Joshua Bell

That sounds like fun, Amy!! Where are you going for dinner? I hope that you and Bill have a wonderful time!

Thanks Teresa! I'm all gussied up and ready to go, just waiting for my date to sweep me off my feet! We're still debating where we're going...the 'Great Hall' is in our college town (Michigan State) and I'm not very familiar with restaurants over there...we may be winging it!

I got a call from the concert hall though---Joshua is coming from Lexington Kentucky, and I guess there's a winter storm warning down there and all flights have been delayed or cancelled! He is driving up here by car!! They're only delaying the concert a half hour (8pm instead of 7:30), so for us it works out well because we'll have more time for dinner. But I just hope he makes it up here safe and sound, and that there's not too much of a delay!

I'll be thinking about you guys. I hope that he makes it there okay. I saw the report about the ice storm in Kentucky this morning on the Today Show. Have a nice glass of wine and just relax during your wonderful night out with your hubby.

I hope you have a great time, Amy.

Yeah, I hope it's a night to remember, Amy!

Thank you everyone! It was indeed a night to remember! I told Bill I will definitely remember it for a lifetime...it was so wonderful, so moving and emotional, and SO romantic! I liked the second half better than the first actually---the music in the beginning was just very slow and stacatto, just kind of 'weird', and it didn't 'grab' us really. But the second half made up for all that. In the end I totally had my "Cher moment" (think Moonstruck ). I am SO glad that we did this...I wasn't so sure Bill was going to appreciate it like I would, but it ended up being special to both of us. (Teresa--- Bill & I ended up at an old pub last night to eat, near the concert hall. Not ideal, but we were running so late, even with the concert delay, that we only had time to eat a quick dinner and head there! We'll share some wine later, I guess. ).

But yep, the concert came close to not happening at all. Joshua was able to convince a cab driver to take him and his accompaniast up to Cincinatti to catch a flight from there, only to find out no flights were going out from there either!!! He asked the cabby if he would be willing to drive even further and he agreed (for a price, I'm sure ). Well, this cab was actually already having car problems before they even left Kentucky, so it's a miracle they got there, considering the roads too! He arrived at the concert hall at 7:30 and was on stage by 8:05! Talk about frazzling, I'm sure! He pointed out the cabby in the audience after the intermission, who decided to stay after they'd become good friends after 8 hours of driving together, LOL, and the crowd cheered for the cabby! So cute. Joshua called him "our hero"! To think that guy woke up yesterday morning in Kentucky, thinking it was going to be like any other day, only to meet a world renowned violinist and end up in East Lansing Michigan, being cheered for at a concert! What an experience for him! And Joshua said he'd never forget East Lansing Michigan either...I can imagine not! :haha: He walked up to the microphone in the beginning, and it didn't WORK (ugh), and he just said, "Well, that's not the first thing that's gone wrong today!"

Here's another link about that 'experiment' Joshua did. This has a video attached to it, showing where he was playing, and an audio of his entire performance. I read that this was a Pulitzer Prize winning feature that the Washington Post did; I don't think I realized that!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

And Beckie, I just saw the original score for "Defiance" is being nominated for an Oscar! Cool huh?! Sorry to hear Joshua isn't touring in your area this year. :alright: I need to thank you for ever mentioning Joshua on here on the board...if it weren't for you, I would never have even known who he was and last night would never have happened for my hubby and me. AND I have a new appreciation for the violin! Thank you beckie! :adore:

It sounds like you had an AMAZING time, Amy!!!! I'm glad that you and Bill were able to have a such a nice night out like that. I love pubs!! Sounds like a nice place to grab a quick bite.
I can't believe all that Joshua went through to get there. An 8 hour cab ride would have been dreadful. That's nice that he recognized the cabby in the audience, and he got an applause.

Amy, what a fantastic experience! Thank you so much for sharing it with all of us! I love it that the audience cheered the cab driver. It speaks well of Joshua Bell's talent that he was able to pull himself together after an eight hour drive, and arriving at the hall such a short time before the concert - and still be able to give a stellar performance. Usually, a performer will rest for a couple of hours before a major concert, because it really is exhausting - both physically and emotionally. I also think it's pretty cool that he went to such lengths to keep the engagement. He could have just said "Oh well....No flights going out..." and called the concert off. Good for him for being such a trooper!

PS
Any pictures of you and your husband all gussied up for the evening?

Thanks Teresa and Savannah!

Well, Teresa...I hate to say it, but this particular pub was not really my cup of tea. But I know what you mean---generally I like pubs, particularly Irish ones. This was just nothing 'special'. But we made it special (this was my hubby's idea to go to this one---i'd never been there and he assured me it was 'nice'). Well I could have whined about the place he picked, (after seeing it :unsure: ) but I put on a happy and 'pleased' face to assure him it was fine. He assured ME we'll do the fancy restaurant for our actual anniversary date.

