PARACHUTE

Ok guys.
Big news.
Like REALLY BIG news.


I met my favorite band of ALL TIME Tuesday night.

Oh my gosh, guys, seriously. You have NO idea how happy I am! I am so still so shocked and happy.

Parachute.

I was first introduced to them by my sister. I just got my new IPod for my birthday and needed new songs to start listening to. My sister was the editor of the school newspaper and they always had these mix CDs that had random music on it. One CD had a song by Parachute and my sister loved them, so she bought a couple of songs by them and then gave them to me.

I always liked them. They were a band that I could listen to for hours and hours and never get tired of. Similar to Coldplay and OneRepublic, they always had an interest in the back of my mind.

Then last year, I bought their new album, Overnight. Gosh, it was everything I needed. It hit every sweet spot in my body that loved music.

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One day at work, one of the FTE came up to me and asked that we put the BYUSA concert on the calendar for April 14th. Apparently the band Parachute is coming. 

I can't really remember what happened, but I am pretty sure that I fell out of my chair and then started to jump up and down in my chair like a 4 year old who was told that they are going to Disneyland. The FTE was so weirded out (he probably thought something neurological happened to me or something) and my employees probably thought I was having a seizure. I told them that Parachute was my favorite band of ALL time and then they nodded their heads as if they understood and could relate. 

I spent the next 5 minutes to figure out how I was gonna go to the concert. Knowing that my employees would be working the event for audio and lighting, I thought- "hmm, what if I delivered their food...."

Sure enough, I brought the idea to the FTE and he was totally down with me bring them food and letting me stay for the concert. 

Now I was on countdown. 

April 14th arrived and I delivered the food. I ate my Cafe Rio salad while watching the band do their sound check. Will Anderson is so hot and SO TALENTED. The band started to leave after their sound check and I thought I should ask for a picture then, but I didn't want to bug them during their "chill time". (I also didn't want to come across as a crazy fan that looked like they had snuck up on them during sound check)

The other band did their sound check and then the FTE came up to me and said to chill out in the lighting booth and I could come down when they opened the doors. I was in shock because I was planning on just watching the concert from the lighting booth all together. 

I was so excited. I came down right before they opened the doors and stood right in the front. The masses swarmed behind me, but I stood my ground and kept my place. 

The opening band was "Kindred Dead". They were eh. Mediocre. 

Then Parachute came out and it was one of the greatest moments of my life. During the first song, the lead guitarist was playing so well and I pointed at him and he looked at me, winked, and smiled. I was so in love with all of them. 

The band played for a solid hour and 15 minutes. After it was over, I helped the audio people clean up. (I mean that was the least I could do for letting me be FRONT row)

An hour later we were finishing up and the FTE found a jacket under some audio equipment and was like, "Emily, I think you would want this." I looked at it and it was the jacket Will had worn during the concert and took off at the end. His manager must have misplaced it and now it was in my hands. All my friends were joking and said that I should never wash it and frame it in my room. Instead, I tried it on and it fit so well. I wanted to keep it because it looked cute on me, not necessarily that it belonged to Will, I mean, that would be an added bonus. 

I kept it slung over my purse and told myself that if anyone asked about it, I would say I wasn't giving it back until I get a picture with Will. Ridiculous, I know. 

I was nervous the band wouldn't come back down from their Meet and Greet with the VIP people, but low and behold the guitarist and the bass player came back for their instruments. I got a picture with them and in the corner of the WSC Ballroom, I saw him. Will was on his phone so I didn't want to go running up to him like a creeper. 

About 10 minutes later, my friend nudged me and told me that he was off his phone. He said something to his stage crew then started to leave. I called out to him and said, "Hey, I think this is your jacket!" 

When he saw it, he was SO genuinely grateful that I had gotten his jacket for him. I was a little surprised at his gratitude- he must have really loved that jacket or something.  He took it and then I asked if I could get a picture with him. He said, "Of course! That's the least I could do for you saving my jacket." (my heart melted a little) He took my phone and selfied with me and then my friends came in for a picture. 

I chatted with him a bit after about where he was headed next and I told him to travel safe and he told me to have a good week. 

Literally. 

Best.

Night.

Ever.

Here are some pics to prove my story. :)