I brought my daughter to Thursday's Boston 2 show, and never expected the incredible night that we wound up having.
She's a big fan of the band, because her dad (ME) always has them playing. Well, so is her six year old sister, and their two year old brother! You should hear the three of them belt out "World Wide Suicide"! LOL
I've been a fan of the band since seeing them at Lollapalooza '92. Then I joined the TEN CLUB in late '94, so my number is low, therefore we had some insane seats for the shows. I brought my wife to night one, and she rocked out... then it was decision time on night 2. Since I bought the tickets, I wanted to take Shae, but because of her nine year old age, my wife and I were torn. I really wanted her to experience the BEST live band in the world! You see, she wants to be a singer when she grows up, so who better to have her witness than the man himself?
Shae LOVES "Smile", and we sing it as a family often. Well, I suggested that if she really wanted to hear it that night (because it's not really a staple in the set), that she should write a sign to request it. So she took my advise and came up with a 'way cool' smiley mouth, that she wrote the word "SMILE" in the center of it... in crayon. Underneath it she wrote "Eddie", then added 'three crooked hearts and swirls all around'... pretty cool sign.
Well, she was having a great time when towards the end of the first encore she held it up, and Mike saw it right away! He nodded and stared down like "maybe... it's on there...we'll see", then loooked back at me and I shrugged as if to say "C'mon, it's for her" (it's hard to really get that across in a couple seconds, but I tried) and when they left the stage my daughter got a little upset because the flowers she brought for the band were still on the ground. She didn't think they were coming back out. I reassured her that they'd be back and now was a good time to hold then up if they came back with a slow song.
Well they returned for Encore 2 and kicked it up a notch with "Why Go". I was lovin' it, but told her to just be patient. After "Life Wasted", I suggested she put 'em back in the air. This is when I was floored. Everyone around her was trying to get Eddie'd attention, and pointing to the flowers! He saw them and her... he came right over and Eddie told her to come up on the stage to give them to her! She was all smiles now, and went up and over the fence, and on to the stage! Eddie said "We'd like to fulfill a request from a young lady in the third row... It isn't a request really, as she's got something for us... so we'll do this for her."
Then she made it up there! Ed said "Thanks" twice for the flowers (according to Shae) then he introduced her to to the Garden crowd... and they gave her a GREAT big cheer! Shae smiled and waved (it felt like an eternity to me!) and the two of them gave the peace sign to everyone. He then gave her a little hug, and she was escorted off the stage and back into my arms. Eddie then said (I'll NEVER forget this!!!!) "This one's for SHAE" ... then they did a stellar version of SMILE! When Ed was done with theh harmonica he came over towards me and tossed it in my hands. Everyone around me parted like they red sea to let it get to me... it was unreal! He pointed to my daughter and I put it in her hands. Then he gave me a big thumbs up! During Ledbetter he waved good-bye to her!
It was truly amazing to have experienced this with my oldest, who was in my wife's belly (she was four months pregnant in '96 when we drove from Boston to Toronto to see them) as my wife and I danced in the back of the concert hall to "Yellow Ledbetter".
Now, ten years later I was dancing with that little girl again. Only this time she was on the outside watching, as well as listening.
Thank you, everyone around, us for being so kind to her. Thank you Ten Club for caring about the fans. And THANK YOU Eddie and the band for having a heart as big as your music is!
Sorry this was so long!!!
First of all, I can't begin to thank your daughter enough. I had been waiting 12 shows to hear Smile, my all time favorite song EVER and when they played it in Boston I was in tears.
I told my boyfriend I would forever love that little girl for getting her request heard.
Tell her I said thank you!!!!!! She is one awesome kid
Underneath this smile lies everything
all my hopes, anger, pride and shame...
It was a really cool happening...you and your daughter will never ever forget that moment.
I thought it was especially endearing because Ed had announced that PJ was donating the proceeds from that show to Horizons for Homeless Children..reminding us that there are thousands of homeless children that need a helping hand..so it was especially poignant to see a happy child on the stage- it made me Smile.
That is such a heartwarming story-brought tears to my eyes as well. What an awesome experience for you, Shae and everyone else. Thanks for sharing.
"I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
Wow, what a heartwarming story..tears in my eyes of course. And in the video she looked so cute up there giving everyone the peace sign. Well I hope she fulfills her dream of becoming a singer, and congrats!
Our band is like an old car, and this record is our new engine.
"I wish I was the sound of 50 million hands upraised, you're something else in this town!"
That's awesome, I really have wanted to take my son, he will be 5 when the Gorge comes around. An event like that can stick with a kid for life. Nice story.
OMG! *tears up* Thank you so, so much for sharing this amazing story with us Smile_dad!! Don't it "make ya"??? Heck yeah it does. Absolutely beautiful. I was there in attendance that EPIC night as well and seeing this precious moment touched us all. Now knowing the complete story behind it!? My goodness. !!! Soooo beautiful.
