Vienna Teng. Live. In Person.

Just a short entry tonight, but I must write something, because if I am not going to write about seeing Vienna Teng in concert, what *will* I write about?
Many of my friends and most semi-longterm readers of this blog will know that I have been carrying on a love affair with her music for quite some time, and tonight I had the pleasure of seeing her in concert for the first time. Johanna, Katie and I (Chelle, oh Chelle, we missed you so) made the trek out to a little coffee shop in north Lansing where she was performing.
Enchanting. Absolutely. She sings like an angel, plays like a virtuoso, and writes like a Muse (ok...maybe I am exaggerating a little...but not much). For those who have never heard her, for the love of all that is good and beautiful find one of her cds, and listen to it (in that order).
For those who *have* heard her: I think she is even better live. She has a wonderful stage presence, and she had a good rapport with the audience (though perhaps the small venue size helped), taking requests, telling stories (explaining how all her songs are like people, and sometimes they are not on speaking terms), and even had us sing the chorus parts of "Soon Love Soon" (when a cell phone went off at the end of a song, she told the unknown owner that they were "damned lucky it was in the same key"...though other than that the audience was wonderful, except for that somewhat annoying official photographer guy clicking away)(I just noticed that the preceding sentence was very long). She played some of her new, as-yet-unreleased material (of which the best was "Blue Caravan", our trio decided), and it was interesting to see how well she adapted some of the "bigger" songs to just her and the piano. She sang a lovely Chinese folk song acappella as an encore.
As we filed out, I bought a cd from her opening act (David Berkeley, a singer songwriter with hints of both Jim Croce and Damien Rice) and some Official Vienna Teng Stickers (one is for you, Chelle) because all her t-shirts were extra-large (why am I explaining all this? is it interesting? ok). As we walked down the street, we all agreed it was amazing. Amazing squared, even. It could have been amazing cubed, quoth I, if we had actually gotten a chance to meet her. What's that, Katie? She was at one of those tables autographing cd covers?
And so we skipped (figuratively...stay with me here) back to the car to grab my cds. When we got back, the line was almost gone. I even let some other chap go ahead of me.
At this point I feel the need to explain. I had actually thought of what I would say to her if just such an occasion were to arise (because this is how my mind works); it had occurred to me in the middle of the concert. I had just discovered her before I went off to Oxford (Days before, in fact). And during my semester, as I walked the miles and rode the buses with my faithful MP3 player and headphones, she became the soundtrack to my time there. Her songs are almost inextricably linked to those memories, and that part of my life (Chelle? Agreement?).
Now, the problem is that I didn't actually think I would meet her once we left, and when we rushed back inside and I actually did, I was caught off guard. It's a bit like going to talk to someone whose office is on the 11th floor, and suddenly the elevator on the first floor opens, and there they are, not where they are supposed to be, and your well conceived train of thought derails, and the stammering begins. Right.
Anyway, Johanna and Katie insist I did not *sound* semi-literate or developmentally challenged, but it felt that way as I managed an awkward "It's nice to meet you." (which she returned, with a handshake.) It was...odd...trying to connect this person to music and a voice I felt I knew already almost as a friend. Anyway I did manage to get out a sentence or two about the whole Oxford thing, we talked for a few moments and she seemed very nice, and she signed my cd covers before we left. (And let's be honest: I have a slight crush, and I just wanted to come off like Cary Grant...next time, maybe...)

So all in all a wonderful time was had by all, and, goodness, it's late all of a sudden. I never seem to have enough time for these things, though I suppose I was rambling anyway. Though I must be off, I know I have emails and/or comments to send out to people. Watch your mailboxes, and the comment section of previous posts, I suppose.

Grace,
Brian