Music. I love you. I am obsessed. I can barely get through teaching for six hours without you. In fact, the moment my planning period starts I being playing my latest playlist on my school Mac. I have no musical talent. I can’t play the guitar, drums, or bass. I can’t sing. But I know good music when I hear it.
I love seeing bands live. I love seeing the energy. I love the pulse of the crowd; beating as a singular unit. That must be the moment bands live for. Not in a crowded studio but in front of an audience. The live set resonates so much more with me than listening to the album on my iPOD. Hearing the emotion behind the words and listening to the stories behind the songs affects me. I connect so much more with a band when I see them live.
I love the Rolling Stones so I saw them in concert a few years ago when they stopped in Durham. I grew up listening to their albums and fell in love with “Rock and a Hard Place”, “Start Me Up”, and “Gimme Shelter.” When I saw the Stones play and heard Mick tell the story of why he wrote “Wild Horses” the lyrics seemed to come to life. It’s not just a story about guy meets girl, guy likes girl, guy gets girl. It has depth. Songs have so much more to them than just a nice beat. Maybe it’s my love of words but I connect with what the songwriters are saying.
Seeing bands perform live is a high for me. Watching the passion from the lead singer means the words are real. I have been to so many concerts and there is no way I could begin to count them all, and I have seen bands connect with their lyrics and I’ve seen bands lose me halfway through their set. I love when a band comes alive. There is always a moment at a concert when I stop singing and dancing and look around at all the people. Everyone singing and moving in unison validates what the band is doing. That image validates my purpose for even being there, to see amazing music. I watch all these strangers connect through music.
Music bridges so many gaps, cultures, and beliefs all for the love of a song. Thank you Music, for giving me a proper education and for teaching me how to see another side of myself. Thank you Music, for showing me what feeling and emotion is. Thank you Music, for showing me what passion is. I love you Music and you’ve always loved me back.
