Current location:	Memorial Union
Current mood:	ecstatic
Current music:	Jackie Greene: "I'm So Gone"

Music Is Magic II : Jackie Greene In Madison
     My computer at home is temporarily kaput, so I'm here at the Memorial Union at the row of computers in the front.
This is the first time I've had a chance to write about The Show.
Oh, how to begin?...

Jackie Greene Summer Tour 2009
Madison, WI
Thursday, 07-02-09.
Memorial Union Terrace

Here's how it all went down...

I was very pleased to be blessed with the opportunity to be at the Jackie Greene show here in Madison.
I'd been waiting for this day with great anticipation.

We'd had a heat wave here, with sweltering days and high humidity.
Two days before Jackie Greene got here, the temperatures fell.
It was cool and the sky was overcast.
It was as though The Gods were thinking that they had to arrange the weather to resemble that of San Francisco, so that he would feel at home here...

I had asked to get out of work early so I could get ready for the show, and The Mister came to pick me up.
I eyed the cloudy sky with suspicion, hoping that it wouldn't rain.
Not that I wouldn't mind standing in the rain, but I wasn't so sure about everybody else.
I really wanted there to be a huge turn-out.

I got ready, and Dawn came by to get us.
I put glitter on, and I had a big yellow silk flower in my hair.
Dawn said I looked good.
We drove to the Memorial Union.
As usual, parking was difficult, and The Mister was barking orders at Dawn.
She told him 
"This is my car, and I am not used to being told what to do!"

"Welcome to my world, Dawn,"  I said.

We laughed, and the tension seemed to lift.

We finally found a parking spot in the nearby ramp, and as we all got out of the car, I let out a whoop and I jumped up and down with pure joy.

We approached the Union Terrace, and I was delighted to see that the clouds had parted, and the sky was a brilliant azure blue.
The lake sparkled, and a glorious flock of seagulls floated on wind currents overhead.

It was like magic.

We commandeered a couple of tables close to the stage and slowly, our friends began to arrive.
My brother came by, and I was glad.
We all got drinks, and I was happy that the Union has non-alcoholic beer.

I don't see much of my brother, so he said,
"You're really taking this non-drinking thing seriously."

"Absolutely! It's been more than a year and a half since I quit. I feel really good, and my life is going so much better,"  I said.

I can see how he might be a little skeptical.
For a long time, I had been a hopeless lush.

We sat for a while, chatting with friends and watching the beautiful sunset.
It was a perfect evening.

At last, it was time for the show to start.
A guy named Rob Nicholas opened.
He played a few songs, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.
I especially liked his cover of the Radiohead song from OK Computer.
When he finished his set, he announced that Jackie Greene would be on soon.

After that, the air became electric.
A lot of people had arrived, and there was a good crowd.
I was so pleased to see so many people had come out.
And I was especially glad that my friends were there, most for the first time.

There was a roar of applause as Jackie stepped onto the stage.
I was standing very close, surrounded by people of all ages.
Everyone pressed close together, but there was a feeling of cameraderie, no pushing or shoving.
Nobody was obnoxiously drunk, at least not that I noticed. 
I think that Jackie Greene brings out the best in people, and it really was apparent this night.

Everyone was smiling and there was a feeling of joy in the air.

He opened with  "Farewell So Long Goodbye".
I did not write down the set-list, so forgive me if things are a bit out of order.

Something absolutely amazing happened.
Could it really be?
The third song was starting, and my eyes grew wide.
Oh.
My.
God.
It was "I'm So Gone".

I looked around, wondering for a flashing moment if maybe I was actually dead, and despite all of my failings in this life, I had arrived in Heaven.
Everyone met my eyes with smiles, and the song began.
It was so wonderful.
If you've ever seen the movie "Big Fish", there's the scene where the son breaks his father out of the hospital and carries him in his arms down to the river, where all of his friends are waiting with smiles and applause .
That's how I felt at that moment.

Jackie played "Rusty Nail", which is The Mister's favorite Jackie Greene song.
"Don't Let The Devil Take Your Mind", a smoldering and electrifying performance which contrasted nicely with the uplifting brightness of  "So Hard To Find My Way."

A wonderful "U.S. Blues"
My friend Tammy was overjoyed, and we danced, laughing.

