When he first converted to his new "Funk" style I was a little leery. I guess I wasn't ready for the change. I listened to it and listened to it and then finally fell in love with his new style. I picked up Star Turtle a couple weeks ago and I absolutely love it! I hope though, that he will play that old stuff in concert again. Why not add a little funk to those old songs and play 'em in concert?

Anyway, I have a really fun story to tell you about. I heard that Harry was coming to Toronto, Ontario around the middle of last month. I was told by a friend that there were only last row balcony seats left at the Danforth Music Hall where he was playing and that they were folding chairs. I didn't really care because I was dying to see him live. So I called up Ticketmaster and they confirmed what my friend at the college had told me. So I went downtown to buy two tickets. I get there and asked for two tickets to see Harry Connick Jr. I thought for sure they would be sold out, first of all, but when he told me what seats they had I almost died!

He sold me two FRONT ROW seats! I was so excited. I was told later that there is a company that buys out the front row and sells them back what they can't get rid of or something along that line.

So I had two tickets to see my favorite artist, front row, but had no friends who like or can even stand Harry Connick Jr. Well, about a week before the concert I met this woman on line and we got talking and I found out she loved Harry Connick Jr. She lived in Toronto which is an hour from where I live in Hamilton. We talked through email for a couple of days and then finally I asked to meet her. We met and hit it off real well and I invited her to go with me.

So now I have two front row tickets, and now a beautiful woman to take with me.

We went for dinner before the concert which was on Tuesday November 5th, and we ended up getting to the concert about 10 minutes late. The Music Hall is not very fancy but the two of us got really dressed up, me in a suit, her in a beautiful dress, and everybody watched us come in late and sit in the front row. We both laughed and the band even looked at us and smiled as we walked up late.

I have never had front row seats before so this was very exciting. Front row is actually right at the stage and we actually had our hands resting on the stage. He and the band insisted that we all stood up and danced and clapped along. When Harry and the other band members came to the front of the stage their guitars were literally right in front of our face and I could have easily struck up my own cord of Harry's guitar if I wanted to.

Anyway, I have never seen a band interact with the crowd as well as Harry and his funk band did. They were all funny and very entertaining. They are all amazing performers. Harry and one of his guitarists talked back and forth via their guitars, and other members of the band had little competitions back and forth with their instruments as well. Tony Hall is a great performer as well. He did a great job on "Mind On The Matter".

Being so close we could see every note Harry played on the piano. He played some romantic love stuff, they played a little rock 'n' roll for us, 'O Canada was even played for us. Harry spent about half an hour telling us some jokes as his band took a rest. One girl fan stepped on stage after Harry invited her up when she answered a question he had and talked to her for a bit. She ran right to the piano where sat a towel he was using to wipe of his sweat because it was so hot in there. She didn't seem to know what to say except "I love you". There was another gentleman in the front row that threw his tie on stage and Harry wore it for one of his songs. Then he threw it back to the man and a big crowd of women tried to steal it, but after a little begging from the man, one woman gave it back to him. Harry and the gentleman talked back and forth a bit and Harry kept up with his joke telling. He doesn't make a bad stand up comic either!

During the concert, Harry even walked out into the crowd and into the balcony and played his guitar for the audience. If it wasn't enough for us to be sitting up in the front row, on Harry's return after about 15 minutes in the crowd with two big bouncers by his side, he stopped right beside me and my date and played for about 5 minutes. I was face to face to him with no one in front of me, in a daze of glory watching this wonderful performer in a way I never thought possible. I don't think I could ever see him again unless I was in the front row. Jonathan complimented on the cross I was wearing, and Tony gave me his pick after one song (If the concert wasn't already the best day of my life).

Well, unfortunately the night did come to an end. At least I thought. I talked to a photographer that was beside us at the concert and he is going to send me copies of his pictures. I will have them scanned when I get a chance and you can check them out if you want.

Anyways, to top the night off, the band was out front about 15 munutes after the concert, except Harry, and I had a chance to talk briefly with Tony, Jonathan, and one of the trombone players (I'm not sure which one is Lucien but the one I met was a little larger than the other trombone player). I didn't realize how many instruments Harry could play but he played drums, keyboard, piano, and even the trumpet.

Well, that was my Harry Connick, Jr., Star Turtle experience. Does it get any better?