It's not until after the gig, however, that pre-show anticipation and nerves make way for tears, catharsis and hefty emotional weight. A family – The Cash family – are beaming as they skip towards the exit. They're from Devon, England: mum, dad, father and daughter. They flew in this morning, and this is their Christmas present to one another. The kids turned Mum and Dad onto MCR, and reawakened Mum's passion for music: “I was really down in the doldrums and the kids got me into this and I found my beating heart again. I've never done anything like this before in my life. It's unreal.”
They dropped everything to be here and in turn they've witnessed the true power of music. They've experienced the union of people from all walks of life. “They brought us together as a family,” says Dad. “We sit down and listen to them at dinner. Summertime comes on when we're having a pasta, or a pot roast, or Domino's pizza.”
The gig has also been motivating their daughter who needed to put on more weight before getting plane clearance to travel abroad. “I've been fighting the past few weeks to get here. It's been amazing,” she says.
We're not crying. You are.