Tonight was a rare exception, and it was all the more exceptional because of its rarity.
To kick off my birthday week with a bang, we went to Madison Square Garden to see one of our favorite bands, Sigur Ros. (Remember, I mentioned this a few days ago?) Normally we shy away from arena shows, but we had a pretty strong feeling this one would be different.
We were right. We were so so very right.
Readers with long memories might remember that all three of us went to see Sigur Ros' singer/guitarist Jonsi at a theater show (about two blocks from the Garden, oddly enough) back in 2010. It was without hyperbole one of the most beautiful, emotional, borderline overwhelming shows we've ever seen.
Though she would have liked to go, E had to teach her weekly yoga class, and the last time she gave her class over to a sub, it literally killed the program she had at the time. So besides her honorability and work ethic, superstitiously, we was concerned about not being there.
So Bug and I headed out around 6pm, got a cheap garage with my trusty app, had a little walk in the drizzle (thankfully nothing worse!) and got to MSG around 745. Since we didn't feel like being bombarded by some opening act, we sat across the street at the Roy Rogers.
Heading in to the venue around 815, we noticed how different it looked, and I realised we hadn't actually seen a show at the Garden since 2004! The main chamber looked the same, of course, and as it turns out, the opening act was ambient music, so we sat comfortably and enjoyed it more or less after all.
We were both feeling quite reflective, and understood how amazing it was that the world is so very, very different than when we started in 1993, yet there we were, sitting together at a concert, so grateful for each other. Our bond is probably invisible to most people, but god, it's so so powerful.
The concert itself was like a dream. Without question, THE most dynamic arena show we've ever seen, by far. In saying that, I mean that most of the concert was fairly quiet, floaty, almost relaxing, but when it got loud, just like Jonsi's show, it was the loudest thing you have ever heard.
Our favorite lights were these softly blinking single bulbs atop these tall staffs, that reminded us of fireflies. Our favorite songs were the ones that made us cry, almost overwhelming in their beauty. Sigur Ros is from Iceland, so you can't sing along with their songs. You just let them wash over you.
I captured 90 seconds of video, which sound amazing. I'd like you to hear it.
If that made you feel things, and you can't quite get it out of your heart, I highly recommend you watch this, then listen to this. You won't understand any of it with your mind. That's not the point. This is heart music, 150%. And there is nothing like it on Earth. There really isn't.
The concert ended a little before 11, and we walked quietly down 33rd to 6th to pick up the car, almost in a daze. For Bug, I know she was proud of herself, and rightfully so, for having such strong shields in situations that normally unnerve her. For me, it's always around this time at the end of a city adventure when I wish I could just stay. Oh, how I wish it were so.
We got home, chuckled at the very sleepy E on the couch, had a bowl of cereal, and had a big hug before bed. We know what we did. And it was grand. Thank you, Bugga, for one of the great nights. Not too bad, after all we've been through, huh?
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