Happy Monday, stargazers! Since last week was all about my 2008 Secret Diary, I thought I'd pass along one more confession to my readers.
Back in 2006, my then fiancé and I were scrambling to get all the ducks in a row for our big wedding in September. We were stressed and exhausted as most people are during this time. However, we had a bigger problem. My bachelor bucket list was still unfulfilled. I had not had the opportunity to occupy the same room as this phenomenal performer. As I had stressed to both my fiancé and our friends several times, I had no intention of going through with the wedding until my wish had been satisfied.
Luckily, she was touring and after hours of fighting with Ticketmaster's crappy online service, I scored a pair of tickets...at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. If you don't know, we live in North Carolina but this was the closest and best venue. The first of September we hopped the Amtrak and railed our way up to that uh, 'unique' city. The winds and rain that weekend were insane, the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto still lingered along the Atlantic Coast. That didn't stop us from making the trek out of our hotel and finding our great seats at stage right, less than a hundred feet from the stage.
The lights dimmed and Shakira's Oral Fixation concert began. It was awesome! At one point, she went stage left into the audience and performed in the exact mirror of my location. I was pumped to think she would similarly bless our side with her presence, but devastated when she never did. Still, it was a phenomenal evening. We weren't quite lucky enough to run into her while walking the Boardwalk which is probably for the better. Had she had the opportunity to meet me, I'm certain she would have been instantly smitten. I would have been whisked away with the tour and all those months of wedding planning would have been ruined.
Shakira hit it big in the US back in 2001, though her first official hit was released in her native country of Columbia in 1995. Shakira is an astounding performer. She has done little wrong in my eyes in her career (well, except for not venturing stage right that night). Today, February 2, she turns 32 and I'd like to treat everyone to that first hit from her album Pies Descalzos:
I could go on at length about her career, her greatest videos and my favorite songs, just ask my wife. Instead, I'll save that for another mood music. FYI, the translation of the title is Where Are You, Love?. I was stage right querido, I was stage right.
For whatever reason, I loooooved Hips Don't Lie (I'm not typically a fan of such poppy dancey stuff), but that's about where my love for Shakey starts and ends. Must be the shared intro with Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz' "Uptown Baby."
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had an awesome time, though, and that's all that matters.
Yes, it was an awesome time.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you mention Hip's Don't Lie; that's my least favorite of hers. I don't know why, maybe it was overplayed and too commercial but I love so many of her other songs so much more.
I really like her early stuff too, back when she was a black-haired rock-n-roll chick - and I don't even speak Spanish. It's too bad she had to get blonde and poppy to be heard in the States ... but at least that way she got heard.
ReplyDeleteWhether her hair's black, blonde, red or purple, she rocks! I would like to see her return to her natural hair color.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to see her stop by my house out of the blue, but if wishes were fishes...