE concerts, but I’d much rather talk about yesterday’s concert experiences, so here we go.

Deb and I took the red-eye flight from Los Angeles and arrived in New York early Friday morning. For me, the red-eye is appropriately named. I didn’t get much sleep at all and when we landed my eyes were red. Deb didn’t get much sleep either but her eyes weren’t red, and we met our friend and concert buddy Rhondda at the airport and Rhondda had also taken a red eye flight but her eyes weren’t red either.

We took a car to the hotel, got showered, and met Bitewound for breakfast. We didn’t want to have a super expensive breakfast at the hotel, so instead we walked two blocks and had a super expensive breakfast. There must not be any chickens in New York, they must import dairy products from another country, because that’s the only reason I can figure out why two eggs cost so much. During breakfast, I was in a daze from not sleeping, and wasn’t very good company. I think Bitewound got tired of me just sitting there staring straight at her, so she finally recommended “Why don’t you go back to the hotel and take a nap?” Bitey’s really smart. She not only gives good advice for animals, but she’s got great advice for humans too.

I went back to the hotel and took a nap. When I woke up, I called Deb to find out where they all were. It was early afternoon, and they were already at the Roseland, so she gave me directions, and I put on my red beanie hat and off I went.

Our hotel is located on Lexington and 49th. The Roseland is not located at 62nd and 5th. I know that because I went there and my friends weren’t there. I called Deb and asked where they were, and she said I was supposed to turn on FIFTY Second, not Sixty Second. I back-tracked, and turned on 52nd, and walked past Broadway, and there all my friends were, in front of the Roseland. But, I’m glad I went to 62nd street first, because I had wanted to walk around and explore New York a little bit, and not stand in line all day. So yeah, I meant to do that.

Because Deb and I have received a few inquiries, I would like to set the record straight on something. As those of you who read my Las Vegas concert review know, Deb and I had held up a sign at that concert, Melissa read it, and she asked “Can I talk you in to coming to New York?” We said Yes. At the time we had no idea why she asked us the question. Why New York? Why Us? When we read that they will be filming the concert for a DVD in New York, we had a little better understanding of Why New York, but between you and me, I’m still trying to figure out exactly the Why Us. But I figure the Why Us is because Deb and I have such a good time at the shows and get really into it and dance and sing and completely rock out the entire time, and since our sign in Las Vegas read that we’d been at the first 12 Get Lucky Tonight shows and were planning on going to Dallas too, I guess Melissa figured we’d be nutty enough to go to New York too and apparently she’d like two California nutties in the audience for the DVD, so that’s why she asked that question- that’s the Why Us. Oh but that’s not what I want to set the record straight on. What I’d like to set the record straight on is that all MLE did was ask us that question from the stage immediately after reading the sign, and we said Yes, and that’s it, end of story. No one has provided us free tickets or free hotel or free anything, we are paying for everything on our own. And if you don’t believe me, I’ve got the VISA bills and a couple of bounced checks to prove it.

5:30 PM. We had SuperMEs, so in we go. Actually, it was just in I go because Deb had gone back to the hotel to wait for another concert buddy of ours. When we (the SuperMEers and Travel Package folks) first went in, Kenny and Philip were on stage. Kenny came off stage soon after, but Philip stayed practicing on stage for a good half hour or so. The reception area was off to the side behind the stage. Directly behind the stage was the VIP dining area, and Bill Leopold and Steven and Stephanie and Trace and others were hanging out there.

I sat down on the benches against the wall facing the side of the stage. Philip and another guy were working on some equipment, and from what I could tell the problem with the equipment was that it was dusty, because I thought I heard them say they needed some Windex. The piece of equipment was small, it was rectangle shaped, and it had knobs on the front side and was hollow on the back side. Philip was holding it in his hands, then he held the hollow side close to his face, and to get the dust out, he blew on it. You know what happens when you blow on something dusty and the air doesn’t have anywhere to go except back in your face? Yup, you guessed it. Poor Philip got dust in his face and he started rubbing his eyes. I really like Philip and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by laughing at him for having done something silly unintentionally, so it was all I could do to contain my giggles.

Shout Out to Philip! Don’t worry, Dude! I’m totally not going to tell anyone you did that!

Hee hee hee hee hee hee!

6:25 PM-ish. They let us line up in front of the stage. Deb was right up against the barricade, and me and our other concert buddy Jules were right around her.

