For two introverts whose default setting is Hermit Mode, our batteries are drained. Recharging is currently underway. Ahhhhh.
The very last celebration of our “Life Is Awesome Marathon” was yesterday afternoon. We attended a concert featuring a pretty remarkable 19-year-old young man named Nathan. It was Nathan’s life dream to perform in a concert in front of a large crowd (he’s a musician with an emphasis on percussion). With huge thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Nathan did exactly that yesterday.
Nathan was born with cerebral palsy. His parents were told to start planning his funeral not long after he was born. Instead, he was the first baby to receive a new drug to help preemies breathe. After over two months in the hospital, Nathan went home and has been beating the odds ever since.
We know Nathan through his amazing parents. Rob and Nathan’s mom have volunteered together at a local non-profit for close to a decade. The first time I saw Nathan, he was an adorable grade schooler in a wheelchair whose joy-filled smile and infectious zest for life made me hope I could be just like him when I grow up.
Last year, Nathan had an adverse reaction to some medication. He ended up in the hospital for several months, some of which was pretty touch-and-go. During that time, Nathan’s grandma had a lightbulb go off. She started chatting with the local Make-A-Wish chapter about Nathan’s passion for music and his dream of performing with his best friend, Daniel, for a large crowd of people.
Which brings us to yesterday.
Tickets were free but to keep the crowd numbers reasonable, only 1500 tickets were distributed. Only 1500!?! Yowza!
The concert was held in Portland’s best-loved, historic smaller concert hall: The Crystal Ballroom. Anybody who’s anybody that has passed through Portland to play music has played that music at The Crystal. Up and comers like James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead. And now Nathan.
As we drove past the ballroom to find parking, we were stunned to see a line of people a block long waiting to get in. A block-long line of people melting in 102-degree temps (hello, record-breaking heatwave!) to help Nathan’s dream come true. The gleaming white stretch limo parked in front added to the mounting excitement.
Because The Crystal was built in 1914…and because it’s in typically moist and temperate Portland…the venue does not have air conditioning. The Make-A-Wish people graciously brought in lots of handheld fans to try to supplement the large, mobile cooling units and water dispensers. The efforts helped but for the most part, the glistening crowd dripped around the venue with an eye on the clock and occasional visits to cooler rooms.
Looking around the ballroom was like looking around an enormous McDonald’s dining room. All ages were there – families with young kids fanning everything but themselves, teenagers ready to rush the stage, middle agers angling for the few seats, seniors legitimately pulling the Age Card and setting up shop directly in front of the few large fans scattered about. Thusly, Rob and I camped out on some old wooden benches lining the perimeter.
I have to admit, I felt like a rebellious 30-something when I eventually stood up on the bench so I could see the stage better. My knee and back were champs, too, helping me amble down safely at the end. Wisely, none of the young whipper-snapper venue staff told me and my silver hair to get down before I was ready.
As Nathan prepared to make his entrance, I found myself growing increasingly impressed by how well the Make-A-Wish folks worked hard to make the experience everything Nathan could have dreamed of. The limo, his name on the marquee outside, the red carpet streaming through the venue to the stage, the large fandom poster board signs they handmade and handed out to the crowd, the photo-op backdrop guarded by the red velvet rope, the promise of autographs, the personalized hashtag and all things social media, and the DJ and the emcee who were high energy and working the crowd into as much of a frenzy as 102 degrees and potential heat stroke would allow. The biggest and smallest details were attended to. Exemplary job, Make-A-Wish!
Nathan was finally introduced. The crowd lined the red carpet as Nathan’s parents wheeled him towards the stage amid screams and high-fives and flashing lights. When he was finally positioned on stage, Nathan looked out on a crowd of screaming, waving, cheering, sweaty fans chanting his name. That joy-filled smile from when he was a grade schooler? Yeah, exponentially bigger.
As the crowd settled down, Nathan’s best friend was introduced.
Daniel and Nathan attend the same church. Daniel plays the keyboards, guitar, sings; if it’s musical, Daniel’s into it. The two boys have grown up jamming at church together as well as after school.
Several years ago, Daniel and Nathan started playing music together on the sidewalk during a monthly “First Thursday” event in nearby Vancouver, WA. They got the idea when the two boys were with their dads one First Thursday and saw some local musicians entertaining passers by. One of the dads encouragingly asked, “Why don’t you two boys play music here on First Thursdays??” Daniel’s response was “Why don’t we?” and thus their public performances began.
Daniel joined Nathan on The Crystal’s stage to an impressive amount of applause as well. You see, Daniel was on American Idol a few seasons ago. He hadn’t quite hit puberty at the time so he was an adorable younger brother to the rest of the contestants. He had no life seasoning but he had an amazing and undeniable talent so he made it pretty far in the competition – he made it to the finals and ended up coming in 9th place.
So Daniel has his own fan base. And now, recently, his own boy band. I naturally had never heard of Why Don’t We (because I’m 49 and am quite happy to listen to ‘80s favorites, thankyouverymuch) but I’ve now predictably stalked them online (because I’m retired and nosy). The four other young musicians were at Nathan’s concert, looking much more confident and stylish than the average male teen. It all makes sense now.
Why Don’t We is going on tour this summer and has already sold out several of the venues. They have all the makings of being sizeable stars: fresh faces; cool hair and fashions; personalities that are just distinct enough that there is a favorite for everyone to crush on; and voices that sound enough alike that egos should be kept in check. Oh, and a record label that was founded by Dick Clark (I’m pretty thorough with my stalking).
So between Nathan and Daniel, yesterday’s overheated crowd was rather excited. The friendship and love between the two young men was evident and touching. Although Daniel has been on much larger stages for much bigger crowds, he was a humble servant to his friend and made sure the limelight shined brightest on Nathan. It made me wish I had voted for Daniel when I had had the chance.
After several songs together, Daniel left the stage to let Nathan start his solo career. The DJ blasted some of Nathan’s own compositions while Nathan wheeled around and danced in his chair and sprayed water onto the grateful, sweltering crowd. The music was something called “EDM rap and hip-hop.”
Google tells me EDM is Electronic Dance Music and its hallmark is a “repetitive synthesized beat.” It also tells me that I would find it at nightclubs and festivals and raves (they still have raves?) were I to give up my nighttime preference of sipping wine while watching “Love Boat” and “Night Court” reruns with Rob and two cats.
Because I’m squarely middle aged and am elated by the summer’s return of “Yacht Rock” on satellite radio (Channel 17!), I can guarantee I won’t be seeking opportunities to immerse myself in the noise and headache and tinnitus that is “EDM rap and hip-hop.”
However, as I endured Nathan’s music and smirked at how adolescent boy it sounded to me, I suddenly loved it. I loved what it represented. Nathan was not supposed to live 19 months, let alone 19 years. Yet here he was, on stage, every bit a 19-year-old boy, jamming, dancing, smiling at his teen fans, living the dream.
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