WOW!! What a night! I just got home from the best concert I have ever been to. I laughed. I cried. I sang. I remembered. I smiled a lot! Good, good music and vibes and fun!!
Several months ago, I saw an ad somewhere for a Christmas concert with Amy Grant and Michael W Smith. They are two Christian artists who I have been "jamming" to since high school, or before! I decided that seeing them in concert should be a new thing. The tickets weren't cheap but what the hay! I posted on FB to see if I could find someone to go with me. I did!! Five someones actually!! My good friends Lisa and her teenage daughter, Wendy and her teenage daughter, and Sheila jumped right on the opportunity. We immediately bought tickets to not lose out on the decent seats. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!!
We have been talking off and on since then about how excited we all are!! I even took today off so I could sleep late, not have to hurry this afternoon, etc. I was so excited that I even went shopping today!! I commented to Sheila at one point that you'd think I never do anything fun; I was acting like this was my first ever outing! I bought a new sweater and some new make-up. Oh, and new earrings that kept falling out. Guess that's why they came with that little plastic thing to act as a back. Oops.
I went to pick up Sheila and we met the others at the train station in Fort Worth. The concert was at the big arena in Dallas. The train is the absolute best way to get there! We ate our subs on the train and had a merry time.
The show started with the Dallas Pops playing and Amy and Michael came on stage. I believe they began with It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. The full orchestra, plus a band (electric guitar, keyboardist, drummer, etc were on stage the entire time. Michael often also played a grand piano. Amy was in a gorgeous pale blue gown. It was very obvious that the two were good friends who admire each other and were having fun performing together. Never did it seem scripted or rehearsed. They were casual and funny and heartwarming.
One highlight was when Michael sat at the piano and asked us to sing along. It was the most awesome rendition of How Great Thou Art - Michael, Amy, and an arena full of strangers singing one of the greatest hymns. Yup. Special.
At one point Amy put on a guitar and sang Tenessee Christmas. Wonderful! She then told a story about how her dad hasn't known who she is for years (Alzheimers?) but was brought to her show Thursday night. His caretaker texted Amy to say that he knew who she was that night. She finished by singing a song called Heirlooms. We all cried!! Then she told a funny story about her daughter and husband. :) That's kinda how the whole night was - I was either laughing or crying!!
Near the end we had another singalong with several Christmas carols such as Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful. So cool - all those voices. Oh, right, so after an intermission, we came back to the addition of a 100 voice choir on stage. So add that to the entire arena singing. It was awesome!
They closed with Angels We Have Heard on High. A rocking, glorious, uplifting, spirited rendition like none other!!
Then... the encore. Oh my. I had teared up and even shed a tear throughout. But then... they sing, together, Friends are Friends Forever. YOU might not know that song, but I do. It was a kind of anthem for me in high school and college. It's about friends staying friends even when they have to leave each other. Amy and Michael singing it as a duet was magical to me. I was full on crying!! They then sang what I think is one of Amy's Christmas songs from one of her albums. It's about keeping the spirit of Christmas until next year, especially when you can't be together again until then. It's called 'Til the Season Comes Round Again. Glorious. I really, really didn't want it to end.
Michael even tweeted today about how magical last night was!!
Here are pictures of our outing. So glad I was able to share it with such good friends. Made the night even better!!
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| Waiting for a red light on the way to get Sheila. (You should see this pic with Instagram filters!!) |
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| The ladies waiting for the train!! |
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| Waiting for it to start. |
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| The stage. No zoom. |
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| Look how much fun they're having!!! (this and most of these are taken of the big screen) |
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| (Fancy camera work they weren't near each other!!) |
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| Actual view of the stage, zoomed in. |
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| It was obvious how much they respect and admire each other. |
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| Just some of the massive choir. |
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| Choir addition to stage. |
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| train ride home. this was the best one of the 3 of us. push too many buttons and you get a weird postage stamp thing. |
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