I’m back in Ohio. It’s weird being back after a summer with so much adventure – London, Paris, and New York in the span of three months – but I’m not entirely upset. You could say that I’ve already got back into my Ohio groove, and, while I miss London and New York everyday, I’m surviving.
One of the first things I did upon returning to Ohio was go to a show. You can read the review of that show, featuring pop-punkers Parachute, over at Hi! Magazine. However, that show really compounded something that I learned in New York. It’s something I can articulate now, with some hindsight and less hustle and bustle surrounding every move I make. It’s a lesson that live music aficionados should really take to heart, and one that few of them consider.
One simple rule: Wing it. Like I said, I’m applying this specifically to live music. Sometimes, you just need to wing it.
What do I mean?
Go see a band you don’t like. Or at least one you’ve never heard of. I’m not saying you have to be a “hipster” or a music snob or anything to do this, either. You don’t even have to break out of your go-to genre (although bonus points are available if you do). Just change it up. Live music can change your whole day, even if it’s not someone you’re building yourself up to see.
Case in point, then, is last Friday (August 10), when I went with a small group to see Parachute and the Cab perform at A&R Music Bar in Columbus. I had heard of the Cab, as I have a few friends who are actually diehard fans. I was vaguely aware of Parachute, mostly because of their one major single: “She is Love.” When I found out that we had tickets to this show, I didn’t balk at how much I didn’t know. I didn’t try to make other plans. Instead, I went with it. In the end, I’m glad I did.
I didn’t walk away from the A&R Music Bar with a new favorite band. To be completely honest, I thought the Cab was pretty underwhelming (although the small legion of screaming girls pushing their way to the front thought otherwise). Their set wasn’t painful; it just wasn’t my cup of tea. They had a few danceable songs, but nothing to write home about. Parachute, however, put on a really, really good show. I can’t begin to express how impressed I was with their live performance, including a rollicking cover of “Gimme Some Loving” that most of the crowd didn’t know. Parachute reminded me of early Fall Out Boy, and so I spent most of my evening having flashbacks to my middle school days.
And this isn’t a bad thing. There wasn’t much else I was going to do that Friday night. Why not go see a band? While I don’t really do pop-punk anymore, it was a great atmosphere in a great venue. I’m glad I’ve seen more bands, and I’m even glad I saw their fans. Those girls were so excited to see these two bands, and their enthusiasm was infectious. It was impossible to have a bad time in the A&R Music Bar that night.
And that’s why sometimes, you just need to wing it. Go see a band you’ve never heard of or don’t like (unless it’s Nickelback. Then stay away.) or aren’t sure about. Seeing a band live can really change your perspective on them. And, at the very least, you’re not sitting in your apartment on a Friday night watching Game of Thrones and Girls reruns on HBO (not that I know anyone who does that…).
