So were your parents like, really big Clapton fans?

Yesterday, my sister and I took our two younger cousins as well as her boyfriend and another friend to see Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in concert. I'm not a huge Clapton fan and until yesterday I had no idea it was Steve Winwood who sang "Gimme Some Loving." Sadly, I knew that as the awesome song from Striptease. But, they are guitar gods and musical pioneers and blah blah bah, worth seeing while we could. It was such a fun night! The concert was basically a two hour set of bluesy songs that we didn't really recognize save for a couple here and there but the company was unbeatable. Since it was general seating and the show was at 9 pm we got there a few hours early, staked out our spot, and sat and played Uno. It was amazing. We're in the summer months, which means weddings and proms and other celebratory events, so we have fireworks almost every night( we love fireworks. LOVE. Any excuse is a good excuse for fireworks). During the show we were treated to maybe 10 minutes of brilliant, colorful and actually well-done fireworks and it was priceless to see Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton kind of take it in stride; getting upstaged by booming cracks and bright lights.

Though he didn't play any mainstream pop hits, Eric Clapton did play his acoustic version of "Layla." As we all know, my name is Leyla. Promounced exactly the same way, after all, he named his ode to Patty Boyd after the Persian story of Leila and Majnoon. I love my name, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't change it for anything. But it does get a bit trying when I have to introduce myself to anyone, especially anyone in the States. At one point in the conversation they will, for sure, ask me if my name has anything to do with the song. For the record, no. Though my parents do enjoy the song, my name is a good Turkish and Iranian name they figured would be easy enough for anyone to remember and say. But after 24 years of this grief, I would've been put out if he hadn't sung it and when he did, it was sweet release to scream, "THAT'S ME," during the chorus.

It wouldn't have been as fun without the company that's for sure. We might get tutted at for this but really, none of us were there because we were die-hard fans. We enjoy the music and give the due credit but cracking jokes, cheering stupidly at inopportune moments, and providing all-around hilarious (to us) commentary was what made it so fun. Like this precious gem of an exchange between our friend Hale and myself;

"He looks like a retard!"
gesturing at Eric Clapton doing some especially impressive bit of strumming
"That's how you know they're good, the more thye look like thy have Down's Syndrome while playing guitar, the better they are."

Plus various conversations snarking the guitarists for their lack of stage banter and one measly encore.

Afterwards, we all piled into Mina's boyfriend's car and went out to eat and we got our cousin's back home at 2 am. We may have kept them, and our poor mom, up (we forgot to bring keys hee) it was such a good, fun night. Here's us looking like sillies at the show, playing Uno, and the fireworks while Steve and Eric played.

Usually I make an effort of wearing something specific when going to shows but I thought my tunic and tights were good enough for Messrs. Clapton and Winwood. Besides, I was wearing Iron Maiden Vans. I am so attractive though, I know.