Musical obsessions

A few days ago a question from "The Ultimate Gift" (which we had just watched) was raised: "What would be your perfect day?"  At the time I didn't really have anything specific in mind.  Days filled with friends, family, memories, laughter, and even tears are always good...

Then last Saturday happened.  And glitter fell on my day after a bit of a rough morning.  5 of us were in the car on the way to "a concert" in Seattle.  I wasn't feeling especially pumped about this concert.  The drive was long (just like it always is) and concerts are expensive.  I had no idea that this was no ordinary concert, though.  These were people I actually "knew" and stalked--The Piano Guys!!  (Who happen to be one of my greatest obsessions right now, and it's only getting worse.)  Travel time and pricey tickets all faded to the back because I was about to experience my favorite music group in person!  

As I described it to a friend, think of The Piano Guys' music as a perfect rainy day.  (Anyone who knows me well knows that I love rainy days...if you didn't know that, you probably don't know me as well as you thought you did.)  So here we are with their music already topping out.  But then add a thunderstorm and power outage, which greatly improve that perfect rainy day....and that's what it's like to see them perform.

[Sorry about the bad-quality pictures.  We weren't allowed to have good cameras at the concert, which ended up being a good thing.  Knowing me, I tend to spend memorable moments trying to get really good pictures rather than truly enjoying the moment.  Without my DSLR, I was able to be there completely and without distraction.  However, I still occasionally pulled out the phone and snapped a couple for the sake of recording the memory.  Thus, with the distance we were at, the zoom fuzzes the pictures some.]

Maybe you're wondering...

• Why did I not blog about this sooner?  It's hard to come up with just the right words that match enthusiasm.  :)
• So I've done it once and gotten it over with.  That's good enough, right?  Actually, no.  Now that I know how amazing they are in concert, I want to go again and again and again and...ok, you get the point.
• Was it the best day of my life?  Well, I couldn't say that with absolute confidence, but it was dangerously close.
• Was it the best concert I've ever attended?  It was definitely among the top, but it's hard to compare to, say, the symphony because they both uplift and inspire in different ways.
• What made this so amazing?  First, they were hilarious.  And it wasn't pathetic and fake sounding, like they had practiced all their lines.  Everything sounded impromptu.  Second, it was obvious that they were really enjoying the music, being together, and performing.  It's pretty noticeable in their videos, but it doesn't change in person.  Finally and most importantly, they were humble and gave credit to God.  They weren't ashamed or afraid to say that.
• Why should you go to their concert?  Because you'll realize how worth it it is.  Yes, it's expensive, but it's a memory that lasts.  And their talents are nothing to laugh at.  (unless you're laughing because it seems impossible.)  Besides, their music and attitudes are very uplifting.
• Is it really worth it?  YES.  And that's coming from someone who is naturally a money saver.  I generally get mildly stressed when a family member or myself spends money on unnecessary things.  So here I am saying that this one is worth it even though it seems financially painful at first.

Mom, Johannah, me, Keren, and Tirzah
This was Johannah's first concert of any kind ever.  (Let's all take this moment to stare awkwardly at her and wonder what planet she's actually from.)

Jon Schmidt can really play the piano upside down!  (Steve doesn't seem impressed.)

YES, they even played all around the piano!  "Ants Go Marching" and "What Makes You Beautiful".

There were real bagpipers for "Amazing Grace/Fight Song" too!!!

And, just in case attending their concert wasn't exciting enough, we also got to be among the first to hear a new song, "Okay," which they have written.  This has not been released yet, so only people on their current tours get to hear it!  "Okay" will be on their next CD, "Uncharted," which will be released on October 28th!!!!  (Not like I'm counting down or anything...)  You can pre-order it here and actually get it on that date.  (Which I have not done.)

Many thanks to my sisters who made this happen.  Can we go to their London concert next?