Savannah, you're welcome---I loved sharing my experience and I hope I'm not boring people to pieces. :shy: I completely agree with you about Joshua and what a testimony this was to his professionalism. It is awesome too that he went through what he did to get there. I mean, those could not have been good roads to be out driving on, and he really could have rescheduled. Thank goodness for us he didn't! On top of all he went through, I know he was planning to sign CDs and programs afterward too. We couldn't stay for that because we needed to get home to Nick, who was staying at his aunt's.

The worst part of the event for me, is that I missed the title of his final encore piece. He introduced it, but people were talking around me and I missed it. That was the piece that brought me to tears. It was the ONLY piece that was 'well-known' in the whole program---I know you'd know it if you heard it Savannah, and you'd probably know the title and composer because you're 'up' on that stuff. But for the life of me I can't even remember the tune now, and even checked his site to see if it was on his list of songs you can listen to, but it's not.---I would recognize it of course if I actually heard it. I emailed him asking him what it was, but of course I'm not expecting a response. I went to bed with it on my brain, but woke up this morning and it's just gone. :sad5: But it was just such a special moment---I simply HAVE to find out what it was! Guess I'll just have to buy all his CDs!

Oh, and I DID have the waitress take a picture of us at the pub, Savannah. And our son Nick took a pic of us when we got home too. I need to get them downloaded and (if I like it ) I'll put one of them up.

Amy wrote:

And Beckie, I just saw the original score for "Defiance" is being nominated for an Oscar! Cool huh?! Sorry to hear Joshua isn't touring in your area this year. :alright: I need to thank you for ever mentioning Joshua on here on the board...if it weren't for you, I would never have even known who he was and last night would never have happened for my hubby and me. AND I have a new appreciation for the violin! Thank you beckie! :adore:

Wow I cannot believe that I did not reply to this! I am glad I introduced you to Joshua a few years back.

Any way I am going to see him this Friday night!!!! It will be my 3rd time seeing him. No word on a meet and greet with him this year though. Last time I met him I told him to tell Matt he has a fan named Beckie in Pittsburgh, he said he would tell him. Wonder if he ever did, lol. I am so excited and hope he does do a meet and greet. I want a better picture taken with him this time. I didn't like the other one. People did say we looked like a couple though in the pic, lol.

Have a awesome time!!!

Wow, hard to believe it's been THREE years since my hubby and I went to see him for our anniversary! Time sure does fly.

Beckie, I'm so envious!! How was it?! Hope you had a great time, and that he did the meet and greet!

By the way, did you see him perform on the episode of Dancing with the Stars?! I was shocked! I was screaming to my parents, "That's Joshua Bell! That's Joshua Bell!" and they're like, who the heck is that?!

And seriously, just how cool is the last name "Bell"?! I want it!! "Amy Bell". Has a nice ring, doesn't it?! (Although Beckie Bell sounds even cuter. ).

Amy, "Bell" could be your middle name. "Hi, Amy Bell!" Uh-oh, guess who just got a new nickname.

Rob!

Oooh! TWO board nicknames! You are a special one!

(And I don't know if I've told you or not, but I love your avatar.)

Lol, I think Beckie Bell sounds funny. He was not as friendly this time around. I went to get my pic with him and he was like, take the picture! take the picture! We were not actually supposed to take pics with him.He hardly said anything and when I tapped him good bye he just ignored me. I know he was probably tired, but don't do a meet and greet if you are to tired and if no pics are to be taken with the person. Everyone in line is gonna expect pictures. I paid plenty of money for the tickets too. I am not as mad as I sound in this post, just stating my opinion, lol. He was excellent as always though. Anyway here are a few pics I managed to get in.

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/562166_3582635008039_168468077_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/527150_3582627287846_1026317011_n.jpg

I am glad you had fun Beckie, even though the meet and greet was less than what you expected. But the pictures look nice anyway! I REALLY need to get one of his CD's.

I bought a DVD with him. It's phenomenal! He was out of breath after playing for about a half hour straight!

I can imagine that would be fun to watch....that was one thing that we 'missed' during our concert---we had balcony seats and couldn't see him very well. We figured if we heard him that would be fine. But I was envious of the people sitting closer to view him!

I thought I picked seats closer, but they were in the back row on the floor. I was disappointed. I never would ever pick the last row for anything, lol.

A couple of weeks ago, I found out Joshua Bell will be performing in Miami Oct. 4th. I'd love to go, as I've heard his music and think he's amazing. It would also be a totally different experience for this "rocker gal!" The only problem is...none of my closed-minded friends are interested in coming with me! I hate going to these things alone... 

So if by any chance, those of you who like classical music...if you happen to be in the Miami area that weekend...please let me know! (I know, it's a longshot! lol). It's worth a try! One never knows...