I guess we'd have to go back to January or February to start this story. At the beginning of the year, Josh announced his "Straight to You" tour coming through America, summer 2011. We (my mom and I) had vowed after the 2007 concert that next time we'd join his fan club so that we'd get the special privilege of purchasing tickets early. So I got my mom to join his fan club and we eagerly awaited the day to buy tickets. We looked at the dates and decided that Portland would be the one we'd like to attend. I made my mom a profile on the website to buy tickets and told her how things would go down when the tickets went on sale. I bookmarked the website and even pre-entered her credit card and info so that she wouldn't have to do it during the sale. Some might say I was mean or overeager. I say I was just trying to be prepared, and just trying to get the best seats possible. In the end, my mom did have troubles and ended up calling me at work and I got on my computer bought them myself. Well, we were stoked because the tickets we ended up with were on the 12th row!! Waaaaay better than the nosebleeds we had in SLC. Just thinking about how close we were going to be got us all worked up. It was still five months away.
In preparation, Jillian and I planned what we were going to wear, got big heels so that we'd be tall enough to see over people's heads if needed, I watched Awake Live (we happened to be at that recording), and we got familiar with his new cd. So what if Jillian was supposed to start school two days after the concert....she skipped school last time for JG. It was worth it. Jillian came home for a week and then on Friday, August 26th, we left to go to Portland.
My mom doesn't get worked up about many things in life, but one thing she does get worked up about is JG. I mean, one of the few times I've seen my mom actually run was at the last JG concert. She is so great. Well, we didn't end up leaving as soon as she wanted and she was getting anxious. Jillian drove the car to Portland while I navigated. (Never have I ever seen as many freaking one way streets as in Portland!) We got to the Rose Garden and tried to pick up our tickets from Will Call, but the fan club tickets weren't in yet and my mom was about to flip her lid, how dare they!! So we went to the rose gardens on the other end of town and frolicked through the flowers a bit. It was really hot. Then we went to stimulate the economy at Powell's books. (Having been there two weeks before I didn't find as much that I needed). Then we went to check in at our hotel that was a few blocks from the Rose Garden. It was a sweet deal that my mom got online. After eating dinner at the hotel restaurant we went back to our room to dress up for the concert. Mom got anxious again because we still needed to pick up the tickets and she needed them in her hand!! Jillian had to take her time to primp, but eventually we were on our way. Mom wouldn't even let us take pictures on the way there, we had to go get the tickets!
We picked up our tickets from Will Call and then made our way into the Rose Garden. First, we found all the merchandise for sale and got us some Josh Groban goodies. I got a tour t-shirt and mom and Jillian got the program. We really wanted posters or key chains but they didn't have any for sale. How stupid are they? Then we went inside and found our seats on the FLOOR. 12th. Row. Holler. We were stoked because we were on the very end of a row and the last row before an aisle. Which would make it very easy for Josh to pass by us. Jillian and I spent a lot of time strategizing about what would go down if Josh came our way. We also took lots of photos and freaked out a lot. My mom started talking to the couple next to us and that later proved to be a good move. Jerri and her husband Tom were from Seattle, they have 3 or 4 kids and have been married for 35 years. Jerri is in love with Josh, she was going to 3 concerts in Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, Canada. Tom was so nice, he helped her buy the tickets because she's not computer savvy, AND he agreed to go to 3 JG concerts. They were very nice. Jerri had an autographed album that she'd gotten from his 9 day "Before We Begin" tour.The opening act was a rock pianist named "ELEW" and he played some good stuff, but let's not kid ourselves, we were all thinking "just get off so Josh can start."
Now, I had read some concert reviews so I knew a little of what was going to go down. Josh had a second set in the back of the arena, so as to get to the people and make it a more intimate experience with the crowd. (He didn't even have tv screens). And some people knew that he was going to start back there, so a few minutes before 9:00 everyone started standing up and watching. His band came out first and played a little intro. Then he came out and sang a song called "Changing Colors" (most of the songs are linked to the actual YouTube of the ones we saw in Portland). Jillian and I were freaking out that he was right there!!! It was sweet because when he sat at the piano at the back stage he was facing right in our direction. We tried to take pictures (I'm kinda disappointed with my Nikon Coolpix-I guess that's what you get with a $90 camera) but it was still a bit blurry. Josh also sang "February Song" and "You Are Loved" on the back stage, and "You Are Loved" was done in this cool accousticy version. Then when he went to the front stage he walked through the middle aisle (we were on the outside edge) and up to the stage. While on stage he sang "Oceano." "Alejate," and "Bells of New York City." Josh talked about how Portland was probably the nicest city he'd been in on the tour and how he'd been having a good time. (I couldn't really claim that included me because I sure as heck am not an Oregonian). The next songs he sang were "Higher Window," "Alla Luce Del Sole," and "War at Home" with various trips back to the back stage. Then he went away for a break and his band played this cool rock song (probs the most jamming it got all night long), and it transitioned into "Voce Existe em Mim" with Josh finishing out the song on his own drum set. I really enjoy that song. Somewhere in the middle Josh answered some fan texted questions (I tried, but didn't specify 'Floor' on my location, so that's why they didn't pick mine), one was this lady who had a cafe and asked what a Josh Groban sandwich would be, he was really funny and ended up calling it a "El Groban Grande" and did a spanish accent for a minute. Another was asking about his most embarrassing iPhone app. He mentioned it would be funny to have an app where you sing like Josh Groban, and it can tell you to buy eggs at the grocery store. Then he decided that when he impersonates himself, he sounds like the Swedish Chef from the Muppets. Which he does. All the ladies were eating it up. Then someone asked if her daughter could sing with Josh, so they sang "Happy Birthday" to someone in the audience. (BTW Josh is actually very hilarious and can do many impersonations). He also talked about his "Find Your Light Foundation" that helps other programs that support the arts. Then he also sang "Galileo," "Weeping," and "Machine," which Jillian freaked out because she loves that one.
