Alright, it is ridiculously past acceptable blogging time and I’ve driven over 8 hours today and played a show, but I had to get this out there before I crash.
You know that show I played tonight? The one in Wausau, WI, with America? It rocked. As I predicted, these well-seasoned musicians were friendly and professional, and then some. I hung out with the stage manager, Pete, for over an hour before the show chatting about the decades he’s spent touring with the band; learned about a new toy I really really want; and met Gerry, Dewey, Michael, etc backstage before my set.
The packed house (close to 1000 people) was quiet when they were supposed to be, wild with applause when I finished a song, and made that giant venue feel like the most perfect place to be. Which it was. Seriously, people approached me during the break and after the show constantly, really friendly people who buy CDs. Lots of CDs. More CDs than I’ve ever sold at one show before, with the Sara Bareilles show last December a close second.
Did I mention how great the guys in America were? They did something that no one I’ve ever opened for has done – they stood in the wings and watched my set (which, as I might have mentioned, rocked – The Grand Theater is a fabulous, huge, high-class venue and I’m going to do some begging to get back in there!).
And then, as I walked off the stage to thunderous applause (not kidding) and the enthusiastic congratulations of the band, Gerry (one of the two front men) asked me to stick around for the encore so I could come out and sing it with them.
America asked me to sing “Horse With No Name.” I am so not shitting you.
I got my mom and dad backstage (way too much fun on its own, by the way), and though we were lacking a video camera, Dad managed to nail down 128 shots in 4 minutes. One of the band’s crew taught me the two chords I needed to know to play along, the guys came offstage and strapped one of their own acoustics on me, and then I was out there with frickin’ America singing frickin’ “Horse With No Name.”
There are days, now and then, when I’m glad that I opted to do this instead of becoming a rich lawyer.
So here, my dear friends and fans, is Julie Moffitt onstage with America.
