An Evening with Paul

Just because I was running late, nothing short of dying was gonna keep me from going to Orlando to see my favorite personal journalist, Sage Francis. Pedal to the carpeted floormat, cuz there isn't really any metal to directly push it down to, my wonderful and beautiful girlfriend and I are booking it up I-95 on our way to a venue called Club Firestone. We got an hour and a half to get somewhere that is two and a half hours away. This is exactly why I need a private helicopter!! 

We finally get there in plenty of time actually, and as we walk into the building, you can just feel the mutual love and anticipation in the air as everyone else awaits Sage to come out. But before he can perform, he like many other artists he has an opening act in the form of a fellow label-mate and Rhode Island neighbor B. Dolan. Mr. Dolan was a very pleasantly surprising act. He was really energetic and got the crowd moving. But no disrespect to B. Dolan, I wasn't there to see him. I was there to revel in the words and lyrics of Sage. So after about 45 minutes of arriving, lights go out and with bated breath, the curtains are pulled back, the lights come back on and he walks out with his band. (Yeah, even though he's a hip hop artist, he performs with a live band. Cool, huh?) 

As I stand there watching him perform, singing/rapping along with everything that comes out of his mouth I realize I haven't felt this happy at a show since 2004 at my first Metallica show in Louisville, KY. Sage Francis and Metallica have been the biggest musical influences in my life. I know, that's a really odd combination in musical influences, but hey don't worry about it!! He performed alot of songs from his new album LI(F)E, being as this IS the album tour and sadly his last national tour. But he also performed several of my favorite songs from previous albums such as, "Crack Pipes", "Sea Lion", "Fairy with Broken Wings", "Specialist" and "Cure". 

As he finished out his set, he walked over to the edge of the five foot high stage and put his arms up in the air and fell forward. Not to the floor, but into the crowd's hands. Me along with about 15 other people held his sweat soaked body up and then eventually put him back on the stage. He picks the mic back up and thanks everyone for everything they've ever done for him in his career, then he proceeds to walk back over the edge of the stage and jumps off to the floor and begins giving everyone a hug and taking pictures with anyone that wants one.

All in all, it was one of the best shows that I've ever been to. Even if I didn't hold him in such high regards, he put on one hell of a show. He was kind enough to shake my hand and take a picture with me. 

                                           AWESOME!!!!!  Thanks Sage.