There are moments in life when I get overwhelmed by "a musical experience." Whether that be a moment of realization that I'm at an amazing concert that I'll remember for the rest of my life, I hear that perfect song at that perfect place and time, or I experience a moment that I know will never happen again... it's rather hard to describe. Moments like this to me are little religious experiences, they can present longing, hope, sadness, intense joy - they put me in my place. They can make me feel strong and big within this world or they can make me feel small and in awe of all that has come before me.
That feeling of awe was felt this last weekend at work. Joe Cocker, who performed at the original 1969 Woodstock Festival graced our stage. The show was incredible, from the moment I heard his band during sound check I was giddy. I was about to witness an artist that stood on the same stage where Jimi Hendrix tore into his famous rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, where Janis Joplin, CSNY, and the Grateful Dead all stood. It was an earth-shattering moment in music and American history and now in some indirect way I am attached to that moment. Seeing couples dancing on the lawn and reacting to Cocker's presence, just listening to his famous gritty voice, all of these things together produced swells of emotion in me more than once throughout the night.
I am deeply grateful I can say that I have seen someone who played at the original Woodstock.
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