The other day I saw one of those “news” pieces about The 25 Happiest Cities In America. Salt Lake City came in at #2. The authors obviously didn’t live in Salt Lake because they based its high ranking on easy, web-searchable criteria like healthy eating and strong family connections.
I lived near Salt Lake City for two years, so I know why the people there are so happy – it’s the abundance of top-notch entertainment options.
Need some proof? One weekend my friend Jimmy and I came down from our lodge in the mountains near the city for an evening of music. After hunting through a nearly empty downtown we ended up in a large Holiday Inn lounge that was advertising a musical act. The place was hopping – in addition to Jimmy and I, the audience consisted of one travelling salesman and two guys in military uniforms.
A lady stood on stage, singing while accompanied by music playing from a boombox. She was cruising through a Simon and Garfunkel song with vigor. But just when she started belting out the refrain to Bridge Over Troubled Water, the cassette player went haywire and started chewing up the tape.
The lady reacted lightning quick, reaching down and stabbing a button to start the second cassette player on the boombox. Within seconds she was back on track. The five of us in the audience were soon bopping along as the woman busted out Bob Seger’s Old Time Rock And Roll.
Talk about being a pro. Our singer had obviously learned a thing or two about resilience from the late polygamist leader Bring-em’ Young.
You can’t find entertainment like that in New York City. Not a chance. Which is why New Yorkers are far less happy.
That sounds like one of the best gigs you could see.
I guess the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was out of town that day.
Pretty raucous behavior for Mormons! The Osmonds should seek her out.