You know that saying, "All they can say is no"?
I went to the San Francisco shows on Friday and Sat.
Early last week I had an epiphany...since Sting was singing I'm So Happy again this tour, I wondered if he would be agreeable to having someone come up on stage and sing with him like he did on the Mercury Falling tour. So, I made a sign that said "Can I sing with you on I'm So Happy for old time's sake?"
I knew my seat on Friday was great (BOTH nights were great, thank you fan club!!!!!) and I knew exactly when I had to hold my sign up. I was disappointed when I got there to see the equipment set up SO far back on the stage, away from the front. It's a U-shaped stage, so it is awkward. But I've seen other bands play there much closer to the front. Anyway, I was ready....
As the last notes of Demolition Man were playing, I raised my sign. Sting saw it, read it, read it aloud and then said, "Sure, yeah, come on up" or something like that. The stage is low, with no barricade (another reason I knew I had a good chance) so I hopped up. Sting shook my hand and then we hugged. A guy in the audience asked Sting if he could come up too. Sting said no. The rest is a blur...but I think it went something like this....
While still holding my hand, he said "So, I guess you and I have a history together?" (he meant the "old time's sake" part when what I really meant was the Mercury Falling tour). I said "Well, I have sung with you before." (I sang three times with the Police during the sound check things on the reunion tour). He asked my name, clarified if it was Meggie or Maggie and then he asked if I knew the song. I asked if he wanted me to sing the whole thing with him or just the chorus. (chorus). At some point in the exchange he mentioned that it's a song about divorce (I was surprised he told me to come up, since it's from a guy's POV and I think it was mostly (only?) guys during the MF shows.) He asked if I could dance during the song. Then, the music kicked in...
I came in for the choruses. While I was singing, Sting kept motioning me closer to the mic. (He did the same thing during the Police times). I was ALL up in his space. It felt weird, but that's where he wanted me. I was not going to complain. We were SO close, it wasn't even funny. Like, spit from his mouth was hitting my face. Oddly, I'm OK with that. #cray. He was really looking at me too, when we were singing. Like, looking RIGHT in my eyes. It was surreal and MUCH more intimate than when I sang with him before. Probably bc the lights were down and it was just us. The Police times, there was always another fan singing, too. Hard to crowd 3 ppl around a mic.
When I wasn't at the mic, I was tapping/thigh slapping along to the music. I wouldn't call it dancing. lol. I also mouthed the words, like I always do when I'm in the audience. The stage lights were SO bright, I couldn't see the audience at all. Which was a good thing. I'm not a good singer, though ISH is in a good key for me, and people later told me I sounded great.
He had me sing one little "laughing through my tears" by myself. At the end, I bowed a little to him and we hugged again, I think, and then I jumped down off the stage. I could NOT remember where I was sitting and was dazed for a few seconds! The crowd at Nob Hill seemed really happy for me!
I would LOVE it if anyone finds pics or vids. Someone sent me a few pics, but they were so washed out, it looks like two ghosts up there. Another person is supposed to send me a short vid.... Nob Hill Masonic, San Francisco, CA Dec 2, 2011 I was also mentioned in the Oakland Tribune review, lol!
Oh, I should mention that I had been dancing and singing like crazy during All This Time, Every Little Thing, Demolition Man, etc. so my throat was SO dry. As DM ended, and I knew I was gonna try with my sign, I got all freaked out about dry mouth and bad breath. Like, would I even be able to sing?? I popped in a TicTac at the last minute. Thank GOD for TicTacs!! I didn't have to worry about bad breath for Sting either. I should be a spokesperson.
Well, there's my tale. I went into the night with a "might as well try" attitude, and it worked!!
