fen bolds live...

So Saturday night, Nov. 19 in the 2005th year of our Lord at about 8:00p.m. began what became the best concert going experience of my life. Ben Folds played at Nokia Theater, and my little music loving heart nearly burst with joy as each passing song played. Now, let me preface this by saying that I am not normally a person who gets starstruck very easily AT ALL. If anything, I'm more inclined to think that "stars," as we call them, are not that big a deal. I can appreciate what they do, but they're just like you and me, just much more visible, no?

I guess we all have our exceptions, even if we try to put celebrities on an equal playing field with ourselves. J-Ro and Alex have Janet Jackson and Al Franken. Julie has Dooce. Jessica Williams has anyone whose songs are played on KISS FM, and I... *sigh*... have Ben Folds. He's the only artist who's entire discography, including b-sides, is in my possession....or at least I think so. This was also the only concert where I knew the words to every song save one, and yes, I was THAT girl that sang loudly and pumped her fist N'SYNC™ with the emphatic drum parts and/or odd rhythms. I think I might have also jumped up and down with both fists in the air and emitted "wooooooooooooo"s at various pitches after (and occasionally during) EVERY song. Oh, man, did I have a great time!

It was also great because the group that went was great. I hang out with everyone individually or in smaller groups, but we've never done stuff as a group, and it was glorious! The group was as follows: Amber "Ambie" King, Kevin "beard" Howard, Jesse "eh?" Hopkins, Stephanie "Mary Tyler Moore" Ransom, Paul "brown shirt" Samples, and Myself "me" Phares.

There really isn't a bad seat at Nokia, and my only complaint was the cost of the drinks. And the cost of the man's drink I knocked over (and subsequently reimbursed him for) while trying to pass by him to do what I like to call "the ticket exchange gone awry." I won't go into details, but let's just say it's over now, and all is well. Besides, he played Army and he split the audience up into different horn parts that we sang at the appropriate time, as well as on Not the Same. Again.......GLORIOUS!

I always vowed to myself that I would see a Ben Folds concert before I died, and clearly, I'm not a vow breaker.

NOTE TO READER: If I've ever broken a vow (that's serious folks) to you, please abort reading, close this browser window, and work on trying to forget two things: a) the last five words of that last sentence, and 2) the rage you felt after said vow was broken by me. Sorry.

Now I want to see him again! He'd probably play a birthday party for free, right?