Then Josh wanted to find a couple in the audience that had been married for a long time. We thought of Jerri and Tom right next to us and immediately, Jillian was up screaming and pointing at them. (May I also note that Jillian strategically wore a white dress so that she would be a beacon of white beckoning Josh to come to her?) He first stopped at a couple on the side, but they weren't really a couple nor were they married, so he continued on. At this point, I had my camera out in case he walked by, because he was on his way. And I was freaking out. Jillian was still standing up and screaming "right here, right here" and she says Josh looked at her and asked, "Where?" Then he WALKED BY ME and I put my hand on his forearm and said, "Hi Josh!" He ignored me, but at least I have tact enough not to touch his butt because that would have gotten all 9 security guards and Rose Garden officials all up in this piece and I would've been escorted from the arena and then Josh would only know me as the girl who touched his butt. So he started talking to Tom and Jerri and asking them questions. I honestly don't know what he talked to them about (I think he asked how long they were married) because I was freaking out that he was RIGHT THERE. And taking pictures. I even got myself in one. See Below. So he invited them up onstage to sing to them. He passed by me again and I touched his arm and said "Hi, Josh!" again. Everything was such a blur and it went so fast!!! Then he wanted a young single girl, but either we were too close to the people he picked first or not paying attention because if we were then Jillian or I would have been picked. So JG took them all up on stage and had them sit on inflatable couches. He was trying to set a romantic mood and offered them wine, but then ended up pouring them all milk. He also invited a young single guy up to sit with the girl. Then he said good job on your marriage, I'm going to sing a song about cheating. Ha ha, that Josh Groban. He sang "Broken Vow" (which I love) and the arrangement had this jazzy trumpet solo, which was different but I really enjoyed it. He also sang "Per Te," and fake ended his show. Jerri and Tom came back and Jerri was so happy. She said Josh was really sweaty. She thanked Jillian for getting her up on stage. Jillian would probably like you to know that she is a Dream Maker for Life and made all of that happen. Had she not been yelling her heart out, Josh would not have come over and we would not have touched him. We owe her everything. Jerri said that she has arthritis and it really hurt to walk up and down the steps to get to the stage, but that she did it for Josh! After Josh passed by us and we touched him, we took a long time to calm down. Jillian and I kept freaking out and yelling about how we touched Josh Groban. I was actually literally shaking a bit because it was such a rush. I had hoped that we'd get a chance to get close, but seriously?!! Before that whole thing, Josh only went up and down the middle aisles so we didn't get a good chance at him. Our goal was to touch him, and we made our goal. Who woulda thought?! Mom was modest and didn't try to touch Josh. Also we told Dad that if he came with us, it could have been him and mom up on the stage, but my dad didn't really care. Anyway, Josh came back out to sing two more songs. Can you believe the night got even better when he sang the Neil Diamond song "Play Me"? If there's one thing that I love as much as Josh Groban, it's Neil Diamond, and when you put the two together...Magic. He also sang "You Raise Me Up," because he has to and if he doesn't someone will throw their shoe at him. But the audience got to be his gospel choir. So that was good. And then, like that, it was over. Josh bowed and left the stage. The lights turned on. Then we had to talk to Jerri and Tom some more. We exchanged emails so we can swap pictures. All these other people got pictures of Jerri and Tom so there is much swapping going on. We were all still in such a rush that THAT JUST HAPPENED. We said goodbye to our new peeps, took some more photos and then walked back to the hotel. I think I went to sleep singing Josh Groban in my head because I sure woke up with Josh Groban in my head. We ate breakfast and then said goodbye to the City of Roses to make our 3 hour trip home.
Overall, it was a great concert. It was waaaayyy more low key than the "Awake" tour. They didn't even sell the top tier of the arena. So less people = less noise. And kind of less energy. Which is what I think Josh was trying to go for. The "Awake" tour was so much noise and action going on it probably drained him every night. And he was trying to reach out to the audience more. I have to admit, I kind of liked the whole energy of the "Awake" tour and how loud it was that you couldn't even hear yourself sing, but this one was good too. I like some of his new stuff better now that I've heard it live, and we got to hear some of his older hits. We were close enough that we could actually see his face when he sang, he wasn't just a dot that resembled Josh Groban. And I got to go with my mom and Jillian. Mom loves Josh a lot, she even claps her hands and sings a long (which is a big deal, the only other person she'd do that to is Journey or John Denver who she can't listen to because it makes her sad because he died). It's so weird that it's over and done with, we anticipated it for so long. But I still cannnot believe that I TOUCHED JOSH GROBAN. WIN FOR ME AND AMERICA. I eagerly await the tour DVD.
