Rocking Out for a Good Cause

In mid July my partner in crime Jen told me that The Foo Fighters were going to be playing in NYC. I knew right then and there I had to go. I went online to see how much the tickets were and found out the only way to see them was to win tickets through Global Citizen.

I immediately thought I'm not going to win. I never win anything. But I decided to try anyway so I went onto the website http://www.globalcitizen.org  and signed up. I began to learn that this was more than some concert at a park (Central Park).

Global Citizen is a place to learn about the issues effecting our world. They believe:

 "That every person has a part to play in writing the story of the end of extreme poverty."

They give a person who signs up points for tweeting and sharing the articles on FaceBook. They also give you points for signing petitions. I did all this to receive 27 points and put my name in the drawing for concert tickets. Then in the 3rd week of August I found out I won two tickets to see The Black Keys, The Foo Fighters, and Neil Young with Crazy Horse (YAY ME!) I ran around screaming "I WON!"

So on September 29, 2012 I entered Central Park with 60,000 people ready to rock out for a good cause.

The show started perfectly with John Legend singing John Lennon's "Imagine." Everyone including me had goose bumps. It was the perfect song sung at the perfect place. Okay I'm not going to lie, I shed a couple of tears.
The festival had it's celebrities, which included Olivia Wilde & Selena Gomez, they came out and talked about the different causes Global Citizen are working on. I would like to say everyone listened to all the horrible and good things happening in the world, but they didn't. Instead people used this time to check their phone, have conversations, find the bathrooms and do anything but listen. It broke my heart, but at the same time I knew all those people were there for the music.

The real concert finally began with The Black Keys. I was extremely happy since the last time they were in NY, they sold out and I didn't get to see them. They began their set with my favorite song"Howlin' for You." My feet could not stop dancing no matter how much they ached (I  had been to wedding the night before in 5 inch heels). They blew me away and I would have loved for them to keep on playing, but at the same time, I couldn't wait to see The Foo Fighters.

Then it came the time I had been waiting for The Foo Fighters took the stage. It was the perfect scene in NYC. I was in the most beautiful park surrounded by trees and high rises that were lit up in the cloudy dark sky listening to my favorite band open with the song "Times Like These." The crowd went wild.

The best moment came when Dave had the audience sing Hero with him. 60,000 people singing at the top of their lungs brought chills to my body. They sang a lot of their hits that I happen to love. I couldn't help but tear up when they sang "Walk," which has become my personal anthem. They ended the night with the song "Everlong"just like they have ended every concert I've seen them at. Yes my heart broke when they got off the stage. I'm sorry but they spoiled me the last time I saw them by singing for three hours.

Next to hit the stage was Neil Young with Crazy Horse. I'm not going to lie I was ready to leave at this point. I was tired (not a good idea to go to a concert after dancing all night at a wedding), but I stayed for three songs and was impressed how they can still rock at their age.

I made it out of Central Park exhausted and very impressed with the event. I hope Global Citizen puts on more events like this.

~Maria

*All pictures were taken by Maria E. Monteiro*