29. The Big Show

Nora goes to the hottest concert in Phoenix – no, not the opening weekend of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour – and finds a little hope in the performers’ gusto.

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

AMBI: crowd murmuring (from the xylophone track)

It’s a stormy night in Phoenix, Arizona and I’m in a crowded theater with 900 other people for a sold-out show that has a crowd of hopeful attendees standing outside just in case there are no-shows and they can slip into an empty seat. 

I am at…

A fourth-grade concert. 

At this show, we will be treated to dancing. To cover songs. To original pieces of work. To whining little siblings who don’t want to be here.

Xylophone track: ~:14-16 (Q is saying I want to leave and I say I know)

I’m Nora McInerny, and It’s going to be okay.

{Bring up the xylophone track instead of the theme music}

I like to think of myself as a good audience member. If I am at a bar or a club and there is a band playing and people aren’t really listening, because the band is more back-up music than anything else…I will make SURE that the band feels heard by ignoring all of my friends and 

Making sure that anyone in the band who happens to glance at the crowd sees at least ONE actively engaged audience member. If I’m at a book reading, I am doing the same thing. If I am at a standup show and nobody is laughing…I AM LAUGHING. I will give you an audible chuckle because I want to let people know that I see their bravery. Standing up in front of a group of mostly strangers and performing for them is so brave.

The kids tonight are on a real stage in a real theater, with blinding, hot stage lights and a dimmed house. I know that at least one of the kids was very nervous, because he belongs to me, and when I dropped him off at the stage door he said “mom I’m so nervous.” 

Before the show started, I told my kid that being nervous was normal, and that even if he couldn’t see me out in the stage, he should know that the room was filled with people who were just happy to be there. People who wanted everyone on stage to be the very best, and who wouldn’t notice any of the mistakes anyway.

I was – and this is rare – right.

Because this is a fourth grade concert and fourth graders are professionals, they don’t come peek out of the curtains before the show starts, and we can’t sneak back and see them. We just take our seats, and the show begins…

{Up: Rose Lane Wild thing: :07-:13}

Song after song, they just get up there, and they sing and play their little hearts out. 

Happier: 0:30-:35

I personally love that they amp it up for the chorus. And I love – LOVE – that every music teacher knows that to really – REALLY – own this room of adults…they need a song to make us cry. A song to send us back out into a stressful world…

Blackbird in: :00-:12

Fade down…

I’m Nora McInerny and it’s going to be okay.

Fade back up into the applause…

The IT changes every day, and we want to hear yours. YOu can share by sending a voice memo to IGTBO at feelings and dot co or by leaving us a voicemail at 612.568.4441. 

It’s going to be okay is a production of feelings & co. This episode was produced by megan palmer, Claire McInerny and Marcel Malekebu and written and recorded by me, Nora McInerny.