The better part of my young adult life was spent at shows and festivals.
I used to love the pushing and shoving, the sweat flying, dirt in the face, shoulder to shoulder struggle.
But like all music fans (or people of their right mind), that shit gets very old as you do the same.
The thought of an overweight H2O fan pushing his nautical star ridden elbows into my back now makes me shudder. The sweat from a young punks mohawked head splashing on me gives me chills down my spine. A face full of dirt, jockeying for position against a metal barricade, the scream of an amp in my ear.... all things that I would not like to ever experience again.
With that said, I still love live music.
I still get excited looking at tour dates. I still love holding a ticket in my hand.
But I have gotten much smarter about going to shows; seeking out the smallest venues in unknown towns.
Now that the means are much more accessible, seeing bands that I love in other countries where they may be a little less know and shows less attended is king.
Festivals would normally be a "no fucking way" for me nowadays.
Unless of course they offer packages for "old heads" like myself.
That's exactly why SHAKY KNEES is the perfect festival.
3 days of the best bands around with a private viewing area, FREE BEER, and access to non-public toilets... for a little extra cash, how can you go wrong with that?!
I know this all comes off as a bit pretentious, pompous and down right "non-punk" but to be honest...
At 31 years old... I really don't give a shit.
While the kids pop molly, mosh (do people still do that??) and sleep in tents with 3 days of filth on their bodies... I can have a full belly of light beer, in a hotel room with a bed and shower.
In just a few days, Lauren and I will be making the 7,436 mile journey (6,770 on a plane and 666 by car) to Atlanta to catch some of our favorite bands play in the Southern sunshine.
We built our schedule and it looks like this:
Day One
White Denim
Band of Skulls
Man Man
Cage The Elephant
Spoon
The National
Day Two
Tokyo Police Club
Lord Huron
Portugal. The Man
Conor Oberst
The Replacements
Modest Mouse
Day Three
Langhorne Slim & The Law
Iron & Wine
Local Natives
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Violent Femmes
Alabama Shakes
Needless to say, we are both very excited to see all these bands.
Who would you see?
Who have I forgotten to include in my list?
I used to love the pushing and shoving, the sweat flying, dirt in the face, shoulder to shoulder struggle.
But like all music fans (or people of their right mind), that shit gets very old as you do the same.
The thought of an overweight H2O fan pushing his nautical star ridden elbows into my back now makes me shudder. The sweat from a young punks mohawked head splashing on me gives me chills down my spine. A face full of dirt, jockeying for position against a metal barricade, the scream of an amp in my ear.... all things that I would not like to ever experience again.
With that said, I still love live music.
I still get excited looking at tour dates. I still love holding a ticket in my hand.
But I have gotten much smarter about going to shows; seeking out the smallest venues in unknown towns.
Now that the means are much more accessible, seeing bands that I love in other countries where they may be a little less know and shows less attended is king.
Festivals would normally be a "no fucking way" for me nowadays.
Unless of course they offer packages for "old heads" like myself.
That's exactly why SHAKY KNEES is the perfect festival.
3 days of the best bands around with a private viewing area, FREE BEER, and access to non-public toilets... for a little extra cash, how can you go wrong with that?!
I know this all comes off as a bit pretentious, pompous and down right "non-punk" but to be honest...
At 31 years old... I really don't give a shit.
While the kids pop molly, mosh (do people still do that??) and sleep in tents with 3 days of filth on their bodies... I can have a full belly of light beer, in a hotel room with a bed and shower.
In just a few days, Lauren and I will be making the 7,436 mile journey (6,770 on a plane and 666 by car) to Atlanta to catch some of our favorite bands play in the Southern sunshine.
We built our schedule and it looks like this:
Day One
White Denim
Band of Skulls
Man Man
Cage The Elephant
Spoon
The National
Day Two
Tokyo Police Club
Lord Huron
Portugal. The Man
Conor Oberst
The Replacements
Modest Mouse
Day Three
Langhorne Slim & The Law
Iron & Wine
Local Natives
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Violent Femmes
Alabama Shakes
Needless to say, we are both very excited to see all these bands.
Who would you see?
Who have I forgotten to include in my list?
dawes + the lone bellow. the lone bellow is a brooklyn band. harmonies are killer. so good.
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