I used to say, “I don’t like anything that much.” It was usually in response to seeing a superfan of something be overly excited about that thing. This spring I realized that is not true anymore.
For my 50th birthday in January, I was gifted a pair of tickets to see the 50th anniversary tour of Air Supply in Daytona by my best friend Jen. A week or so before that March concert, I checked in to Epcot’s Garden Rocks’ concert series where Air Supply was making their annual appearance.
A high school friend commented on that post and asked if I’d buy her tickets to see them in Clearwater in April. She had double booked the night and didn’t want the tickets to go to waste. I hemmed and hawed about it for a minute, but decided to take the tickets. It was my 50th and their 50th and I decided to see them as many times as I could.
At every one of these shows, they mentioned their big 50th tour show happening in May at Carnegie Hall in New York City. I jokingly toyed with the idea of making the journey to see this show. The three times I saw them this year, I would discover a new love of an old song and my desire to go to New York to see them grew.
I couldn’t justify the expense, so I gave up on the idea. That is until one day in late April I was making my typical drive from St. Pete to Orlando. I was listening to Air Supply’s “I Can Wait Forever,” reminiscing how much their music meant to me as a kid.
Air Supply was the first concert I ever saw. It was at Astro World in Houston, I believe their greatest hits tour in 1985. I fell in love with the music and I have owned their music on every form of media that has existed over the years. In fact, I currently have albums, CDs and an 8-track that a friend recently gave me.
I was reminded on that drive of how I missed the homecoming dance as a mostly closeted gay kid too afraid to ask the boy I wanted to take to the dance. I sat at home, lying on my bed and listening to the sappiest love songs Air Supply had to offer.
When that drive ended and I landed in Orlando, I felt compelled to buy a ticket for the show. I needed to be there. A few weeks later I was sitting in Carnegie Hall at the most magical concert I have ever experienced.
It was the first time seeing them that I could see they were enjoying it as much as I was. They had not played in Carnegie Hall before and the sold-out crowd was so electric it brought them to tears at one point. I genuinely loved watching them, in their 70’s, experience such joy doing what they love while the audience experienced the joy of the music they were delivering. Everyone was belting out the songs like they wrote them, from kids in their 20’s to those in their 80’s. It was magical, and I like them that much.
While in New York, I took a trip to see the future home of current editor-in-chief, Jeremy Williams. It’s a cute neighborhood with lots of rainbow flags flying. I am sure he will be very happy there.
Jeremy will be leaving Watermark Out News in June, which is causing some changes throughout the organization. The first major change is that longtime Watermark Out News employee and Managing Editor Ryan Williams-Jent will be stepping into the role as editor-in-chief when Jeremy clocks out for the last time.
Ryan has been instrumental in Watermark Out News’ recent successes and I have all the confidence in the world that he will lead the editorial team in both Central Florida and Tampa Bay.
Working with Ryan to make sure Central Florida’s voice will be strong in our pages will be our former intern, Bellanee Plaza. She has been hired as our Central Florida Bureau Chief. Bellanee is an incredible writer and I couldn’t be more excited that she is joining our team on a full-time basis.
To help with this transition, Dylan and I have put our house on the market and will be moving to Orlando full-time. Don’t worry Tampa Bay, he will still keep his clients and make the drive over when he is needed.
It’s a lot of change and a lot of moving parts, however I am certain that these changes will help us better serve the community we cover and lead Watermark Out News into an exciting new chapter.
