On 26 October 2019 I went to a concert. Little did I know it would be my last one for a very long time.
Read part one of this story here.
It was my first ever concert at the Commodore Ballroom. I was finally legal, the bouncer checked my ID for what felt like forever (the issue of looking like I am twelve years old and having a birth year that older generations don’t think could possibly be nineteen), and we were in.
The Commodore Ballroom. (Commodore Ballroom press photo)
The Commodore Ballroom. The place I had been hearing and dreaming about for years. I don’t know exactly what I expected it to look like, but it wasn’t this. This was so much better. I get the hype now. From the sound to just the general vibe, it’s a great venue. And I was happy to know that yes, the dance floor is actually a little bouncy.
I had initially bought the tickets for the opening act (JP Saxe), but in the months leading up to the concert I had become obsessed with Noah Kahan‘s debut album Busyhead. It was the first time I had gone to a show and literally knew every. single. word.
Saxe, who is now almost a household name, had only just released his song If The World Was Ending (if only we knew) with his now girlfriend Julia Michaels. JP Saxe is a great keyboard player, with a unique voice and amazing sound. His act was just a joy to watch. I even got to meet him after the show and he is really that nice and funny in person.
Noah Kahan’s set was phenomenal. A great musician, a great storyteller, all around awesome guy. Perfect mix of tear jerkers and dance offs, and my friend and I just had an absolute blast.
As we took the train back and drove home, we listened to Noah Kahan and JP Saxe and talked about the show and about the ones we were looking forward to in the new year. I was set to see AJR, Harry Styles, and I was taking a trip down to Tacoma to see My Chemical Romance on their reunion tour. Quite the eclectic mix. I was so excited.
One show was cancelled and two have been postponed to 2021.
I don’t know if I would have done anything different, had I known. Would I have lived in the moment more? Would I have tried to capture it on video to watch later? (If that’s one thing the past seven months has made me do, finally watch the concert video clips I have been taking for years). I don’t think so. I had a great time, I don’t know how it could have been any better.
I do miss it though. A lot. Being in room with all those people, singing and dancing together, caring about something together. I don’t know when that will be able to happen again, nobody does. I don’t know if those two shows in 2021 will actually happen or not.
I know that some of my best memories are at concerts, and the photos and videos will keep me company until I can make some more. And hey, it was a pretty good last month of concerts if I do say so myself.