AFTERGLOW

I’d almost forgotten what it’s like to actually *live* life. Thanks Sarah for reminding me. I desperately needed the reminder. I can’t even remember the last time I was “in the moment.” What a truly incredible night it was.

It all began with the opening act. Now I honestly think I was the only person in the crowd of 10,000 or more that really came to not only hear Sarah sing, but also to hear them sing their beautiful melodies. I wondered to myself whether anyone there had even heard of The Perishers, a young quartet from Sweden. Back in December, I told my good friend Greek Tragedy to watch out for these guys because they were really good and they were gonna make it big. Well so far, they’ve not made the mainstream, but if they’re opening for Sarah I think they’re on their way.

The more songs they played, the more I liked them. Plus, they looked like they were having such a good time up there on stage. The drummer was cracking me up because he was so into it. What disappointed me was the general apathy the crowd had for them. After each song there was only a smattering of applause. I felt sorry for them, but they were most gracious for the applause they *did* get. I pointed this out to my friend (yes, after 12 declines, I finally got someone to go with me), and we were discussing it when all of a sudden we heard the applause we should have been hearing all along for these guys. Of course. It was Sarah walking on stage. She sang the female part in a song called Pill. The crowed finally went nuts. They finished off their hour set with two songs you must hear, Sway, and Trouble Sleeping. The CD is called Let There Be Morning. Buy it, guys. It’s great.

Sarah came on to a standing O. Her set was quite unique. It looked like a forest in a fairy tale-type setting with two huge video screens behind the trees. Very outdoorsy looking. And, wow, Sarah looked amazing. She wore a long black skirt, black boots, a classy tank top with a gold pattern to it, and a beautiful smile. Gone was the long black hair she had been sporting. Instead her hair was closer to the late 90s look, just off her shoulder with a dark reddish hue. She opened with World on Fire and followed up with Building A Mystery and Adia. We all know what a beautiful voice she has with that uncanny ability to hit those high registers. I wondered if she could pull it off live. Oh man, no doubt. She was right on key and sang flawlessly.

I just kept thinking what a wonderful time I was having and how awesome the moments were, and how truly amazing the music was. I like the fact that Sarah took breaks to talk to us. She spoke to us about her love for fashion. She described her outfit. I couldn’t exactly hear who the designers were. But she talked about how she loved her Canadian-made 12 year-old boots. She talked about how she sets out to write a love song, but then gets stuck and ends up going back to the same, comfortable place she knows well. Failed loves and bitterness. She talked about what a challenge her three-year-old daughter was and how wonderful a husband she had. She talked about how awesome the weather was in South Florida and how she was thankful she got a tan. She told us she was a control freak, and told us to go buy The Perishers’ CD. Her talks impressed me. It was as if she was genuinely interested in sharing all this with us. And she really was, I could tell. Her smile was beautiful; she looked almost embarrassed by the continuous ovations she was getting.

That girl sang all her hits for two-hours. Fallen, Stupid, Sweet Surrender, Train Wreck, Perfect Girl, Time, Hold On, I will Remember You, Angel, Possession, Ice Cream and many others. She sang The Beatles’ Blackbird and Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill. She came out for two encores and looked truly guilty for having to go. It was sad to see her go. Aren’t we always sad no matter how long our heroes play on stage? We can never get enough of great music, can we?

Wow, what a concert! Indeed, I’m basking in the afterglow of that three-hour event. I’ve been a fan of Sarah for 10 years now, but I’m *really* a fan now. I’ve gotten to know her not only as a singer but also as a person. Both of which are truly beautiful. And thanks to you too, Perishers. I can’t wait to share that CD of yours with the woman I will eventually meet and fall in love with. This woman will love Sarah and will love The Perishers. How do I know? Trust me on this one, I just know.