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June 26, 2006 The flashing colors from green and yellow, to purple and pink were the backdrop to an energetic stage for the four musicians who embraced a crowd already in love with them. The charismatic draw was Melissa Etheridge scheduled fittingly after Seattle's Pride Parade. Melissa told tales about a girl raised in a small town, who had big dreams of moving to L.A. and becoming a Rock Star. These stories, of course, were about her as she grew and dreamed. Her song-writing and performing career has been impassioned, fiery, and emotive to the point of garnering attention, affection, awards and millions in sales of CD's, posters, t-shirts and sold-out concerts. What wins you over, is her never-ending fire to make music so poignant, you feel like it was written about you, your life, or how you love, Melissa, these past few years, has been fighting breast cancer, and she speaks openly about it. During chemotherapy, she was asked to sing "Piece of my Heart," which has been historically placed in a niche by Janis Joplin that no one can ever present with more passion. Yet, even though sick, undergoing chemotherapy and undoubtedly in pain, she performed the piece with heart-wrenching passion; Janis would have been moved. Her doctor even told her, "You better find a good wig maker, because nobody wants to see a bald rock star." Melissa broke the mold with her make up beautifully done, her clothes fitting the genre, yet Melissa did something else I feel Janis would do. She performed, bald. Most musicians are perceived as being thin, and having long hair. Melissa honored Janis, double-fold. Tonight, June 25, on a hot Sunday evening after a weekend of the Pride Parade, with some concert-goers still in their costumes, Melissa and her band delivered a three hour performance that featured a song "I Run for Life." With lyrics literally: "I run for your sister, your daughter, your wife, my friend, I run for life." Their performance was anything but show up and be a human jukebox, i.e. play your hits and leave, Melissa and her boys - who were also having an auction of their instruments so the proceeds would go towards fighting breast cancer - had Seattle so stoked even after three hours, she spoke to us. "Thank you for letting me make the music, but how you feel now…you can have it everyday ’stay lit’ keep the torch going. Whatever you need to change in your life do, so you can have this." She was smiling and it was genuine as she and the band came to the stage lip and touched the hands of concert attendees. Positive energy was exploding out of the Paramount and the girl from the small town had learned something through fighting Cancer. Rock Star is an icon, but she has transcended that and become everyone. Literally if felt not like a group of people who enjoy her music, but like she had a song, or playful banter that applied or would enchant each person if Melissa had the time to spend with each person there. May more musicians learn that music is a universal language, has healing power and isn't about being famous, or how much money you earn. Thank you for visiting, Melissa and Seattle hopes to see you again, soon. ------------ About the author:Phoenix Morric is a published author on this ezine, Poetry.com and soon to have her first novel, Autumn's Indigo Child, available to the public. Historical fiction, based on 20 years as a musician and poet, it flows with splashes of prose and experience. She lives in Seattle, WA and can be reached for commentary at: Phoenixmorric8@aol.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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