Summer Concerts

I have to confess, I didn't listen to a lot of Florence and the Machine before going to her concert this summer, but the experience turned me into a fan. There's nothing like a summer show, where people are joyful and worry-free. The Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA, plays host to many of these events. On this particular night, there was supposed to be a rainstorm.

"Maybe it won't come," I said to my friend Abigail hopefully, as we laid our blanket down on the lawn.

"Last time I checked there was a 90 percent chance," she replied. Unfortunately, she was right. It was gonna pour. I tried to put the thought out of my head as the opening act finished up. Our fellow concert-goers got up from their blankets and rushed to the banister that separated lawn seats from the stadium.

"They think that'll give them a better view," I joked.

And as soon as Florence and the Machine took the stage the crowd erupted into cheers. They opened with the song I knew best, so I slowly found myself inching toward the stadium, humming the words under my breath.

Halfway through the set and I was full on dancing in the aisles. I didn't know the words, but I was definitely singing some variation of the actual song. That was when the sky slipped from dusk to dark, and rain started to fall. I kept wondering if that would make some people leave with only a half and hour left to go in the show. But something magical happened instead. People whipped out their phones, and turned the flashlight on. They used their blankets as shields to keep their heads dry. They stayed, they danced, and sang even louder.

"I should probably download this album when I get home," I said to my friends. We stayed until after the band's encore, and then finally made our way back to the car. We were gleeful, and soaked to the bone. It was one of the best nights of the summer.

Abigail and I at the concert! (Before the rain).