I usually have a film camera on me and forget about it. It’s just part of the things I carry with me, like keys. But there are rare times when after a special moment captured on film, the exposed roll becomes the most precious thing in my possession. The only proof that an unbelievable moment actually happened. Tonight was one of those times.

I went to see Sunset Boulevard blind and was lucky to get a ticket during their closing weekend. I introduced myself to the person sitting to my left. He had flown from California for the day, only to catch this show. He said he never regretted splurging on a nice seat for a special show. We both agreed on that.

The show starts slow, the set is minimalist. No costume, no set. A camera shows up on stage, a screen comes down, and a title screen is projected. The room explodes when Nicole Scherzinger first appears on this gigantic screen. It is grandiose. Incredibly exciting.

Nicole’s performance was like nothing I had ever seen before. She owned the St James Theater. As she portrayed an old Hollywood star, it certainly felt like the first time I was seeing one.

I was profoundly moved and inspired by the performance, musicality, and production of Sunset Boulevard.

I always thought that extreme music was what defined me, that its intensity and chaos were the only things that could move me on a personal level. Tonight reminded me this was a reductive way to understand my attachment to the arts.

As the show ended the person next to me shook my hand. He thanked me for sharing this moment with him and told me he will never forget it. I won’t forget it either.