[First posted on my Tumblr October 21, 2016.]
Today is just a lazy, boring kind of day and as I lay on the couch with nothing to do, I thought of writing another blog. I haven’t written one for a while and so I feel like writing about something special that happened to me last Summer. Yes, it was during when me and my brother saw The Psychedelic Furs for the second time at the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon but what I want to write about was my encounter with Richard Butler, the singer.
I remember when me and my brother first saw them at the Crystal Ballroom in the same city last year it was unbelievable seeing Richard on stage in person. As I was watching him sing I thought to myself, “That’s him, that’s THE Richard Butler!” I couldn’t believe it. During their song “Only You And I,” he walked over to the audience in the middle and started shaking their hands. I was near the middle and so I tried to reach out to him but sadly I was out of reach. Me and my brother were on the right side of the stage, up front but there was a barrier and the stage was kind of far apart. Another thing too that prevented me was my short arms.
After the last song “Sleep Comes Down” he came over the second time and I tried again but didn’t make it. I still had the time of my life but I really wanted a handshake from Richard so much.
Fast forward to April 2016 The Furs announced the dates for their Summer tour and were going to play at Portland again. I wanted to see them again and so I told my mother about it and she bought the tickets for me and my brother. I hoped that that moment would happen, but at times I would get afraid thinking “what if it wouldn’t?”
During those months while waiting for the night to come at times I would have dreams where Richard would shake my hand. I wanted it so much, and I also would have dreams where me and my brother would try to get there earlier to be in front of the stage. I really wanted it to happen. I watched some videos that people took of The Furs performing and when they showed Richard shaking some of the people’s hands I watched him longingly. I really hoped over and over that it would happen to me.
Then the day came. The night before I told my brother that I wanted us to leave at noon and so we drove to Portland at that time. After meeting the guitarist Rich Good we went inside the building and there were benches lined up by the auditorium so we sat on one.
Later more and more people came and as the doors were opened and we went inside, I ran quickly to the stage and we made it. There was no barrier at all, which was really nice.
The moment when Richard came on stage I was so happy to see him again. It was amazing seeing him really up close than before. I had finally got my wish. During the second song “Fall” he walked over to where me and two ladies by my right were standing and as he was about to start shaking hands I quickly lifted my arm up and he shook my hand! After that I looked at my brother with a big smile on my face, looking at him with a look that says “He did it!!” But that wasn’t the last. I think during the fifth song “Like A Stranger” he shook my hand again, and during “Heartbreak Beat,” the last song before the encore he shook it again! But that was the fourth time.
With the third time, something unexpected happened…
It was during “The Ghost In You,” the seventh song, and as Richard was singing he walked over to where I was. As he started to sing the line “Stars come down in you” he shook my hand the third time. I remember I looked and smiled at my brother and as I was looking at him I thought that Richard went on to shake other people’s hands. But for a split second I realized my arm was still lifted and as I looked back, there was Richard, up close, holding my hand and was singing to me! Looking at me directly in the eye! I smiled up at him excitedly, couldn’t believe it, and as he was starting to go I yelled out “Hi Richard!” as loudly as I could. I totally didn’t expect that would happen.
After that night “The Ghost In You” is more special. Whenever I would listen to that song I think about what happened. That moment is a very sweet memory. To think he went over to me, held my hand, sang to me, and looked at me was so unbelievable. I always think about it, at times I would get emotional and cry, and would get warm and fuzzy inside and so happy. I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life…
Today is just a lazy, boring kind of day and as I lay on the couch with nothing to do, I thought of writing another blog. I haven’t written one for a while and so I feel like writing about something special that happened to me last Summer. Yes, it was during when me and my brother saw The Psychedelic Furs for the second time at the Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon but what I want to write about was my encounter with Richard Butler, the singer.
I remember when me and my brother first saw them at the Crystal Ballroom in the same city last year it was unbelievable seeing Richard on stage in person. As I was watching him sing I thought to myself, “That’s him, that’s THE Richard Butler!” I couldn’t believe it. During their song “Only You And I,” he walked over to the audience in the middle and started shaking their hands. I was near the middle and so I tried to reach out to him but sadly I was out of reach. Me and my brother were on the right side of the stage, up front but there was a barrier and the stage was kind of far apart. Another thing too that prevented me was my short arms.
After the last song “Sleep Comes Down” he came over the second time and I tried again but didn’t make it. I still had the time of my life but I really wanted a handshake from Richard so much.
Fast forward to April 2016 The Furs announced the dates for their Summer tour and were going to play at Portland again. I wanted to see them again and so I told my mother about it and she bought the tickets for me and my brother. I hoped that that moment would happen, but at times I would get afraid thinking “what if it wouldn’t?”
During those months while waiting for the night to come at times I would have dreams where Richard would shake my hand. I wanted it so much, and I also would have dreams where me and my brother would try to get there earlier to be in front of the stage. I really wanted it to happen. I watched some videos that people took of The Furs performing and when they showed Richard shaking some of the people’s hands I watched him longingly. I really hoped over and over that it would happen to me.
Then the day came. The night before I told my brother that I wanted us to leave at noon and so we drove to Portland at that time. After meeting the guitarist Rich Good we went inside the building and there were benches lined up by the auditorium so we sat on one.
Later more and more people came and as the doors were opened and we went inside, I ran quickly to the stage and we made it. There was no barrier at all, which was really nice.
The moment when Richard came on stage I was so happy to see him again. It was amazing seeing him really up close than before. I had finally got my wish. During the second song “Fall” he walked over to where me and two ladies by my right were standing and as he was about to start shaking hands I quickly lifted my arm up and he shook my hand! After that I looked at my brother with a big smile on my face, looking at him with a look that says “He did it!!” But that wasn’t the last. I think during the fifth song “Like A Stranger” he shook my hand again, and during “Heartbreak Beat,” the last song before the encore he shook it again! But that was the fourth time.
With the third time, something unexpected happened…
It was during “The Ghost In You,” the seventh song, and as Richard was singing he walked over to where I was. As he started to sing the line “Stars come down in you” he shook my hand the third time. I remember I looked and smiled at my brother and as I was looking at him I thought that Richard went on to shake other people’s hands. But for a split second I realized my arm was still lifted and as I looked back, there was Richard, up close, holding my hand and was singing to me! Looking at me directly in the eye! I smiled up at him excitedly, couldn’t believe it, and as he was starting to go I yelled out “Hi Richard!” as loudly as I could. I totally didn’t expect that would happen.
After that night “The Ghost In You” is more special. Whenever I would listen to that song I think about what happened. That moment is a very sweet memory. To think he went over to me, held my hand, sang to me, and looked at me was so unbelievable. I always think about it, at times I would get emotional and cry, and would get warm and fuzzy inside and so happy. I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life…
