It was a sight Nick Wilkinson had not seen in many months - almost a full house at Memorial Auditorium.
The ecstatic Tivoli Foundation executive director said, "We have over 3,000. We're back."
One reason - "It's Santana."
Carlos Santana, heading out on a fall tour after dreary months of COVID-19 hideaway, brought droves to the Auditorium on Tuesday night.
Ditching their masks after wearing them to their seats, they danced in the aisles, swayed to the music, raised their arms in glee.
It was good to be out - though the plague is still far from over.
Santana was accompanied by keyboardist Dave Matthews and his longtime bassist Benny Rietveld. A crowd favorite was vocalist Andy Vargas, who has toured with Santana since 2000. The three-person drum crew included the energetic Cindy Blackman, band member and Santana's wife since 2010.
But the focus was on the 74-year-old Carlos Santana, who has been on center stage since playing Woodstock at age 19.
Throughout the show, a large rear screen gave closeups of the performers interspersed with clips of Santana through the years, including the heady Woodstock days.
Santana, who has had turmoil through patches of his life and an up and down career, urged the audience to show kindness, compassion, mercy, love and "find your heaven on earth."
With his amazing guitar renditions, he brought a little bit of heaven to Chattanooga and a box office jingle that Nick Wilkinson has been desperately needing.