DETROIT, Michigan, U.S.A. — After spending an hour and a half getting ready, my friend Patricia and I were ready to go see Ryan Cabrera in his July concert at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit, Mich.
My mother drove us there and dropped us off. We waited in line for about 20 minutes before the doors opened at 7 p.m. We got something to drink and then just walked around and talked before the first opening act came on stage at 8 p.m.
Guitarist and singer Jay Buchanan took the stage first. He was a very talented guitarist and had a great voice. The best part about his act was that it was just him, his guitar, and his harmonica on stage – no back-up vocals and no band behind him.
Buchanan played about five songs, and during one of his love songs, a few couples started slow dancing in the middle of the crowd – it was so romantic!
You could tell that his music was the kind of music that could touch hearts.
After he finished, there was about a 15-minute wait before second opening act came on – just enough time for us to get some bottled water at the bar before getting back near the stage.
When Josh Hoge took the stage, I recognized him from somewhere, but couldn’t place him until he mentioned that he was recently in an episode of “Cheyenne,” a reality show on MTV that follows a 15-year-old girl named Cheyenne trying to make it in the music industry. In that episode he recorded a duet with her.
Hoge also mentioned was that he had a MySpace account and that he always tries to respond to every comment or message that he receives. So, if you’re interested in hearing a few of his songs and seeing a few of his pictures, take a look at his MySpace website.
I have to admit, after seeing Hoge and his fabulous band in concert, I’m officially obsessed. He has one of the most amazing voices I’ve ever heard in concert. I’d compare his voice to Justin Timberlake’s.
Once Josh and his band left the stage, the whole audience was super hyped, because we all knew that the next person to come out would be the man we’d all been waiting for: Ryan Cabrera.
After about another 15-minute wait, Cabrera’s band came on stage and began to play. Everyone was looking around, wondering where Ryan was, but then he finally came out on stage and the crowd screamed like crazy.
Cabrera and his band put on an amazing, energetic show, and the crowd loved it. Everyone was dancing and having a good time.
He even did a slow, acoustic version of the old-school classic “Baby Got Back.”
While his band took about a two-minute break backstage, Ryan did a solo on the drums.
The show ended at about 11, but afterward, we stopped to buy some souvenirs. I bought a glow stick and she bought a keychain.
Just as we were about to leave the hall, we saw Josh Hoge. He was so nice and easy-going. He signed my ticket and posed for a picture, too.
I can honestly say that seeing Cabrera, Hoge and Buchanan in concert was one of the best nights of my life – with good music, good people and good times.
Tara Stacey is a Reporter for Youth Journalism International. YJI’s Patricia Raboin took the photograph.
Tara Stacey, left, and singer Josh Hoge posing for the camera. (Patricia Raboin/YJI)
