The Morning Sickness Gig
There was my show at the Scholastic Theater when I was two months pregnant and had incredible morning sickness. I threw up right before the show, and had to lie down on the floor backstage right before I went on to keep from throwing up again. I’m not sure how, but I was actually able to make it through the whole thing.
The NYC Gig – On September 13th, 2001
Another time before that, I had booked a gig in Manhattan, that turned out to be two days after September 11th 2001. I almost cancelled – and then decided it would feel better to play. I didn’t think anyone would show up and was resigned to potentially playing to an empty room, but almost everyone came. I think they needed to be out with other New Yorkers, as badly as I did. I chose to start the show with the song “The Story of My Feelings.” The first lines are, “This is the story of when I cry. When I’m feeling sad, that’s when I cry and it makes me feel better.” I sang about that much of the song, and then I just started crying. It was very difficult to keep on singing, but when I looked out at the people in the audience, It seemed as though every adult in the room was feeling the same way I was. It was an unforgettable moment of shared emotion. After that song, the band joined me onstage and I was able to find the joy in the music again. I think the parents in that room also had a chance to watch their kids having fun, while they allowed themselves to forget for a few minutes. It was an awful time, but ultimately an amazing experience.
Thanks so much for sharing those stories with us Laurie! And I will definitely be heading down to hear you play this weekend!
Laurie Berkner is playing in Burlington at Higher Ground this Saturday (January 14) at 11 AM and 2 PM. You can buy tickets HERE, and if you want to get pumped up ahead of time with some of her classic tunes, check out her YouTube channel HERE. My family’s favorite is Pig On Her Head, in case you were wondering.