Attended a performance that moved you to tears?

Have you ever attended a concert, musical, play, any kind of live entertainment that has moved you to tears?� If so, what was the song, the band, and why?�

P.S.� Drinking Song does not count. :)

For me:

Cheers! - Brother Can You Spare A Dime.� Cheers! is a barbershop quartet with a veteran of the stage singing lead.� His facial expressions and the stage presentation did me in.

Sadly, the only other possible instance was hearing John Linnell soundcheck God Only Knows on accordion.� It was beautiful to listen to, but I'm very hard on myself in terms of getting swept up in that kind of emotion.� I guess had I been at the famous EFO Knitting Factory show just days after 9/11, or attended the duo workshop at Falcon Ridge last year, where "When I Go" turned on the waterworks for everybody, I would have had more examples.� So what's yours?

the famous EFO Knitting Factory show just days after 9/11

ditto on the EFO show.� Also, the first few times I�saw Lucy Kaplansky perform�Land of the Living, ...so simple, yet powerful.

I can't not cry when Lucy does Land Of The Living. It's a beautiful song, but sometimes I just wish she wouldn't sing it. Its too... close. And I really don't like it when people call out for her to play it and then cheer when she does... its not a song you cheer for.

In February 2002 when I saw Jian at Hugh's room and he did his September 11th song I cried. It had nothing to do with the song... it was because I was seeing all of my friends for the first time since September 11th 2001 and it hit me hard... The world didn't end that day. You guys were all still alive. I was still alive. I don't think I'd seen any live music between Sept. 11th and Frucon. I'd had a ticket for EFO at the knitting factory courtesy of John, but I just couldn't make myself go. In Toronto, had I been thinking straight, I might have been upset about the shallowness of Jian's song, but that night all I was thinking was "I'm seeing my friends. I'm seeing Jian. We're all still here."

I saw EFO in St. Louis on Sept. 14, 2001. I'm really appreciative that they went through and played, as it was a great release for everybody... to go through the range of emotions from "Oh, My Brother," to finally letting loose with "Let's Get Mesolithic."

The first time I heard "Old Mistake" by Susan Werner I cried.. a lot... in the middle of the Lee's Palace. heh

That was at Frucon 2... and I was still dealing with an upsetting breakup.

Heh...and one of the many many many times I got weepy was that same night, when Susan did Standing in My Own Way. That's when I fell in love with her. :)

I cry a lot. My heartstrings are easily pulled.

Hmm, funny. That's my designated Susan Werner bathroom break song. :)

yeah, you were sitting next to me when you saw what did me in.� i don't think i had shed a tear in four years previous to that moment.� not that i can remember, at any rate.

a song about a kid named joe, as performed by a large chorus of men.� the song is about, well, a kid named joe.� he sells newspapers on the corner of the street and has a friendly greeting for everyone he sells to, so everyone buys their paper from this kid.� he sells the papers because, as far as i could tell, he's the only one supporting his entire family at the time.� the music took a turn for the minor, the kid sells a paper to one of the guys, starts to walk away, turns around and looks, then impulsively grabs the man in a bear hug.

just kill me right there.� i was sniffling like a school girl.� so much for self control. (:

�-= george =-

I wish that performance had the same effect on me as it did you.� I could really see the emotional impact on the song, but it didn't register in my brain the way it did yours.

The real beauty was the emotion had NOTHING to do with the fact the brother of the director was in the hospital fighting for his life, a fact well known amongst the audience.� I totally forgot about that during the performance.� That's the case where the music is sung beautifully.� It didn't get in the way of the presentation at ALL.� You just sit there and have the story told to you in a powerful way.

ironically enough, i'd completely forgotten about jim's brother during the course of the performance.� i don't know what happened that i was completely sucked into the story of the song, but for those few minutes my entire reality was based around that kid.

believe me, you don't wish it had the same impact. (:� because i'm not used to it, tears suck.� messes up the sinuses and all. d:

stories and songs and the reality of the poor and destitute and whatnot mess me up.

�-= george =-

Not really, no.� I don't think I'm capable of crying in public.� If a song starts to move me, I fight against it and end up feeling pissed off at myself and everyone around me for being weak. I have issues.

