viva la vida

Every 13 years or so, someone does something that flattens me. Last night, electric Emily picks me up at "4:30 sharp" for an engagement party in Ann Arbor. "I don't even know how to get to Ann Arbor," I tell her as we're nearing the freeway, still a bit frustrated from the day.

She's driving and looking at directions; I ask if she needs help.

She declines. "I got it."

As we're about to get onto the freeway, she hands me two tickets.

They say "Coldplay."

"Who went?" I ask, confused, curious.

"Nobody yet," she says, HUGE smile.

I look again:

November 3.
7:30 p.m.
The Palace of Auburn Hills.

At some point in the next 30 seconds, I begin to realize she punked me in the best way possible.

"No. You're not serious," I say, followed by a series of shock and awe stutters.

(She has this habit of stealing fluid language from my mouth.)

"Yes. I'm serious," she says. A surprise trip to Coldplay in Detroit for the Viva la Vida tour?

"You're crazy," I say. Wow. She was serious. This serious:

Serious enough to fabricate a story about her friend's fake fiance and ask me before if I like avocados and hummus for the amazing sandwiches and snacks neatly stored in the back seat.

Well into the morning after, I'm still in this "I-can't-believe-you-did-it-stage," but I realized during the show there's no reason, no earning, no scales, no paybacks; she did it because it's her nature to be giving and generous. It's an experience I'm grateful for.

The show was the best either of us has seen.

If the Palace wasn't sold out, it was about ten seats shy.

As she would say, "It was bomb."

The boys from Britain opened the concert as they open their album, plus explosions, laser beams, video, a tight stage and 15,000 people. They played almost the entire Viva la Vida album, including favorites "Lovers in Japan," "Strawberry Swing," "Lost" and "Viva la Vida" (Emily almost lost it here):



I also experienced a spiritual moment that's locked away in "Death and All His Friends," as confetti fell from the rafters.

At one point, they ran into the stands, where two acoustics, a mandolin and harmonica were waiting, and they serenaded us with "The Scientist." A quick shout out for rocking the mandolin, making Courier appear way hipper. (Here's a video from someone at the show):



My respect level for them as musicians and performers rose dramatically. They were spot on. At one point, Chris Martin messed up, laughed and moved on, proving they're only human.

They also played "Fix You," a personal favorite, and a fast-paced "Yellow" for the encore.

In the end, electric Emily got me good. Thank you. I don't know what else to say.