North choir performs at Eric Church concert
The North High choir performs with Eric Church, famous country artist on Thursday, Jan. 19.
January 20, 2017
On Thursday, January 19, the North Choir had the opportunity to perform with the country singer Eric Church at Wells Fargo Arena. They performed along side him with back up vocals in the song, “Mistress Named Music.” North High School has never been offered many opportunities such as this nor has the choir ever been asked to sing at events like these. This was all thanks to East High School recommending North after they declined the offer due to such short notice. Here is some feedback from the North choir students who went to sing at the concert.
For firsthand stories, read below photo slideshow.
The North Choir experienced an amazing experience yesterday. I am a reporter for the North High Oracle and I am also a part of the North Choir, and yesterday our choir was asked to sing backup for well known country singer Eric Church who was performing a sold out show at the Wells Fargo Arena yesterday. We were asked two days before the show to help perform backup to one of his songs ‘Mistress Named Music’.
We found out last minute that we were going to sing, and we actually didn’t know what we were going to sing until we got there. We were so excited to have the opportunity and we were getting amped up the entire time even before we got on the bus. We had a run through of what were going to do by finding out how we were going to go on the stage or where we were going to stand. When we walked into the arena for the rehearsal and looking at all of the seats just made my heart stop and I started shaking imagining all of those seats filled and we were actually going to be singing in front of 25,000 people.
It seemed like forever until we actually got to go on stage but I was filled with adrenaline and was so excited just waiting for the song. I walked under the stage and heard the song playing and just started shaking again because I was nervous and excited and so many other emotions. When finally got our queue we went on and
performed and I saw all of the people in the seats and I felt so happy and all of the nervousness went away, and I blanked on what I was supposed to sing, but then I heard our queue to start singing and it all came back and just feeling all of the energy in the room got us into the groove of the song and it just felt and sounded so amazing and when we got off the stage I just felt like I could breathe again even though it didn’t feel like I wasn’t.
It was an amazing experience and it was so cool and it was once in a lifetime so I am really glad the north choir got to experience all of this and I am so glad I was a part of the experience.
-Written Abbie Primrose, Reporter North High Oracle/ Singer North High Choir
It was such a surprise when the choir was invited to sing with Eric Church at the Wells Fargo Arena. It was so sudden because we had to make time and perform the very next day! I know some students have work or had to go to our spring musical auditions so it was such a shame when the whole group couldn’t go.
But with the few numbers we had, we had lots of energy and volume. It’s not easy to learn the music we were asked to sing in just 24hrs. In fact, we were not given the music until we actually arrived 4 hours before the show started. We would be singing some backup up vocals of Church’s song “Mistress Named Music.” Although it was just a short excerpt from the song, being able to sing well in the three-part harmony like we did would be hard for most choirs.
Still, going up on stage was amazing. Our hearts were pumping and we couldn’t stay still. There was going to be over 20,000 people watching Church and us. Just before we were about to walk in, the lights in the arena began to dim down as if it was trying to reset the mood of the crowd just before we would walk in and perform. Soon after lining up backstage, we walked off and under the stage. It was at this point I thought we were going to rise up slowly off of a large platform, and up onto a stage like what you’d see in a movie. However we simply walked onto some stairs and onto the stage.
Once we were in place, huge beams of lights suddenly showered on us and I was breathless. All I could see was the glare from the spotlight shining at us and camera flashes going off in the distance. After a countdown, from one of his assistants, we started singing.
The arena was so big! The massive amount of space in there ate my voice and I could not hear the words I was singing. Not to mention the loud cheering from the crowd. I couldn’t even hear my fellow classmates next to me, and it was breathtaking considering the amount of space I was singing into. Never before have I ever sang someplace so big filled with so many people.
Not very many individuals get to enjoy something like this. It’s a dream for people like me who love to sing. Being on stage for just a couple minutes was such a tease for me. I hope to be on stage and do what church does when I get older.
-Written Yer Lee, Reporter North High Oracle/ Singer North High Choir