That Was For You, Darlin' (Part Two)

(This post originally appeared on Facebook 5/17/2010)

That was for you, darlin' (Part Two)

5/15/10

Four days of unbearable waiting were over. Its all I could talk about, all I could think about....Ed had promised to play my favorite song ...just for me. It was like a dream. I was 90% excited, and 10% nervous he'd just honesty forget. "Its the thought that counts" always rings true, but I knew I'd be pretty disappointed if it didnt happen.

I meet a slew of people in the Old Seelbach Bar for dinner and drinks before the show. At various points in the night we talked about my (wishful) moment to come. At the venue, after finding out seats, we mingled about finding old and new BNL/Ships and Dip/Twitter friends. I felt like I showed people my back more than I showed my face! :) Everyone was pulling for me!

Luckily, Kristen knew early on how to put me out of my misery. A quick snapshot of the setlist that had already been taped down on the stage revealed that no, he hadn't forgotten. After 15 years I was finally going to hear MY song. Ingrid's set was blur of singing and excitement for me, but the anticipation was nearly palpable.

Another first for me this evening - keeping up with the song order. I'd decided that I really wanted a complete set list at the end of the night, but couldn't see in the dark to write one out. So I just decided to Tweet each song title as the song started, giving myself not only a song list, but a pretty accurate time-line of the night.

It was the 8th song of the night. I saw Kevin and Tyler clear the stage, and knew it was about to happen. Jim pulled out the big mama jama - The Double Bass, and joined Ed in the far stage left corner of the stage. A few kind words and a simple "This goes by special request" was all I head before the tears started. The opening notes - the very same ones tattooed on my back - seemed to float straight to me. I cried harder. I made my way down to the very front, and just stood there, crying and singing. Around the beginning of the second verse, Ed looked down and saw me hysterically crying, and proceeded to serenade me with the song. It felt like we didnt break eye contact for an eternity. He liked the tattoo? Wow! He remembered to play the song? Double wow! But then he SINGS IT TO ME?! From 5ft in front of me?! That one gets the full-on Christopher Walken "Wowee wow wow wow"

When I Fall

A few songs later, as Jim took the keys for "On The Lookout", Ed played the bass in Jim's traditional spot, putting him right in front of me once again. As he looked down at me, all I could do was grin wildly and mouth "Thank You" at him. He grinned back, nodded and mouthed "You're welcome" to me. As I started to say "Love you!" he messed his guitar playing...laughed a bit, winked at me, and wandered back over stage right to play for others in the audience.

After the show, we hung around out back again to see the guys again and say "Thanks!". I waited patiently (ok, maybe NOT so patiently) for my time with Ed, and he walked to me with open arms, saying "That was for you, darlin'", and I felt like I could have cried all over again. I told him how phenomenal it had been, and he just grinned and said "It was no problem....for you"

I back away to let some other people have a chance to meet him (I cant hog ALL his time, I guess), and as another fan mentioned When I Fall, he searches over the crowd for me saying 'That was for Chan, she has the melody tattooed across her shoulders!" I blushed (maybe for the first time ever in my life) and happily turned around to show off the music. When the crowd died down, we chatted a bit, had him sign my record, which he gave a me a double meaning for:

To be read as "I <3 U & I <3 Your Tattoo"

I also had him sign the shirt I'd made, to be used as my "permission slip", in case I ever ran into any "legal copyright issues"

Im sure this is 100% official

We left, and headed over to the BBC Brew Pub, where unknown to us, the rest of the band members were waiting. We all laughed, chatted, had a few drinks, and enjoyed the beautiful night.

It could have been a blizzard out, and I doubt I would have noticed.

Chan

That Was For You, Darlin' (Part One)

(This post originally appeared on Facebook 5/17/2010)

"...and if I try, would you catch me if I fall? " 

5/10/2010

I head down to Nashville to meet up with Erin for dinner before the BNL show at The Ryman. I meet her at my favorite haunt - SatCo - for some quick and yummy tacos before we head downtown. Through her supreme ninja skills and the idiocy of the people who never showed up in my row, we sneak Erin up to sit next to me in row K. The lovely Ingrid Michaelson plays her set (MUST check her out if you haven't before), and after a small wait, its BNL time. 

The show was amazing, as always. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, in true Nashville style, Ed calls up a man from the audience named David Mayfield who proceeds to WAIL on an inpromtu jam of the old Country Gentlemen tune "Fox On The Run". David belongs to a band called Cadillac Sky, whom the guys had seen play the night before at Station Inn in The Gulch...

After all our favorites, including a great crowd sing a long of Kenny Roger's "The Gambler", the guys take their final bows and head off. Which means, of course, Erin and I instantly head around the back of the venue to wait by the bus. And wait we did. Nearly 90 mintues of it, on an unusually chilly night. We make a few friends out of the other waiting fans, and just sit and twiddle our thumbs...

Ed was the first one out. Tosses his stuff on the bus, and comes back out to say hello. My moment was here. I'd waited nearly 5 months to show him the tattoo of his most beautiful song "When I Fall" that I had tattooed on my back just before Christmas. 


"When I Fall"

He was speechless. He ran his fingers over the notes as he hummed the tune to himself. I stumbled over my words, muttering about how "After 15 years of being a BNL fan I decided to make it permanent....When I Fall was my favorite song..." and he truly seemed touched by the gesture. I then mention to him that I'd never heard the song played live in any of my 14 BNL shows. Ed was shocked and exclaimed "OH fuck, we' shoulda played it then!" and looked truly remorseful. I told him he could easily make it up to me by playing it on Saturday night at the Louisville show. He couldn't agree fast enough. He pulls out his cell phone, sets a reminder to go off on 5/15 at 10am so he wouldnt forget. He then asks to take a picture of the tattoo. I felt so warm and fuzzy inside! It was amazing to think that someone who's made me so happy for long could possibly have been made happy by something I had done. Another sweet hug and pic later, Ed was gone. I couldnt stop smiling. 

Finally!

Tyler, then Kevin, then Jim all make their way out to the bus one by one, and one by one I gave them the story and showed them. Their reaction was more than I could have hoped for. Each guy said "thank you" to me so sincerely, I couldnt have asked for more. Even a quick jab from Jim for my choice of the Treble line instead of the Bass line (haha) 

Jim was diggin' it

Tyler even felt the need to label the song, and sign my back! Silver Sharpie comes off well with makeup remover, FYI :) 

Ty felt the need to label the tattoo

My official BNL label!

I drove home that night grinning from ear to ear. Not only had I had a wonderful meet with all four guys, I'd received the official stamp of approval for my tattoo. All I could do then was wait anxiously for the next few days to pass, and for Saturday's show to arrive. 


Chan