WASHINGTON, DC – Warner Theatre
We’ve seen quite a few theaters in our time, but goodness gracious the Warner Theatre in DC may be the most beautiful one yet! It was an explosive night in the elegant space. We had a crowd that simply wouldn’t quit. Our entire DC experience was pretty inspiring. We had some time the day before the show to sight-see and appreciate the history of our nation’s capital. A few of those pics are posted on our Facebook page for you. The overwhelming sense throughout our DC visit was one of pride and reverence. How lucky we all are the enjoy our rich American heritage. How glorious to look into the crowd and see people from so many different walks of life singing and dancing together, sharing our common stories in this music.
A most unique experience occurred during the concert. There were two American Sign Language interpreters present, performing the music along the side of the stage for a few of our hearing impaired fans. Chris took a moment to introduce and recognize them, and taught the entire audience to applaud in ASL. The gesture is quite similar to what you might call “sparkle fingers.” Hands in the air, wiggle your fingers with joy. At the end of the show when we were introducing the band and taking bows, Chris extended a gesture to the interpreters for the final bow. The entire audience suddenly fell silent and applauded with their fingers in American Sign Language. The depth and warmth of the connection of every person in the room was palpable in that moment. What a blessing the evening was.
Fan pic from the front row:
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Egyptian Room
It was an absolutely beautiful day in Indianapolis for Mother’s Day. And how did Hoosiers spend their sunny afternoon? With their families, rooting for the Pacers in the NBA playoffs, of course! The evening, then, was a night out on the town for Mom. The crowd at the Egyptian Room was full of families bringing their generations together for some beloved music and hearty laughter. To be honest, the crowd felt a little conservative at first. There seemed to be a sense of formality to celebrating the special day. But soon toes were tapping and folks started singing along. “She’s A Lady” was certainly a big hit with the mothers in the crowd, as was “Pretty Woman.” It was lovely to find those moments when the music really could express the gratitude we were all feeling for those special ladies in our lives.
Speaking of family, here’s one little Lamper who had an absolute ball. Meet Andy from Indy. The eight year old practiced his moves while watching PBS, and brought them to the party at the Egyptian Room. We’re so impressed how fans of all ages cut loose at our show! This music belongs to us all, friends!
Get a load of his Mom capturing him enjoying the show on PBS:
CHICAGO, IL – Park West
3pm – SOLD OUT
7pm – SOLD OUT
It’s hard to know where to begin. Chicago fans are why anyone in the world knows who Under the Streetlamp is. Chicago fans made this band. We are forever indebted to you. It was a momentous day, full of beloved faces and familiar places. It was great to be home with you all. And how about that Park West venue, huh?! Pretty swanky! Our fans aren’t necessarily used to the general admission-club atmosphere, but man, you ate it up! All ages were onboard. You stood and waited and danced and sang and rocked! What a blessing you all are. The invaluable personal connections are many, but to paint you a picture, listen to this. We met with devoted fans who’ve been onboard since our very first show. We met with folks who overcame extreme physical and circumstantial difficulties to prioritize spending time with us. We even met with a family who buried a loved one that very day and simply wanted the music to bring them some peace and joy. We’re profoundly humbled by all of your generosity. We’re riding high on your love, friends, and you deserve all the goodness you’ve shown us returned to you ten-fold. We wish you all good health and abundance. You know who you are. Sweet home Chicago forever!
Below: Steadfast Chicago fans wait in the rain, around the block, for the first show of the day. What a lucky bunch of bastards we are!
CLEVELAND, OH – Ohio Theatre - SOLD OUT
We’re learning so much already as we hit and road and visit new cities. For starters, we discovered that sleeping on a bus isn’t so bad. But more importantly, we found out tonight what so many folks already know: CLEVELAND ROCKS! What a fantastic sold-out crowd at the Ohio Theatre! Thanks to you all for coming out, and special thanks for singing your birthday wishes to Shonn’s friend! It’s great looking out there and seeing folks sing along all throughout the show. It really brings the music to life. And we’re very grateful to everyone who stayed after to chat with us. Your warm response was truly uplifting! Hopefully next time we’re in town we’ll have more time. We sure would like to take a trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum. See you again for sure, Cleveland!
We also had quite a bit of excitement backstage. We had the opportunity to meet legendary member of the Chi-Lites, Marshall Thompson!
How about a song in his honor. Folks, enjoy this #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit from May 1972, “Oh, Girl.”
LOS ANGELES – Club Nokia
What a great way to kick things off. The Los Angeles Lakers were busy winning a playoff game across the street from swanky Club Nokia, but they weren’t the only slam dunk in town. The opening night of Under the Streetlamp’s inaugural national tour was an enormous success thanks to overwhelming response from fans. PBS exceeded their expectations of ticket sales for a new act, proving that Under the Streetlamp is a hit! An opening performance can be tense and filled with uncertainty, but the guys pulled together and managed any nerves they may have had with grace and charm. They delighted Tuesday night’s audience with many newly cooked-up surprises. The crowd was particularly delighted by the amount of humor throughout the show! The brotherly camaraderie that Michael, Chris, Shonn, and Cunio share took the evening from merely entertaining to truly heartwarming. Hundreds of fans stayed after the concert to meet the guys, get pictures and autographs, and purchase CDs and DVDs. With gratitude, the guys will now pack the bus and hit the road. America, here comes Under the Streetlamp!
