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  • Cincinnati Show Review - By Road Reporter Molly!

    Here is the Cincinnati Official Road Reporter review from Josh's Straight To You Tour by molly_hinkel! Want to enter to win for a chance to be Josh's Official Road Reporter? Get all the contest details HERE.


    As I am still floating on cloud nine, I find it is difficult to collect my most competent thoughts and feelings about the PHENOMENAL experience that was last nights Josh Groban concert. Firstly I want to thank from the bottom of my heart; Sarah, Josh’s amazing crew and of course Josh himself for granting me this most amazing opportunity. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would come face to face with the man who has been my musical idol and one of my biggest inspirations since I was eight years old.

    To say I am a very excitable and giddy girl when it comes to Josh Groban and his music would be an understatement. (I’m sure you all know the feeling) So you can definitely imagine my sheer thrill when I got the e-mail that I would be the Road Reporter for the Cincinnati venue! Before I knew it, it was Friday night and my mother, two sisters, my boyfriend and myself were headed to US Bank Arena for the concert of our lives. We went to will call to pick up our tickets and passes, though unfortunately since we were a group of five we had to split up ☹. Michael and I were seated in section 1 and my mother and sisters were in section 3. As the doors finally opened it was time for my sister Allison and I to head down to meet Josh! My entire family and group of friends had joked for days that they were going to have to carry me out on a stretcher because they were convinced I was going to pass out. Luckily for me (and for Josh) I did not pass out, but I sure felt like I could! All of the meet and greeters were corralled into the back hallways where we met Josh. Darren, Josh’s head of security laid down the checklist of laws which included only one signed item so before I had gotten in line I tested my sharpie on my program and much to my dismay it smudged! Luckily I had brought my “Closer” Tour program incase of a smudge problem.

    Other than meeting him myself one of the most endearing and precious moments was watching Josh meet a little girl named Lauren with her parents. Though I didn’t catch any of the dialogue between Josh, Lauren and her family I did see Josh bend down and take special time to sign Lauren’s wheelchair and accept a special artwork Lauren had made just for him. At this time I thought my heart had melted all that it could possibly melt with happiness…but alas, it had not, because soon enough it was MY turn to meet Josh. Allison and I approached Josh and I handed him my “Closer” program stating that I was giving him a throwback program in fear that the sharpie would smudge on the Straight to You program. Josh so very kindly replied with “I’ll just sign both just incase!” So sweet! He also made a little joke about never losing the staring contest with his face on the program covers, ever so witty! We posed for a picture with Josh and then we had to be on our way so others dream’s could come true as well! Allison and I headed off through the hallway jumping up and down and squealing sounding equivalent to two pre teen girls who had just met Justin Bieber.

    At this point it was time to go back to our seats for an amazing piano performance by America’s Got Talent contestant Eric Lewis or as he is known by his stage name ELEW! ELEW came out on stage alone perched over his piano sans bench and blew us all away. He married songs like The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it Black” with Scot Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” and Michael Jackson with the likes of Nirvana and Katy Perry. He even performed an original song he had written in Puerto Rico for us which actually turned out to be one of my favorites. ELEW truly is a musical genius! After ELEW played for thirty there was a short intercession in which I ran over to my younger sister Jessica for a short little camera tutorial. My dad so kindly let me use his bigger camera in hopes that I would get better pictures of Josh. After I returned to my seat it was finally time for Josh! As I had already read some of the reports I knew that he’d be coming in from the back of the arena to the smaller stage to an instrumental interlude to “Straight To You”. I was instantly shaking with excitement as the security let me get up nice and close to the “B” stage.

    He opened the show with “Changing Colors” and “February Song” I had almost forgotten how much more amazing Josh’s voice is live than on his albums! His voice holds such a beauty and power it is almost impossible to believe how incredibly humble and down to earth he is. After introducing himself and thanking us for coming he assured us we didn’t “pay out the wazoo” for just any concert and that he was going to “sing his ass off for us”. Of course he did not disappoint. As he sang a revamped newer version of “You are Loved” he made his way through grabs, squeals and reaches to the main stage. As he finished and took his stance on the stage he announced happily that he felt equal parts jubilated and violate. As he progressed he sang songs from Illuminations as well as his other hit albums, which I loved. I think that is something he does so well, he appeals to what everyone likes by playing such a variety. As he made his way back through the crowd he announced, “I think I just got groped by my great aunt!” which was met by thunderous laughter.

