The thought of singing at a Bills home game occurred to me one Sunday a year ago October, and grew stronger with each successive game, until I finally visited their website and sent them an e-mail asking, “How does one get to do that?” They told me to send them a tape of me singing the anthem a capella. So, in late December 2002, 1 sang through it, taped the next run-through and popped it in the mail. When I hadn’t heard anything by March, I figured I wasn’t what they were looking for, and was somewhat surprised to get a letter in May asking me to audition for them.
My July audition day arrived bright and sunny, and I set off for Ralph Wilson Stadium. I had never driven there myself, but figured there would be signs. A “Welcome to Hamburg” sign alerted me that I’d missed that last turn, and some very kind ladies in a Perkins pointed me in the right direction again. I was a little overexcited and drove past the parking lot while staring at the stadium, but a U-turn fixed that, and a security guard told me to drive around back of the stadium and park by the tunnel.
The only other people by the tunnel looked like other auditioners, so I walked through the tunnel and ended up experiencing a “this is really way too cool” goofy moment, because the tunnel lets you out on the field, right behind one of the goal posts. (Gaaah!! I’m on the field!!) I refrained from jumping up and down, signed in, and was told to go sit with the others down by the 50-yard line. (Gaah! Look!! I’m sitting on the 50-yard line!!) There was a woman out on the field, singing, and jazzing it all up, as pop singers all do these days. I personally don’t care for that and thought, “Ick.”
That was only a momentary flicker of thought, though. Thoughts were racing through my head, the strongest of which was, “Oh, Heaven Protect Me—Listen To That DELAY!!!” I’ve sung in churches and opera houses with very long reverb times, but the delay between her singing and her voice coming out the sound system seemed forever!
“Oh, say can you see” …Loudspeaker: CAN YOU SEE!! Only, it’s not a loudspeaker. It’s a huge, overwhelming 360-degree wall of sound crashing at you like a gigantic wave. I sat there, taking deep breaths, thinking that no matter how many experiences you have, there are always more to have and learn from.
I listened to several other singers, who appeared to range in age from 7 to 70, all of us united by our desire to sing Our National Anthem for Our Football Team. The “Star Spangled Banner” is really a very difficult song. Some people missed notes and others forgot words, but we all applauded for one another.
I sat there, regretting that I’d left my little keyboard in the car, desperately humming my starting pitch to myself after each person sang. I hadn’t expected so many people, singing in so many different keys! I was enjoying a perky teenager with a nice pop sound when Chuck, the fellow in charge, called my name. I laughed—there’s a show-biz adage— “don’t follow children or animal acts”—and I seem to do so on a regular basis. The teen had a pitch-pipe, though, and restored my starting note to me as Chuck handed me the microphone.
Thoughts race through your head at light speed in situations like this, and one skill of performing is being able to stop distracting or self-critical thoughts. It’s pretty much your mind trying to stay on top of a difficult situation. I was as prepared as possible, but there are some situations for which nothing can prepare you, save just doing it! (Anything from here on that is in [brackets and italics] is one of those thoughts racing through my head.)
I marched proudly out onto the field. [GAAAAH!! Look at me! Look at me—I’m on the field!! Oh, dear, I have to HOLD the microphone, there’s no stand! You know, AstroTurf feels very funny and crunchy beneath your feet. Ooh, the buffalo is freshly painted (on the AstroTurf) for the new season already! OK, turn around, deep breath … Oh this is just WAY TOO COOL!! Deep breath!! ]
O… [Oh! Don’t hold the microphone so close!] …oh say can you see…
(The sound system: CAN YOU SEEEEEE!) [Oh, concentrate! Relax! Close your eyes a minute!!]
By the dawn’s early light (EARLY LIGHT!!) [Ignore it! Pretend it’s someone in the next practice room!]
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming! [ee? Piece o’cake! OH! Open your eyes!]
Whose broad stripes and bright stars [HA! Is that what I sound like on huge speakers?]
Through the [wait, was “bright” in tune??] perilous fight? [GAH! IGNORE the sound system!]
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming! [BREATHE!]
And the rockets’ red glare, [YES, GO GIRL!]
The bombs bursting in air, [That could have been a more open vowel—shut up and concentrate!]
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there …
Oh, say, does that star-spangled [yeah, bring it home!] banner yet wa-aave!
O’er the land of the free- [do the high note – TAKE THE HIGH NOTE! No! Too nervous, sound system freakin’ me out too much, just hold this note forever, it sounds great and finally the sound system and I are singing the same thing]-eeeeeeeeeee!
[Wait! Wait for the sound to clear the sound system!]
And the Hoooooooooome [wait, wait] OF THE (wait) BRAAAAAAVE!
They applauded for me, and I saw Chuck walking toward me, so I knew they didn’t want or need to hear “O, Canada!” I started walking off the field. He met me part-way, and said, “Wow! How do you get your voice to do that? I could never do that…”
This is where the adrenaline finally caught up with me and I said “Thanks!” and made a horrible giggly-laughter sound which came over the sound system because I was still holding the microphone. BLUSH! [Augh! You aren’t 15, anymore. Get a grip!] He thanked me and I thanked him again, collected my purse and started to leave. A colleague of Chuck’s said, “Sounded great! Thanks for coming out!” I don’t know if I said “Thanks” or “It was fun” or made more of that awful giggling noise, but I smiled when I said it, and continued out.
Walking back through the tunnel, there were seven people standing together, waiting for me. Me?! A family wanted to tell me how wonderful I sounded, and to introduce me to their daughter, who is studying opera. I thanked them for their compliments and mentioned that the sound system was really distracting. They were surprised to hear I’d never done that before (“Well, you did a REALLY good job, then!”) [WHEW!]
The daughter, who has sung at Bisons’ games (the Buffalo minor league baseball team) said, “Do you know what you do?”
“Please, tell me!” I replied. She said, “You tape it onto a tape recorder…” And I finished, “And you start singing, then start the tape so it’s behind you—Thank you! You’re so smart!!”
We chatted briefly about opera and they departed with yet another compliment about doing a lovely job. 1 was very grateful for that after such a weird audition experience!
As I was driving away with the car window open, I heard one of the singers from way out on the street, and it dawned on me that they must have heard me way out there, too! I laughed as I managed to make the correct turn to head home.
Alas, just as the Bills did not go to this year’s Superbowl, neither did I get chosen to sing at one of the few available home games. (I knew chances would be slim, but I do have to add that they wrote me the loveliest rejection letter I’ve ever gotten!) I do hope the team knows, though, how we appreciate their efforts (usually!) and how darned lucky they are to get to go out there every week and play.
I know—I got to stand on the freshly painted buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium and sing the United States’ National Anthem. And, as I suspected, it really was “Way Cool”!!
