Azure ambiance cascading from the rigging and along the edging of the stage sets the scene. The soft roar of chatter throughout the packed arena from fans of every generation, from 6 years old to 94. A single measure of music and one strum of a guitar, and the crowd erupts, and into the darkness, the arena falls. Bright lights and colors fill the rafters, lasers and technicolor become the dream that will last for hours here in the arena, but for those that witnessed it, forever.
The spotlights zero in on a living legend, and the lovers in the audience begin to dance and hold one another. Not a single person stayed in their seats when he began to sing. Not one. I helped a woman in a wheelchair, stand herself up, just for a moment, so she too, could giving him a standing welcome. A career that has lasted decades, and helped shape music and musicians alike, needed no introduction. Every song he sang, was an invite for the festival goers to sing along. They knew the words by heart, and you could see the joy in his eyes and that of his band when they would fall silent and the crowd would give back to them.
He took them on a *Magical Mystery Tour and asked them to *Dance All Night. He gave them history, and his own history. He gave them peace and things to think about when they'd leave. He invited the hoards of people to take in the dream that he and his friends began so long ago. He gifted them music to sing as they walked out the door when it was all over. He rewards us all with Love. He was joined by other rock legends and sang songs that everyone couldn't resist. Ladies still fainted for him, and fans still asked inappropriate questions to him on signs and banners, which he delighted in. There was magic in the arena that night.
In the days and hours leading up to the show, the arena would be transformed into the setting that would become his expression of that love for all those that joined him each night he stayed. The stagehands, and arena staff, the roadies and the tour staff all in an alliance to create his masterpiece. The halls would fill with the smell of sage and lemongrass, and fresh vegetables being grilled and set for those that were working to feast on. Mojo curtains and thank you notes from fans being hung in talent rooms and open doors for the band to enter freely through.
Everyone was kind. Everyone was inquisitive. They gave thanks to each other in the hallways and corridors. For three days, those of us working at the arena was not working for a client, we were working with friends that we just met. The band would pat our shoulders and Paul would even say good afternoon or good evening as he passed us on his trek from start to finish. Somehow, in all his time with us, he was able to keep a bit of himself and stay humble enough to give thanks back to those that helped to give to everyone else.
The mutual respect given by all parties made for a delightful experience and I hope that everyone gets the chance to feel what that's like someday. He is a Rock God, by all standards, but he was a simple man, blowing a kiss to his wife in the back of the audience at the same time. There is nothing like seeing a living legend in action. There was magic in the arena in all those days.
