It started as many things do—with a line. But it was the most pleasant line I’ve ever been a part of. People were exceptionally friendly. One lady even offered my friends and me her spare ticket, which we happily took, boosting our party of three to four.
It was about 10 minutes before we were let inside. We found ourselves in a small room with rows of chairs packed in. You couldn’t not get friendly with your neighbor. Surprisingly, I didn’t mind. Almost everyone seemed to be in a good mood. You could feel the excitement. It was the contagious sort, which the Unchained Tour seems to strive for.
The show started a little late. And again I found myself OK with the waiting. Rachel Kate opened with a song that wasn’t at all what I was expecting. She looked like a little rag doll, with her puffy dress and dimples.
Very sweet.
And then she sang. Her voice, a booming raspy soulful sound, gave me the chills. It was like watching her purge her sins. I bought her CD during intermission.
Kate’s performance set the tone for the evening, as artist after artist told their stories in the same magical sort of way, a way that left the audience with a little piece of each storyteller’s life.
Dawn Fraser told a funny and heartbreaking story about her and her twin brother’s struggles as athletes that had me tearing up at one point.
Edgar Oliver had my undivided attention with his first word. His voice reminded me of Bela Lugosi’s in “Dracula,” but his tiny, humbled demeanor had me wanting to give him a hug. I was crying because I was laughing so hard.
Peter Aguero told a story of him and his “babycakes” (a.k.a. wife) getting it on. He encouraged the audience to share the story with their mothers, jokingly of course. It was an incredibly funny story, told by a cleverly comedic man.
As the night went on I found myself taking less and less notes. Instead I did as Aguero asked us to: just listen. I forgot about the outside world, which meant the page meant for my notes on Neil Gaiman’s performance remained blank. That’s not to say his story left me equally unmarked.
Gaiman’s story was similar to his writing. I had no idea where the story was going to go, but by the end it all made sense, like it couldn’t have happened any other way. It started with baby elephants and ended with a phone call. It was distinctly Neil and I feel honored to have been able to experience it.
While I’ll admit I originally bought my ticket because of Gaiman. He’s not the only reason the show was spectacular. Each performer that got on that stage marked me with their story. I left the show feeling warm, like I had collected a little piece of each artist. We shared a genuine connection. It was one of the most enchanting experiences of my life.
For more information on the Unchained Tour go to theunchainedtour.org.
