Anyway - here's the 411 on the event!
I got a great night's sleep on Saturday, and then the whirlwind of Sunday started. The sound-check and technical run-through started about 1 p.m., with McKenzie arriving around 2 p.m. for her sound check and run-through. I was SO happy to see her walk through the door. McKenzie is one of my favorite people, so once she got there, it started getting really fun for me. I had gotten a suite at the Chateau Marmont, which is right up the street, so that she and her people and me and my people would all have a place to get ready and relax before the show, and then have a party afterwards. The views from the suite were absolutely incredible. You could see all of the Sunset Strip and out into the LA basin. There were two balconies and so even though the room was filled with a bunch of people, we all had places we could go and be quiet and think about what we needed to do that night. I ordered dinner and sat outside alone to just say some prayers and go over my songs and my over-all intentions for the concert.

We got to the club around 8-ish. We pulled up and there were all of those smiling faces and cameras and people excited and ready for a fun night of music. We went in, and I immediately went down to the dressing rooms to get changed into my opening costume. And after I got the chance to get the band centered and focused, we sent out McKenzie to thunderous applause and cheers. I stood backstage watching -- and let me tell you, McKenzie was absolutely RADIANT and BEAUTIFUL. She was in a long red dress, and was the epitome of Hollywood Glamour. (Although I think McKenzie is so beautiful that she could wear a burlap sack and be STUNNING!). Then McKenzie introduced me and the show went SO smoothly. I had SUCH a great time. I wanted to sing the end of a song to a girl in the audience, but everyone was a bit back from the stage. But then I saw one of the fans that had been e-mailing me, and I motioned her to come to me, and I took her hand from up on stage and sang the end of the song to her, then kissed her hand at the end. She was a great sport about being pulled in.

I dedicated a song to my mother who was in the hospital, and I almost cried, but I managed to make it through. I got a little emotional during the song and sang a couple of wrong words, but that's bound to happen every so often. I also got kind of emotional when I sang my tribute to the victims of the Sept 11th attack - The Battle Hymn of the Republic. But it was a powerful sort of emotion and I just loved doing it. People were coming up to me after the concert telling me that they were crying and SO moved by my version of the Battle Hymn as well as my tribute song - Bridge Over Troubled Water.

The Duet with McKenzie went great...and the fans were screaming like crazy.

McKenzie came back out for the finale, which was from the Who's "Tommy" -- a song called "Looking at You". It was a big and powerful number and we all just wailed like crazy.

I'll tell you honestly, I've never been happier in my life. I loved EVERY SECOND up on that stage. And I was ready to do it ALL again right after it ended!

After the show, we came out into the audience and signed autographs and posters and CD's. It was SO fun to meet everyone.

All in all, it was the most exciting and most memorable night of my life. It was everything that I dreamed about and hoped for.

You'll have to catch the next concert!

Thanks for your support! -Henry

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