So this is a little after the fact. But here is my concert review. Keep in mind that most of the body of the post was written two days after the concert. And it a long post. So ... Enjoy.
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Josh Groban was amazing on Friday night.
We decided to not take TRAX to and from the concert. Last time we went to a Groban concert we had to hurry over to the train because it was the last one. This time around I called UTA to ask them if they were running any extra trains after the concert. I was told that they were not and that the last train really was at 10:48pm. And if the concert ended at 10:30pm like I was estimating then we would never make it. So we made other transportation plans. Mom and I drove up to the University and parked at Eric and Carly’s apartment. Then Eric drove us, Carly, Mom, and I, downtown to the Energy Solutions Arena.
Once we were at ESA we needed to go to will call to pick up the tickets. It was really nice having them there. We didn’t have to stand in the giant line outside of all the people that already had their tickets in hand. I remember that last time. I was so excited and the line was going frustratingly slow. But this concert I was able to go directly to the will call window, hand my ID, and ten seconds I had my tickets. It was so easy.
Once we were upstairs on the main level we took a bathroom break, went to concessions, and then headed over to buy some Josh Groban merchandise. Those merchandise lines were disorganized and slow. Not the actual buying off items and the people behind the counter, but the lines. The fans in the lines. There wasn’t any set formation to the line so people were cutting in from the side and coming in from other lines. It was kind of annoying. I thought of a better way they could do the lines at the merchandise counters. They should use those line forming ropes and make it loop back and forth for two or three times. Then they have a Please Wait Here line on the floor at the end near the counter. And the attendants can help whoever is next in line. And the fans would know where the actual line is. If the line forms bigger than the ropes then that is a problem the fans have to kindly figure out. Yeah. Merchandise. Mom didn’t get anything. Carly got one of the same shirts I did. And I wanted all of the merchandise. I was so lovely. I like the merchandise that Josh Groban’s marketing team puts out. They are always so lovely. I decided on a cream colored t-shirt and an awesome keychain. I was going to get a key chain regardless of what else I got. I have on from the last major concert I went and I like the trend. And they are nice key chains. It’s kind of good that I didn’t bring my credit card and only had a set amount of cash on me. I probably would have bought more. lol.
When we finally got merchandise, we headed down to our seats. Seats on the floor. Which meant we got a wristband. I was actually really excited about that. It’s been two days and I’m still wearing my bright orange wristband. I’ll most likely wear it until it no longer makes me happy. But I smile every time I see it. We sat in section F1: row 3: seats 12-14. They weren’t the greatest seats in the world but I liked them. The stage was in the middle of the Arena floor. And then there were seats circling that. The sections were still square sections but somewhat facing the stage, of course. I felt like a lot of the concert Josh and company we facing away from us. But when he did come over to our side of the stage it was lovely. I can’t imagine sitting in one of the front row sections that are directly facing the stage. I would have died of delight. Maybe next concert.
When we were walking down to our seats the concert started. There was an opening act. Judith Hill was on tour with Josh this round. She has a really pretty voice. They ended up singing some duets together and I thought Judith’s voice complimented Josh’s very well. The concert started at 8pm and Judith’s set went for about a half hour.
After Judith the stage hands came put and moved the stage setup a bit. So we had about fifteen or twenty minutes to relax/freak out while we waited for Josh. At one point there was a “Josh, Josh, Josh” chant demand going on. That was fun. Sadly we didn’t do the wave this concert. lol. I did see Darren come out right by us. Josh’s main security guy was talking to the ESA security. I was excited because maybe Josh would be coming out right by us. That would have made my SO happy.
Josh Groban did come out around 9pm. Sadly, not by our section. The band and Josh came out opposite of us. It was cool because the band members started out up on the stairs that come down to the floor. As each one would play they got a spotlight lighted on them. It was fun. Tariqh got a big cheer. And then Josh ran out and we all went nuts. They started with ‘Brave’. That song is great and a perfect choice to start out with being that it is the single from ‘All That Echoes’. I wish that they’d play it more often on the radio though. I tried taking decent photos but it’s really hard to get good photos at a concert. I can barely manage one or two. I have a couple of overall stage shots that I like. By the way, the stage setup and lighting is actually very cool. During the songs I would geek out at the band members that I knew. Mom would ask me which one that one was of that one. I knew half of them. I knew Tariqh, Andre, and Christian. But I didn’t know the piano player. I think this is his first tour with Josh. I also did not know the trumpet player. But he was really good.
The songs Josh sang were:
- Brave
- False Alarms
- February Song
- Un Alma Mas
- Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
- Alla Luce del Sole
- The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
- Sincera
- Remember When It Rained – with Judith Hill
- Dream On – Band Interlude – Josh on drums
- Você Existe Em Mim
- She Moved Through The Fair
- The Prayer – with Judith Hill
- I Believe (When I Fall In Love)
- You Raise Me Up
- Smile
'To Where You Are' was also sung. But for the life of me I cannot remember when it was sung. Near the beginning, I think.
I loved the concert. It was fun. Josh sang some of my favorite songs. I really liked the way they made 'Remember When It Rained' into a duet. It was interesting. And Josh still played the piano. I like when he plays the piano in that song. I also loved that he sang 'She Moved Through The Fair' and 'I Believe (When I Fall In Love)'. They are two of my favorite songs on the newest CD. Maybe off all his CDs. The band interlude was awesome. I loved that Josh came back on stage and rocked out on the drums with them. He always does that on tour so I should have been surprised. I guess I was expecting him back on stage so soon after he left. lol. There were a couple of times during the concert that Josh did a question and answer thing. He was hilarious. And I heard people talking about how they didn't know how funny he was. It makes me smile because I know how silly Josh Groban is. He is a hoot.
The concert ended around 10:45pm. We were walking out at 11pm. Eric picked us up from the Arena and we went back to their apartment to get our car. Then Mom and I drove home.
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So pictures ... They are going to be blurry because it really hard to take good pictures during a concert.
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| Mom, myself, and Carly. |
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| Judith Hill |
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| A "Waiting for Josh" selfie. |
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| Myself, Carly, and Mom. In our seats. |
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| Yay. Josh. |
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| Andre and Tariqh. |
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| Andre and Tariqh. |
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| Tariqh. He is so cool. (Josh playing piano in the background.) |
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| One of Tariqh's many awesome mini solos. We love Tariqh. He has been with Josh since the beginning. And I hear that he gives really good hugs. |
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| I really liked the lighting they had. It was pretty. |
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| There were giant screens that would show Josh and the band. It was cool. |
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| Band interlude. |
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| Josh rocking the drums. He always looks like he has fun doing that. |
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| One of the duets with Judith. |
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| Probably my clearest picture of Josh. If that super bright light wasn't always on him I think I could have taken a decent photo of Josh. |
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| The stage as we were leaving. They were already taking it down so they could head off to Las Vegas that night. |
And the loot. I got a key chain and a tshirt.
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| It goes with the other concert key chain that I have. They were on my keys after the concert for a week or so. Then I took them off again. |
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| The wristband stayed on my wrist for a week. And then I went to a wedding and decided I should take it off. |
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| My nails were silver with one nail sparkly. It matched my sparkly belt and sparkly clutch that I wore/took to the concert. |
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| Here is the shirt I got. I LOVE it! |
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And that is a wrap. Bottom line ... I love Josh Groban and his concerts are so much fun.
