Emily is a music lover. She can’t help it. Her dad and I are music lovers, too. Her dad played the tri-toms in marching band, I play the steering wheel. My dad played drums in a rock band. My mom was a singer. Music flows through her. I am so proud that she has such diverse tastes in music. She admits to liking almost any genre except “most Country and boring, slow, oldies”. If you listened to her I-pod, you would hardly believe it belonged to a 12 year old girl. She can identify songs by artists that were popular decades before her time. She really rocks.
At her age, I was obsessed with Duran Duran. For Emily, it is My Chemical Romance. I’m not sure if she has lain in bed and cried over Gerard Way like I did for John Taylor, but her love for them is apparent by her books, posters, and t-shirt collection. She checked their website religiously every week for the past year or so, hoping that they would have a concert somewhere near. A month ago, her dream finally came true. They posted a date in Kansas City. It has always been my goal to take her to her first concert. I always figured it would be some small local “all ages” show. I was thrilled that the opportunity would come in the form of none other than her number one favorite band! The timing was perfect, too, just a week after her birthday. What a perfect gift!
Well, it turns out the concert was in Topeka, Kansas, a bit farther from us than Kansas City, but it didn’t matter. We were still going to have the time of our lives. I’m hoping it will be a memory she will never forget. I know I will never forget the look on her face when she first saw him: A spotlight lit a solitary gurney from which he rose and began singing, face painted white, cheekbones highlighted with black, like a skeleton. The opening song to The Black Parade began a two hour-plus show complete with booming pyrotechnics, remote control blimps, confetti explosions, costume and makeup changes, revolving drum cages, and most importantly, every one of Emily’s favorite songs. I surprised myself with my strength when I put her on my shoulders for about half a song. Pretty good considering she’s almost as tall as I am.
Sunday she was still basking in the afterglow when she said to me, “Mom, I know we went to the concert, and I actually saw them and heard them, but it seems like it was all a dream.” I hope it was a dream she’ll keep with her for a long time.
Oh, and Gerard, if you’re reading this, we’re still waiting for the ice cream sundae you promised everyone.
