Magic and Magnificence: Guster Meets The Boston Pops

This Thursday night I had the greatest musical experience of my life. I drove all the way to Boston and back within a 12 hour time frame to see Guster and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (aka "The Boston Pops"), perhaps the most prestigious orchestra in America. The show was so spectacular I would have driven cross country to experience it. I've always said that Guster's songs were orchestral, and the guys finally had the chance to prove me right.
To give you an idea of how great a statement me calling it the "greatest musical experience of my life", allow me to briefly share some past memories. There was U2 in the Garden for the Elevation Tour, which was post 9/11 and was incredibly emotional for me, as they worked the concert into a semi-tribute to all that perished that day. I saw R.E.M. twice at the Garden, both times less that 10 rows from the stage, and right in the center. I orchestrated and conducted the most bitchen of Camp Hillel alma matta's (the magnificent "Summer Days", based on, of course, Guster's "Either Way"). I saw Blues traveler and Guster (there they are again) while in love, and had a wonderful time at both. When I was 18 I waited in line for 8 hours to meet the Smashing Pumpkins and then briefly see them play. I reached an unprecedented spiritual high seeing Lanzbom and Solomon in Israel, and had a close second to that last summer when seeing the Moshav Band in L.A. with Yachad. I got to experience the beauty of 2 John Williams concerts, 1 of which I shared with my sister and two nephews- twas a magical night. I've also had the pleasure of rocking out at two LIVE shows, Stabbing Westward, and Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Zombie (though I wouldn't see those guys today). There was also the two Bet Shemesh Festivals (the apotheosis for experiencing Jewish musica today), and seeing Journey and Styx at the Nassau coliseum. There's more but that's enough for now. All in all I've had some excellent musical experiences in my life, and all pail in comparison to Thursday night.

I almost didn't go. I bought these tickets months ago under very different circumstances. I had planned to go with someone else. Obviously things didn't work out. But I still had the tickets, and the lengthy drive to Boston. Rather than give in to depression, I said "screw it", made the arrangement and decided to go. I took along my favorite sidedish (love you!! :) and we had a most excellent adventure through time, I mean the northeast. We sat in the first row of the second balcony (anyone who ever plans to go to a symphony you must sit in the balconies if you wish to see all the instruments) , and were surprised but intrigued by the makeup of the crowd. There were you basic under-30 hardcore Guster fans (all dressed appropriately for the occasion, giving the show endearing class) and the other half of the crowd were the Boston Pops season ticket holders: mainly elderly elitists WASPS and Jews,and a few middle-aged folk- not your typical Guster fans.
The show opened with Guster coming ou and introducing "A hot, and upcoming local band....the Boston Pops!", and the orchestra playing 2 classical pieces, and one new "hyper piano" piece written by an M.I.T. professor. It was OK. Then after the intermission the Gusterites came out, and magic started to happen. They opened with the melodic, liberal and emotional "I Spy", and once the strings came in to support the end of the first verse we knew that the night was going to be every minute of the arduous journey. All the people in my section were clearly Gusteroids and we all looked around at each other thinking the same thing: "Is it OK to sing along?" The answer turned out to be no, or least seemed to be that way based on the crowds unwillingness to accompany Ryan and Adam on the vocals. We were treating this like a real night at the symphony, and so acted appropriately (until the end-more on this in a bit). Every second of the show was like an intoxicating adrenalin rush. We sat in anticipation of what would be played, and then reveled in the glory of the pieces once they were. I found the set-list to be satisfactory. They played 3 new songs from there upcoming album, so it was hard to ascertain the changes from the original version to the orchestrated ones, though all three were quit catchy and reverberated well. They played the under developed "Backyard", which was given a little more umph with the Pops, though I still think something's missing. The bands most famous song "Fa Fa Fa", seemed to be reborn out of the overplayed, cliched marshes it had been sinking in. It was like hearing it for the first time, and getting caught once more in its catchiness (I make up my own words :). It seemed like things couldn't be any better after Ryan, Adam, Brian, Joe and the 60 people in the pops played the fan-favorite "Two Points For Honesty", but it seemed they were saving the best for last.

I had predicted and hoped that they would play "Come Downstairs and Say 'Hello' " as it was my most favorite song on "Keep it Together", and thought it would go well with an orchestra, and sweet fancy magillacutty was I ever right. "Wow", "Unreal", "Magnificent", are just a few adjectives I could use to describe this awe-inspiring (there's another one! ) composition, but I think only one word truly captures the essence of the experience: SCHWAAA~~~~~. They two bands hit a grand slam on this one. Ryan's vocals were piercing and harmonious. Adam's bass set the perfect beat, and his singing, as always, blended perfectly with Ryan's. Brian drumming was eneergetic, and completely engaging. The strings on the orchestra illuminated the whole theater, while the woodwinds sent waves of positive energy through the crowdThe elderly crowd was slowly getting into the show (many of them were 80-years-old if they were a day) as it progressed, and by the time Guster came out for their final encore (and telling the crowd "Feel free to get out of your seats, and sing along and do whatever you would do at a normal Guster concert) and once more played "Downstairs" it seemed like they were bonafide Guster-heads. Along with the rest of the crowd, they clapped along to the beat and then they actually started dancing!!! The senior citizens, swayed, bopped, clapped and even jumped to the magic on the moment. There was even a small group of the elderly in wheel chairs and some using walkers who got into a circle, joined hands and danced in place to the song. It was truly a beautiful sight, and I'm glad I have the pictures to prove it.
By the end of the show the whole theater was united in a general appreciation, if not love for the majesty of the songs written by the great Guster. I know that in the coming year I will probably be making many changes, and as I walked out of that theater (after going down to the stage and getting one of Adam's pics!) and saw a very old Orthodox, Jewish man coming out as well, trodding along with his walker, showcasing a genuine smile , I knew that I would always love them Guster's and be thankful for their magnificent music. On this night they managed to do something quite difficult: bridge the musical gap bewteen three generations.

As me and the sidedish made our may back to NY (getting home at 2:00 AM, as I actually sped for the first time in my life), my body was downright tired, but it was able to stay awake, and coherent as I was still recovering from the magnificence of the wondrous night.

If you're not a Guster fan get started now: www.Guster.com

(And this was the short version of the story- I didn't even talk about dinner, mincha, waiting to see the band after the show- funny story there, the Mets game on the way and a few other things, so be thankful for that!)