In 10 years of marriage we have been to 5 concerts. 3 of those have been Coldplay. We love their music and they put on quite a show.
We were totally exhausted going into this event because we were coming off of 12 straight days of birthday celebration, Disneyland, my sister and fam visiting, the stomach flu, and my last MOPS meeting of the year. At one point last week I actually suggested that we sell our tickets on Craigslist. But for Coldplay we decided we could rally. My sister and brother-in-law who live in LA County watched the girls (THANK YOU!) so we also got to spend much of the weekend with much loved family and our girls thoroughly enjoyed the cousin time. Win-win. Love that.
Here are a few things worth sharing about the night...
- If you live in Southern CA and you haven't been to the Hollywood Bowl (we hadn't), find an excuse to go at some point in your life. This venue is REMARKABLE. Even though you are steps from the heart and chaos of all that is Hollywood, you wind through paths and trees and find yourself nestled in the hills of Los Angeles feeling like you are in a secluded location. You can even see part of the HOLLYWOOD sign from your seats. If we ever go again we will bring a picnic (since that is what everyone else was doing).
- What do you get when you have a seemingly unlimited budget and major creativity to put on a concert...you get an awesome light show, fireworks, human-sized bouncing balls above the audience, gallons of confetti, and everyone in the audience has a light up bracelet to add to the show...oh yeah, and COLDPLAY is performing their hearts out the whole time. We smiled and sang the whole night.
- This is an unbelievably grateful band. At all 3 shows we have been to Chris Martin never stops thanking the audience. He thanks us for coming, for giving up a Friday night (anytime Chris), for getting babysitters, for sitting very far away (that's always us), for giving them a good time, and for allowing them to have the best job in the world. They are gracious and they give each show 110%.
- The light up bracelets....for all 17,000 of us! What were these things? I still don't understand how they worked. The bracelets (lots of different colors) were somehow controlled to go on and off during certain songs and created the coolest twinkling lights effect. Here are a couple videos (12 and 6 seconds) showing the bracelets up close and the effect they created. Wow, wow, wow. Thanks for letting us be part of the show guys.
- The flawless weather and nearly full moon were an incredible bonus to the night. We can't stop thinking or talking about the evening. It was a perfect way to celebrate US!
- The only "negative" to our night was the fact that I am 6 months pregnant...and exhausted. After standing and "dancing" for 2 hours (at 9-11pm) I ended up feeling like I had been hit by a train the next day, I definitely required Starbucks on Saturday (which only kind of helped), and this morning we are "playing hooky" from church (I am still on the couch in jammies at 10am). Good thing it was all TOTALLY worth it!
Here is the mandatory self-portrait from the night...complete with blinding flash and a "photo-bomber".
Although our anniversary celebration isn't going to be a big trip in October, like we had originally hoped/planned, I am really liking celebrating throughout our 10th year. And who knows, maybe we will think up a Part 3 to our anniversary between now and October. If there is ever an occasion to celebrate in a big way it is 10 years of marriage!
