Straight from Tumblr, these are my thoughts on the show:
she's so pretty, and she's so sure
i saw vanessa carlton live last night for the first time. the concert had been a long time coming, as i have been a fan since age twelve, but never had the opportunity to see her until recently. the concert was originally supposed to happen january 10, but got delayed due to weather until february 14.
as much as i love vanessa carlton, i wasn’t too-too excited for the concert. it just didn’t seem real; it seemed too good to be true. until i saw her. i then literally melted where i stood. happy valentine’s day to me.
she’s the most precious sight. she’s short, she’s got porcelain skin, and she’s nothing short of fashionable. she’s stunning, to put it blankly. and you, too, would know if it you saw her, just as soon as you saw her. her eyes are a deep, wise brown; her demeanor shy yet steady. when she talks, she’s nervous, and she said she was nervous to play even her own songs. but there is an undeniable steadiness about her even still. she’s very, very humble, thanking us always when we’d clap, and telling us that we are “lovely.” how could you not love her? she’s precious. and lovely. lovely and precious, through and through.
a lot of people were there to hear a thousand miles and white houses. i love white houses with everything that i am, and on a cloudy day, it’s more common than you think is one of my all-time favorite lines, so much so that i’d consider getting it tattooed on me. but she’s so much more than the totality of these two songs. and had those kids shut up for two seconds to truly listen to the chords, melodies, and life experiences echoing throughout that room, they would’ve known that.
i found myself in awe too many times to count. never in my life have i seen anything more graceful - more connected - than she to the keys of a piano. i found myself tearing up at the whole experience two distinguishable times when i felt her vocals pierce within and soar around me.
and for as shy and nervous as she is, she’s this eloquent beacon; she spoke of relationships that the government and our mothers do not approve of, and the small life moments that we should all “be open to,” like when we’re in a forest and we see a drop of water on a leaf glisten, and it leads us to the false belief of a diamond within reach.
she played a song that she had never played before, and it was a moment for me. i felt proud of her. so, so very proud. she had made a couple mistakes beforehand from being nervous, so that coupled with the fact that it was unfamiliar and vulnerable territory made her nervousness entirely understandable. “i’m just stalling. i’m nervous. this is a living room. right? it’s not a show. this is a living room. i mean, it is a show, but…. it’s a living room.” she overcame it. and when she did, she BECAME it.
i didn’t get to meet her. no pictures, no audio; it wasn’t allowed, and i wasn’t about to risk being kicked out since i was pretty near the front. there were no autographs. but still, it was one of the best nights of my life. i just stood there, feeling all of these things, and letting myself feel them. and as i was feeling them, i was sorting them all out too, aware of every moment and aware of everything it all meant to me.
it felt like coming home. that might sound weird, but i’ve got a lot of memories wrapped up into this woman’s work (which made me happy when she said something like, “i realize how essential writing records is to my health” [your music is essential to our health too, v]); i’ve got a lot of love for her and her pieces. and the respect i have for her as a person and as a musician? even deeply rooted. i’ll say this: valentine’s day with vanessa carlton made me realize that first true loves - musical and otherwise - never die. thank you for last night, v.
