Secret Streetcar Concert

At his "Weekend That Completely Blew My Mind" show, Ben Sures mentioned an upcoming show that required an invite to access the ticket purchase. A show on a streetcar! I had seen a photo on his website or Facebook of him performing in a streetcar and it excited me! So I knew I had to jump on this opportunity. He told me to message him to remind him to send the invite, but I woke up (late) the next morning and it was already in my inbox. Oh you...

So I confirmed BFF's anticipated attendance, and snatched up two tickets. And then waited...when you are excitedly anticipating something, it can take a long time to come!

We arrived early, parked - after taking a little detour around the block because I'm an idiot - then sat around looking cool, waiting for the fun to begin. I felt my head swell a little when Ben showed up and walked right over to us to say "hi, how are ya". And then took our picture with is phone! HA!

This is the picture that I took of us...I'm getting pretty good with the self portraits!

And then Ben asked us to watch his stuff (while he hits the head...wink). My head is pretty much floating above my body at this point. So we wait, and wait, and everyone by now has boarded the trolley. But we assume that they won't leave without the entertainment, and we are correct!

So we get on board and take the last seats remaining, and Ben sits across from us. And asks me how old my son is again (we got on the topic at his last show) and I tell him 7, and he pulls out a little neon green Ben Sures t-shirt and asks "will this fit him?" HE MADE MY KID A T-SHIRT!!! I probably made a squealy noise and said erhgalskdo-yes! Or something along those lines. And then I asked BFF if he thought it would fit me! Ha...no was the answer there.

And then we started on our journey. We had to stop at the end of the bridge and turn off the engine so our conductor could watch and listen for thunder and lightning. They won't make the trip if there is lightning in the area. When he was confident we were good-to-go, we headed off again.

And then we stopped in the middle of the bridge and Ben played his first set! It was amazing! I maybe sang along a little bit...and tapped my toes a lot! And glared at the drunkards sitting in front of us. They actually started talking louder, because they couldn't hear themselves over the music. Um...okay?!

Oh man...the rainbow! You could see both ends!! That never happens...it was completely magical.

Once he was done his first set, we started up again and moved on to the end of the bridge. We had a little break, during which Ben sold - and signed - his CDs. BFF picked up a couple, but I decided to stay on the empty car.

I hate it when my hair does that thing on the side...that's your ear...inside joke...

We started up again - sans drunkards - and headed for the bridge once more to hear a second set. And it was just as amazing as the first. Except this time Ben was pretty much standing right in front of us! Whee!! He is such a flirt...wink!

When he was done that set - in which he played a new song about having a crush on a librarian, and we did some Folk Aerobics - we headed to the tunnel. And then he played his "encore"...in the dark. It was so beautiful. So perfect. Something that will live in my memory forever.

And then the lights came up, and we were done and headed back. Once we were back on solid ground, I interrupted a CD-signing and got a lovely hug from the man himself - I am such a groupie - and we were off.

We ended the night at the Next Act pub. I ordered my favourite gin + grapefruit beer, and we shared a plate of hummus. The waitress - in her fabulous floral pants - commented on our typical Canadian behaviour when we each offered the other the last of the food on the plate.

This was an amazing night. Amazing...for so many more reasons than I could ever share here.

If you ever get a chance to see a concert on a streetcar, I highly recommend it! It was magical I tell you, MAGICAL!

later loves

p.s. On our return trip I totally spotted this lovely lady out the window. But BFF commented that it would be kind of creepy to shout her name out the window since we have never actually met in real life, and she couldn't actually see me in the train, not that she would recognize me if she did. And then she posted a pic on Instagram of the very streetcar that I was in, while I was in it! So I left her a creepy comment on Instagram instead! HA! Hello Erin!