A Variation on My Glory Days

My love of live music began during my freshman year of college. Ska was big in southern Utah (for all I know, it still is) and I dated a guitar player. I had been to a couple of stadium concerts in high school (Reba McEntire was my first), but they weren't nearly as appealing as the novice bands who put you on the guest list, the smaller venues, dancing as the crowd pressed closer and closer to the stage.

I moved on, from that school, that guy, and most of those friends. But I became more involved in this "hobby" when I moved to Salt Lake City. With live outdoor concerts two nights a week every summer and lots of free concert tickets through Alicia, who had connections in "the business," we saw a lot of different bands for free (Sam Bush, Len, Zebrahead, Shawn Mullins, Buckcherry, Jerry Douglas, Old 97's, Eagle Eye Cherry, The Bacon Brothers, and Tim O'Brien are the ones I can remember) and expanded my musical interests. Alicia and I even went to an Nine Inch Nails concert because she got free tickets and we were morbidly curious about the concert-goers. After less than 15 minutes of people-watching we left.

I paid for my share of concerts too: Collective Soul, George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars, Bela Fleck, Dave Matthews Band (twice), Reel Big Fish, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Insatiable, Peter Paul & Mary, Nikka Costa, Alison Krauss, Counting Crows, and Tony Furtado (at least four times). And I won tickets through a radio station contest to see BB King.

I have many good memories of going to concerts with friends that I haven't been good about keeping in touch with: Macy Gray with Travis, Clint Black & Wynona Judd with Rianne, Tony Furtado with Adam, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Steve. I had friends in common with Peter Breinholt and Ryan Shupe. I met my future brother-in-law when he and Jess joined me at an Aquabats concert.

So the surprising thing is that after living in Austin, the “Live Music Capital of the World,” for nearly four years, I haven’t experienced much live music here at all. Now, months away from leaving Austin, I’ve found a musician that I could really become a loyal fan of. I’ve seen him play twice this summer and have another of his concerts on my calendar in August.

Joe McDermott is a Parent’s Choice Award winning children’s songwriter and musician. And Riley and I are huge fans. She’ll actually sing along with the hook in “Ride, Ride, Ride” and we frequently rock out at home to “Everybody Plays Air Guitar.” So yes, I've gone from live music at clubs and outdoor festivals to concerts at the library and Pottery Barn Kids. My most recent favorite musician to see live is a guy who plays a guitar and sings songs about pet skunks and an inner galactic ice cream ship. I guess this is a good example of how my life has changed. But hey, I’m just glad I have an excuse to go to live shows again.