Down the Tubes Productions

There is an outfit for every occasion. 

On this balmy evening in May, that outfit was funky navy dress pants, a fringed off white blazer, gray canvas slip ons, and a T-shirt emblazoned with an image of the iconic Princess Leia proudly declaring, “Don’t Mess With The Princess”. (My hair was perfectly in place, too, which as anyone who is a faithful reader of these blogs knows is a Very Big Thing.) 

My escort for the evening was dressed dapper as well, in dark jeans, black lace ups, a black pin-stripe blazer – and a shirt detailing the many moods of Chewbacca. 

We were the epitome of style as we journeyed into town to Symphony Hall, where Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops accompanied by narrator Jeremy Kissel awaited our arrival to transport us through a galaxy far, far away. 

A curated selection of the music from all of the Star Wars movies. 

We settled into our seats in the second balcony, last row (I put aside my ticket snobbery for the sake of research) and fiddled a bit with our hearing-aid settings and the accompanying apps on our phones to help us loop into the provided hearing accommodation, the T-coil. For those unfamiliar with the T-coil technology, here is a handy link: https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/45927-Hearing-aids-in-loop

The hyperfocus on figuring out the T-coil provided a much needed distraction as we were both independently hoping, persevering and appealing to a higher power that the car would be where we left it upon our return. (Our mutual rumination was revealed once we were well on our way home.) We parked in what we were 90% sure was the correct, reserved, SpotHero parking spot in a back alley near Symphony Hall. This was a hard won battle after many laps around town looking for it. (I prefer the term “adventure”, Brad prefers “stressful situation that is Julie’s fault per usual”). We emerged victorious in the end, much like the resistance, as the car was waiting patiently for us to take us back home to reality. As Brad is fond of saying, “Every time I am out with you – there is a story – EVERY TIME!” 

Brad was successful in connecting his hearing aids to the T-Coil, I was a few minutes behind due to technical difficulties contributed to in part by my impatience and my hearing aids stubbornly refusing to sync with the technology. We were previewing this technology as a “test run” prior to the start of the show, which made it difficult to determine if we were “plugged in”. Once the show began, Brad tested out his connection prior to intermission and I opted to experience the magic of the T-Coil following intermission. 

Personally, it was a mixed review from my end of the hearing accommodation spectrum. I expected that the narrator would sound clearer using the T-Coil, but in fact there was an echo present and his speech sounded garbled at times, leaving me to disconnect from the technology when he was speaking as I did not want to miss his animated narration and impressive sound effects (pew! pew! was a personal favorite). 

I have a musical background and spent many years studying the flute and piccolo. I was straining to hear the high registers during the concert, but because I knew the music so well I wondered if my brain was “filling in” the parts that I was acutely missing. I used the T-coil during musical selections after intermission where I knew that the flute and piccolos would be more prominent, and I was amazed at the richness and depth present – it nearly brought a tear to my eye when I realized exactly how much I was truly missing with my hearing loss as severe as it has become over the years. 

On the opposite end, I did not expect how uncomfortably loud the lower registers were – especially the plucking of violin strings! I also picked up on all of the ambient noise from the orchestra – the rustling of jackets and turning of the pages of the score, which was jarring to say the least. 

Overall, it was an incredible experience – the opening notes of the iconic introductory theme had Brad and I grinning and giggling and bouncing in our seats. I was instantly hurtled back in time to my childhood and the memories of playing with my well-loved Kenner figurines, acting out pretend scenes with my cousins on the third floor of my uncle’s house, and watching the movies over and over again. It was truly unforgettable, and the musical equivalent of speeding through hyperspace.

The Force was truly with us!