8:15 PM. People look up to the balcony and start cheering like crazy. I looked up and saw Rosie O’Donnell and her wife Kelli (not sure if I spelled that right) Carpenter, and plus Tammy was there too. I don’t know Rosie or Kelli, as far as I know that’s the first MLE concert I’ve been at that they’ve been at too, but they recently got married and that’s really cool, and I was happy to see Tammy up there because I like Tammy, so I started clapping and cheering.

A few seconds later the drums start beating. I know those drums. I know those rhythms. I know those sounds. It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here, another Melissa concert. My heart started beating just as fast as those drums. Out came Philip and Mark, and they started playing, which put a huge smile on my face, and I was clapping and cheering and woohooing, and shortly after that, Melissa came strutting out, playing and smiling and greeting the entire crowd. I let out one of the loudest Woohoos I could and I started hopping up and down with my arms high in the air. It felt so good to see and hear the band again. I was back in my little heaven. Aaaaaaahhhhhh.

It wasn’t until the fourth song, If I Wanted To, that I made eye contact with Philip. I wasn’t sure if he would remember me or not, cause it’s been awhile since my face has been in the crowd. But, he looked at me, and I smiled at him really big, and I saw recognition in his eyes, and he gave me a great big funny Philip smiley face. Next I looked at Mark and smiled, and he also looked back and smiled, and I thought oh how cool, The Master Of All That Is Funky remembers me too. Then I looked at Kenny and smiled, and he looked back at me and smiled, but it’s hard to tell if he recognized me or not, because Kenny is always back there smiling. Kenny is a happy drummer. Whether he did or not, I’ll just pretend Kenny recognized me too.

It was also during this song that MLE looked at me. I didn’t know if MLE would recognize me or not, ‘cause like I said it’s been awhile since my face has been in the crowd, but she looked at me, and I smiled, and she quickly (she was still playing) pointed at me and smiled. I figured that meant she remembered me. Turns out she did. Two songs later, after Angels Would Fall, she looked at me and said “I know your hat!”

Having Melissa say that she knew my hat made my hat feel really good. Oh and I felt good too. But it was the hat that was the happiest. No maybe it was the head inside the hat. Yeah, it was the head inside the hat that felt good. The first thoughts to run through my head after she said “I know your hat!” was that I should always wear the red beanie hat, so that my idol may always remember me, so that I could get that good feeling inside my head in the future. My next thought was that the beanie is fine for concerts, but I don’t know if it will go with my business suits. My final thought on the matter was that I won’t wear the beanie every day, and I may or may not wear the beanie at all concerts, because even though it’s super awesome that MLE remembered me, when all is said and done in my little world, if Melissa remembers me or not it’s not going to change the way I put on my socks in the morning (inside out and on the wrong feet).

YEAH, RIGHT!

You full on know I’m going to wear the dang red beanie hat to every Melissa concert I go to from here on out! I don’t even care if it’s a hundred degrees, I’ll be wearing the beanie!!! Think I’m kidding? We’ll see at those Southern California shows in July now, won’t we!

I’m feeling really awesome. The band remembers me (still not sure about Kenny, but I’m still pretending), and Melissa remembers my hat. The next few songs dance through my soul like warm, flowing water – Mercy, I Want to Be In Love, Come To My Window. I’d been yearning for so long to be back in this place, and am literally high from how good the music feels, and how mesmerizing MLE’s voice is. Next they played the power song trio- Silent Legacy, Scarecrow, and my new favorite song, Tuesday Morning. When it transitioned from Scarecrow into Tuesday Morning, I’m not sure what happened, but it was the weirdest thing. I didn’t sense anyone to my left, and I didn’t sense anyone to my right, and I didn’t sense anyone behind me. It’s like everyone just disappeared, and Philip and Kenny and Mark and Melissa were playing to just me. I don’t remember if I just stood there or not, I usually sing during all of the songs, but I don’t remember singing during Tuesday Morning, and I don’t remember if I was swaying or not, I usually sway during Tuesday Morning. I just remember that it was as if no one else was there.

No one, that is, until the Stand Up America part. I remember that part, because I love leaning back and shouting AS LOUD AS I POSSIBLY CAN . . . .

LET’S ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But then the intoxicating end choruses came and I completely abandoned myself to the screaming guitars and pulsing bass and pounding drums wrapped around MLE’s soulful voice, and I think even I disappeared in the music.

For the solo songs, she sang Royal Station 4/16, which was perfect, because the date was 4/16. After the song was over, she handed Trace her guitar, and she looked for a target in the audience to give her pick to. Of course when she does that everyone reaches forward, but I didn’t reach forward, because I thought she would give it to someone’s whose Birthday it was that night. But, she looked at me and leaned towards me which actually confused me a bit because I wasn’t expecting it, and then she said “Camille, will you hand this to the person behind you?” I said “Oh, yes, sure” and then I reached out and she placed the pick in my hand and as I was transitioning the pick to its home with the woman behind me, MLE said “I can trust you.”

