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  • San Antonio Show Review - By Road Reporter Adriana!

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


    San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million – approximately 6,000 of which came out to the AT&T Center Wednesday night in support of Josh and his Straight To You Tour. For me, this night fulfilled a dream ten years in the making and could not have come at a more significant time in my life. To help put my review into perspective I believe it is important to tell you how I got to the show in the first place.

    Four years ago I attended the Awake Tour, and while I did have floor seats, they were practically the last row in the arena. This time around I was going to somehow pull off better seats - not sure how - but I knew I would find a way. February 28th I won 5th row tickets on air courtesy of 101.9 FM. Unbelievable, I’ve never won anything before! The next several weeks it was incredibly hard for me to get excited about the concert because I was spending day after day after day with my aunt in and out of hospitals, home health care, and hospice centers as she was battling a very aggressive form of cancer which she was diagnosed with just last summer. I kept telling her she had to get better by May so she could go with me to see Josh. As the concert date crept nearer, my aunts health declined rapidly. Thursday, less than a week before the concert I filled out the contest entry for the Road Reporter. A few hours later, I got notice that my aunt’s battle had ended, and she finally found peace in eternal rest. The next five days were a whirlwind of emotions – anger, pain, saddness, confusion. Monday, May 16 just hours after my aunts funeral services, I read my email saying I’d been selected for the JG Road Reporter. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, smile, or what to feel. I now had in my hand 5th row tickets AND a backstage pass to my all-time favorite entertainer/performing artist who’ve I’d admired for many, many years coupled with the weight of a family tragedy.

    The Show Must Go On.

    Wednesday night, I found out that it is indeed possible to be so gut-wrenching upset with sorrow and anger simultaneously with excitement, joy, and anticipation. I knew that it was okay to be happy and excited and that this night was something I needed. I headed down to the floor and waited in the back of a medium sized crowd getting ready for the meet and greet thinking that I’d be last to see Josh. As we went past a heavy curtain, within minutes I realized I was not last, but the first to see him. In a moment of shock and feeling like I was in a dream, Josh grabbed my hand and said hello. I’m pretty sure I melted after that. Josh put his arm around me, we took a photo and then he kindly asked if he could sign my Illuminations CD I was holding – the Fan packaging of course! With a million thoughts flowing through my mind I simply said, “I’ve been waiting ten years for this moment. Thank You.” I haven’t stopped smiling since...

    As for the concert, well I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun for everyone so just a few details. As the Road Reporter I was told I could only take photos of songs 4, 5, & 6 and that I would have to wait backstage. At that point I was ready to forfeit the pass as I didn’t want to miss one minute of the concert. Thankfully, a nice man who worked for the AT&T Center arranged for me to watch the first three songs standing just feet from Josh, though I had no camera on me. It was well worth giving up my camera. Josh entered from the back while an instrumental version of Straight To You accompanied him. He proceded to walk in front of me and took the steps up to the piano sitting on a small stage centered in the arena. With an almost acoustic feel, the concert started with Changing Colors, February Song and an updated You Are Loved. Through the last verse and ending choruses of You Are Loved Josh made his way to the front stage and went on to perform over two hours of hits from his entire catalogue. My favorite standout moments being a tie between the percussive interlude/Voce Existe Em Mim and the group sing-along toYou Raise Me Up which brought tears to my eyes.

    For me, this concert wasn’t just about having an incredible night with an amazing man, but the first steps in the healing process. I tweeted Josh late Wednesday night: “After tonight, I know that pain is only temporary and that music can heal the soul.” I don’t know if he actually got to read the message, but I sure hope he did. I am extremely passionate about music, I myself have been a musician for numerous local theatrical productions (tell Josh to call me if he ever needs a woodwind player!) All joking aside, music has the ability to transcend language, culture and emotion, to unite people regardless of diversity. Not all music can make this happen, but when it does, it’s magical. Josh reminded me that we need to remember all the love we shared today, that there is a light from a higher window, and that a breath away’s not far to where you are.

    Thank You can not be said enough to Josh and his entire team for making my dream come true.

    With heartfelt gratitude,

    -Adriana

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