Growing up I was always going to concerts. Whether it was smoke filled pool rooms or sold out stadiums, I loved the experience.
There was always something about shouting for a few hours that pushed adrenaline through my body. I slept good after a concert. That's probably why I joined a band and started playing every day I could.
After going to hundreds of concerts I can definitively tell you that the weirdest concert I ever went to was also the most recent one. James Taylor at the Spectrum arena in Charlotte.
Marley was dead, to begin with. So was the arena.
Everyone was so quiet and polite I thought I was at the Met Gala, or a park on a Tuesday.
One thing that was similar, the security at the door. Metal detectors and guards everywhere. They gave me a really weird look when they saw my drum key and I thought I might have to explain that I am a starving musician and I have a key to an instrument I don't play very often.
Lucky for me her, partner in security, knew what it was and they waved me on through.
Once we got to our seats we sat down and I noticed how weird the atmosphere was. It felt like 10 thousand people broke into the place and we were all just hanging out.
The whole place was so nicely lit and the music was reduced to a dull roar. Until the man himself stepped out.
James Taylor
It was as if the Beatles stepped out. Screams that hadn't been sounded for years, seemed to melt the stage.
The ten steps it took James to reach the mic seemed like an eternity. The sound only seemed to dim for him to speak a wonderful and graceful "hi".
Then, just as sudden as it had began, silence.
Everyone sat down and waited as his guitar filled the hall.
A quick realization of "Carolina On My Mind" waved though the people as they all swayed in unison. It was a ballet that we were all a tiny part of.
I thought I had been to concerts before, but I was sorely mistaken.
It was like watching Picasso paint, or Ralph Macchio do karate. It was effortless.
(also his saxophone player was Lou from the blues brothers which was dope)
His band was perfect. An eclectic mix of amazing musicians that make a sound so sweet you can't help but move.
Yet as I looked around the hall, only a small few were dancing. How could people not dance? Was dancing banned? I hope not. I enjoy a good dance.
I was scared that the people were bored with James Taylor. I adore his music and couldn't help but sing along, and how could these people just sit there?
Turns out the average age there was 58 so I'm not sure they could dance.
Either way, it was amazing.