I was remembering a concert experience I had once, many years ago. In telling it to Bride Judy, I thought it might be a good thread: A group of us were invited to perform for an entire weekend at a small community college. Each evening, Friday through Sunday, was a concert. The daytimes were filled with various workshops. Great fun, great campus, great hosts! I did my share of singing and talking and trying to be polite and encouraging. But, Sunday morning I woke up and could NOT make a sound. My throat had closed up completey, and I was supposed to sing the big final concert that evening. What to do? I felt O.K., I just couldn't croak a sound. Well,I got REAL lucky.
I called a taxi and asked him to find me a pharmacy that would be open on Sunday morning. I had to write my request. He drove around and we found one that was open. It was in a very small, obscure neighborhood and was staffed by one aged pharmicist. He must have been 75 at least. I explained my delemma and asked for his help. This guy was a magician, I swear. He took me into his chemical mixing area, had me sit down, and he then took a mortar and pestle and started concocting something. I was just out of the Army, as a medic, so I was not completly ignorant as to what he was doing. He ground up a variety of stuff, and poured in the alchol, which made it an elixar. He bottled it up, told me to start sipping it, go to bed, and don't open my mouth until I walk on stage. That's excatly what I did. Came the night of the concert, I did NOT know what to expect. I hummed a fews notes and tried out a few things in my motel room, but my voice was very iffy.
That night, when I walked on stage, I was greeted with a huge audience. I didn't say a word of introduction, just started the guitar and opened my mouth, hoping something would come out. Well, let me tell you, it was GRAND!
I'd never been in such good voice before. I had full command. I could sing on pitch, loud to soft, diction perfect. Oh, it was SWELL! And the audience loved it. One of those rare moments that's etched in my pea brain.
A few days later, back home in Seattle, I received a note from one of the festival hosts. He included a newspaper review of my concert. It was from the Portland, Oregon newspaper, as we were perfoming just across the river in Vancouver, Washington. Here's the goofy part. The newspaper reviewer said I was "in complete command of the audience and had all the stage presence of Perry Como!"
The truth is, I was probably stoned out of my mind!!!!
I'm wondering if any catters out there have any other good concert stories to share?