That Time

In exchange for a print of a drawing (probably this one) Sandra took me to see Regina Spektor at the Hammerstein Ballroom Tuesday night.

It was quite the night--a homecoming even--with a crowd full of family and friends and several thousand people who love her just because she's Regina Spektor. They filled the place, an admiration convocation, and they knew the words and vocal tics to every song.

Sandra and I were up in the second mezzanine looking out over the masses at the stage way over there with the piano and the disco ball Up Center.

Spektor played all the hits and songs I didn't know were hits until I was sitting in a massive theatre surrounded by thousands of singalongers which ought to be a word even though it isn't.

In general, my Regina experiences have been private, with my i-pod or on a mix-cd in the car. And I guess a lot of folks were listening to her before I realized what was going on. The show was an abrupt shift for me and I wanted the space to be smaller or the stage to sport a band in addition to the piano and disco-ball, something to bring us all a little closer.

It was a good night, but I wish I hadn't come to the party late; I would have liked to see the show when it was a little less large.