Important Roles and Santana
Blog By: Jack Mulley
Each and every person at DPAC plays a huge role in the audience’s experience. From people helping you get tickets at the box office to people helping you get to your seats with lobby maps, everyone is working toward one goal: to give you the best experience at DPAC. So, when I heard I was working as a Showstopper for Santana’s Oneness Tour, I was thrilled.
As a showstopper, you have a very important role: let the audience feel welcome from the moment they step in to the moment they depart. Showstoppers are some of the first people the incoming audience sees for a show, so we have the chance to get their night started in the right way.
When I got to DPAC, I made sure to sign in and head up to the pre-show meeting. I heard that the house was nearly full! After the meeting, I got dressed in the iconic Showstopper uniform.
As I headed down to the front doors, I met with the other ambassador I would be working with that night, Tierney. We got in our spots around 7:00 and greeted almost everyone that came to the show. Everyone was very dressed up which really showed the diversity of the people in the audience.
After my shift, I got out of my showstopper uniform and into my seat, it was time for the show. As the show started, they played a video on the projector and underscored it with the instruments. I am assuming it was a warmup of some sorts that we all got to see.
As the show started, I was immersed in the music of Carlos Santana. They have a very jammy feel to their music, so hearing it live was something from a different world. I found it very cool how everyone had their own spotlight in each song. There was one song where most of the band left and the drummer did a solo that lasted about 5 minutes. I think that was one of the most stamina demanding shows I have seen at DPAC. Something that caught me off guard was at the end when the children of some of the musicians came onstage and played their instruments! One of the kids played the maraca in the final song!
I was very impressed with the lighting design. I saw all of the travelling road cases backstage and they were huge. I think they bring all of their equipment to each venue and don't use much of DPAC’s inhouse stuff. Tour life is all very impressive to me.
It was crazy to see the talent of everyone onstage. The audience was super hyped and I think Santana lived up to that hype. I have a new found appreciation for every step of the process that makes us feel so welcome at DPAC.
