Have you ever cried in a Panera bread? I just did.
A smart man once told me you can’t see love but you can feel it. He asked me if I could see the wind. I said no. Then he then asked if I could feel the wind. I said yes.
58 seconds.
I wrote a book that was 265 pages. It took a year to write. The entire purpose was to try and figure out love.
I just figured it out in 58 seconds.
Let me explain.
This past Saturday night I stood on the floor in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium waiting for a band to start. I wasn’t excited to be there. Generally, I am not a concert-going-type of guy. However, a friend asked if I wanted a ticket to the show and I have two rules; say yes to new experiences and yes to free tickets.
So I said yes.
We got to the stadium at 7 pm just as the opening act started. We had floor tickets which meant there were no seats. I’m old and the hangover from Friday was debilitating so a seat would have been a real blessing.
The opening act was a gal called H.E.R. I’m not sure what H.E.R means but I’ll be honest, it sucked. The gal, who I assume is H.E.R, was beautiful and a hell of a guitar player. However, the sound was awful and just not my kind of music. I was dreading the next five hours.
After standing around for three hours and drinking a thimble size pouring of tequila soda for $14, the main band took the stage.
It was four British dudes called Coldplay.
As the first song started I was engulfed in a storm of confetti while fireworks blasted from behind the stage. Huge round balls were released into the crowd and 55,000 LED bracelets on the arms of 55,000 fans lit up with colors.
Holy shit, I thought.
As my hangover slowly subsided, I started falling in love with the band. They have an arsenal of hits and the lead singer, Chris Martin, was mesmerizing. He is my age but looks 24. He wore goofy shoes and a tshirt three sizes too small.
I know the show is orchestrated but I swear to God it felt like they were having the time of their lives. I believed the things Chris Martin was saying, were real. His appreciation for the fans, the night, and the music. No bullshit, I was hooked.
There were lasers, confetti, balloons, costumes, LED bracelets, fireworks, music, and overpriced drinks. They made a massive stadium feel small and intimate. It was astonishing.
At one point the band stopped playing one of their popular songs. Chris Martin then asked the audience for a favor.
“For the next four minutes, can we create an experience that will never happen again? An experience that is just for us who are here right tonight. For the next four minutes, as we play this next song, can we all put away our phones, computers, tablets, etc, and just be here, together? Is that ok?”
At this point I was standing in the back of the crowd. As they launched into the song I looked around. Nobody was recording videos or taking pictures or snap chatting or Instagram-ing or facebook-ing or Pinterest-ing or texting or calling or emailing or tweeting or selfie-ing.
Nobody.
I didn’t see a single phone. Just a sea of people dancing and singing. Being in the moment. Being together. A moment locked in my mind forever.
It was the most powerful moment of the greatest concert that I have ever seen in my entire life.
As I started to write this blog today to describe the show, my buddy, who loves the band, sent me a message. He was also at the show.
“Watch this video and try not to cry,” he said.
The video is 58 seconds.
One of the main messages from the band was…
If you want love, be love.
This is love —> 58 Seconds
Trey
TREY’S THREE THINGS
THINK - Something that made me think this week.
GET - How to spend money you don’t have.
GO - Travel is the only therapy that works.
THINK
I came across the quote Don’t Die With The Music Still Inside You and now I am ruminating on what music means. If you watched the video above, 58 seconds, watch this one next —> It’s Ok To Be Different
GET
This journal
Not this journal
The Leuchtturm has slightly larger pages, more pages, and the pages are numbered. Write about the music inside you until you find it.
GO
To a concert by a band that you have never seen before in a different city than the city where you live. You have been thinking about it. It is time. Buy the f*cking ticket.
Live music > TV any day.
Love it!!