The Day the Rhythm Got Us

As part of the Summer Concert series at the Park, the girls and I had a chance to go see Peter Rivera, the lead singer and drummer of “Rare Earth” (circa 1970).  I was surprised how many of the songs I knew and how much fun we ended up having.

The evening started off well with Katelyn.  She was enjoying her Subway sandwich and we were surrounded by friends.  Brooke on the other hand was in a mood and none of us knew why.  So prior to the music starting, this is what Brooke did to pass the time.  

When she saw me taking her picture she changed her palpable chagrin to this position.  So we just left her alone and eventually, the music started and the rhythm got to her, until she just couldn’t resist.  The music quickly turned her frown upside down and then she was ready to rock.  Katelyn of course was happy and had a great time with her friends despite Brooke’s antics.  But I think the highlight of the concert for her was when I let her go buy cotton candy all by herself.  I didn’t even make her take a walkie talkie.  It was a big moment for both of us.  Thank goodness it was only 40 feet away.

I now fully understand what Gloria Estefan meant when she sang “the rhythm is gonna get you… TONIGHT!”  As the rhythm started to “get” Brooke she went from shaking it a little and her “two finger boogie”…  

… to this sweet move.  This is how she would end most of the songs.  She also did some robot/crime fighter dancing with “little” Kyle and got a great mosh pit going with her sister, “little” Kyle, and Kara too.

The last song of the night was the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”  That’s when none of us could resist the rhythm any longer and we all headed up to dance by the stage. 

This is the part of the story where you are no longer wondering if Kyle was there.  He wasn’t and so we danced and sang like crazy people with our friends.  When the band came out for their encore it was a song I didn’t know and it was getting late so we all started packing up our kids and our stuff to head out.  When Brooke realized we were leaving, she cried out, “NO!!!  The song’s not over – DON’T LEAVE!!!”  I’ve never been more proud.  My two year old wanted to stay and close down the concert.  Back in “the day,” I’d have been on board, but now that I am a bit more practical I was ready to get home and put my two very worn out kids to bed.  We had so much fun and both my girls said that it was the “best concert they’d ever been to.”  I’m glad, since it was their first.