MLE said my name. Melissa Etheridge knows my name. Holy Guacamole, Melissa knows my name. To say I was stunned would be an understatement. Fudge, people tell me they love my stories because they are descriptive and it’s like you’re here with me, but this is one of those times where the experience is stuck in my head and heart as feelings which I can’t quite find the right words for. So sorry, gang, we’re just going to have to leave it at that. So not only did she know my name, but she said out loud “I can trust you.” I know it was just a quick remark and she was talking about the pick, but it too was very powerful. I hope I never do anything to biff up that tiny bit of trust she has in me.

Shout Out to Myself! Don’t ever do anything to biff up that tiny bit of trust Melissa has in you!!

Next she played The Letting Go at the piano keyboard. She messed up the lyrics, and people chuckled, and Trace ran out with the Lyric Book. I was having a hard time keeping my head straight, it kept wanting to drift away, so during this song, I placed my arms on the banister and rested my chin in my hands. I must have had a really stupid grin on my face or something, because MLE peaked out over the Lyric Book at the nut in the red beanie and smiled.

I know for sure I wasn’t singing during Meet Me In The Dark. I’d given my brain strict orders to pay attention and remember how happy I was right then. I didn’t want to distract my brain by singing or even breathing, but breathing is required, so I kept breathing. Due to the height of the stage and where I was standing, I could only see MLE’s head. Oh and her feet too. There’s a Lucky-themed banner on the piano keyboard, but it doesn’t reach all the way to the ground, so I could see her feet. The left foot was resting on its side, and the right foot was working the pedal. I remember thinking, “My idol wears Converse shoes.” And for whatever reason, happy prideful tears started welling up in my eyes. I think it’s because the Converse footwear selection perfectly shows how down to earth MLE is. She’s up on stage, singing these brilliant songs that if people really listened to, the world would be a better place, and she’s constantly encouraging people to go and be Giants and vote and stuff, and she says wonderful things to her fans like “You matter to me!”, and she speaks powerfully from her heart and positively impacts people’s lives, and she does it all in sneakers. I am seriously fond of that woman.

The song ended and they started playing This Moment and that song is so insanely brilliant it was too much for me and a few tears snuck out. I pulled it together and was fine after that. Well except for my soul floating in the clouds and stuff.

Next up was You Must Be Crazy For Me. I love that song. One of my favorite live recordings of MLE’s is that song from a few years ago, because I love it at the end when they stop and then start again, and then stop and then start again, and then stop and then start again. I love it! But, I’ve never heard it performed that way in person. They played the song with tons of energy last night, and I had a feeling they were going to do that stop/start thingy, and they did! They stopped and started a few times, and when they stopped I would freeze, and then wait three beats, and then go nutty again! Woohoo! Even better than the stop/start thing was Kenny going absolutely wacko on the drums. At one point it sounded like Taiko drums: BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Philip and Melissa and Mark joined Kenny on the drums and the four of them were having the time of their lives up there pounding on the drums. BOOM BOOM TAPPITA TAPPITA BOOM BOOM TAPPITA TAPPITA BOOM BOOM! Philip and Melissa and Mark came back down from the drum stage and started playing their own instruments again, and the cool thing about Kenny’s drumming is that he’s so fast and furious it still sounded like four people were playing drums. Melissa was saying something about “bring it a little lower now” and she was getting lower to the ground, so I ducked down, and she pointed and me and smiled for getting down. THEN I POPPED BACK UP IN THE AIR REALLY HIGH! WOOOOOOHOOOOO!!! I definitely enjoyed You Must Be Crazy For Me.

You all know the tsunamis created by Philip, Kenny, Mark and Melissa playing Bring Me Some Water, I’m The Only One and Like The Way I Do, so I don’t have to go into details about that. The final song was Giant, and I love Giant, and since I was in the front MLE touched my fingers as she was walking by, and that was the perfect way to end the show.

You may have noticed this review has more song mentions than usual. That’s because at the end of the show, one of the stage hands pulled up Philip’s set list, and I looked at him, and asked “May I have the set list?” and he gave it to me! Cool! What I especially like about this set list is, well, it was Philip’s, and second, they miss-titled the song You Must Be Crazy For Me as Must Be Crazy For You.

After the concert we went to Rubyfruits and I got drunk and I’m not sharing details about that. Bye!

-Camille