Me and my band were up to perform in 15 minutes, we were named the ‘Los Happy Boys’ and we were performing at New York City’s Park Place Hotel, long name isn't it? We were getting our attires ready and other unique ideas ready to improve the performance that was ahead of us. I personally settled on a well mannered suit with a little bowtie to pull it all together. My fellow buddies decided to wear suits and ties. We all wore well fitted black slacks, looser over jackets, and very versatile oxfords. As we joked around for the last 5 minutes talking about how amazing the concert would be and how we would become prodigies in the town and we would obtain loads of fame. Though I was a bit scared and anxious about this performance as it was my first time to perform in front of such a huge audience. My buddies calmed me down as they have performed in front of a huge audience before and were all used to it, they told me “It’s easy, just focus on yourself and yourself only. Pretend there is no one watching you at all!” they said, I took this in and comprehended it. I realized that what they said was pretty wise and decided to go with it. 20 seconds were left on the timer until we were to be escorted to the front of the stage. 10 seconds- we headed closer and closer to the front of the stage. I could hear someone announce our arrival to the cheering crowd of many. The man’s voice was fairly deep and it sounded as if he could even project his voice if he were whispering. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1………

There we were, on the stage, I felt like a small ant compared to the filled seats and cheering guests. I was last in the single and orderly fashioned line, I could see my family and friends waving at me in the row second to the back of the seats to my left. My mom told me that she would be sitting there when I would be performing. As we were finally introduced and got our places and instruments ready, I had my instrument set up as I couldn’t carry it. We each had a microphone prompted up near our assigned places and a little bit of space between each other. The instrumental start of the song played, I felt the music coursing through my bones and the start of the song was playing. I was personally the percussionist of the band as I always felt like I connected to the instrument the most, I could play most of the other genres or groups of instruments, but I feel attached on a spiritual level to it. I would always play the timbales because of the sound that they make. As the song played, the more and more comfortable I was playing my instrument, the crowd could also see that I was comfortable playing it as I was playing it so harmoniously. The lights around us were fascinating and cooling, and they were on beat with us as we played. It felt almost futuristic, as if I was in the 1990s even though I've never experienced anything like the 90s. But I would think the 90s would look flashy and bright because the older I get the more the general area around me changes.

My band was in the middle of the song when I was fully in sync with the rest of the band, I was playing the percussion like it was my last day alive. The song was almost finished as the leader of my band finally played his last chord… The crowd started going crazy, clapping louder than the music itself projecting around the large room echoing and echoing, this went on for a good and steady minute before the announcer finally let us off stage, I waved bye to my parents and friends as I would be hopping off stage for a bit. Our band was heading to the backroom again to change back into our regular clothes, as we walked we were clapping together and we felt so successful. This event would be the end of my first concert, as there isn’t much left to the story. I came back home after a 15 minute drive to my local neighborhood and my family and I had a wonderful time sitting down for dinner, discussing and praising how good I was at playing my Timbales.