Falcon Ridge 2001, the first and last I'd ever been to.�
It was Saturday night, I was watching Dar with Ellen and Lisa�on the hill and, I think, eating twizzlers but I don't know why I remember that.� Ellen and I had been talking about a boy I thought I loved and how scared I was to face my freshman here at Siena.� Then she said that a year later, I wouldn't recognize myself.� Then, Dar played Iowa with the Nields sisters.� When they got to the last stanza of the song, Nerissa and Katrina looked teary eyed and Ellen nudged me to look behind me.�
The hill was blanketed by people holding their lighters.� It was so powerful.� I don't think I'll ever forget how hard it was to hold back the tears that night :)
I'd like to take this moment to say Ellen's cool, though this topic has nothing to do with her :)

*S*

*sigh*

Yes, Dar asked everyone to turn off their lights until the beginning of the chorus and then turn them all on at the same time so Nerissa and Katryna could get the full effect of the lit up hill... when the lights went on Katryna put her hand to her chest and just gasped at the beauty of it.

again, *sigh*

Dave Mathews, Texas, my first year away from home. I learned that my favorite professor from college died due to complications with cancer and when they started playing "dancing nancies" I pretty much busted it.

Vance Gilbert.� FRFF 2003 Friday night song swap.� "High rise."

(I've gotten to be a big dork about crying at everything in the past year or so, but mostly books and movies...this was the first live performance teariness I can remember.)

I used to always cry when Fruvous did Nuits de Reve and My Poor Generation.

This year when Tracy sang Gentle Soldier of my Soul... I just stood with my eyes closed and tears streaming down my face.

"Never Turning Back". Falcon Ridge closing song.

I cry every year.

Susan Werner shows regularily reduce me to tears. Her lyrics are very compelling, and her live delivery is simply scrumptuous.

Dude, I totally agree with you. Susie has been mine since 1993 when she was first performing. i'm in love!� 'may i suggest' brings me to tears, as does "standing in my own way," "my mother's garden" and "st. mary's of regret" off the top of my head. oh yes and "lullaby for one" because that song is just so good.� sigh. . .she just rocks so much.

Vance Gilbert's songs constantly move me to tears.

I've never outright cried at a show, but the closest I've come was during "People Change" at my first Rockapella concert.� That song is beautiful, and hearing it live (despite being in the nosebleed section) turned me inside out.

RENT!

I cry EVERY time! heh... and the first 400 times I saw West Side Story!

~J~

word for me...well about RENT that is....i was sobbing after "Without You" and at the end of course........also, at the end of Phantom i got a bit weepy too.

as far as concerts go, when Ringo sang his tribute to George Harrison "Never Without You" last week i didn't cry but it was still very moving. and when Richard and i saw Tracy Chapman, we both cried when she sang "The Promise"...

there are lots of songs that make me cry...

... don't really feel like sharing the specifics.

I've only shed tears out of emotion at a show once, to my recollection- at the NoHo BJ/Rachel engagement, because it's really special to watch people's lives change in front of your very eyes :)� But I almost lost it last week at the Jayhawks/Thorns show-- which was unbelievable by the way--�during the encore, with the mics set up with Gary Louris of the 'hawks and Matthew Sweet side by side, up front, and everyone else was behind them.� And they played "Blue." �Two of my favorite performers who I''ve loved and supported for years on showcase.� Just continues to bowl me over that so many of the artists I LOVE just happen to be friends and end up working together.� I'm proud of my honeys!

I lost it when listening to Richard Shindell singing "Arrowhead." I don't have quite the same reaction when listening to it on CD, but it still gets me.

Also listening to Cry Cry Cry sing "Ballad of Mary Magdalene" at a 1998 concert in Madison. (Is it mere coincidence that Shindell wrote that song, too?)

Best thing cry cry cry ever did was Cold Missouri Waters.

Yum.

that's a great song, and the original isn't half bad, either.

Richard played it at his show at the Birchmere in March, too. it's feels a little empty, though, without the backing harmonies.

Let It Be...

I was in the 23rd row dead center on the floor. I could see every move he made.

Just thinking about it makes me misty...

When I go the see folksinger Martyn Joseph, I make sure I remind myself not to wear any makeup. Not that I usually do, but it's a special point with him. Because never fail, I will spend the night, not just in tears, but -sobbing-. And every time it takes a turn for the lighter and less emotional, it dips back in again, and you find your heart pouring out through your eyes. I've told him this before.. he makes me cry like no one and nothing ever has before. I never miss him when he's in town.