An absolutely smoking "New Speedway Boogie."
Holy shit, he's got that one down, and then some.

"Mexican Girl" was sizzling, and it was as though I was hearing it for the first time.
Same with "Shaken".
Absolutely outstanding.

When he played  "Gone Wanderin' ", everybody sang along, and it just made me get goosebumps.

"Honey I've Been Thinking About You" was very moving, and  the cool and silky  "I Don't Live In A Dream" ended the set.

When he left the stage, we all hollered and whistled and cried out.
"JACK-IE!!  JAC-KIE!!  JAC-KIE!!! "
Until he came back to a deafening round of applause to do an encore of  "Like A Ball And Chain".

There aren't any words to describe the way I was feeling.
What a wonderful gift, to be able to be here in my own backyard, to see Jackie Greene.

He was standing by the stage, and the faithful were all lining up to have a chance to speak to him.
Kind-hearted Boomers were patting him and saying all manner of kindnesses.
Beer-glowing college kids were telling him about how they had only recently heard him, "and you're GREAT, Man!"

I was so happy that he was getting such a loving and positive reception.
He really deserves it, and I'm so glad that nobody was holding back in telling him these good things.

At last, I decided to go say hello to him.
I was scared.
I had prayed that it wouldn't be a repeat of the Chicago Incident.
I told my friend Tammy to accompany me.
She's good with people, and she has a folksy kind of charm that puts people at ease.
It was good to have her in my corner.
So, we approached him.

"Oh, hi!"  he said, turning to me.

I gave him my very best smile, and I took his hand in both of mine.
I was so happy to see him.
He's grown a beard and mustache, and it looks nice.
I kissed him on his cheeks, and he smiled.
He has the loveliest smile.
His teeth are slightly crooked, which makes him especially beautiful.

"Thank you so much for coming here. I'm so glad you're here,"  I gushed.
"It's good to be back in Madison,"  he said.

Tammy did most of the talking, chatting about this and that.
She has a way with people.
Which is a good thing, because every scrap of articulate wit in my cranium had by now completely evaporated, and all I could do was stand there with an idiot-grin, enjoying the feeling of being completely overwhelmed by a near-crippling endorphin rush.
I was staring into his lovely amber-colored eyes, and I couldn't think of a thing to say.

It is better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and have it be confirmed.

"Oh! I have something for you,"  I said, as though I had just thought of it.
The truth is, I had been assessing the situation, trying to read Jackie's eyes to be sure that it would be OK.
Feeling that it would be all right, I retrieved a small object from  my pocket.
I had brought a small charm, a metallic heart with encouraging words engraved on it.
It was about the size of a half-dollar.
On one side were the words:

"Love Surrounds Me."

And on the other:

"Love Flows Through Me."

I took his hand and pressed the charm in his palm, closing his fingers over it with a gentle pat.
He put it in his pocket and smiled.
He seemed to be expecting me to say something else.
But I had nothing else to say.
It's all been said.
"You're Beautiful."
"You're Wonderful."
"I Love You."
It's all been said.

It was time for others to have their turn.
People posed for photos with him, hanging on him like he was a tourist attraction.
And he was very nice about it all.

I'm glad that he knows that his fans love him with such sincerity.

This was the very best day of my summer.

When I got home, I tried to sleep, but I couldn't.
The Mister was soon snoring steadily, and I got up and sat out in the parlor.
I looked up at the portrait I had painted of my beloved late friend, Lyx.

"I wish you could have been there. It was so beautiful,"  I whispered.

As soon as I said it, I knew I was a fool.
Of course, she had been there.
She was alive in the silvery-gold moonlight that shimmered through the trees.
She had flown in on the wings of the gulls.
She had smiled at me through the eyes of everyone who looked me in the eye.
How could I have doubted that?

I thanked the Gods for being there with me.
For showing me that there is a way to be good again.
It is a very rare opportunity in life that you get a second chance at a first impression.
To get it right.
But there it was.
And I was blessed.

I felt redeemed.
Forgiven.
Whole.

I sat on the couch with my arms wrapped around myself, and I began to cry.
It felt really good.
Like a sweet summer rain.

I hope Jackie Greene will return here soon.
It was so wonderful to have him here.


Love, 
Dicey Venison