Congrats! *sigh* This band is the best! And yes, greatest band = greatest fans. What a truly heartwarming story/experience. I am so happy for you both and once again, my love for this band is pushed to even higher levels!!!!!
Thank you so much Shae! What a dream that night was and getting this song made it all that much more....and seriously, knowing it happened like this?! Wow. Just beeeautiful.
¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
"Lo√e, you know the word
...YOU invented it!" ~ E√
I brought my daughter to Thursday's Boston 2 show, and never expected the incredible night that we wound up having.
She's a big fan of the band, because her dad (ME) always has them playing. Well, so is her six year old sister, and their two year old brother! You should hear the three of them belt out "World Wide Suicide"! LOL
I've been a fan of the band since seeing them at Lollapalooza '92. Then I joined the TEN CLUB in late '94, so my number is low, therefore we had some insane seats for the shows. I brought my wife to night one, and she rocked out... then it was decision time on night 2. Since I bought the tickets, I wanted to take Shae, but because of her nine year old age, my wife and I were torn. I really wanted her to experience the BEST live band in the world! You see, she wants to be a singer when she grows up, so who better to have her witness than the man himself?
Shae LOVES "Smile", and we sing it as a family often. Well, I suggested that if she really wanted to hear it that night (because it's not really a staple in the set), that she should write a sign to request it. So she took my advise and came up with a 'way cool' smiley mouth, that she wrote the word "SMILE" in the center of it... in crayon. Underneath it she wrote "Eddie", then added 'three crooked hearts and swirls all around'... pretty cool sign.
Well, she was having a great time when towards the end of the first encore she held it up, and Mike saw it right away! He nodded and stared down like "maybe... it's on there...we'll see", then loooked back at me and I shrugged as if to say "C'mon, it's for her" (it's hard to really get that across in a couple seconds, but I tried) and when they left the stage my daughter got a little upset because the flowers she brought for the band were still on the ground. She didn't think they were coming back out. I reassured her that they'd be back and now was a good time to hold then up if they came back with a slow song.
Well they returned for Encore 2 and kicked it up a notch with "Why Go". I was lovin' it, but told her to just be patient. After "Life Wasted", I suggested she put 'em back in the air. This is when I was floored. Everyone around her was trying to get Eddie'd attention, and pointing to the flowers! He saw them and her... he came right over and Eddie told her to come up on the stage to give them to her! She was all smiles now, and went up and over the fence, and on to the stage! Eddie said "We'd like to fulfill a request from a young lady in the third row... It isn't a request really, as she's got something for us... so we'll do this for her."
Then she made it up there! Ed said "Thanks" twice for the flowers (according to Shae) then he introduced her to to the Garden crowd... and they gave her a GREAT big cheer! Shae smiled and waved (it felt like an eternity to me!) and the two of them gave the peace sign to everyone. He then gave her a little hug, and she was escorted off the stage and back into my arms. Eddie then said (I'll NEVER forget this!!!!) "This one's for SHAE" ... then they did a stellar version of SMILE! When Ed was done with theh harmonica he came over towards me and tossed it in my hands. Everyone around me parted like they red sea to let it get to me... it was unreal! He pointed to my daughter and I put it in her hands. Then he gave me a big thumbs up! During Ledbetter he waved good-bye to her!
It was truly amazing to have experienced this with my oldest, who was in my wife's belly (she was four months pregnant in '96 when we drove from Boston to Toronto to see them) as my wife and I danced in the back of the concert hall to "Yellow Ledbetter".
Now, ten years later I was dancing with that little girl again. Only this time she was on the outside watching, as well as listening.
Thank you, everyone around, us for being so kind to her. Thank you Ten Club for caring about the fans. And THANK YOU Eddie and the band for having a heart as big as your music is!
Sorry this was so long!!!
awesome, awesome story.
"There are teams that are fair-haired,and those that aren't so fair-haired.Some teams are named Smith,some Grabowski. We're Grabowskis."-Mike Ditka, January 1986
everytime i have to take a crap i sing EVACUATION!!!
EVACUATION!!
"i'll let you be in my dream if i can be in your dream." -b.dylan
that was a great read, i'm so happy you guys had that incredible experience. but now there's some bad news in all of this greatness... your daughter has just experienced the best of what life has to offer, so it's all downhill from here on out haha. i was at the concert, that was a real highlight.
you can download it and have it forever, I know I did
I was there in boston, I want to thank you and your daughter and your family, I've been waiting 10 years, 17 shows to hear that song live...you guys made me so happy I was in section F on the floor jumping for joy, and I cried...it was so amazing to FINALLY hear that song.
Please tell Shae thank you for me and that she is awesome!
That is one of the single most coolest things I have ever seen!!! Aces!!!