    “War at Home” was certainly one of the concerts highlights for me personally. It was so touching to hear Josh speak so passionately about our country and our troops. Before singing the song he said, “It’s not a Red or a Blue thing, it’s a human thing”. I always get a little teary eyed listening to the song, but hearing it live for the first time had me in full on tears. Directly after “War at Home” was an amazing instrumental jam session by Josh’s band. I have seen Josh in concert twice before but this tours band was the BEST hands down. Seeing Josh rock out on the drums is always a treat as well! The bands showcase led directly into “Voce Existe Em Mim” one of my personal favorites (even though I find myself thinking that about every song.)

    Next came the text message Q&A. I was especially excited for this part because I had been reading reports and loving some of his silly answers. I had sent in three questions to the number and my sisters had sent in four between the two of them. The odds of one of my questions being selected were not the best, but they sure were in my favor. I thought I was dreaming when he read my name and seat location so I popped right up out of my seat and he exclaimed that “it was like “Whackamole”. I had asked him if he could bring back any trend or fad what would it be? Now I had pondered this question myself before asking it and knew what my answer would be, Pogs obviously. Pogs were ridiculously popular when I was a kid and I would go crazy for them to have a comeback. So I was in complete shock when Josh immediately answered my question with my same answer POGS! I about had a heart attack. He went on to say that he would also love to have the Skip It, Slap Bracelets, and Crisscross fashion. Josh and I would have been very trendy best friends in the 90s. ☺. He went on to answer a question from Linda, asking if he could have any other voice but his which would it be? Josh replied with “Morgan Freeman or Freddie Mercury.” Both great choices in my opinion but I like his voice just how it is! Lastly came Micah’s question, who ironically was seated in my row! Josh asked if we came together (we did not, but she seemed like a lot of fun to go to a Josh concert with!) and then invited her to sing on stage with him! She excitedly made her way to the “B” stage with Josh. He asked her what she’d like to sing and she said “ Well, it’s not one of your songs, if that’s alright?” Josh laughed and said “Well it would help! But that is okay!” Micah requested two part harmony to “You are my Sunshine” which she always sings with her sisters. They were wonderful together! After their wonderful harmonies Josh stayed on the “B” stage joined by Tariq to play my absolute favorites off of Illuminations “Galileo” and “If I Walk Away”. Absolutely incredible, I was again moved to tears.

    Back to the main stage Josh preformed his most upbeat songs “Weeping” and “Machine”. “Weeping” was amazing, all that was missing was Ladysmith Black Mambazo themselves! “Machine” was incredible as well, the projections and lighting team Knifedge even gave the lighting apparatus/machines a “dance solo” if you will. To close his set list Josh headed back out into the audience in search of a “Single Lady” while serenading us in a high falsetto Beyonce impression of “Single Ladies”, so funny! He grabbed his single lady and sent her on up to the infamous inflatable couches of “Casa de Groban”. He then picked a thirty-six year anniversary couple and two teenage girls to join his single lady. He served the couple their wine and then asked the girls if they were lactose intolerant, two out of the three of them were. To which Josh responded “That would sound terrible on these couches”. He then said that since he had them in a romantic mood he would sing them “a song about cheating”, which led into the most beautiful version of Broken Vow, ever. The trumpet complimented Josh’s booming baritone voice so beautifully. After Broken Vow concluded our arena ran into some trouble, that trouble being Great American Ballpark’s “Fireworks Friday” a ridiculous almost forty minutes of fireworks ensued. Which annoyed not only all of us Grobanites but Josh as well. I was so embarrassed. But, Josh made the best of it, near the end of the fireworks finale Josh commented “Consequently that IS what it would have sounded like on those couches if I would have gave those girls milk.” After we made it through the fireworks it was time for Josh’s amazing encore cover of Neil Diamonds “Play Me”, which was such a treat. He ended the concert rightly with “You Raise Me Up” and brought the entire arena to their feet in ovation and in song.

    Overall I cannot put into words how much this entire experience has meant to me! I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity. Special thanks to Sarah and all the team at FOJG for making us fans feel so included and loved! And finally thank you to Josh for all your music has gotten me through for the past eleven years, you have no idea how much it truly means to me, thank you for making my dreams come true!

Submitted by jgSarah on