Two years ago John and I went to a movie theater in Long Island to see a live broadcast of This American Life. It ended terribly. So when NPR announced that RadioLoveFest would be at BAM and that This American Life was going to be there, I was more than a little excited. But then the tickets sold out. SOLD OUT. I was devastated!
BUT THEN Facebook told me that they were adding a 10:00PM show! "That is so late," I thought. "BUT IRA GLASS IN PERSON!" I screamed to myself.
And then I looked and there were still seats in the second row available! And so, with barely a second thought to the price (which honestly was fairly reasonable) I bought those tickets.
I felt confident in my purchase because unless Ira dropped dead of adorableness and/or journalistic brilliance in the middle of the performance there was basically no way we were going to have to leave halfway through like the last time.
On Saturday I was so excited that I made us get there more than an hour before the doors opened. We went across the street for a drink (because apparently we do that now?) and at 9:30 I told John we had to go in. He kept telling me that we weren't going to lose our seats because you know, they were assigned, but I was insistent.
That was a mistake though, because the good people who work at BAM had no idea how pushy NPR listeners are. They also did not have a plan to allow the 7:30PM audience out while letting us in. It was a hot mess in that lobby with a lot of pushing and mild aggression but then, we were in! And the stage was SO close! I've never sat in the second row for anything and I think I had an unrealistic understanding of what that location meant. What it means is that there is only one row between you and the stage!
Here's my thing about public radio: I love it. And I listen to it a lot: in the morning when I put my makeup on, on my walk to the subway, when I'm at work, while I cook dinner. Literally all day. I listen to it live, John listens to it (though less than I do) and my Mom listens to it and every week we say "Did you listen to This American Life this week?" If we're in the car together on a Sunday, we listen to it.
So to see Ira Glass say "From WBEZ Chicago its This American Life...I'm Ira Glass," was a big deal! I almost died and I squeezed John's hand so hard he got mad! Ira Glass gives me mutant strength!
You basically feel like you know these people (or maybe I'm just a weirdo) and then there they are in front of you saying the words you hear them say every week!
The show was great. Philip Glass was in the opener. THE Philip Glass (who is apparently Ira's cousin). They did a musical adaptation of this story they did a year ago about a kid in Florida who fell for an undercover cop at his school who was posing as a student. He got marijuana for her and ended up arrested with pleading guilty to a felony. Mike Birbiglia was there and told a story that required a roller skating mouse and Ira being dressed up as a cat.
There were two musical performances by Stephin Merritt. Halfway through the first song John leaned over to me and said "I think that's the guy from the Magnetic Fields" AND IT WAS. We LOVE The Magnetic Fields. Admittedly we are not die hard fans because we didn't know the name of the lead singer but they are one of the few bands John and I agree on and he was there! Needless to say I loved every single second.
This is how happy I was at the end. Also, the man behind me is an insane combination of John's step-dad and his Uncle Paul.
I've already decided what I'm seeing next year at RadioLoveFest! Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me (which was sold out this time), This American Life, The Moth and Radiolab. Mission: front row tickets next year for This American Life for me and my Mom.
In conclusion: Saturday night was the best night ever and Ira Glass you are a dreamboat.
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