Let me think. OKAY!! Shoot, I'd have CANCELLED the holiday to work that concert! I hadn't booked my flight to Kansas yet (thankfully), so although I'd originally planned to be there over a weekend so I could hear my brother-in-law preach, I rescheduled my days gone so I could be HOME last Sunday.
I traveled to Van Wert, Ohio to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (a beautiful venue, by the way) and on the way, Jill and I went over the plan for the night because...y'all...this was my trial run as an emcee. Are. You. Stinking. Kidding. Me.
When we arrived, they told us we'd be introducing him, and Jill (BLESS HER HEART) said I could do it because she knew that would pretty much top any experience of my life thus far.
So about 20 minutes before the concert began, we were ushered into a back room and uh....
...had my little picture taken. You know. With David. David Phelps. David Phelps!!!!!!!! I was terrified of saying something stupid (imagine THAT) so I think...in the end...all I said was "Bekah" - as I shook his hand. Super. My chance to talk and all I say is my name. Mercy.Then we waited backstage (where someone said "Oh don't worry - there's only 1200 people out there"....SUPER) and then I found myself ON the stage, in a pitch black room, with a spotlight on my face, and somehow I didn't pass out while I said something like "Today is the first Sunday of Advent, and I can think of no better way to begin this season than with a Christmas concert. We want you to relax and enjoy an evening of music by my favorite singer in the entire world, Mr. David Phelps."
Gulp!!!!!!
We had seats in the media booth, which was a little perch at the tippy top of the room. I spent the rest of the night taking 119 pictures. Hope you have some time!
I'm KIDDING. I mean I did take 119 pictures, but I am only posting a very select few....
He read a portion of Scripture while his band gathered around...
David's Christmas music is some of my favorite ever. (Not just because it's his.) He writes quite a bit of his own stuff and I love it.
The set from my perch...
One of my FAVORITE songs ever in life is this duet he does with his sister. It's called One King. You should look it up.
I took this one just because I liked the lighting. LOL!
The Partridge - JUST KIDDING! - Phelps family singers. (I said Partridge because he has this one song that sounds like a Partridge song to me - but he didn't sing it on Sunday.) Anyway. David and his two sisters and then his wife's cousin, who is also in his band. His name is Jack Daniels. Really.
Not too shabby on the old zoom, eh?
After half-time. Wardrobe change! Singing Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.
Me in my perch watching. I had no light - sorry it's grainy. I thought if I used the flash, people might start to wonder. (More than they already did, I mean.)
Not a Christmas song, but he threw in a little Nessun Dorma.
Still Nessun Dorma. I cracked up at the end because I was alone in the media box at that time and I was leaning over the railing just listening away...and of course it's not in English...and at the end of the song I was all breathless (because that song just does that) - and all of the sudden I felt like I was in Pretty Woman. You remember that scene where she's in the box at the opera and she gets overcome with emotion?
My actual, unzoomed view.
He ended the concert with "He's Alive" - which I always think of as an Easter song, but it's appropriate for Christmas too!
It was (obviously) an amazing concert, because that's what David does. But it was also just a huge "I can't believe this is my life" night for me.
The set from my perch...
One of my FAVORITE songs ever in life is this duet he does with his sister. It's called One King. You should look it up.
I took this one just because I liked the lighting. LOL!
The Partridge - JUST KIDDING! - Phelps family singers. (I said Partridge because he has this one song that sounds like a Partridge song to me - but he didn't sing it on Sunday.) Anyway. David and his two sisters and then his wife's cousin, who is also in his band. His name is Jack Daniels. Really.
Not too shabby on the old zoom, eh?
After half-time. Wardrobe change! Singing Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.
Me in my perch watching. I had no light - sorry it's grainy. I thought if I used the flash, people might start to wonder. (More than they already did, I mean.)
Not a Christmas song, but he threw in a little Nessun Dorma.
Still Nessun Dorma. I cracked up at the end because I was alone in the media box at that time and I was leaning over the railing just listening away...and of course it's not in English...and at the end of the song I was all breathless (because that song just does that) - and all of the sudden I felt like I was in Pretty Woman. You remember that scene where she's in the box at the opera and she gets overcome with emotion?
My actual, unzoomed view.
He ended the concert with "He's Alive" - which I always think of as an Easter song, but it's appropriate for Christmas too!
It was (obviously) an amazing concert, because that's what David does. But it was also just a huge "I can't believe this is my life" night for me. I mean seriously! Never EVER in my best imagination would I have dreamed up introducing David Phelps from the stage.
Very very cool.
And just for you - one of my favorite songs of his (for Christmas)
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