Being a dad
has taught me a lot about being a son. It’s shown me the importance of having a
relationship with my mom like the kind I want my kids to have with me when
they’re grown up.
Doing things like making time for a cup of coffee. Not letting too much time pass without calling her to catch up.
And by all
means, taking her to see Barry Manilow when he comes through town.
The
backstory: Barry has always been my mom’s favorite. His albums were in
constant rotation when I was tiny. By the time I was 10, she’d dragged me to
three shows.
Except by
dragged, I mean super pumped to go — there’s a 98% chance I’m remembering this
incorrectly, but I recall killer light shows. And who doesn’t love “Copacabana?”
(Tony, that’s who. Things do not go his way.)
So how was
Barry’s show, nigh 30 years later? A lot of fun. Billed as “One Last Time,” this
tour is kind of a victory lap for the Nose That Made It (as my dad called him),
and he played all this hits. Unfortunately, he also played some of the new
stuff, but never mind that.
During
“Can’t Smile Without You,” my mom leaned over and gave me a hug and said that
was four-year-old Robert’s favorite song. It was a nice moment. I may be a dad
now, but I’ll still always be her kid.
For the
record, 2015 Robert’s top three Manilow jams are:
We had a
great time, and it was thoroughly awesome to do something special with my mom.
Call it cheeseball, but it’s totally true.
Madeline and
James, I look forward to you taking me to the LCD Soundsystem reunion tour
2047. We’ll have some future beers, teleport home and it’ll be the best.
No comments:
Post a Comment