Live Music

In Santa Cruz, California. We had time between load-in and sound check so we walked down to the beach. Absolutely perfect day. There was this giant dead sea lion on the beach. It looked strange. Would like to say it looked beautiful, or regal or powerful or something, but it just didn't.

Anyway, that's just an aside. In Santa Cruz, California. Sitting at the back of the room as the opener plays. They are called Fruition. They are friends of our drummer Tyler's (he plays with them sometimes, including tonight) and they happened to be down here recording, so they asked today if they could play a set before us. One of their singer/guitar players is named Jake, and he's from Tyler's hometown, so we've seen him several times over the years in various bands and whatnot. He's a talented guy. I don't know anything about his situation, but I assume unless he's dealing drugs or has an inheritance or something then he's probably living below what many people would consider the poverty line. (Again, I don't know about him personally, but that's the norm for people pursuing music the way he is). But he's going after it, and every single time I hear him, he's better. He's always been a good musician, but he's become a great musician/singer. But more than that, he's becoming an artist.

What it really makes me think about is how beautiful, regal, powerful live music is. We saw a band on tour this summer called Alice Potter & The Nocturnals. (Maybe Grace Potter? something like that). They were almost like a 60's tribute band (Woodstock era 60's, not Beach Boys). Not covers, original music, I just mean style-wise. But whatever, holy shit were they good. Blow you away good. Heard her on the satellite radio the other day, and it wasn't quite the same. But live? They have it going on in abundance. All of which is an aside as well, by the way. (Maybe blogs are, in the main, just one big aside).

The most powerful thing by far, of course, is going to see an artist who you love, whose songs resonate. I don't go to live concerts that much, in part because it's so emotionally draining to hear live performances of multiple songs that mean a lot to you. In succession. Over a short period. In a communal setting. But even though I have felt near destroyed after more than a few concerts, I can see from a distance that it's a good destruction.

We do have tickets, almost by accident, for U2 coming up. I think I can get through that one rather intact, tho.