March 1, 2015 - An unforgettable night of radio

[makaturing]

Confessions of a Chat Room Lurker

You may have seen me, lurking in the shadows. I sit on the sidelines during the shows, but I never type anything. Chat isn't my thing. I don't think that way, in little snippets. I am a verbose guy, forgive me my sins.

I've listened to David Marsden on the radio many, many, many times. All the way back to the Yellow House days.

David is like a late-night talk show host, a la Leno or Letterman. Like those guys, some of his performances are better than others. He sets the bar high, so high that even on his "bad" nights he's still good.

And then there are the nights when he's "on".

Those nights are pure magic. Those are the nights when he takes you on a trip through space and time, when all distractions disappear and you become completely immersed in the music. You lose track of everything, your emotions rise and fall with the flow of the music as he leads you along, and when it ends you feel drained but sated.

David isn't the only one who can do this, but nobody can do it better than the Marsbar.

Which brings me to last night's show, Sunday March 1st.

It started out like any other Marsbar show, but then he played a set from the second side of "The Dark Side Of The Moon". It was music we all know and love, from one of the greatest records ever made. We've all heard these songs countless times, but there was something special about this particular set.

Not in the music, no, it was David's words that followed the set.

I'm not going to repeat what he said. If you were there, paying attention, you know what I'm talking about.

When those words came out of his mouth, I was stunned, pinned back in my chair. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Did he really mean to say that? Was it something that just spilled out uncontrollably, like he couldn't stop himself from revealing his innermost thoughts?

Here was a guy, on the eve of his birthday, contemplating his own mortality. Live on the radio. Sharing something intensely personal with his listeners. Making a connection.

For me, it was absolutely jaw dropping. I knew instantly there was something special about this night. There was something mystical going on. This was no ordinary Marsden program. My senses were tingling. I knew something was in the air, something was going to happen, I just didn't know what it was.

I went to the computer screen to see if anyone else had picked up the vibe. Yes! At least one of the chatters had become acutely distressed and needed some reassurance from DM. Others were perplexed, unsettled. Others didn't seem to notice.

I listened to the next set, soaring music with operatic tenors, guitar gods, and majestic gospel choirs. Church music, played by a guy who had just spoken about the music that would be played at an event he hoped would be another twenty years down the road.

Why was he thinking this way? What made him choose those words? What made him choose this music on this night?

The chatters were talking about the emotional flow of the music, of the evening. It seemed to me that they too could sense something was up, something just wasn't normal about this night.

The set ended with David struggling to keep his emotions in check, on the air. Something had affected him deeply, something about this night's music had brought deep emotions to the surface. He was feeling it, I was feeling it, the chat room people were feeling it, but no one knew what it was, or why it was happening.

And then, a few minutes before midnight, the call came, and David had to make an announcement (in the chat room) that must have been excruciating for even an old pro like him.

Suddenly the curtain was pulled aside. The foreboding that bubbled underneath the surface from the Dark Side Of The Moon set onward was found to be justified and true.

There *was* something going on this night. There *was* something in the air. How did he know? What force guided him to speak of funerals and play church music before receiving the terrible news? What was it that brought the DJ and some of his listeners to tears, before they knew?

I will never, ever, forget that radio show. That feeling of something mystical, a presence, leading to a stunning and heartbreaking revelation, is something that will stay with me forever.

RIP, Don Berns. If I may borrow a phrase from Carole Pope, you were a helluva announcer, and we're going to miss you. Thank you for the many hours of pleasure you brought into our lives with your Big Voice and your music. We forgive you for the Monster Truck commercials.

David Marsden, I'm so sorry for the loss of your good friend. The week ahead is going to be really hard for you, but you are a tough old bird and you will pull it off. Thanks for being the one and only Marsbar. Lots of us love you; feel that love and let it help you along.

Hope I didn't bore y'all, I really needed to blow off some steam. It was a traumatic night.

Peace; out.

[seanmicley]

[NewGoldDream]

Thanks for sharing makaturing, I felt that way also. As you all know I'm new here to the Theatre, and there is something very special here and everyone contributes. Makaturing your inspiring post here just confirms my beliefs. I felt this after my post A Farewell to the Theatre, and then days later a man stands up in the House of Commons and confirms my feelings then also. There is something very special here being shared by all.

Thanks again for sharing, and I encourage others to write anything. ..just to blow off some steam...it does a person good to express and share anything positive.

P.s. @makaturing..I've never wrote anything before in my life. Read all my posts. ... having been here all these years. .have you ever seen this phenomenon before?....and Hey! ..Welcome... from all of us in chat.

Rick
NGD

[Redruby]

❤️

[makaturing]

having been here all these years. .have you ever seen this phenomenon before?....

Not sure I understand the question, NGD. Phenomenon?

Some would say Marsbar is a one-man phenomenon.

and Hey! ..Welcome... from all of us in chat.

Thanks, to you and to SM and RR as well!

I doubt I'll be doing much chatting, it's really not my cuppa tea. My thoughts come in paragraphs, not one-liners.

But I like to sit on the sidelines when I'm listening, because sometimes DM plays something I can't identify and scanning the chatroom can provide the answer. TheBarron is pretty good in these cases.

[NewGoldDream]

@makaturing. .The phenomenon of David inspiring someone to write...who had never wrote anything before.

I know David has inspired so many, to do many things. I wish all would use this positive experience David provides and apply it for better health and more happiness in their daily lives.

Rick
NGD

[makaturing]

The phenomenon of David inspiring someone to write...who had never wrote anything before.

Ah! I understand now. Well, I think your own experience has been more dramatic than most. but there's no doubt about David's influence.

Back in the day, I turned a few people on to CFNY and it made a difference in their lives. I think everyone who encountered CFNY had their life enriched in some way. It really was special.