Concerts.

So ... after my dreary first day back at work, having seen that glorious sunset and then eating my delicious double chocolate cupcake, my mood had changed a little bit as I headed over to McCall's workplace to pick her up to see Sara Bareilles.  I wanted to be excited for the concert because I really do love concerts, I really do love Sara Bareilles, and I really do love being with McCall and I wanted us to have a good time.  I had sent her an email earlier in the day saying that I was in a little bit of a funk.

She emailed back, "OH NO!!!  Get out of it!!!!"  (I was trying to.)

I picked her up and as we were driving out of the parking lot I said, "Did you happen to bring the address?  I remember we drove past the theater that one time and I know it's on State Street."

She looked at me wide eyed and said, "Mom, it isn't at the Avalon theater anymore.  I went to her website and they said there were so many requests for tickets that they've moved the concert to a bigger place in Salt Lake called In the Venue.  I have been there before but I don't really remember exactly where it is, I just know it is by the Gateway."

Well ... that was not good news for me because first of all, we wanted to be early since it was open seating and now that meant that it was further away.  Second, McCall said there is no "seating" at In the Venue, it is just an open area which meant we would be standing.  I didn't like that idea ...  and my mind immediately went back to when I took my three oldest girls to see the group, "Evanescence" in concert in 2003.  McCall was 18, Haley was 16, and Chloe was 14.

Evanescence had just come out with their first album.  The lead singer, Amy Lee, has one of the most beautiful, full, rich voices I have ever heard.  (Okay, I know I have said that about Sara Bareilles too - but they have a completely different style of singing and they are both genius.)  I'm not even sure how to describe what kind of a group Evanescence is because I have never heard anything quite like them.  They are sort of a mix of new age, with some hard rock, but with a swish of classical because their songs always have a full orchestra in the sound track too, which I am crazy about.  I LoVe it when rock songs add strings!

I think Evanescence's first song on the radio was Bring Me to Life and my girls and I just loved it.  When I heard they were coming to Salt Lake and tickets were only $25, I was all over it.

The concert was about an hour away at a (remote) venue called Saltaire.  I knew nothing about it.  (Turns out Saltaire has quite a legacy - click here to check that out.)  When we arrived, the parking situation was a little chaotic.  It was like parking at the fairgrounds, without any lines or really any rhyme or reason.  There was also a really, REALLY long line outside.  My girls and I hiked to the back of the line, passing the other ticket holders with their died black hair (although some had streaks of other colors too), body piercings and tattoos, and spiked accessories.  I thought, what in the world? 

If ever there was a fish out of water ... we were it.

Evanescence was going to be the fourth band of the night to perform.  I had never heard of any of the other bands, nor did I care to once they started to play.  (I should have done my homework, it was pretty much an acid rock band concert.)  At one point during the night, Chloe held my hand and said, "I'm a little scared."  So she and Haley and I stood to the side of the crowd and listened from a distance.

We had lost track of McCall.  She had said she wanted to try and get closer to the front when Evanescence went on, so I showed my i.d. and walked upstairs to the 21 and older level to look for her. I did spot her, smushed amongst the peeps by the stage.  I forged my way through the sweat and noise to grab her and we wiggled our way back to Haley and Chloe.  McCall said, "Ew, everyone was so pushy, I couldn't really get out."  It was a wild and crazy experience to be sure.

We walked out of Saltaire, back into the cool, quiet air, headed toward the car, not quite sure we were happy to have been there and I said, I have taken you children on a field trip to hell.  I am a terrible mother.

We all kind of laughed at the whole thing and just had to agree that we had no idea it was going to be like that ... live and learn, right?

And there I was, driving with McCall, thinking I was headed off on another crazy field trip that I was going to regret.  She said, "No, no.  This won't be anything like that.  In the Venue isn't like Saltaire.  And the crowd will be totally different too."

And it was.  We were standing in line next to groups of young adult girls all fixed up cute, and by older couples - husbands and wives.  One guy walked past us in line and said to his friend, "I've never seen so many women in my life." 

And although it was standing room only, the people were much more polite and respectful.  McCall and I found the perfect place to be.  We stood right behind the sound guys and their mixing boards so we didn't have any heads in front of us and were able to lean against the railing.  (And we got to see Sara's song line-up.  We knew what she was singing before she sang it, and we knew which songs were going to be her encores.  I thought that was kind of cool.)  Whenever the girl behind McCall pushed up against her she would say, I'm so sorry.  And the little gal beside me tapped me on the arm once and apologized if she was getting too close to me. 

Sara Bareilles was adorable in every way, shape and form.  She was just darling, and so personable.  She said we were definitely the best audience she had ever had ... ever.  She was impressed with the fact that the audience (as a whole) could keep a beat and knew all of her words and could sing well.

We loved it ... and we'll see her again ... but it better be in a venue that has seats.