Summertime and Setlists

Forgive me readers, I have sinned. It has been a week plus since my last blog post. Anyways, I was thinking today on the train home about pros and cons. But you know what? Negativity can suck it. I realized over the last 2 days about the two things that never cease to put me in a positive mood, aphrodisiacs for life: Concerts and warm weather...as they never cease to turn me on, huzzah!

But seriously, this upturn in the temperature has just had put such an overwhelmingly positive sheen on my daily activities, its ridiculous. Last Friday, for example, my daily dance with the market left me as the awkward wallflower while she grinded seductively with the star quarterback. But I stepped outside and Mother Nature gave me a flirty 75 degree smack on the ass and suddenly all was right with the world. As I sat around with a few other traders, sipping beers on an outdoor patio, I realized how completely the weather can elevate mood. When I was younger, I was always a "fan" of winter, probably cause my dad always boasts about how Wisconsin gets all 4 seasons and he loves the cold temperatures. Then on a family trip to San Diego when I was a teen, it hit me...I hate the cold. I love fall, and 50 degrees (aka light jacket weather) is baller, but cold is just a dirty biatch. However, I think the only side benefit of the cold is the positively euphoric feeling that washes over you when the temperature starts to warm up. When you suddenly feel overheated walking down the street in your winter coat or when you suddenly crave the wind cause its not that caustic bitter maelstrom that comes busting up your fun in December. Though I do wonder how people in Hawaii or Florida feel when its nice every day. Does it ever get boring? Ill remember to look at that statement in February of next year when I suddenly remember that the cold relishes kicking me firmly in the groin. The difference between summer and winter is just so marked. Probably because, for example, I woke up this morning at 6:30 and it was sunny and nice outside. Contrast this with waking up at 6:30 in winter in complete darkness and howling winds, feeling like an extra in the Nightmare Before Christmas. No wonder everyone is just in a better mood. Don't believe me? Just pay attention this weekend or even during the week when you are out and about. There is just a tangible buzz in the air and everything just feels so much more positive, its pretty hard to explain, but easily to feel.

So last Tuesday I went to see Alkaline Trio and Saves the Day at the Metro. First off, it was an incredible show. Alkaline Trio has actively battled with Brand New as my favorite band for years now, and Saves the Day is one of the bands I honestly grew up with. I can remember listening to both of these bands when I was like 15. And the Metro is by far my favorite venue in Chicago. Just an awesome smaller venue, no thrills, awesome sound, and tons of history. So needless to say, it was an incredible show, one of the better ones I have seen in awhile. And this also cause me to contemplate how unbelievably pivotal live music is in my life. Besides my whole performing background, just being at shows is one of my zen "happy places" and can pull me out of whatever funk I may happen to be in. I think I realized it when I saw Fall Out Boy in HS. I was like 17, just old enough to drive around on my own (after my Dad's personal year probation period...lame) and I convinced my friends to let me go by myself. None of my friends could go/wanted to go, so I said fuck it and went by myself. I had such a blast that I would say I probably go to 50% of the concerts I see by myself. I mean, I welcome the company, but I love music enough that I get just as much out of it when it is me and the music. Well I left the show, and jogged the almost mile home, in the cold/pseudo rain, just buzzing. And the "high", if you will, last for the next two days, conveniently until the warm weather arrived. I don't know if its the emotion on stage, the sensory overload, or whatever, but I could go see a country concert and still probably walk away pumped up and pleased...and country music and I don't always get along.

So, to be brief and simple, if you are feeling morose, and its not warm out...go see a concert and you are going to be good to go. And like Levar Burton, you don't have to take my word for it!

So speaking of Saves the Day, they are a band I have listened to for close to 10 years, which is ridiculous to think about. And they have totally changed as a band in the time, seeing as they were still in HS when they formed. But it has always been upbeat, energy filled music, with ridiculous lyrics. And when I say ridiculous, I mean thoughtful, introspective, stirringly on point with common emotion and situations, and for a time, borderline disturbingly morbid. Every guy has wanted to change his physical appearance to please some teenager girl at some point, but not many are clever enough to write about removing their blue eyes because said girl has a crush on a guy with brown eyes. Like I said, kind of disturbing, but oh so awesome. And these lyrics are always saturate with melodies you won't soon stop humming and suddenly you will be singing these morbid lyrics when you are happy and in a good mood, cause thats just how upbeat and awesome these songs are. Chris Conely's voice takes a bit of getting used to for some people, but it fits the music so perfectly, anything else just wouldn't work. I could listen about 20 awesome songs, but Ill give you my top 3 favorites: Sell My Old Clothes I'm Off to Heaven; See You; and my all time favorite, the lyrical masterpiece, Rocks Tonic Juice Magic. Saves the Day is also the reason I still give Jersey some props even though everything I have every seen about the Jersey Shore makes me think the state is not deserving of props...zing!

"Cause you're beautiful, just not on the inside, yea. Light comes from within, your beaming eyes don't seem so bright..."

JW