Ingrid Michaelson....

...is now my favorite.

Scott and I haven't been to very many concerts.  Before we married, I had been to zero concerts.  Within our first year of marriage, I bought us tickets to "the Nylons" and it was a lot of fun; a fairly small gathering at a venue in Ogden. Let's see...next I think was Alanas Moriset. Scott won the tickets on the radio (at my prompting) by calling in and singing "Your sweater's on backwards and inside out and you say how-o-o-ow appropriate." The concert was huge and loud and annoying ("Garbage" opened the concert and I decided that they had chosen an appropriate name for themselves.) The lady behind us spilled beer on Scott.  Needless to say, we left early and were really glad we had not paid for the tickets.

Next, we bought tickets to "They Might be Giants." A couple of Scott's siblings even went with us and it was a blast.  We really want to take our kids to the upcoming concert, but we really can't justify the cost right now. :(  Next was a few summers ago when I bought promotional discount tickets to Erasure.  We were going to take our two oldest children with us, but ended up taking Scott's sister and her husband instead.  I was so glad, because I did not know that the "True Colors Tour" was a gay thing.  Erasure was awesome, but I was really uncomfortable most of the time as the announcer told really inappropriate jokes and there were gay couples everywhere. Very interesting experience to look back on and wonder what I would think of it now...

At some point someone gave us tickets to the Manheim Steamroller Christmas concert (because they had won them on the radio and could not use them).  That is the only music group that I actually considered buying a ticket to the concert when I was a teenager; the Fresh Aire albums were my favorite.  My brother talked me out of it, telling me that I could save the money to buy another record or tape instead. The concert was great, but not something I would choose to pay for at this point.

Many years past, and then recently we ushered and thoroughly enjoyed the Jason and DeMarco concert that was organized as part of the Affirmation conference last month.  Cute gay couple, fun and spiritual music. I was really upset that night with temple recommend issues, and the concert was just what I needed.  Jason talked a lot about feeling like he had a "calling" from God to sing spiritual and uplifting music while also making a statement on gay rights.  They are a unique music group; they don't really fit in with other Christian music groups because they are gay. and they don't fit in with other gay music groups because they are religious.  But they are willing to be unique and to make a difference with their incredible talents.

Then, most recently, was the crown jewel of my concert-attending experience: Ingrid Michaelson.  Wow. The concert was standing room only, but Scott found us some crates at the back of the room that we could sit on, and we actually had a great view of Ingrid.  Of course, I loved it when she sang "Be Okay".  I closed my eyes and let the words fill my soul with a message from God that everything (regarding our temple recommends and everything else in our lives) would be okay.  Her music was relaxing and fun.  I didn't realize that "The way I am" was her song, and I enjoyed really listening to the words for once.

The Way I Am
Written by Ingrid Michaelson

If you were falling, then I would catch you
You need a light, I'd find a match

Cuz I love the way you say good morning
And you take me the way I am

If you are chilly, here take my sweater
Your head is aching; I'll make it better

Cuz I love the way you call me baby
And you take me the way I am

I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair
Sew on patches to all you tear

Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise
And you take me the way I am

You take me the way I am
You take me the way I am

I love the message, especially how it applies to Scott and I, how we have learned to take each other and love each other "as is". As I looked for the lyrics on her website, Ingrid had this "Twitter" -

 
to love someone, not despite, but BECAUSE of their imperfections is the best kind of love.

The other song that really impressed me is the title number for her new album (and the title of the concert.

Everybody
Written by Ingrid Michaelson

We have fallen down again tonight
In this world it's hard to get it right
Trying to make your heart fit like a glove
What it needs is love, love, love

Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

Happy is the heart that still feels pain
Darkness drains and light will come again
Swing open your chest and let it in
Just let the love, love, love begin

Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

Everybody knows the love
Everybody holds the love
Everybody folds for love
Everybody feels the love
Everybody steals the love
Everybody heals with love

Oh oh oh
Just let the love love love begin

Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh
Everybody, everybody wants to love
Everybody, everybody wants be to loved
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

You know how when you buy a CD, sometimes there is music on the CD that you don't really like to listen to? Or, usually I don't like listening to a CD for a single music group because I get bored with the same voice for every song. But not with Ingrid.  I love how her music makes me feel relaxed and happy, and I am so glad we went to the concert.  It was worth every penny, the long line we had to stand in, and the uncomfortable crates we sat on.