My first REAL rock concert

This is how excited we were.  The people in the picture from--right to left--are Dale, me, and my oldest sister. 

This is why we were excited:

This, my friends, is the Hollywood Bowl.  (I'd like to take a moment to highlight that we are seated only 6 rows behind the people who pay for private family booths).  A natural amphitheater, it began hosting musical performances in the 1940s.  My dedicated parents took me and my 5 siblings to performances at the Hollywood Bowl to hear such greats as John Williams, Julie Andrews, and anything patriotic on the 4th of July.  They also have lesser known classical/jazz performers like Kristen Chenoweth and lots of other people whose names I don't remember, but their symphony performances and fire work shows never fail to incite wonder.

Dale found out early that while I have been to tons of musicals and classical performances, I the extent of my experience with live rock is limited to dark basements and crowds of no more than 50 people.  This concert is what started my Husband's planning our whole 3rd anniversary trip.  It was awesome.

We saw Coldplay perform live.

WE SAW COLDPLAY PERFORM LIVE!!!!

COLDPLAY!!! Chris Martin!  In Hollywood!  We were there!  He walked 30 feet away from me!  I don't even have the words!  Or I have the words, but they babble so much that you would be annoyed by how much my mind was blown by Chris Martin's energy and the songs I've only ever half appreciated on the radio.

The show started with a really awkward man-hating 70's chick duet.  Then a good group came on, techno-ish, but they played at least one song that I would purchase if I could remember their name.  Then... the true rock stars appeared.

I wouldn't have been able to explain to myself before this experience how a musical performance can be choreographed to have such energy.  The words "animal magnetism" come to mind for the gutteral enjoyment of this event.  It delighted so many of my senses at once that I am immediately a die hard Chris Martin fan.  Do not speak ill of him around me. 

The Hollywood Bowl encourages people to come with a picnic before hand (to make waiting for the show more fun).  We went classy and brought hummus and pitas with chocolate chip cookies (taste).  The above picture shows one moment of the constantly changing laser show, as well as 2 of the 4 jumbo screens showing close ups of the performers (sight).  The music was suprizingly familiar so that I knew all of the words--Coldplay has a huge amount of successful singles (sound). I could feel the beat in my chest as well as the mass of bodies dancing around me (touch).  I don't remember any distinct smell, and that perhaps is the best thing I can say of a rock concert with 15,000 dancing bodies in such close quarters.  I credit it to the outside arena.

When it's all said and done, my husband gets me to try things that I otherwise would never try.  I'm lucky that he is such an adventurous, indulgent man.  I love you, baby.  Thanks for the memory of this night.