After reading your post and observing the video....you've really cheered me up for the whole day ahead.
Your daughter will remember this forever
"I get into a state of consciousness that I can't explain. It is about feeling and not thinking. I get positive chills and insight into things that I can't get to any other way. It is Healing of the Soul." - Mike McCready
Of course you left out the funniest moment of the event, when Ed was singing Smile and added "ah fuck it", then looked right at Shae who was now perched on a chair in the front row and gave an apologetic gesture, classic.
I forgot to mention that after the show she felt like a star, with everyone being so awesome saying "You're the little girl that was on-stage with Eddie!"
I had to explain to her that this is NOT how all concerts end up! I told her that chances are she probably wouldn't be on the stage at the next show she attends!
Also... when she woke up Friday morning (we kept her home from school) the first thing she said was... "Daddy, I miss Eddie."
Comments
First of all, I can't begin to thank your daughter enough. I had been waiting 12 shows to hear Smile, my all time favorite song EVER and when they played it in Boston I was in tears.
I told my boyfriend I would forever love that little girl for getting her request heard.
Tell her I said thank you!!!!!! She is one awesome kid
all my hopes, anger, pride and shame...
199xxx
I thought it was especially endearing because Ed had announced that PJ was donating the proceeds from that show to Horizons for Homeless Children..reminding us that there are thousands of homeless children that need a helping hand..so it was especially poignant to see a happy child on the stage- it made me Smile.
I'm transformed!
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"I wish I was the sound of 50 million hands upraised, you're something else in this town!"
Toledo, Ohio (September 22, 1996), East Troy, Wisconsin (June 26, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 17, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 18, 2000), Cincinnati, Ohio (August 20, 2000), Columbus, Ohio (August 21, 2000), Nashville, Tennessee (April 18, 2003), Champaign, Illinois (April 23, 2003), Noblesville, Indiana (June 22, 2003), Chicago, Illinois (May 16, 2006), Chicago, Illinois (August 05, 2007), West Palm Beach, Florida (June 11, 2008), Tampa, Florida (June 12, 2008), Columbus, OH (May 06, 2010), Noblesville, Indiana (May 07, 2010), Wrigley Field (July 19, 2013), US Bank Arena (October 01, 2014), Lexington (April 26, 2016), Chicago Night 2 (August 20, 2018), Boston Night 1 (September 02, 2018), Nashville (September 16, 2022), St. Louis (September 18, 2022)
http://www.myspace.com/lizardkings1
(This Post May Have Been Edited By AT&T)
I love stories like this and that was a SHORT post - at least, it felt like one.
What a wonderful family you have!!!
So happy for your daughter to have had a great concert experience!!!
EV: It's your band.
~Q Magazine
"Kisses for the glow...kisses for the lease." - BDRII
"do gay midgets come out of the cupboard"
~CreedDisease~
10/27/06
couldn't see through the tears
it's absolutely extraordinary...
how a rock band can touch so many lives...
she lets go
Congrats! *sigh* This band is the best! And yes, greatest band = greatest fans. What a truly heartwarming story/experience. I am so happy for you both and once again, my love for this band is pushed to even higher levels!!!!!
Thank you so much Shae! What a dream that night was and getting this song made it all that much more....and seriously, knowing it happened like this?!
"Lo√e, you know the word
...YOU invented it!" ~ E√
¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤
...::STONE--YOU--OWN!::...
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
awesome, awesome story.
everytime i have to take a crap i sing EVACUATION!!!
EVACUATION!!
"i'll let you be in my dream if i can be in your dream." -b.dylan
but memories...they eat me
I've seen it all before,...
bring it on cause I'm no victim.
-Ghost
Astoria
Barcelona
Bologna
Verona
Milano
Torino
Berlin
Athens
København
Nijmegen
Totally agreed!!
Thanks for sharing mate!
http://www.myspace.com/ozbeachbum
7/11/06 - Sydney 1
18/11/06 - Sydney 3
19/11/06 - Newcastle Baby!
Your daughter will remember this forever
https://www.facebook.com/Bring.Pearl.Jam.To.Israel
awesome memories, congrats to your family
Best post i ever read on here... im a grown man tearing up at work here in London!
Wonderful wonderful stuff... i soooooo cant wait for Europe 06!!!
Of course you left out the funniest moment of the event, when Ed was singing Smile and added "ah fuck it", then looked right at Shae who was now perched on a chair in the front row and gave an apologetic gesture, classic.
I forgot to mention that after the show she felt like a star, with everyone being so awesome saying "You're the little girl that was on-stage with Eddie!"
I had to explain to her that this is NOT how all concerts end up! I told her that chances are she probably wouldn't be on the stage at the next show she attends!
Also... when she woke up Friday morning (we kept her home from school) the first thing she said was... "Daddy, I miss Eddie."
That pretty much broke my heart.
I told her that I missed him too!