Wednesday Pick-Me Up
by Tonya
Still REALLY digging the Lee Bains record. Though I realize the year is still young, this week’s releases from the Avetts, Ryan Bingham and Band of Horses are not making me hopeful for a strong end to the year, so maybe I’ll go ahead and call LB3 and The Glory Fires my AOTY.
But that’s all beside the point of this post, which is to talk about (write about/discuss) the best live show I’ve seen this year (and possibly one of the top 5 ever).
I’ve been having a sort of rough couple of weeks with old demons rearing their ugly heads again long after I thought they’d been conquered. In fact, Monday was as low of a day as I’ve had in at least 3 years, maybe 4. However, when it’ in my power, I’ve always been pretty good a changing things that ain’t working. So in an effort to inject some much-needed fresh air into my office-bound ass (ugh, office. Yes, I have one these days…killer), I decided to pull the trigger on buying a ticket to a show I’ve been wanting to go to for a couple of years.
Live music rarely lets me down and even though going to this show meant a 100 mile round trip drive (all after 8 PM), I decided that staying in, going to bed early, and rising early to be chipper at the office hadn’t really been working all that well as far as my mental health is concerned. In fact, even though I love my job, neglecting having a life outside work has pretty much been a soul crushing experience.
Enter the attempt to rectify the situation.
Frank Turner. Tuesday night. Lawrence, KS. A) About the time I moved to Athens, I discovered his music and fell in love (see exhibit A and B), that was reason enough to be thrilled about going. B) A friend whose taste I trust told me his show was one of the best he’d ever seen. I’m in.
Frank Turner. Granada. Lawrence, KS.
Totally not disappointed. In fact, the morning after ended up the best day at the office I’ve had since starting the new gig. Frank sells out shows all over the world in much bigger venues than the Granada Theater (I know, I’ve been trying to score a couple of tickets his Oxford show that’s happening while I’m in London in a couple of months). Despite the fact that he was playing to a half full house in BFE Kansas, he played and performed like it was the best gig he’d ever been to. He was completely charming and chatty. His band was fantastic. The songs came across even better live than they do on the record. The crowd loved him and the energy was exactly what I needed.
In an e-mail I recieved the morning after the show, I think my friend Donny summed it up best. He said:
Life feels better today, doesn’t it? How wonderful is it to be in a room full of people yelling, “It helps us with remembering that the only thing that’s left to do is live!” I saw him at the beginning of February and I’m still not over it.
Yes sir, I believe you are right. Two days later, life still feels better. Which is why I just might sell my right retina to snag a couple of tickets to the Oxford show.
Frank Turner. The Granada. Lawrence, KS
Exhibit A. A only because I get it. If a song could be a spirit animal, this might be mine.
Exhibit B. If you need a song to make you love music or make you feel good about loving music, this is it.
And now, I’ll leave you with a photo of my ridicuslous giddy face in a FT shirt after all was said and done.
2 AM – After-show glow. And a cool shirt to boot.
Holy cow, TSA! You look smokin’!!! Miss you, my friend.
Ha! Thanks Em. Miss you too. Must find a way to see you soon! Sadly, I don’t get to LA as often with the new job.