Josh Groban - Take 3

You know how I love Josh Groban. I have loved him since his first album came out. He is one of the only celebrities that I follow on Instagram. I love him enough that I have now seen him in concert 3 times.

When he released his album, Stages, I was so excited. Josh singing broadway songs. Love. Love. Love. Plus when a CD comes out, that means he goes on tour. When they first released the tour cities and dates... I searched to see where Salt Lake was on his list. I mean... it had to be there, he always comes to Salt Lake. I looked and looked, but Salt Lake wasn't on his tour list! What? Why? I double checked thinking I must have missed it. It wasn't there. I was disappointed in Josh. Why would he skip us?

After feeling all sad about it, a couple of months later there was an update and I was notified that Salt Lake was added to his list. I think that he had only one more concert after us... so we were at the VERY end of his tour. He knows he always draws a big crowd here. He can't skip us. And to quote him at the end of the concert, "Salt Lake City, thank you for coming again and again. We will be here as long as you are". So I'm pretty sure we will always be a part of his tours. ANYWAY...

Now that I knew he was coming to Salt Lake, I looked up where he was performing and marked my calendar months and months in advance before they even started selling tickets. He usually performs at the Energy Solutions Center in Salt Lake, but this time he was going to be performing in the USANA Amphitheather. I had never been to that theater, but I always love outdoor concerts. In casual conversation with my friend Amber, I mentioned my love for Josh Groban and that I wanted to go to his concert on August 20th. Pretty sure we had this conversation in March or April. She told me she loved Josh too and would go with me. I got excited... sometimes I have a hard time finding people to go with me to concerts. When I told her what theater he was going to be performing at she told me that not only she would go with me, but we would go VIP for free. Say what? How? Her work has a section reserved for their company for all concerts, so whoever wants to go to them puts their name on the list and I think the first 10 get them? Something like that. Amber told me that she always gets them and it wouldn't be a problem. Now I was REALLY excited. I have always paid big bucks to see Josh in concert. Now I get to see him VIP for free?

Fast forward to today. I made sure I made NO plans today because I had a date with Amber and Josh. Well... this morning I get a text from Amber saying she isn't going. For a min I thought that meant I wasn't either. I was going to be devastated. However, she told me to just find someone else to go with and told me where to pick up the tickets. I couldn't believe she was ditching out on Josh. I had a few hours to find someone else to go with me. Thankfully, MacKenzie JUST got back into town and was texting me to hang out that night and I knew she loved Josh. So I text her asking if she wanted to go to the Josh Groban concert with me VIP for free. She got all kinds of excited and we quickly got ready to go.

I had never been to this theater before, so I didn't know how long it would take to get there or how early we should be there. The VIP pass not only had VIP parking, but it also included free dinner. So we got there right before they opened the gates and served dinner. We were there so early that we heard Josh practicing. We didn't have to wait in that long of a line, then sat and ate our free dinner. The food was OK... but it was free, I wasn't about to complain.

Then we went to go find our seats. I didn't know where VIP would sit. It's a HUGE theater. I know more than half of the audience sits on the lawn... but there were still A LOT of seats by the stage. We went to go look for our seats. There is a section of seats right by the stage and then there are a bunch of sectioned areas with seats around tables which are reserved for companies and VIP... then another couple of sections of seats are behind that and then the lawn is behind that. So... that is REALLY close! I'm thrilled. Plus, we were the first ones there in our section, so we got first pick of the seats.

We had to wait a little while before the concert started, but I was cool with that. Mackenzie and I had a great time talking. First to open was Foy Vance. I had never heard of him before, but he is from Ireland and I liked his style. His music is like soul music. He was pretty entertaining too. Plus, he closed with an awesome cover of "Purple Rain". If he hadn't won me over before, he did with that.



Next in the line up was Sarah McLachlan. I haven't kept up on her music, but I love her old classics from when I was in high school. She sang some of those songs. She was awesome live. Kind of serious, not quite as entertaining talking between songs, but her songs are great. Loved listening to her.



Then it was time for Josh. His concerts always go by way too fast for me. He is beautiful to listen to and he is so entertaining even just listening to him talk and tell stories. Loved all of the songs he sang. He even did duets with both of his openers. Loved them both. Thought it was very cool that instead of Sarah singing one of his songs, he said one of her's. And with Foy, they did a Simon & Garfunkel song. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Simon and Garfunkel, so I was happy about this. Josh apparently loves them too because this is the second S & G cover he has done. I don't mind. Keep them coming.

There were a couple other things going on tonight that I missed because I went to the Josh Groban concert. I gladly missed them... but one of them was the Lantern Festival. I mean... I know I just went in April, but I seriously love it so much. It's ok though, I'll go to the next one. What made me feel better about missing it... there were different displays going on the big screen on stage throughout the concert. During one of the songs, there were floating lanterns. So it didn't feel like I was missing it after all. The funny thing is, when I went to the Lantern Fest in April (with MacKenzie) they played a Josh Groban song while the lanterns were going up into the sky. I guess the two were meant to go together. :)

His closing number (before his encore number which was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow") was "You Raise me Up". Not only is that a great song, but he had everyone get out their phones so the entire Amphitheater was lit up with everyone's phone lights. It was beautiful. I LOVE when they do this at concerts. It almost makes me emotional. I couldn't really get a great shot of it because I was too close to the stage (not the worst problem to have)... but you can see on the screen all of the glowing lights. I LOVED it. So much. What a great way to close the concert.

I guess there really isn't much else to say about the concert that I haven't already said. He sang everything that I wanted him to sing and more. I loved every second of it. MacKenzie and I both did. I would have paid for it, but I'm incredibly lucky that I got to go for free and with AMAZING seats. Thank you Amber for the tickets! I didn't take them for granted. Still wish you came with me, but MacKenzie was thrilled to take your place. Thank you Thank you!